• Prep time: 15 minutes

  • Bake time: 45–50 minutes

  • Yield: 1 loaf (about 8–10 slices)

Ingredients

The Dry Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional, for extra flavor)

The Wet Ingredients:

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1/3 cup olive oil (or melted butter)

  • 1/2 cup buttermilk (or whole milk)

The Mix-ins:

  • 1 cup zucchini, grated and squeezed of excess moisture

  • 1 cup cooked ham, finely diced

  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (or Gruyère), shredded or finely cubed

  • 2 tablespoons green onions or chives, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Prep the Oven and Pan

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a standard 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray, or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.

2. Prep the Zucchini

Grate the zucchini using a box grater. Zucchini holds a lot of water, so place the shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. This prevents the bread from becoming soggy.

3. Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.

4. Mix the Wet Ingredients

In a separate medium bowl, beat the eggs thoroughly. Whisk in the olive oil (or melted butter) and the buttermilk until smooth.

5. Combine and Fold

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula just until the flour is mostly incorporated (do not overmix, or the bread will be tough). Fold in the squeezed zucchini, diced ham, shredded cheese, and green onions until evenly distributed. The batter will be quite thick.

6. Bake

Spoon the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the top is deeply golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (a little melted cheese on the toothpick is fine, but there shouldn’t be wet batter).

7. Cool and Serve

Let the bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.