Bread is one of those really simple things in life that we can take for granted – until of course you either give up (or start reducing) your gluten intake. This delectable gluten-free vegan soda bread recipe might just be what you need!
After giving up gluten, bread is probably one of the first things that you’ll miss. I mean you can sort of get used to it, but for most of us, life isn’t quite the same unless you can treat yourself a good loaf.
Shop bought gluten-free breads, tend to rely on a whole host of ingredients that aren’t the healthiest either, often containing eggs to help the binding process and a whole host of suspicious additives.
A mission to develop a good gluten-free vegan soda bread recipe
Last year I set myself a mission to create some healthy, gluten-free vegan bread alternatives. I must admit, gluten-free baking has been my biggest challenge in the kitchen so far and I’ve spent A LOT of time experimenting with different ingredients to find something that really hits the spot. I’ve been making loaves, bread buns and wraps with different combinations of ingredients.
I wanted to to begin to understand the process of bread alchemy and figure out if it is even possible to make a good gluten-free vegan loaf.
I’ve even explored using yeast in some experiments, to see if I can get that desirable ‘rise’. I am still exploring – although I’ve since developed a few favourites that I am delighted to have as alternatives.
Gluten-free Vegan Soda Bread – Thinking out of the box
So, here’s the thing… Gluten-free bread is NEVER going to be the same as regular wheat & yeast bread. It’s just not! You need to use completely different ingredients that dance and entwine in a totally different way together. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t have an absolutely delectable experience.
The first trick that helped me was to stop expecting it to be exactly like the stuff I grew up with. We have to think out of the box a little and come to appreciate a new kind of experience. This is a redesign from the ground up.The good news is that it’s both healthy and de-e-elicious!
Today I am going to show you my favourite soda bread loaf formula. I thought I’d share this one because it’s easy. It holds together really well (especially once cooled down).
My soda bread works particularly well with soup or for use as open sandwiches. The texture has a perfect moistness, a soft bite and a delicious flavour. Once it cools down properly you can also slice it reasonably thin too – and I have even used it to make regular salad sandwiches.
Once cooled you can slice it with a bread knife, a serrated knife or even a regular, sharp chefs knife.
Video tutorial on how to make this gluten-free vegan soda bread…
I’ve created a helpful video tutorial to talk you through and demonstrate the whole process. Please check it out first…
A note about gluten-free oats
One of the helpful ingredients in this recipe is oats. One day it surprised me to find that oats are actually naturally gluten-free! Hurrah! However, when I investigated further, I found that farmers normally rotate their crops (i.e. grow different crops in each field every year). This means that oats will typically share fields where gluten grains such as wheat and barley have grown.
Anyone who knows anything about growing plants, will be aware that is that it is almost impossible not to have ‘unwanted’ seeds from previous years crops popping back up randomly. So, this years oat crop, will inevitable have some of last years wheat popping back up through the soil (for example).
They often also grow these different grains in fields next to each other too, leading to wind-blown contamination. Unfortunately for gluten sensitives, this means a small (but significant) amount of contamination. It has been shown that whilst oats themselves are gluten-free, they are more often than not contaminated with gluten. They have also been shown be contaminated in the factories (which also process wheat, rye & barley) or in transportation containers etc.
The good news is that some companies now offer certified gluten-free oats. These are oats grown separately from gluten grains and produced in facilities where there is no sign of anything containing gluten. So if you don’t want gluten at all, then be sure to buy gluten-free oats.
A note on international measurements
Please note: I created this gluten-free soda bread using weighing scales for accurate measurement. However, since I know that some of my friends in North America are only using cups, I’ve approximated the cup measurements to help. Although I can’t guarantee the cup conversions are exact because I haven’t tried this recipe that style myself.
OK let’s do this!
Gluten-free Vegan Soda Loaf Bread - with no xantham gum or yeast
A delicious gluten-free, vegan bread alternative, free from yeast and xantham gum too. Works well with soup or as an open sandwich.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons ground flax seed
- 175ml water (¾ cup)
- 200g ground gluten-free oats (1¾ cup approx)
- 100g millet flour (just over ½ cup)
- 75g coconut flour (just under ½ cup)
- 50g tapioca starch (just under ½ cup)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 250ml water (1 cup)
Instructions
Quick instructions...
