If you’ve recently created a gluten-free sourdough starter, the 7-Inch Sourdough Boule (GF/V) is the perfect bread recipe to try! The ingredients are similar to my other sourdoughs, although this recipe includes the best ratios of GF flours and starches to bake the tastiest round loaf.
After making this recipe at least once per week in the past few months, I had to share it! It’s fantastic fresh (cool it first) and makes the best toast/sandwiches! Don’t worry the perfectly crisp crust will soften as it cools!
Each time I write the instructions for a new gluten-free, plant-based/vegan bread recipe, I strive to make the process as easy as possible. My goal is to have as many people give it a try—even regular wheat-eating peeps!
Be excited as making gluten-free sourdough bread is way less scary than preparing the wheat-based version. The steps are simpler to understand.
As you practice, you’ll gain more experience with how your dough should look and feel. And also, what to try if your mixture is too wet or dry and you need a Plan B. Take notes each time you bake a loaf, be patient and enjoy the process!
Table of Contents
- Why this 7-Inch Sourdough Boule?
- What is an Active, Fed & Bubbly Starter?
- Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter Recipes
- What To Expect (Baking Schedule Example)
- Ingredients
- Tools
- How to Make this Sourdough
- Tips for a Successful Bake
- Similar Recipes To Try
- Watch YouTube Recipe Video Tutorial
- How to Bake the Dough in a Bread Pan
Why This 7-Inch Sourdough Boule?
Home bakers often want an airier and soft gluten-free crumb. Many also prefer to reduce the overall starch in a bread recipe. I’ve created both types of sourdough bread recipes on this blog.
The combination of ingredients in this specific sourdough recipe has just the perfect ratio of gluten-free flours to starches to soften and lighten the texture—you will love it!
A smaller 7-inch round loaf (boule) is plenty for one to two people for the week!
Sourdough bread is fermented, so it should be easier to digest. It’s filling and will keep a stomach happy and satiated for longer than store-bought white processed bread. Enjoying one or two slices per day is often plenty for most.
What is an Active, Fed & Bubbly Starter?
Active means that the starter has been fed with gluten-free flour and water and had time to transform into wild yeast. A GF sourdough starter will display many happy bubbles throughout when it’s at its peak of activity.
The photo above is a great example of a starter that I would call ready to use in a bread recipe. Using the starter when it’s lively will help to create the best rise at the proofing and baking stage. Note that a gluten-free sourdough starter doesn’t necessarily double in size.
Whether you use brown rice, sorghum or a different GF flour, the look of your starter could vary. If it separates a little, at the top or bottom, that’s ok too! It doesn’t mean it’s bad.
The clearest sign of a starter gone bad is the smell and if you see mold. Otherwise, it’s probably fine and will revive after one or a few feedings.
Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter Recipes
Here are some GF sourdough starter recipes on the blog:
- Easiest GF Sourdough Starter
(Brown Rice Flour, Smaller Portion) - Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter
(Brown Rice Flour) - Sorghum Flour Sourdough Starter
- Grain-Free Sourdough Starter
What To Expect
Baking schedule example for this recipe:
- (Evening Day 1) Remove the starter from the refrigerator and feed it (set aside overnight).
- (Morning Day 2) Feed the starter again and wait until it’s active (2-4 hours).
- (Starter is Ready) Mix your bread ingredients and rise the dough (3-5 hours).
- Bake (1 hour 20 minutes).
- Cool loaf (4-6 hours). Enjoy the bread!
One could also start the process in the morning, but it could mean only baking later in the evening.
If a starter was already out at room temperature, is active and ready to use, go ahead and mix the bread ingredients, rise and bake all in the same day.
Ingredients
Please note that I don’t bake with xanthan gum. I develop all my bread recipes to have as few ingredients as possible, without food additives.
Brown Rice Sourdough Starter – The star ingredient of this recipe! Once you have an established natural wild yeast sourdough starter, make sure to feed it a couple of times before mixing some in a bread recipe.
Psyllium Husk – When not using xanthan gum, adding psyllium husk (whole or powder) to a gluten-free bread recipe is perfect. When combined with water, the nutritious fibre turns into a gel, which helps stick everything together. Psyllium is a binder (glue) for gluten-free bread recipes.
Maple Syrup – A little pure natural sweetness will keep the yeast happy in a bread recipe.
Olive Oil – Adding extra virgin olive oil to a gluten-free bread recipe creates a tender, soft crumb, and it also helps to crisp up the crust.
Water – A clean water source (preferably not tap water) is essential when making good bread. Also, the water temperature helps the yeast activity in the dough. Mixing in room temperature water (70-85°F) works best with sourdough bread recipes.
Potato Starch (not potato flour) – This starch is what truly changes the texture and flavour of a gluten-free bread recipe. You can try other starches, but there’s something special about potato starch. It creates the best mouthfeel in gluten-free bread recipes.
