Sourdough Blueberry Zucchini Bread

While my husband grew up making bread from scratch, something my grandmother also did, as an adult, I’ve learned to bake homemade bread. Being me,  I’ve become creative with the ingredients. And my latest creation is this Sourdough Blueberry Zucchini Bread, which tastes absolutely incredible!

There’s nothing quite like the taste or smell of it right out of the oven. And the combination of the delicious blueberries and zucchini is the perfect marriage of sweet and savory. But this Sourdough Blueberry Zucchini Bread offers so much more than incredible taste alone.

First, both the blueberries and zucchini are rich in antioxidants, meaning they help to fight free radicals, which are linked to the development of many chronic inflammatory conditions, such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and more. [1]

Additionally, the blueberries in this Sourdough Blueberry Zucchini Bread, arguably the star of this recipe, have been extensively researched and contain some impressive health benefits.

For example, a 2019 consensus report published in the journal Diabetes Care confirmed that the fiber in blueberries may help to modestly lower average blood sugar levels. [2]

Meanwhile, according to a study published in January 2022, adding blueberries to energy-dense meals may benefit your heart health, especially if you’re at increased risk of experiencing a cardiovascular event.

According to the new study, published in Clinical Nutrition, adding the equivalent of one cup of fresh blueberries to energy-dense meals (such as those high in saturated fat and added sugar) may offer heart health benefits for individuals with metabolic syndrome, which is a health condition that impacts nearly 40 percent of all Americans. [3]

While further studies are recommended, the results of this study suggest that adding a single cup of blueberries to energy-dense meals could help counteract the meal’s metabolic effects by reducing insulin and glucose levels (which are often elevated in individuals with diabetes and metabolic syndrome), and cholesterol 24 hours after the meal.

Because consistently elevated blood sugar levels following a meal are associated with increased heart disease risk, this is promising news.

Now that you have an idea of how this Sourdough Blueberry Zucchini Bread recipe could help support your health, let’s take a look at what you need in order to make it!

Sourdough Blueberry Zucchini Bread

Makes: 2 9 x 5-inch loaves or 1 large loaf

Ingredients

2 cups starter

1 tsp yeast

1 ¾ cups water

5 cups spelt or einkorn flour

¾ cup whole wheat flour

2 ½ tsp salt

1 – 1 ⅓ cups blueberries

1 ⅓  – 2 cups wrung-out shredded zucchini (from about 3 small to medium zucchinis)

Zest of 1 lemon (optional)

Directions

1. Mix together the starter, yeast, water and flours in a larger mixing bowl until no flour is visible

2. Let rest for 20 minutes

3. While the dough is resting, shred zucchini with a box grater.  Using a tea towel, wring out the water. (Prep tip: Be sure to remove as much water as possible as this makes it easier to mix the dough.)

4. Knead in the salt and 1 cup of blueberries and 1 1/3 cup of zucchini. Note: lightly flour your hands to knead the dough.

5. Return dough to the bowl for an hour or until the dough has doubled in size (the einkorn flour, may rise quickly).

6. Once the dough has risen,lightly flour the counter,  turn it out on the counter and pat out into a general rectangle shape. Fold one of the shorter ends in by a third. Then fold from the other side. Then fold the other two sides inward. With each fold, if you still have blueberries and zucchini you can continue to add and then pinch dough together.

7. Return the folded dough to the bowl and attempt to work the dough around the filling. As it rises, the dough will reform and it won’t look messy.

8. Let sit for 1 hour.

9. Shape the dough and place in a greased cake or loaf pan if using. If using a dutch oven, you can leave and rest where it is.

10. While the dough is resting, preheat oven to 450 and if using a dutch oven, put it in the oven to heat while the oven comes to temperature. When the dough is ready, slide it into the hot pan, cover with a lid, and bake for 30 minutes. Then remove lid and continue baking for 15 minutes.

11. If using a loaf pan, bake for 30-40 minutes. Slice and enjoy!

Notes:

Flour: Spelt is far easier to work with. The consistency of the einhorn is lighter. The spelt is much denser. The rise ultimately was about the same.

Dutch oven vs. loaf or cake pan:

• My dutch oven is too large for it to work in. The rise wasn’t able to sustain itself and it flattened. However, if you have a small dutch oven or crueset, the crust it allows for great.

• Again, the loaf pan (greased) does make it easier to work with. And makes for a prettier shape. Transferring the ancient grain dough into the dutch oven is tricky.

• Rise: Be very careful of overpoofing. These had a great rise but I think the resting hours might have been too long. Would love to try one with 2 rises instead of 3.

Zucchini: The better wrung out, the easier it is to incorporate without disrupting the dough form. You can also get more in (the more the better, as it is hard to taste). While 1 cup is ideal, use your judgement.