The Vegetable That Makes Banana Bread Unbelievably Tender

The next time you want to throw out your old fruits or vegetables, think again. There are just too many ways to make use of those overripened treats. Baking up some banana bread is one of the most popular ways to use old bananas, but there's much more you can throw into those quick breads too for a really elevated slice of heaven. For example, one such vegetable that makes banana bread unbelievably tender is zucchini. 

This vivid green courgette is 95% water, whichmakes it a great vegetable to add to banana bread to help infuse the treat with moisture. The more moisture in your bread, the more tender the end product will be. Zucchini's mild flavors mean it won't confuse the usual flavor of your loaf. And, since this vegetable softens as it bakes, it won't disrupt the familiar pillowy, succulent texture of your bread either. 

So, if you've got some fresh zucchini and old bananas lying around, baking a zucchini banana bread could be the perfect way to use them. Merging the subtle sweetness of banana bread with the moist texture of zucchini brings the best of these two treats together. If you're curious to give it a try, here's how.

To incorporate some zucchini into banana bread, start by picking out the varieties that will offer the best flavor. Fresh zucchini will be shiny and firm, and you should avoid larger varieties, as smaller zucchinis typically make the best bread.

Next, to actually add the zucchini to the bread, simply shred the vegetable finely and mix it in with your other ingredients before baking. Don't over-mix the batter, as this introduces too much air into it. That is the killer of tendernessand can make for an overly-dense loaf. There's no need to peel the outer skin off your zucchini either, as it's full of fiber and other helpful nutrients that make your banana bread healthier. Shredding your zucchini before adding it also helps to draw out all that hidden moisture that helps make the bread tender. You can opt to chop your zucchini up very small or grate it, depending on what kitchen tools you have on hand. Avoid grating your zucchini too tiny, however, as those small shreds will become extra watery and mushy in the bread after they've been baked. 

While adding zucchini to banana bread comes with plenty of delicious pros, it's important to dig into the potential cons, too. When adding zucchini to bread, it can be really easy for the loaf to come out too wet once baked if you don't prep your vegetables right. That is why you shouldn't shred this vegetable too small, but it's also why you should be draining its excess juices. 

Because zucchini has a high water content, it's a good idea to drain the water that comes out of your zucchini while shredding it to avoid an overly soggy loaf. Those shreds will still retain much of their juices, you'll just be removing the excess. To strain out the surplus water from your zucchini, place the shreds in a tea towel or cheesecloth and squeeze before adding them into your batter. It's as simple as that. You can easily discard that excess juice, or save it for another recipe like a refreshing green smoothie. Whatever you want to do is up to you, just don't forget to add this step to your recipe, and your elevated banana bread should come out perfectly tender and delicious.