Tapioca Starch – This starchy ingredient is also great to lighten gluten-free bread recipes. As an alternative, arrowroot starch is a good sub. Tapioca starch is sometimes labelled tapioca flour.
Light Buckwheat Flour – Buckwheat is an excellent flour for gluten-free baking. If you don’t have access to lighter-coloured and mild-tasting buckwheat flour, consider grinding/milling buckwheat groats into a fine flour.
GF Oat Flour – Gluten-free certified oat flour is a beautiful flour to combine with other baking ingredients. It, too, will transform the bread recipe and give it an incredible flavour. If you can’t find GF oat flour, you can mill GF oats into fresh flour!
Brown Rice Flour – A good source of fine brown rice flour is ideal for GF bread baking. If you have access to organic brown rice flour, give it a try! It’s even better!
Sea Salt – I often have grey sea salt on hand. Before adding sea salt to a recipe, taste yours. Some brands are way saltier than others. For that reason, you might need to adjust the overall amount of salt you add to the dough mixture. Adding salt to your dough is almost necessary. Your bread will taste bland if you don’t.
Recipe Tools
- Large Mixing Bowl (or Stand Mixer bowl)
- Large Bowl
- Sifter/Sieve/Strainer
- Kitchen Scale
- Silicone Spatula
- Banneton Basket/Soup Bowl
- Dutch Oven (5qt or Larger)
- Unbleached Parchment Paper
- Lame or Sharp Blade
- Wire Rack
Use a stand mixer as an alternative to mixing the dough by hand or with a spoon.
The best experiment is to try both mixing methods to compare your results.
How to Make Gluten-Free Sourdough
Before starting, watch the 7-Inch Sourdough Boule (GF/V) recipe video.
Step 1
The evening before baking, refresh (feed) your GF sourdough starter.
Schedule Example: Remove the starter jar from the fridge around dinnertime and wait a few hours. I keep about 1 cup of starter in the jar when I refrigerate it between bakes. Feed the starter before bedtime. It doesn’t have to be precise. Add a few heaping spoonfuls of brown rice flour with enough water to stir.
First thing in the morning, take a portion of the starter and feed it again to get it even livelier. Do so by combining approximately 1/2 cup active starter 133g with 70g brown rice flour and 62g water (mix & cover) and wait until it gets bubbly/active again—usually a few hours. Or feed the starter a second time, right in the same jar, using the previous measurements as a guide. The goal is to create enough bubbly sourdough starter for the recipe (265g/1 cup). TIP: Feeding the starter more, right in the same jar is often faster.
Step 2
Combine the room temperature water (about 70-85°F), whole psyllium husk, maple syrup, and olive oil in a large mixing bowl (or stand mixer bowl) and whisk well. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes.
Step 3
To a separate bowl, combine, sift and mix all the remaining dry ingredients including the sea salt.
Step 4
Add the dry ingredients from Step 3 and the GF sourdough starter to the large mixing bowl with the psyllium gel. Mix with a spoon, hand(s), or stand mixer until the dough is well combined. If it’s too dry, add one or two additional tablespoons of water if necessary. The final dough texture should feel smooth, not dry and might be sticky. If the dough sticks to your fingers (if mixing by hand), that’s ok! Scrape them down and wash them once finished.
Step 5
Dust a 7-inch banneton basket with a bit of brown rice flour to prevent sticking. Alternatively, place a clean tea towel into a soup bowl and dust the towel with flour. Gather the dough in your hands and smooth it out by patting it to fix any imperfections. Place the smoothest side down into the basket (it will become the top once flipped over to bake). Insert the dough basket in a large plastic bag or cover with a clean tea towel.
Find a cozy spot in the kitchen and let it rise for 3 to 5 hours. The dough is ready to bake once it shows some growth (usually half to 1-inch in height). See #4 in picture below. The dough will not double in size but should spring back if gently pressed down with a finger.
Step 6
One hour (min. 30 minutes) before baking the sourdough, preheat the oven and Dutch oven to 425°F. Position the oven rack on the lower half so the Dutch oven will be centered when baking. If you have a baking stone/steel, you can leave it in the oven as well.
Step 7
Once the dough looks ready (#4 in the picture above is perfect) and the oven is hot, remove the Dutch oven from oven. Be careful—it will be hot! Gently flip the dough boule onto a piece of parchment paper. Brush off excess flour. Score the dough with one line across holding the blade on a slight angle, about 1/4-in deep. Or try one of the design examples below.
Transfer the dough with the parchment paper to the Dutch oven, add a couple of ice cubes on the side of the parchment paper and close the lid. Bake for 40 minutes covered and approximately 40 minutes uncovered. The bread is ready when it’s darker in colour; the crust is hard and sounds hollow all around when tapped. The internal temperature should be about 210°F, although I haven’t checked a loaf this way yet.
