Do you have zucchinis piling up and running out of ways to use it? I usually make the old standby, zucchini bread. I still love it as a delightful dessert. But how about a savory zucchini bread?
Why do I like Zucchini-Herb Artisan Bread?
- This bread is soft and light.
- This bread is perfect for sandwiches and toast.
- This bread uses one of those large zucchinis that got away from you in the garden. If you grow it, you know what I mean.
- This bread is so easy to make, even if you don’t call yourself an expert baker.
- This bread uses 2 kinds of whole wheat flour, so it’s packed with whole-grain goodness.
What do you need to make this delicious bread?
- One large zucchini
- Whole-Wheat White flour
- 100% Whole-Wheat flour
- Instant yeast
- Nutritional yeast
- Warm Water
- Sugar or honey (to feed the yeast)
- Salt or salt substitute
- Italian seasoning
- Dried basil
- Dillweed
Have you made homemade bread before?
This bread is pretty much like a whole-wheat bread you may have made before, except with the addition of zucchini and some herbs. The zucchini is blended up, so it provides the moisture you need to keep it soft and light. Using white whole-wheat flour also adds to the lightness. This flour has the same nutrition as 100% whole wheat. It’s just a lighter strain of wheat.
But the steps to making this bread are the same as most whole-grain bread you can make. First, you make your yeast mixture, by mixing instant yeast with warm water and a little sugar to get the yeast growing. After mixing, let it sit for 5-10 minutes until the mixture gets light and frothy. While the yeast is growing, I shred the zucchini, skins, and all, in my food processor. Then, I add it to my blender and liquify it–this takes less than a minute.
When the yeast is ready, add it to a large bowl. Then add the zucchini and all the other ingredients except for the flours. Stir well to combine. Then, it’s time to add the flours. It works best for me to add one cup at a time and mix it well. If the mixture gets too stiff to mix with a spoon, you can use your hands. Continue mixing until you have a stiff but smooth ball.
Next comes the fun part–at least for me. I just love kneading bread! There is something so relaxing and even rhythmic about kneading and shaping a loaf of bread. I never get tired of doing it. Lightly dust your counter or baking mat with some flour, then knead the bread for 5-10 minutes. I knead mine for about 7 minutes. The goal is to have a soft and smooth ball when you are finished.
Put the bread in a bowl, cover it with a towel, and set it in a warm place to rise. I preheat the oven to 350 degrees and let it sit on the stovetop for an hour. After the hour is up, it should have nearly doubled in size. Punch the dough down, knead it for a few minutes, then shape it into a round ball (if you’re making artisan-style bread). You could also bake it in standard bread pans. Shape the bread to match the pan you’re using.
To shape the loaf, tuck the edges underneath, turning and repeating the tucking movement, until the top of the loaf becomes stretched and fairly taut. Place it on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat, cover it again with a towel, and allow it to rise for 20 minutes. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Use a sharp knife to make a few cuts on the surface (about 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep) for an artisan look. This is called scoring and will give your bread a true artisan look (this is optional, of course). Bake the bread for about 35 minutes or until golden brown. Check the bottom side of the bread to make sure it is golden brown in color there too. Remove from the oven, cover with a towel, and let it cool naturally. I like to wait until the following day to eat it. That way, I can be sure that the yeast has finished working. This helps with better digestion.
White Whole-Wheat Flour HealthBite
Do not confuse white whole-wheat flour with white all-purpose flour. White whole-wheat flour has the same benefits as regular 100% whole-wheat flour. But white all-purpose flour is refined, with many of the essential nutrients removed during the milling process. White whole-wheat and 100% whole wheat both contain B-vitamins, fiber, protein, and healthy whole fats. In general, ¼ cup of white whole wheat flour contains 100 calories, 22 grams of carbohydrate, 4 grams of fiber, and 4 grams of protein. However, white whole-wheat flour is light in texture and milder in flavor than 100% whole wheat. It is one reason why Zucchini-Herb Artisan bread is so light and fluffy.
Zucchini-Herb Artisan Bread
Ingredients
- 1 large zucchini, shredded
- 1 cup warm water 110 degrees
- 2 tbsp instant yeast
- 2 tsp sugar or honey
- 3-4 cups white whole-wheat flour
- 2 cups 100% whole-wheat flour
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
- 1 tsp salt or salt substitute
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- 1 tbsp dried dill weed
Instructions
- Add the yeast to 2 cups of warm water (110 degrees F) with the sugar and honey. Set it aside for 5-10 minutes until the mixture gets frothy. In the meantime, shred the zucchini in a food processor or use a hand grater. Then add it to a blender to liquify it.
- When the yeast is ready, mix the zucchini with the yeast mixture. Add all other ingredients except for the flour.
- Add the flour and mix one cup at a time. If the mixture gets too stiff by mixing with a spoon, use your hands. You may need more than 5 cups of flour--add additional flour, enough so the ball holds together and makes a smooth, stiff ball.
- Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes. on a lightly floured surface. I usually do it for about 7 minutes.
- Put the dough in a bowl, cover with a towel, and set it in a warm place. I put it on my oven as it is pre-heating (set it at 350 degrees F). Allow it to rise for an hour, til doubled in size.
- Punch the dough, knead it for a couple more minutes, and shape it into a ball.
- For making artisan bread, make a few slashes on top of the bread. Scoring the dough with a bread lame or razor blade allows the dough to expand in the oven and let the gases release.
- Place the bread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet. Allow it to rise for another 20 minutes. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Bake the bread for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown (top and bottom). Set it on a baking rack to cool when done. It is best to wait until the following day to eat--this allows the yeast to be completely finished working (it is also helpful for better digestion).
Notes
- If you do not want a round loaf of bread, you can also bake this in a standard nonstick baking pan.
- Variation for herbs: add 1-2 cloves of garlic. When blending the zucchini, add the chopped-up garlic to blend along with it.
