When making zucchini bread, one of the first steps is preparing the zucchini. This leads to the question – should you leave the skin on or peel it off? There are pros and cons to both options, so it often comes down to personal preference.
Quick Answer
The quick answer is that you can leave the skin on or peel it off when making zucchini bread. Leaving the skin on gives the bread more fiber and nutrients from the zucchini skin. However, some people find the taste and texture of the skin unpleasant in baked goods. Peeling the zucchini may result in a smoother, more tender bread.
Leaving the Skin On
Here are some of the benefits of leaving the zucchini skin on for zucchini bread:
- More fiber – The skin of the zucchini contains a lot of fiber. Fiber is healthy and good for digestive health.
- More nutrients – In addition to fiber, the skin contains vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds like antioxidants.
- Saves time – Peeling zucchini can be tedious and time-consuming. Leaving the skin on saves prep time.
- Less waste – You’ll make use of the entire zucchini rather than generating peel waste.
- No difference in taste – Most people don’t notice a major taste difference with the skin left on.
Overall, the skin adds nutritional value to the zucchini bread and requires less prep work. If you want a fiber and nutrient boost, leaving it on is a good choice.
Peeling the Skin Off
On the other hand, here are some reasons why you may want to peel the zucchini skin before making bread:
- Smoother texture – The skin can give the bread a tougher, chewier texture. Peeling makes it more tender.
- Milder flavor – Some find the skin adds a bitter, vegetal taste. Peeling removes this strong flavor.
- Better appearance – The peeled zucchini can distribute more evenly in the batter for a prettier look.
- Easier to digest – For those with sensitive stomachs, removing the skin reduces fiber and may be easier to digest.
Peeling the zucchini may be preferable for people who don’t like chunks of skin in their bread or who want a lighter texture and flavor.
How to Prepare Zucchini for Bread
If you do opt to peel the zucchini, use a vegetable peeler or paring knife to remove the thin green skin. Try peeling in stripes or strips for a decorative look in the bread. Make sure to peel deeply enough to remove the bitter skin but not so deep you lose a lot of flesh.
If leaving the skin on, wash the zucchini thoroughly and scrub to remove any dirt. Use a knife or grater to slice or shred the zucchini into the size and shape you prefer.
No matter if you peel or not, remove the stem and blossom ends which can be tough. Then use the grated or sliced zucchini in your favorite zucchini bread recipe.
How Much Skin to Leave On
Even if you want to reap the benefits of the skin, you may not want large, chewy chunks in your bread. There are a couple options to reduce the amount of noticeable skin while keeping some of the nutrients:
- Grate the zucchini – Grating into fine shreds incorporates the skin but makes it undetectable in the bread.
- Leave stripes of skin – Alternate peeled and unpeeled stripes or spiral around the zucchini.
- Only use young, tender zucchini – The skin on young zucchini is much thinner and tenderer than mature zucchini skin.
Nutrition Comparison
Here is a nutrition comparison of a 1 cup serving of raw zucchini, with and without the skin:
| Nutrient | With Skin | Peeled |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 19 | 17 |
| Fiber | 2g | 1g |
| Vitamin C | 17% DV | 15% DV |
| Vitamin A | 4% DV | 3% DV |
| Potassium | 8% DV | 7% DV |
As shown, leaving the zucchini skin on provides extra fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, and potassium. The skin accounts for around 15-20% of the total nutrients. Over a whole loaf of zucchini bread, the extra nutrients can be significant.
Zucchini Skin and Baking
Some sources claim zucchini skin can get tough, chewy, or stringy when exposed to baking heat and moisture. However, this seems to depend on the recipe, ingredients, and baking time and temperature.
In quick breads like zucchini bread baked at moderate temperatures, the skin has time to soften and normally bakes up tender. The skin may get stringy in baked goods with higher moisture that requires the zucchini to hold its shape, like zucchini boats.
To help tenderize the skin, you can parboil or steam the zucchini for 1-2 minutes before adding to the batter. The short heat exposure partially breaks down the skin’s fiber.
Leaving the skin on also provides more structure and binding. Some bakers take advantage of this to make zucchini bread sturdier for slicing and sandwiches.
Baking Tips for Skin-On Zucchini
Here are some tips to ensure tender, not tough, zucchini skin when baking:
- Use young, thin-skinned zucchini
- Grate or mash the zucchini finely
- Parboil or steam briefly before adding to batter
- Let batter sit for 10-15 minutes before baking
- Don’t overmix the batter
- Bake at moderate temperature 350°F or below
Skin-On Zucchini Nutrition
Here is the nutrition breakdown for a 1 cup serving of shredded zucchini with the skin on:
- 19 calories
- 0 grams fat
- 4 grams carbs
- 2 grams fiber
- 1 gram protein
- 10% DV vitamin C
- 2% DV calcium
- 6% DV vitamin A
- 8% DV potassium
Zucchini is low in calories and high in water content. It provides a range of important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Leaving the nutrient-packed skin on zucchini boosts its nutritional value even more.
Popular Skin-On Zucchini Bread Recipes
Here are some top-rated zucchini bread recipes that keep the zucchini skin on:
All-Purpose Classic Zucchini Bread
This highly rated zucchini bread has just the right balance of flavors. Grated zucchini with skin adds moisture and nutrients.
Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread
For a healthier spin, this recipe uses whole wheat flour and unsweetened applesauce. Skin-on shredded zucchini keeps it moist.
Vegan Zucchini Bread
This eggless, dairy-free zucchini bread is hearty and delicious. The skin provides natural texture without animal products.
Spiced Zucchini Bread
Warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger give this bread a delicious flavor. The skin provides fiber to balance the sweetness.
Blueberry Lemon Zucchini Bread
Bursting with fruit flavor, the tart lemon and skin-on zucchini offset the sweet blueberries in this bread.
Storing and Freezing Zucchini Bread
Properly stored zucchini bread made with the skin on will stay fresh for 4-5 days at room temperature. For longer storage:
- Store slices wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.
- Wrap the entire loaf in foil and place in an airtight bag in the freezer for 2-3 months.
- Thaw frozen slices at room temperature or microwave briefly before serving.
The skin-on zucchini retains more moisture, so refrigerate or freeze the bread soon after baking for best results.
Conclusion
Overall, whether to leave the zucchini skin on or peel it off comes down to personal preference. Leaving it on adds more fiber, nutrients, and moisture to the bread. Peeling it off can give a softer texture and milder flavor. Consider your tastes, nutrition goals, and baking needs when deciding.
No matter which you choose, homemade zucchini bread is a delicious, comforting treat. With a few baking tips, the zucchini skin can become tender and unnoticeable in the final bread. Maximizing this versatile summer squash is a win-win.