Step 8
Remove the boule from the Dutch oven and cool on a rack for at least 4 to 6 hours before slicing. Don’t worry the crust will soften as it cools! Enjoy fresh!
Tips For a Successful Bake
Fresh Ingredients – Combining the freshest flours and starches will help create the best flavour and rise in a gluten-free sourdough bread recipe. If you have access to organic ingredients, try it out to compare the difference!
Water – As mentioned earlier, adding the best source of water in a bread recipe is key. Try not to use chlorinated tap water. Filtered or spring water is great. Room temperature to slightly warm water is ideal.
Sea Salt – Don’t forget the salt! It’s not an ingredient you want to skip. It does help with the flavour and texture of the crumb.
GF Sourdough Starter Aroma – If you don’t like how your starter smells you won’t necessarily like the bread you make with it! My favourite gluten-free sourdough starter smell a little yeasty, sweet, and shouldn’t be too sour (unless that’s what you like).
Be Patient – Don’t rush the process! Baking sourdough is not a fast project but a rewarding one. Forgetting about your starter and rising dough can sometimes work to your advantage. Have fun and with practice you will figure out which tricks work well in your baking environment.
Room Temperature – If your kitchen is freezing cold in the winter months, the process might feel slower than on a hot summer day. Let your environment lead you, again don’t rush the process.
Open Crumb – Many bakers work hard to perfect what they think is the best open and airy crumb. If you’ve achieved a texture and flavour you enjoy, be proud! That’s what matters. Don’t get me wrong, it sure looks pretty to create those large bubbles, but smaller holes will hold your toppings together better.
Baking Temperatures – Double check your oven temperature if your loaves are not baking properly. Just recently I noticed that my oven door wasn’t fully closing. All the heat was escaping which means my oven might not have been baking at the temperature I thought it was. This recipe bakes at 425°F.
Similar Recipes to Try
- Wild Yeast Bread (GF/V)
Makes a larger oat-free loaf. Use your stand mixer for this one. - Original Buckwheat Sourdough
Includes seed/nut flour (protein-rich) and has less starch. - Simple Sorghum Sourdough
Rice-free, proofed overnight in the fridge, easier to digest. - Gluten-Free Sourdough Rolls
Soft oat-free rolls with nutritious ingredients and hemp milk.
Recipe How-To Video (Step-by-Step Tutorial)
How to Bake the Dough in a Bread Pan
Need a Plan B to bake your gluten-free sourdough?
This method will work well if you feel that your dough might be too wet to hold up as a free-form loaf. Or maybe it’s because you like a different shape for your bread slices.
I recommend baking your gluten-free sourdough in an 8.2 x 4.7-inch bread pan. It’s smaller than an average bread pan. You could use a 9 x 5-inch pan, but your loaf won’t bake as high.
Once your dough is mixed, transfer it to your parchment-lined bread pan and cover it. Let it rise for 3 to 5 hours, then follow the baking instructions: 40 mins covered, 40 mins uncovered. Same as the free-from version. Also, keep the 425° F oven temperature.
If you have a baking stone, you can preheat it and place it under the bread pan when baking.
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7-Inch Sourdough Boule (GF/V)
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1hr 50mins (+3-5hrs rising time, +/-12hrs overall)
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
- Category: Bread, Sourdough
- Method: Fermentation, Oven-Baked
- Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Vegan, Plant-Based, Allergen-Friendly
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
The 7-Inch Sourdough Boule is a perfect first bread recipe to make if you’ve recently started or have a gluten-free brown rice sourdough starter. I’ve simplified the steps to make it easier for anyone to try! The ingredients create a perfectly soft crumb and crispy crust that softens once it cools. This sourdough bread is delicious when enjoyed fresh and always amazingly tasty when toasted.
Baking Schedule Example: If you start the process the night before you want to bake, you could enjoy fresh sourdough by the next evening!
- (Evening Day 1) Remove the starter from the refrigerator and feed it (set aside overnight).
- (Morning Day 2) Feed the starter again and wait until it’s active (2-4 hours).
- (Starter is Ready) Mix your bread ingredients and rise the dough (3-5 hours).
- Preheat oven (and Dutch oven) 30-60 minutes before you bake.
- Bake (1 hour 20 minutes).
- Cool (4-6 hours). Enjoy bread!
Tools: Large Mixing Bowl (or Stand Mixer bowl), Large Bowl, Sifter/Sieve/Strainer, Kitchen Scale, Silicone Spatula, Banneton Basket/Soup Bowl, Dutch oven (5qt or Larger), Unbleached Parchment Paper, Lame or Sharp Blade, Wire Rack
Ingredients
- 265g active brown rice sourdough starter (1 cup); see instructions
- 330g/ml room temp water (70-85°F) (plus 1–2 extra tbsps if necessary)
- 20g whole psyllium husk (4 tbsps)
- 20g pure maple syrup (1.5 tbsps)
- 20g olive oil (1.5 tbsps)
- 80g light buckwheat flour (1/2 cup)
- 80g GF oat flour (scant 1 cup)
- 80g potato starch (1/2 cup)
- 60g tapioca starch (1/2 cup)
- 40g brown rice flour (1/4 cup)
- 8–10g sea salt (1/2 tbsp)
Instructions
Before starting, watch the 7-Inch Sourdough Boule (GF/V) recipe video.
