These easy sourdough discard zucchini muffins are one of the BEST ways to use your sourdough discard and your extra zucchini from the garden. They are light, moist and tender, and they are secretly healthier, thanks to the hidden veggie! Perfect for breakfast, snacking or dessert, these muffins are also 100% vegan, egg-free and dairy-free!
One of our favorite ways to use our extra sourdough starter is by making vegan muffins! The addition of sourdough discard to your muffin batter helps keep them moist and tender, plus it adds a yummy tangy flavor that balances the overall sweetness.
We love these sourdough apple cinnamon muffins for lunch boxes or afterschool snacks and these sourdough discard corn muffins are the perfect side dish for chili or soups. And now these sourdough discard zucchini muffins are so delicious and easy to prepare, they are a must-try!
But don't worry, you won't be able to tell that these muffins hide a wholesome veggie! Zucchini is a fairly tasteless vegetable, but it adds more nutrients and contributes to the tenderness in each bite. Also, this is an egg-free, vegan and dairy-free recipe. The best vegan muffin recipe to use up your zucchini from the garden!
Let me know in the comment how they turned out if you give this recipe a try! ❤️
❤️ Why you will love this recipe
- Easy and quick muffin recipe
- Great to use your extra sourdough discard
- Moist and tender
- Healthy (thanks to the addition of low-caloric zucchini that brings more minerals, vitamins and fiber)
- Packed with smooth and sweet flavors
- Great for snacking, dessert or even breakfast.
- Fully vegan, egg-free and dairy-free
🗒 Ingredient notes (+ substitutions)
- Sourdough starter: use a 100% hydrated sourdough starter (active starter OR sourdough discard, both work). Keep in mind that an older sourdough discard will give you a stronger tangy flavor.
- All-purpose flour: do not use bread flour so the muffins are tender and light. I used the flour from King Arthur.
- Oil: I used canola oil for this recipe, but you can also use melted coconut oil or any other light-flavored vegetable oil. I think melted vegan butter would work too.
- Sugar: Brown sugar is a great choice to add extra flavor, but regular white sugar or cane sugar would be fine too.
- Milk: I used oat milk from Oatly to make these muffins dairy-free, but use any milk that you have such as soy milk or almond milk.
- Zucchini: both green and yellow squash work well and smaller zucchini are best for their milder taste (big squash can be a little bitter). Do not peel the zucchini to get the most of their nutrition!
- Vanilla + Cinnamon: feel free to swap for other spices, such as nutmeg, ground ginger or chai spice mix.
⭐️ Full list of ingredients (+ quantities) down below in the recipe card!
📝 Variations
- Chocolate chip zucchini muffins: add about ½ cup to ¾ cup of mini chocolate chips for a treat or if looking for muffins a little sweeter.
- Raisins: to add more sweetness in a healthier way.
- Lemon: add about 1 teaspoon of lemon zest for a bright and zesty flavor.
- Nuts: these muffins go great with walnuts, feel free to add a handful!
🍽 How to make sourdough discard zucchini muffins
Step 1: In a medium bowl, add the sourdough starter, brown sugar, oil, dairy-free milk and vanilla extract. Whisk well until smooth.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, combine together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
Step 3: Pour the wet mixture over the bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk until combined and there are no clumps of flour visible (but do not overmix!).
Step 4: Fold in the shredded zucchini using a large spoon or spatula.
Step 5: Divide the batter between 12 muffin liners and bake at 350ºF for 20 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean). Once done, transfer the muffins over a cooling rack and let them cool down for 5-10 minutes before enjoying.
⭐️ Detailed recipe (+ video) down below in the recipe card!
💡 Baking tips
- Try to remember to bring your sourdough discard to room temperature before using it to get consistent results!
- In this recipe, the sourdough discard is not for rising purposes, but only to add moisture and a yummy flavor. This means that you can use either sourdough discard or active sourdough starter!
- I highly recommend weighing the ingredients using a small kitchen scale. If you do not have a scale, then make sure to measure the flour following the spoon and level method.
- Avoid overmixing the batter! Mixing a muffin batter for too long can develop the gluten from the flour and create muffins that are tough or chewy.
- Do not overbake the muffins! Use a toothpick to test for doneness, it should come out clean.
❗️ Storage tips
Once the muffins are cooled down, then transfer them to an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for 2 days. You can transfer them to the fridge for longer storage (up to 5 days). Make sure the container is sealed so they don't dry out!
You can also freeze the muffins for up to 3 months! Let them thaw at room temperature before enjoying or use the microwave to speed up the thawing process (warm them up only for a few seconds).
❓ FAQs
No, I did not remove any moisture from the zucchini when making this recipe. Their natural moisture helps keep the muffin tender for longer!
Yes, you will have to use a GF sourdough starter and swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 certified gluten-free flour such as this one from Bob's Red Mill.
I haven't tried it yet, but you could try swapping the oil for apple sauce or mashed banana. This usually makes for muffins that are a little denser and less fluffy, but it usually works.
🌱 More vegan sourdough discard muffin recipes you might like
I hope you like this sourdough discard zucchini muffin recipe as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!
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📖 Recipe
Sourdough Discard Zucchini Muffins (Egg-Free, Vegan)
Equipment
- Medium and large mixing bowls
- Stirring spoon and spatula
- Small kitchen scale (or measuring cups)
- Measuring spoons
- Muffin pan and muffin liners
Ingredients
- 240 g flour (240 g = 2 cups)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 100 g sourdough discard 100% hydration
- 110 g brown sugar (110 g = ¾ cup)
- 100 g oil (100 g = ½ cup)
- 170 g oat milk (170g = ¾ cup)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 240 g zucchini shredded, (240 g = 1⅓ cup)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a muffin pan with 12 muffin liners.
- In a medium bowl, combine the sourdough starter, milk, sugar, oil and vanilla extract. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
- Pour the wet mixture over the bowl with the dry ingredients, then whisk until smooth and uniform (without overmixing). Then, fold in the shredded zucchini.
- Divide the muffin batter between the 12 muffin liners, then bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer the muffins over a cooling rack and let them cool down before storage.
Video
Notes
- Try to remember to bring your sourdough discard to room temperature before using it to get consistent results!
- In this recipe, the sourdough discard is not for rising purposes, but only to add moisture and a yummy flavor. This means that you can use either sourdough discard or active sourdough starter!
- I highly recommend weighing the ingredients using a small kitchen scale. If you do not have a scale, then make sure to measure the flour following the spoon and level method.
- Avoid overmixing the batter! Mixing a muffin batter for too long can develop the gluten from the flour and create muffins that are tough or chewy.
- Do not overbake the muffins! Use a toothpick to test for doneness, it should come out clean.
- Nutrition: please note that the nutritional information is an estimate per serving provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and accuracy is not guaranteed. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.
Anonymous says
Delicious muffins, will make them again!
jessica says
Thanks for your comment, so glad you liked them! 😊