My 1-Ingredient Upgrade for the Most Flavorful Zucchini Bread (No, It’s Not Cinnamon)

Kristina Razon
Kristina RazonDeputy Food Editor at The Kitchn
Before joining The Kitchn, I worked for Serious Eats. I was initially hired as the office manager, but quickly transitioned into a role as editor and recipe developer. Prior to my time there, I spent more than 10 years in professional kitchens in Washington, D.C.; Boston; and New York City. I’ve worked as a line cook, baker, culinary teaching assistant, pastry chef, and kitchen manager. I have an MS in Sustainable Food Systems from Green Mountain College, and a Culinary Arts Certificate from Boston University. I'm the author of a self-published ebook titled A Guide to Northeast Grains, an introductory guide to baking with regional flours — specifically buckwheat, einkorn, emmer, rye, spelt, and triticale. I love teaching home cooks how to make good food in their kitchens, whether it’s sharing a recipe for a quick and easy dinner or a super-delicious dessert, or writing about how to make the best tomato toast.
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published Jul 25, 2024
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Credit: Jesse Szewczyk

Come mid-July, I’m swimming in zucchini. Although I don’t grow it myself, I can’t help but stock up on it whenever I’m out grocery shopping. And when it’s time to get cooking, I tend to stick to basics: I sauté sliced rounds simply in olive oil for an easy side dish, melt it down and twirl it with spaghetti, and bake it into zucchini bread. 

Years ago, I perfected my recipe for the best ever zucchini bread. It’s a pleasantly sweet, lightly spiced loaf that’s suitable as a mid-afternoon snack, dessert, and even as breakfast. While it has all the usual suspects — flour, oil, sugar, and ground cinnamon and nutmeg — I discovered that adding a tiny bit of ground coriander to the batter took it to the next level. These days, whether I make my own recipe or another zucchini bread recipe that I adore, I slip coriander in for an even better eating experience. It’s zucchini bread 2.0.

Why Ground Coriander Makes Zucchini Bread Even Better

During my search for the perfect zucchini bread, I found each loaf I baked off was rather forgettable. Yes, they were moist, tender, and lightly sweet (all the hallmarks of a good zucchini bread), but none had me going back for seconds; IMO, that’s the mark of a great recipe.

Then one day as I was digging through my spice cabinet, I came across a glass jar of ground coriander, which has a mellow, earthy, lemon flavor. Out of curiosity, I added it to my next loaf. What came out of my oven was magical! Just an 1/8 teaspoon of ground coriander added a bright, citrusy note that balanced the deep warmth from the ground cinnamon and nutmeg. Try it out in your next zucchini bread and let me know what you think in the comments — I’d love to hear from you!

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