Step 1
The evening before baking, refresh (feed) your GF sourdough starter.
- Schedule Example: Remove the starter jar from the fridge around dinnertime and wait a few hours. I keep about 1 cup of starter in the jar when I refrigerate it between bakes. Feed the starter before bedtime. It doesn’t have to be precise. Add a few heaping spoonfuls of brown rice flour with enough water to stir.
- First thing in the morning, take a portion of the starter and feed it again to get it even livelier. Do so by combining approximately 1/2 cup active starter 133g with 70g brown rice flour and 62g water (mix & cover) and wait until it gets bubbly/active again—usually a few hours. Or feed the starter a second time, right in the same jar, using the previous measurements as a guide. The goal is to create enough bubbly sourdough starter for the recipe (265g/1 cup). TIP: Feeding the starter more, right in the same jar is often faster.
Step 2
Combine the room temperature water (about 70-85°F), whole psyllium husk, maple syrup, and olive oil in a large mixing bowl (or stand mixer bowl) and whisk well. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes. TIP: Touch your water. If it feels too cold, combine boiled and room temperature water to create the desired temperature.
Step 3
In a separate bowl, combine, sift and mix all the remaining dry ingredients including the sea salt.
Step 4
Add the dry ingredients from Step 3 and the GF sourdough starter to the large mixing bowl with the psyllium gel. Mix with a spoon, hand(s), or stand mixer until the dough is well combined. If it’s too dry, add one or two additional tablespoons of water if necessary. The final dough texture should feel smooth, not dry and might be sticky. If the dough sticks to your fingers (if mixing by hand), that’s ok! Scrape them down and wash them once finished.
Step 5
Dust a 7-inch banneton basket with a bit of brown rice flour to prevent sticking. Alternatively, place a clean tea towel into a soup bowl and dust the towel with flour. Gather the dough in your hands and smooth it out by patting it to fix any imperfections. Place the smoothest side down into the basket (it will become the top once flipped over to bake). Insert the dough basket in a large plastic bag or cover with a clean tea towel.
Find a cozy spot in the kitchen and let it rise for 3 to 5 hours. The dough is ready to bake once it shows some growth (usually half to 1-inch in height). See picture in post if unsure. The dough will not double in size but should spring back if gently pressed down with a finger.
Step 6
One hour (min. 30 minutes) before baking the sourdough, preheat the oven and Dutch oven to 425°F. Position the oven rack on the lower half so the Dutch oven will be centered when baking. If you have a baking stone/steel, you can leave it in the oven as well.
Step 7
Once the dough looks ready (see the picture in post) and the oven is hot, remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Be careful—it will be hot! Gently flip the dough boule onto a piece of parchment paper. Brush off excess flour. Score the dough with one line across holding the blade on a slight angle, about 1/4-in deep. Or try one of the designs in the post.
Transfer the dough with the parchment paper to the Dutch oven, add a couple of ice cubes on the side of the parchment paper and close the lid. Bake for 40 minutes covered and approximately 40 minutes uncovered. The bread is ready when it’s darker in colour; the crust is hard and sounds hollow all around when tapped. The internal temperature should be about 210°F, although I haven’t checked a loaf this way yet.
Step 8
Remove the boule from the Dutch oven and cool on a rack for at least 4 to 6 hours before slicing. Don’t worry the crust will soften as it cools! Enjoy fresh!
Notes
Storing Tips: Slice (once completely cooled) the GF sourdough boule and keep it on the counter in a sealed bag or container for a couple of days or in the fridge for 5 to 7 days. Or freeze slices for 1 to 2 months.
Prefer to Measure? You can use the measurements included but I suggest weighing the ingredients it’s more precise. A kitchen scale is helpful.
Need a Substitute?
Please note that I haven’t tested all these alternatives. Also, keep in mind that if you make a few substitutions I can’t promise the outcome will be the same as the original recipe.
– Only have a gluten-free sorghum starter? Try it!
– Use 20 grams of psyllium powder in place of 20 grams of whole husk.
– Switch the maple syrup with coconut palm sugar.
– Oil-Free? Try homemade hemp milk or plant-based milk.
– Don’t have light buckwheat flour, use sorghum flour.
– Oat-Free? Swap the oat flour for sorghum flour.
– Don’t have tapioca starch? Use arrowroot starch.
– Rice-Free? Try this Simple Sorghum Sourdough.
