After years of experimenting with gluten-free sourdough bread, I'm thrilled to share my ultimate recipe: a large loaf with a fluffy crumb and a soft crust! It is a same-day recipe with only one round of fermentation. For burgers with the same texture, see my recent gluten-free slider bun recipe!
This is my 8th sourdough bread recipe on this blog and is the best one yet! For the longest time, I created vegan recipes with pretty much only flour, water, and salt like these sourdough baguettes, sourdough bagels, and fermented soft pretzels but recently I've discovered the power of eggs and dairy in gluten-free bread.
I love how they create a soft and fluffy texture in sourdough dinner rolls, squishy fermented hamburger buns, and, of course, this large loaf of fluffy sourdough bread. These ingredients enrich the dough and assist in creating the perfect structure and texture!
However, if you have to have vegan bread, I've got you! Here is my vegan sourdough recipe that is easy to make and has an airy crumb.
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Reader review
Finally, a sourdough bread which is super easy, very tasty with healthy ingredients! I'm still in awe of how beautiful my loaf looks. Thank you for sharing your recipe and accompanying instructions/tips.
- Paulla
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What is gluten-free sourdough?
Gluten-free sourdough is made without store-bought yeast, using a homemade gluten-free starter to naturally leaven the dough and impart a sour flavor.
A starter is essentially made with flour and water over a couple of weeks. I like using my brown rice starter in most recipes but a sorghum starter, millet flour starter, buckwheat, and teff starters are also great for gluten-free sourdough baking.
Regular wheat sourdough is not gluten-free and should not be eaten by celiacs. The fermentation process doesn't get rid of all gluten, thus celiacs need to use gluten-free flour and starter to make bread.
Gluten-free sourdough is traditionally baked in a Dutch oven, though it can also be made in a bread pan, which may alter the texture and make the bread denser.
Helpful tools
A digital kitchen scale is highly recommended for all of my gluten-free recipes for the best results! Volume measurements are not always consistent.
A Dutch oven is necessary to make this recipe perfectly. However, you can use a cast iron skillet or pizza stone with a dish of water in the bottom of the oven to create steam. If you don't have cast iron, bake the loaf on a baking sheet with parchment and add a dish with water to the bottom of the oven.
Banneton baskets are not necessary but they allow the dough to breathe and create a nice shape and pattern. You can use a mixing bowl lined with a kitchen towel instead.
An electric mixer is highly recommended for mixing the dough to create a smooth texture. You can, however, mix the dough by hand or with a wooden spoon.
A bread lame or a sharp razor are helpful to score the dough without pressing it down too much.
A cooling rack is extremely helpful for cooling down the bread. You need to make sure there is airflow on all sides of the loaf!
The best flour for sourdough
Buckwheat, millet, brown rice, sorghum, and teff are hands down the best flour types for gluten-free sourdough. However, you need to add starches (tapioca, arrowroot, potato, or cornstarch) to avoid a heavy and dense loaf.
I do, however, have sourdough recipes without starches:
Here you can find a vegan sourdough recipe and a sourdough with buckwheat:
Almond and coconut flours are very low in carbs, so they are not the best choice for a sourdough loaf.
Ingredients & substitutes
See the recipe card for quantities.
- Gluten-free sourdough starter - you need an active starter at least 2 weeks old and fed in the last 24 hours. You can use any type of starter (sorghum starter, millet, buckwheat, brown rice, teff, etc.) If you don't have one, learn how to make a starter at home!
An active starter is a starter that has been fed in the last 24 hours and bubbles up consistently after feedings. Almond, coconut, and potato flakes starters are not strong enough for bread!
- Sorghum flour - adds protein, nutrition, and substance to the bread. You can use brown rice flour instead.
- Tapioca starch - adds chewiness, flexibility, and softness to the crumb. You can use arrowroot starch instead
- Potato starch - balances out the chewiness of tapioca and adds lightness to the loaf. Cornstarch can be used instead.
- Xanthan gum - adds softness and fluffiness to the crumb, you can use guar gum instead. Don't leave this ingredient out!
- Psyllium husk - retains moisture, contributes to the bread-like texture, and helps hold the structure of the bread together. Unfortunately, none of the psyllium alternatives will work in this recipe!
Psyllium husk and xanthan gum are often used in combination to create a soft and fluffy crumb and keep the structure of baked goods strong.
- Eggs - contribute to the soft crust, add protein, and aid in holding the structure of the bread. I haven't tested this recipe with vegan egg substitutes.
- Oil - contributes to the soft crust, the texture of the crumb, and the overall flavor. Sunflower, coconut, or any other neutral oil can be used.
- Milk - softens the crumb and adds flavor. Use plant-based milk for a dairy-free version.
- Baking powder - assist the oven spring during baking. Don't substitute with baking soda.
- Sugar - feeds the starter bacteria. You can use honey/maple syrup instead or leave this ingredient out.
Variations
- Cheddar jalapeno sourdough - add about 60g cheddar and 40g jalapenos to the dough.
- Cinnamon raisin loaf - add ¼ cup of brown sugar, ½ cup of raisins, and 1-2 tablespoon of cinnamon.
- Chocolate sourdough - add ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup cocoa powder, and chocolate chips to taste.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1
Add water and psyllium husk to a medium-sized bowl and whisk to incorporate.
Set the bowl aside to let the psyllium gel form (2 min).
Step 2
In a large mixing bowl combine all of the dry ingredients including sugar and whisk thoroughly to incorporate.
Step 3
Finally, add all the wet and dry ingredients together and mix using an electric mixer with dough hooks.