- Mix the ground flax seed with 175ml water and put to the side to thicken whilst you prepare the rest of the recipe.
- Weigh and mix all the dried ingredients together.
- Go back to the flax/water mix and whisk with a fork quickly to achieve and 'egg-like' consistency. And add to the dry ingredients.
- Add the melted coconut oil, 250ml of extra water, apple cider vinegar and mix everything together thoroughly until everything is evenly combined. Start with a spoon and then once it starts coming together use your hands. The dough should be slightly sticky (but not too sticky) and come together nicely into a firm ball.
- Compress down evenly into a parchment lined loaf tin. Loaf tin should be a 2lb (1kg) size - otherwise different depth will happen and adjusted baking time required.
- Pop into the oven on a medium to high shelf at gas mark 5 (190C/375F) for 45 minutes.
- Once baked take out and allow it to cool on a cooling rack. NOTE: It may crumble if you slice too quickly. It's quite important to allow it some cooling time first. If you want really thin slices, then definitely let it cool down thoroughly though (or even refrigerate first).
- Enjoy!
This recipe is from my cookbook here…
Pin on your pinterest board for later…
Thank you for sharing this 🙂 I was diagnosed with celiac 6 years ago, & I am always on the lookout for a good gluten-free loaf. I have been a vegetarian for 33 years, and have finally made it decision to go vegan, so this will definitely hit the spot. Thanks again ~ II can’t wait to try it!
You are very welcome Susanna. I pleased I can be of help.
And bit congrats on your decision to go vegan too 🙂
I need some assistance with your oven directions. What does “medium oven on gas mark 5” mean? 350° for 45 minutes? Not familiar with this vernacular.
Hi Lois,
“Pop into the oven on a medium shelf at gas mark 5 (190C/375F) for 45 minutes.”
I meant the middle shelf of the oven 😉
“Gas Mark” is a temperature scale used on gas ovens and cookers in Great Britain, Ireland and some Commonwealth of Nations countries. It’s the system I use on my oven, so I tend to use it first. I’ve written the temperature conversion which is 190C (celcius) of 375F (fareinheit) for those using other systems.
I hope that helps.
You’re a gluten free baking Godess
I’m going to try this recipe later today. I often enjoy with coconut flour. It took a bit of getting used to but it’s a regular in our house now
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Love you’re new hair style it suits you
X
I am not quite a gluten-free baking goddess yet ha ha ha. I am delighted with what I am managing to create though!
Pleased to hear that you are going to try this one. Enjoy!
x
This is brilliant,most of the recipes I’ve seen have lots more ingredients,I have most of these already,except the Miller flour,can I make this myself,as I have millet,or is there a substitute,I have brown rice flour,rye,and potato,and spelt do you think any of these would work?
Thanks for your comment Susan. Pleased to hear that you are going to try this. I actually make my own millet by grinding down millet. It can also be quite coarse, if you find it hard to grind down. You can try other flours, but if you use a substitute it might do strange things ha ha… as gluten-free baking is very specific.
This Soda Loaf Bread is incredible. I am really looking forward to featuring this recipe in our website GreenThickies. 🙂
Not the actual recipe, only one image from here and a small quote. And everything will be link back to this page. Is that okay?
Cheers 🙂
Katherine,
Greenthickies
Happy to hear that you like it. Yes please do feel free to link one of the images and a quote.
Thank you for sharing.
x
Hi I’m yeast free as well as Gluten and dairy but this recipe has apple cider vinegar in it and that contains yeast if I remember correctly. Is there an alternative that could be used do you think like lemon juice?
Hi Cat,
That’s a great question. I know apple cider vinegar is often created using brewer’s yeast. Hmmmmmm…. I’ve not actually used lemon before in this way, so I can’t say for sure. The reason I use the vinegar is to activate the bicarbonate of soda, which requires something acidic. Lemon may well work, so it would be worth trying.