GF Oat-Flour: If you want to use oat flour but only have quick or large oats, mill them in a small blender or spice grinder. It creates the freshest flour!
Want to Bake Buns or A Bread Pan Loaf instead of a Free-Form Boule? Watch this video to help you!
Important Toasting Tip: A cast iron pan/griddle makes the best toast! Low temperature, slow toasting (a few minutes each side) will create the ultimate toasted vehicle for the toppings of your choice! Perfect for open-faced sandwiches!
View CommentHello! I’m preparing to try this recipe and have a question about the banneton basket- when you say to dust the basket, are you meaning to use the cloth that it comes with (I’m looking at your Amazon link), and then dust the cloth? Or do you dust the basket itself and not use the cloth?
View CommentThanks for clarifying!
Hi Hannah! Sorry for the late reply, you can simply dust the basket with one of the flours in the GF bread recipes. Brown rice or sorghum work well.
View CommentI didn’t want to buy all of the different flours, so I subbed the psyllium and all flours for my favorite King Arthur GF bread flour. I’ve had amazing results with this flour and it works SO well with your recipe. Thanks to you, I have an easy and delicious sourdough recipe!
View CommentYay! Thank you for sharing!
View CommentAmazing! I made my first ever loaf of sourdough bread, let alone GF sourdough and it was beyond perfect!
View CommentHi there! I made this once with buckwheat and quickly discovered I really don’t like buckwheat 😁
View CommentCan that be subbed with another flour?
Hi Tiffany!
Did you use dark buckwheat flour? It’s definitely stronger tasting. Or did you try a light buckwheat flour? A substitute for buckwheat flour for this recipe would be: almond meal/flour, sorghum flour, millet flour or more brown rice and oat flour to replace the 1/2 cup (80 g) of buckwheat flour.
View CommentThank you for such a quick response! I am nut and dairy free as well as grain free. I have not baked much with the flours I can have. The ones I know I can have are bana, cava, coconut, and tiger nut. Does that help?
View CommentHello! I am new to this sourdough world for the most part! I have had a wonderful time working up a batch of your grain-free sourdough starter! But can’t seem to locate a recipe for grain free bread. Can you direct me to to one?
View CommentHi! Can you tell me which grain-free flours you like to bake with? Can you consume almond meal/flour? I have a grain-free bread recipe on my site that could be prepared with a grain-free sourdough starter. Recipe: https://www.freshisreal.com/how-to-make-grain-free-bread/ If making this bread recipe with some grain-free sourdough starter, you will have to plan to let the dough rest/rise for a few hours (3-5 hours) before baking. I’m also working on a new grain-free sourdough bread recipe that I will share as soon as I can. Please let me know if I can help you with the process.
View Comment
View CommentHi, I have gluten free brown rice sourdough. I really want to bake the bread, but I have sensitivity to many things, including gluten, tapioca, eggs, milk, banana, potato, corn and many other ingredients. I can use flour such as oats, basmati rice, wholemeal rice flour, white rice flour, millet, ground flax seeds. I don’t know if I have a sensitivity to psyllium and I really want to bake the bread. What can replace the tapioca flour and the psyllium? It would be great if you could help me with this, thanks a lot, Ziv
View CommentHi Ziv! Have you played around with testing making bread with the ingredients that are safe for you? Let me know what you’ve tried and I will do my best to help you. I just found your message today. Sorry for the late reply.
View CommentHi, What would happen if I used regular buckwheat four instead of the light buckwheat flour? Also would it still work if I omitted the oil?
View CommentThanks
Hi Debra! It will completely fine! Dark buckwheat is wonderful if you have some and like it, go ahead and use it! I swap light and dark buckwheat all the time! Your loaf might bake darker and be a little denser but it will be equally great!
View CommentSo happy with how this one turned out! Not sticky or gummy, with a soft and chewy crumb. Technically mine isn’t completely gf as I added some rye starter (in addition to brown rice and buckwheat starter), but next time I’m definitely going to try with gf starter only.
I used cornstarch instead of potato starch, and half the amount of starter overall.
Your detailed instructions including visual cues are super helpful, as is the video. Thank you so much for all the work you put into your posts, and for including substitutions where applicable. It’s a lot of work to test recipes to cater to as many allergens as possible, really appreciate your efforts!
Thank you Chantal 💛
Look forward to trying more of your recipes.
View CommentHi! Mu son has an eosinophilic disease and Rice, buckwheat and oat allergy among his laundry list of allergens (which also include eggs, milk, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, corn, beef, pork, fish, all legumes, tomato, and avocado.) wondering what might be options to sub the rice, buckwheat and oat? He hasn’t has bread in over 6 years and I’ve been been searching for a recipe that was safe for him every since. Would appreciate any suggestions. Thank you!
View CommentHi Kaitlyn! Can he consume yeast, sorghum or millet flour and starches (tapioca and potato starch)?
