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Savory Zucchini Bread with Cheddar and Jalapeños

Savory zucchini bread with cheddar jalapeños is a tender quick loaf with melted cheese pockets and visible jalapeño flecks throughout. This easy savory bread bakes until the top is golden and slightly crisp, then cools for clean slices.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
cooling 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Savory quick bread base
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.75 cup buttermilk
  • 0.33 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1.5 cup zucchini grated and squeezed dry
  • 1.5 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded (divided)
  • 1.5 jalapeños seeded and diced
  • 2 green onions sliced

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Cast iron skillet

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan.
  2. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper together in a bowl.
Mix wet ingredients
  1. Beat eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and honey until combined.
  2. Stir in grated squeezed zucchini, 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, diced jalapeños, and sliced green onions.
  3. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined, keeping the batter thick.
Bake
  1. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and top with the remaining 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
  2. Bake 50–58 minutes, until the cheese is golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool and slice
  1. Cool the loaf for 15 minutes before slicing, so the cheddar sets and slices stay neat.

Notes

For the best loaf texture, squeeze the grated zucchini very dry so the crumb stays tender rather than soggy. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; rewarm slices in the oven at 325°F for 5–8 minutes. Freezing works well up to 2 months—thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lower-fat option, use part-skim cheddar and reduce vegetable oil to 1/4 cup, keeping all other measurements the same.