I am simply IN LOVE with this recipe! I have the pickiest of eaters in my home: my sweet husband and even he LOVES your Soda Bread Loaf to the point that he asked me not to buy him any kind of bread anymore. I have one question though: I follow all your instructions very carefully and weigh all the ingredients with an electronic scale. The problem is that I have not been able to get a firm dough (I already made the loaf three times) – it always comes out stickier than yours in the video and the surface of the loaf kind of separates from the rest of the bread during baking. It does not affect the taste but am wondering if you would have any idea what I could be doing wrong? Thank you SO MUCH for sharing your gifts with us!
Blessings,
Raphaella
Hi Raphaella,
I am so glad that you love this – but oh how frustrating that it isn’t quite working too! I wish I could watch you doing this, it might be the slightest variation that is making the difference and that can be subjective. Hmmm, I’ve never really had it do that so I am a little stuck for suggestions. When you say ‘the surface of the load separates from the rest of the loaf’ what do you mean exactly?
I am wondering if just reducing your water quantity a little might help. I know sometimes baking at different altitudes has different outcome hahaha! Probably not that though. Where do you live?
Thanks so much for your reply!
I live in Pristina, Kosovo. It is possible that my altitude is affecting the baking as I am doing my very best to follow all your directions thoroughly. Interestingly, just yesterday I made your Kind Bakewell Tart and it came out marvelous but I had some problems with the dough eventhough I followed your instructions to the T: my dough was crumbly and, despite all my efforts, I was unable to have a smooth dough like yours that formed into a nice ball hahahaha. A similar thing happened to the dough of your truly delicious Cardamom Cashew Shortbread Cookies: my dough was all crumbly before baking and I never was able to get it all together to form a ball. But this didn’t prevent me from enjoying every single bite though 🙂
What I meant about the surface of the bread separating from the rest of the loaf is that the top layer of the loaf, for most part, cracks along the edges of the loaf tray and pops up during baking. The end result is a truly delectable loaf whose top is crumbly.
Thank you so much for your suggestion! I will reduce the water quantity a little and hope that it will help.
Cheers,
Raphaella
Delicious! Thanks for a great gluten-free vegan recipe. I substituted aqua faba (liquid from a can of chickpeas) for the coconut oil. It tastes so good.
Happy to hear it
This worked well! Being on lockdown, I used what I had. Lemon juice in place of the ACV, apple purée in place of the oil and buckwheat flour in place of the millet flour. Thanks Anastasia 🙂
Delighted to hear it!
I feel like I have tried every iteration of yeast free, egg free, gluten free bread available and all to some level of disappointment. But here we have a winner! It ticks all the boxes: good bread-y texture, smells great, toasts well, holds together decently even when sliced thinly, has a nice nutty / bread-y flavor… even my husband (who isn’t gluten or egg-free) likes it! I am so happy and grateful to have found this recipe. I can’t wait to try some other recipes from your website. Thank you for the time and effort that it must take to perfect these recipes and for sharing them with the world.
Happy to hear that Caro 🙂 I hope you have fun finding other things to make here.
This has become one of my go-to recipes. I’m gluten free and vegan and I make almost everything we eat from scratch, so I’ve tried a lot of bread recipes to fit our needs. This one is my favorite and one of the most wholesome. You feel good after you eat it. Thank you for your mindful recipes!
That is wonderful to hear Samantha. I am glad you are loving this one. Thanks for dropping by and leaving a comment.
Oh I wish this recipe had a Pinterest pin so I could keep it on hand as it looks soooo delicious and perfect for our diet.
Your recipes are always so yummy. Can’t wait to try this one 🙂
Oh the Pinterest pin just appeared. For some reason it wasn’t there when I first looked at the recipe. Super! I just added it to my vegan recipes file and will try it next week.
Thank you! 🙏🏼
Yay happy to hear that you found the pin and are making this next week. I absolutely love this too – an excellent alternative to regular soda bread. I often end up freezing a bit for later too… works well out of the freezer 🙂
Hi, can you please tell me if this loaf can be cooked in an air frier please? Thank you 😀
It’s a great question although I’ve never tried so I can’t say for sure. If you do let me know how it goes.
Also stay tuned as I am sharing my new gluten-free vegan bread loaf next week 🙂