View CommentHi, Chantal I been baking GF sourdough breads with your recipes for 2 years now, and love them. But I somehow missed this one. I just baked with this recipe, that turned out very best boule! I usually toast slices with iron pan, but this bread tasted excellent without toasting. I changed Potato starch, as I cannot take it, to Tapioca and arrow root starch. And maple syrup to Agave. It was no problem, great result! Thank you so much!
View CommentYay! I’m so happy that you found this recipe and that you’ve been mastering your GF sourdough baking skills for a while now! Thank you for sharing your substitutes as it could help others that are considering making the recipe!
View CommentI have a tuber allergy so no starches for me, also allergic to corn. Is there a way to only use psyllium husks and leave out any starches?
View CommentHi Miranda! I do have a few recipes for you to consider. This GF sourdough is very simplistic and does not include tuber starches: https://www.freshisreal.com/gluten-free-bbq-sourdough/ With this naan recipe, you could sub the starches with GF oat flour. I haven’t tried it, but I’m pretty sure it would work well. https://www.freshisreal.com/quick-sourdough-naan-bread-gf-v/
Also, if you still want to try the 7-Inch boule, you could replace the starches with more GF oat flour and maybe a little more light buckwheat flour (replace the starches by weight). It won’t be the same, the bread will be denser, but it should still create a lovely loaf of homemade sourdough bread. Just make sure that your GF starter is light, bubbly and active as it will help the texture too. Another tip you could try to lighten the texture a bit is to add just a little GF baking powder although if you avoid starches, that probably won’t work well as many brands include cornstarch or tapioca starch.
Let me know if you have questions.
View CommentThis bread is absolutely a 5 star recipe! I have been baking gf sourdough for almost a year, and this is the loveliest balance of texture and flavor that I have found thus far. I have made this recipe quite a few times in the last month or so and it is perfect every time. I’ve gifted it to several of my fellow gf friends and they have all loved it as well. Thank you for a recipe full of wholesome ingredients that give us the opportunity to enjoy fresh, fluffy, and gluten-free bread!
View CommentKayla! I’m so happy you, too, like this gluten-free sourdough bread recipe! Thank you for taking the time to comment and rate the recipe!
View CommentJist thought I would recount my experiences so far. After the debacle of not weighing psyllium hsk powder and ending up with bits of jelly, the next bake was a success. I made to separate loaves one withe buckwheat and one with sorghum, both worked equally well with a slightly nuttier taste to the sorghum loaf.
View CommentAfter a few weeks of success I was heating up the oven last friday (bread day) and it wouldn’t.
New oven ordered, credit card hit, and not available for three weeks. This did give me the opportunity to tryout baking bread in the air fryer. It worked well. Firstly preheat(Ninja AF300 takes 3 mins) . Loaf from banneton onto paper as per normal but use a skewer to pierce a few holes. Then squeeze it into the the draw which took some re shaping. Ice cubes down the side of the paper. Be careful that paper does not reach the top of the pan as it may burn! Air fry at 200Celsius (about 400F) for 30mins, it will be brown on top and pappy underneath. Turn over and repeat. If not quite done by feel another 10mins at 150C (300F) should do the trick. I hope this gives you a place to start if you want to try air frying this recipe. BTW it tastes just as good with a nice crumb.
I have to say I am SO impressed with this recipe! I have made it every week for the past few weeks and it turns out perfect each time. I substitute sorghum for buckwheat as you suggested and don’t have any issues. The last GF sourdough recipe I tried was way too dense and wet. This one is airy, light, and flavorful. Thanks for changing the bread game in our house!
View CommentHi Maggie! I’m so happy that this lovely GF sourdough bread recipe works for you and your family! Thank you for your rating and comment, and great job on your flour substitution!
View CommentHi. Tried the recipe at the weekend. It didn’t quite work (my fault). It might be worth adding a little note for idiots like me to use weight when substiting ground psyllium husk. I am of course the idiot who put in four tablespoons not 20g!!!
View CommentHi Jin! Four tablespoons of whole psyllium husk is 20g. Or did you use psyllium husk powder? You are right, you would need less in tablespoons, but it would still be the same in grams. I hope you try again!
View CommentDo you think substituting flaxseeds for the psyllium husks would work?
View CommentHi Hannah! I don’t think I’ve tested replacing all the psyllium husk in this recipe with just flaxseed meal or ground flax yet. If you do want to try, consider increasing the flax to more, even double the amount of the whole psyllium husks. So up to half a cup instead of just 4 tbsps. Flax is not as sticky, so a gluten-free vegan loaf of bread can handle a bit more. But if you want to experiment with replacing the psyllium with flax (20 g for 20 g), go for it! The recipe includes other ingredients that can also help to bind the dough. I haven’t baked a loaf of GF sourdough in while, perhaps I will try it for you today or tomorrow. I’ll report back once I do.
