Easy Gluten Free Sourdough Bread (3-Flour Loaf)
If you want a gluten free sourdough bread that feels practical, hearty, healthy and not fussy, this loaf is a good one to keep on repeat. It’s one of the easiest gluten free sourdough breads I make because it uses only 3 gluten free flours, no complicated flour blend, no yeast, no gums and no kneading needed.
The finished loaf is dark brown in color with a mild pumpernickel-style smell and taste. It has a slight tang, a sturdy texture, and slices cleanly once fully cooled. It’s not fluffy like sandwich bread, but it’s also not crumbly. I like to slice it thin, freeze it, and toast it as needed for simple savory meals and snacks.
If you’re new to sourdough baking, start with my Gluten Free Sourdough Starter Guide first. And if you want to compare textures later, you can also check my softer/lighter GF Sourdough Bread, a more classic Gluten Free Sourdough Baguette, or my deeper flavored Teff & Buckwheat Sourdough Bread (Pumpernickel-Style).
What To Expect
A wholesome gluten free sourdough bread that is:
- easy to mix in one bowl
- no shaping, kneading, or building a custom flour blend
- made with just 3 gluten free flours (no gums, no starchy flours)
- naturally leavened with sourdough starter (free from commercial yeast)
- sturdy enough for thin slicing
- great for freezing and toasting
- especially good with savory toppings
What this bread Is like
This bread has a dark, hearty look and a mild pumpernickel-style character. The buckwheat gives it depth, the sorghum balances the flavor, and the green banana flour adds to the sturdy, sliceable texture.
The flavor is slightly tangy from the sourdough starter, but still mild. It’s the kind of loaf that feels especially satisfying toasted and topped with something savory. It works especially well for open-faced snacks, light lunches and soup sides or simple savory breakfasts.
I especially like it topped with:
- cashew spread and smoked salmon with herbs
- mashed avocado and sardines
- egg salad or tuna salad
How to make this easy gluten free sourdough bread
1. Make sure your starter is active
Before you begin, your gluten free sourdough starter should look bubbly and lively. A weak starter will make the loaf denser and slower to proof. I’m using a sorghum based starter, although a rice-based starter would work as well.
2. Mix the wet ingredients
In a large bowl, combine the gluten free sourdough starter, ground flax seeds, psyllium husk, and water. Stir with a spatula until everything is evenly incorporated.
3. Add the Dry Ingredients
Add the buckwheat flour, sorghum flour, green banana flour, salt and sugar. Mix until no dry patches remain.
The dough should look like a very thick batter or soft sticky dough. That is what you want here. This is not a kneaded dough.
Mixing Note
This dough is like a very thick batter (more like a soft sticky dough) than a traditional kneadable bread dough, so it does not need kneading. You can mix it by hand with a spatula or use a stand mixer if preferred. If using a mixer, use the paddle attachment first and then the dough hook (especially if it’s thicker) and mix on low to medium speed. Since there is no gluten to develop, mix only until the dough looks evenly combined and smooth.
4. Transfer to a loaf pan
Line a bread pan with parchment paper, then scrape the batter into the pan. Smooth the top with a spatula and lightly brush the surface with oil.
5. Proof
Cover the pan well so the dough doesn’t dry out and let it proof in a warm spot for about 4 hours, give or take 30 minutes.
It should look puffed and slightly expanded when ready. Do not wait for a dramatic rise.
If your kitchen is cooler, proofing may take longer.
6. Bake
Preheat the oven to 400°F about 20 minutes before baking.
When ready to bake, lower the oven temperature to 380°F. Cover the loaf loosely with foil, creating a dome so the foil doesn’t touch the top. Bake for 20 minutes covered, then remove the foil and bake for another 40 minutes.
7. Cool fully Before Slicing
Remove the bread from the oven and from the pan. Cover with a towel and let it cool slowly.
Do not slice it while warm. This bread needs time to set fully so it can slice neatly.
Easy Gluten Free Sourdough Bread (Hearty, Healthy, No Gums)
Ingredients
- cup gluten free sourdough starter
- 2½ tbsp golden flax seeds - ground
- 1½ tbsp psyllium husk
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1½ cup water
- 1 cup buckwheat flour
- ½ cup sorgum flour
- ½ cup green banana flour
Instructions
- Your gluten free sourdough starter should be bubbly and active before mixing the dough. I'm using a sorghum-based starter.
- In a large bowl combine the gluten free sourdough starter, with ground flax seeds (sifted), psyllium husk and water. Mix with a spatula until incorporated.
- To that add the flours (buckwheat, sorghum and green banana flour) – sifted if possible, to avoid any clumps. Mix until well combined and no dry patches remain.
- Line a bread pan (regular 9×5 inch loaf pan is fine) with parchment paper (or pre-cut liners) and transfer the batter to the pan, smooth the surface with the spatula.
- Lightly brush the top with a bit of oil, cover well to keep the moisture in, and let the dough proof in a warm place for about 4 hours, plus or minus 30 minutes. The dough should look puffed and slightly expanded.
- About 20 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 400°F.
- When ready to bake, lower the oven temperature to 380°F. Cover the loaf loosely with foil, creating a dome so it does not touch the top. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the foil and continue baking for another 40 minutes.
- Remove the bread from the oven and out of the pan. Cover with a towel and let it cool fully before slicing.
Notes
- Gluten free sourdough starter: Make sure your starter is active and bubbly before mixing the dough. A sluggish starter can make the loaf denser and slower to proof.
- Ground flax seeds: Flax helps with binding and structure while keeping the loaf wholesome, full of fibre and hearty.
- Psyllium husk: Psyllium helps hold the loaf together and gives gluten free sourdough that flexible, sliceable texture, plus fibre.
- Buckwheat flour: Buckwheat gives the loaf its darker color and much of its earthy depth.
- Sorghum flour: Sorghum helps soften and balance the stronger flavor of buckwheat.
- Green banana flour: This adds body and contributes to the sturdy texture of the finished loaf.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
FAQ
No. This is a sturdier, more compact loaf. It slices cleanly and toasts very well, but it is not meant to be fluffy like white sandwich bread.
Not strongly. It has a mild pumpernickel-style smell and taste, with a gentler flavor.
Yes, but I like keeping the small amount in this recipe because it helps feed the starter and supports a better rise. Since it’s only 1 tablespoon in the whole loaf, it doesn’t make the bread sweet.
Yes, especially for thin open-faced sandwiches or toasted savory sandwiches. Because it is hearty, I find it works best sliced thinner rather than thick.
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