View CommentHannah, I just mixed the ingredients for this GF sourdough bread recipe and to replace the 20g of whole psyllium husk, I decided to add 6 tablespoons of flaxseed meal (48 g). I’m going to bake the recipe in my bread machine and let you know how the flax worked.
View CommentThank you so much!!
View CommentHi Hannah! Flaxseed meal or ground flax will work, but there are a few things to keep in mind. If the dough (batter) is too thin to hold up as a free-form loaf, you will need to bake it in a loaf pan. Using flax is great, but the texture of the bread might be crumblier than with psyllium. Also, the bread seems to dry out faster after it’s baked. But all in all, if you can’t have psyllium, flax is a good alternative.
View CommentDear Chantal,
Is 1 Tablespoon of salt correct?
I followed the recipe to the letter and found it very salty.
Did you mean 1 teaspoon perhaps?
A recipe should not include such a variant as 1/2 – 1 Tbl. There is a major difference. Most recipes call for 1 teaspoon of salt.
View CommentHi! Thank you for your comment. I just looked at the recipe, and the recipe includes a range of 8-10g (1/2-1 tablespoon) of sea salt. It is a smaller loaf, so 8g or 1/2 tablespoon is enough to start. Some do like their loaves of bread to be saltier, but please keep in mind that sea salt is not as salty as table salt, for example. But you are correct in saying that 10g is about 3/4 of a tablespoon, no quite a full tablespoon. I can add a note to the recipe. Thank you for pointing it out. In a larger loaf, I do add a full tablespoon of sea salt.
View CommentHi, Chantal. Thanks for the clear instructions and videos, too. All so helpful. I baked my first of many loaves and it turned out beautiful and delicious. I think my oven maybe ran a little hot as I think next time I will only do the 2nd lid off back at 30 minutes. I substituted psyllium powder instead of husk, and sorghum instead of buckwheat and arrowroot instead of tapioca because these are the ingredients that I have. Next I will try the buns and also a loaf pan style bread. I really appreciate being able to bake my own bread again. I took a picture but can’t figure out how to attach it.
View CommentHi Patti! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with this GF sourdough! I’m happy you tried it! Did you reduce the psyllium to less because you used the powder? If you replaced by weight, you did the right thing 😉 If you ever want to share a bread photo, you can do so on Instagram and tag it @freshisreal_ (or private message me on Instagram) or the Baking Facebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/191987888217239). I would love to see your bread photo!
View CommentI really can’t wait to make this recipe, thank u so much 🙂 (I’ll be making it tomorrow after tonight’s starter refresh).
I usually make sourdough fermented for 12-24h (most of that time in the fridge). Do you think that would work with this one? 3-5h don’t seem enough for me to neutralise antinutrients properly. How would I know if it overprooved? 🙂
View CommentHi! I’m happy that you’ve found this GF sourdough bread recipe. Did you try it? How long did you let it ferment the dough mixture? If it’s really warm, 3 hours might be enough. In the colder winter months, 5+ hours could be fine. If you would like to ferment it for longer, you could place the dough in the fridge overnight to prevent over-proofing. I use that method in the Simple Sorghum Sourdough recipe (https://www.freshisreal.com/simple-sorghum-sourdough/). Your dough might be over-proofed if it did rise but starts to deflate before you get to bake it. If you gently press down on the surface of the dough and it slowly springs back, it’s often a great sign that your loaf is ready to bake. You can watch this video to help you troubleshoot the steps: https://youtu.be/hnTmkqVnmiY (You can start watching at 3:52).
View CommentI forgot to rate in my previous message
View CommentI absolutely love this bread! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe 🙂
View CommentThe only thing I changed was the oats, which I shouldn’t eat. Instead, I used a mixture of ground sunflower and pumpkin seeds, as well as chickpea and carob flour to make the 80g. The bread has a lovely scent and flavor, a perfect texture when I slice it, no crumbs, and the most satisfying mouthfeel!
Next time I will omit the chickpea flour, I wonder if it will work, would you know?
I would also love to make sourdough bread packed with whole nuts and seeds in the dough. Would you have a recipe for this?
Cheers from Portugal,
Deli
Hi! Thank you so much for your lovely review and rating! If you don’t want to replace the oat flour with chickpea flour (like you tried), you could increase the seed flour to replace the 80g. Or introduce another gluten-free or grain-free flour that you have. Ideally, replacing the oat flour with another light GF flour is best. Replace by weight (80g). Do you have teff flour? What about sorghum or millet flour. Almond flour is excellent if you’re not allergic. As for adding whole seeds and nuts, go for it! Once your dough is well mixed, you could fold in (by hand) some of your favourite seeds/nuts. Half a cup of each or so would work well.
View CommentHi! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rate the recipe! I appreciate it! For a free-form loaf, if you don’t have parchment paper, you could dust extra flour all over the boule to prevent it from sticking to your baking dish or Dutch oven. It should be fine. The only time it could get tricky is if your dough is very sticky. You could still dust/brush extra flour (brown rice flour is great) all over the boule. Finely ground GF cornmeal could also be used in the bottom of your baking dish the same way you would for a pizza crust.
View CommentI can not eat any oats. What you suggest I replace the oat flour with? Thank you
View CommentHi Melissa! You can increase the other flours (brown rice or light buckwheat) to replace the 80g of oat flour or add another GF flour such as sorghum or millet. If you don’t have a nut allergy you can use almond meal/flour as it too is pretty light in texture. For more ideas, refer to the flour post for guidance. https://www.freshisreal.com/flour-guide-for-gluten-free-vegan-baking/
View CommentHi bakers, I followed Chantal’s recipe for the sourdough starter with brown rice first. Then I went ahead and made two loaves. My first time, I baked it in the cake form and used all the ingredients except for the marple syrup, I had Agave syrup at home and I believe that worked as well.
On my second, I added pumpkin and sunflower seeds for more texture but also hoping that it will mask the psyllium husk flavour which it did quite well. I took both to a tasting event and it was well received, we did not need to toast it as it was purely delicious. We had hummus and cheese as well as falafel with it.
I did not use a stand mixer and the crumb was super open.
View CommentHi! I just went to my kitchen to smell my psyllium husk and mine really doesn’t smell like anything. Is it possible that yours is rancid? Could that be the issue? I’ve bought seeds and nuts at times that were already bad when I opened them. Are you sure it’s your husk that smells strong and not the buckwheat flour or another ingredient? Thank you for taking the time to rate the recipe and leave a comment! I hope you figure it out 😉
View CommentThis bread turns out both great rounds and sandwich loaves! Also doesn’t seem so be finicky with the temperature weve had to bake at different temperatures twice as we have had other things in the oven. Thank you for sharing these great recipes.
View CommentThanks, Jenna! I’m happy that you played around with the oven temperatures and it worked out! I know what you mean about the oven temperature when baking other things. You have to guess the safest temperature for everything and cross your fingers!
View CommentDear Chantal
Thanks so much for this recipe.
I’ve tried it twice, and had better results with it than the recipe I usually use.
The first time I didn’t quite have the right flours, so I subbed teff for buckwheat and sourgum for rice flour. I also used powdered psyllium instead of whole.
The second time I doubled the quantities so I could make 2 loaves (btw, I use 2lb ordinary loaf tins with no lid). This time I used bit of quinoa, more teff, and a little sorghum. I omitted the maple syrup ( as I don’t like sweet bread) and forgot to put in the oil!
The loaves turned out very well, though obviously I didn’t get the rise you get with lighter flours. I preferred it without oil, and will continue to use the recipe. I like its lower hydration – it’s a lot less wet than my usual bread. I removed the loaves from the tins after 40 minutes and put them directly on the oven shelves for another 40 mins, and then probably left them in the oven after it was switched off for another 15-20 mins. As you say, the crust softens overnight.
So thanks again Chantal! It’s a very forgiving recipe and easy to make. Also quick, as there’s no preferment.
View CommentHi Sue! I’m so happy you tried the newest GF sourdough recipe! I like it too! I loved that you played around with the ingredients with great results! Thank you for leaving a comment and rating! I appreciate it!
View CommentIt was my first time making gluten free sourdough and it turned out so good…simply because of this step by step recipe! Super easy to follow and it tastes amazing 🥲 Give it a try!! You won’t regret it!
View CommentThanks, Jenna! I’m thrilled that you gave it a try and like it as much as I do! Thank you for your comment and rating! Much appreciated!
View CommentHey Chantal! I’ve been making my loaves with corn starch instead of potato starch cause we don’t always have potato starch where I live! It’s just as good and I haven’t noticed a big difference.
View CommentI’m excited to try this new recipe thank you so much for sharing it!
Hi Nada! Thank you for letting me know! It will also help others as well! In the past, have you baked with potato starch? I’m curious to compare the differences.
View CommentSo, my top problem with pretty much all gluten-free bread recipes, and the thing that keeps me buying a certain brand of GF bread at the store instead of baking at home (I’m not here to shill so I won’t name names), is that I also avoid *potatoes* in my diet. Has anyone reading this substituted arrowroot or tapioca for any/all of the potato starch? I know, I KNOW, it won’t have the same texture – but is it decent enough to be worth baking still?
View CommentHi Mel! You can leave out the potato starch if you want. You can use either all arrowroot starch or tapioca starch, or a combo of both. Also, there’s corn starch that you could consider, but I’ve never tried it, so I can’t say for sure if it would be a good sub for the 80g called for in this recipe. The bread might bake up a tad denser, but it should still taste great! Let us know if you try it!
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