I recommend mixing for at least 5 minutes to ensure a smoother dough.
Alternatively, you can mix with hands or a wooden spoon but the loaf might turn out less smooth on the top.
The dough will be very sticky but don't add any extra flour to it!
Step 4
Turn the dough onto a floured working surface and shape into a ball. Grease your hands with some oil to prevent sticking or use extra flour for dusting.
I like my bread in a batard shape better but you can bake it as a boule, too.
You don't need to stretch and fold gluten-free bread because there is no gluten to be developed!
Step 3
Dust a banneton basket with flour or use a mixing bowl lined with a dusted kitchen towel.
Turn the dough inside down into the basket/bowl and press it in to create a flat surface.
Cover the dough and leave to proof for 5-7 hours or overnight (12-18h) in the refrigerator.
I recommend proofing at about 75F/24C for the best results. Alternatively, you can place the dough in the oven with the light on. The poke test, unfortunately, doesn't work with gluten-free sourdough.
Step 4
The dough will puff up some but it won't double in size, that is okay!
Carefully turn the dough over onto a piece of parchment paper and score. Scoring means cutting the top of the dough with a sharp razor to create a pattern and aid the oven spring.
Oven spring is the rising process during the first part of baking.
Then, gently lower the parchment with the loaf into a cold Dutch oven, close the lid, and transfer to a cold oven.
Start preheating the oven to 450F/230C and once preheated, start the timer for 40 minutes.
After the first 40 minutes, take the lid off the Dutch oven, lower the temperature to 350F/175C, and bake for an additional 30 minutes.
Starting with a cold oven is not common but it works just as great!
Once the bread is done, transfer it to a cooling rack and let it sit until no longer warm to the touch. Slice with a serrated knife and enjoy!
Storage
- The bread will keep for 3-4 days at room temperature in a bread box or a textile bag. But I prefer to freeze my bread because sometimes it will get moldy in a bread box.
- To freeze, slice the bread and line the slices with parchment paper to prevent sticking, then transfer them to a freezer bag. Keep for 3-4 months.
- To defrost, simply pop the slices into a microwave for a couple of minutes!
Expert tips
- Score the dough deep (0.5-1in/1-2cm) if making one cut and do shallow cuts if creating a more elaborate pattern.
- Place a couple of foil rings in the bottom of your Dutch oven to prevent bread from burning.
- Proof the bread overnight for a more sour flavor.
Troubleshooting
- Large hole between the top crust and the crumb - this is a sure sign of overproofing. Next time bake the bread a bit sooner!
- Dense crumb could be due to underproofing, using a different type of flour, or substituting ingredients.
- Gumminess happens when you underbake or underproof your bread. It also might happen if you play around with ingredients and don't follow the recipe exactly.
- The bottom of the bread burns - refer to the section above to see how I solve that issue in my Dutch oven.
Baking timeline
Room temperature proofing:
- Feed your starter the night before (the later the better).
- 8 am - mix & proof the dough.
- 1-2 pm - bake according to instructions.
Overnight proofing:
- Feed your starter in the morning when you wake up.
- Mix the dough before going to sleep or in the late afternoon.
- Ferment the dough overnight in the refrigerator for 12-18 hours and bake in the morning according to instructions.
FAQ
I don't recommend the sandwich loaf pan because it generally makes the crumb denser. If you don't have a Dutch oven, simply bake the bread on a sheet pan. For bread machine check out these gluten-free bread machine recipes!
If your starter is at least 2 weeks old and consistently bubbles after feedings, you can start baking with it. The starter doesn't need to double in volume to be ready for baking!
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Soft & Fluffy Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread
Equipment
- A Dutch oven, a cast iron skillet, pizza stone, or baking sheet could be used instead but not recommended.
- A kitchen scale, highly recommended
- A banneton basket, optional
- A razor or bread lame
Ingredients
Psyllium gel
- 20 grams whole psyllium husks or use 18g if using powder
- 260 grams water, room temperature
Dry ingredients
- 130 grams tapioca starch, or arrowroot starch
- 100 grams potato starch, or cornstarch
- 170 grams sorghum flour, brown rice, millet, or oat flour can be used istead.
- 15 grams sugar or honey/maple syrup
- 7 grams xanthan gum, or guar gum. Don't leave it out, this ingredient is crucial!
- 8 grams baking powder, NOT baking soda
- 12 grams sea salt
Wet ingredients
- 120 grams milk, use plant-based for dairy-free
- 2 large-medium eggs, room temperature
- 50 grams sunflower oil, or any other neutral vegetable or seed oil
- 60 grams gluten-free sourdough starter, active, not from the fridge
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Instructions
- Add water and psyllium husk to a medium-sized bowl and whisk to incorporate.Set the bowl aside to let the psyllium gel form (2 min).20 grams whole psyllium husks, 260 grams water,
- In a large mixing bowl combine all of the dry ingredients including sugar and whisk thoroughly to incorporate.130 grams tapioca starch, , 100 grams potato starch,, 170 grams sorghum flour,, 15 grams sugar, 7 grams xanthan gum, , 8 grams baking powder,, 12 grams sea salt
- Finally, add all the wet and dry ingredients together and mix using an electric mixer with dough hooks.120 grams milk, , 2 large-medium eggs,, 50 grams sunflower oil,, 60 grams gluten-free sourdough starter,
- I recommend mixing for at least 5 minutes to ensure a smoother dough. Alternatively, you can mix with hands or a wooden spoon but the loaf might turn out less smooth on the top.The dough will be very sticky but don't add any extra flour to it!
- Turn the dough onto a floured working surface and shape into a ball. Grease your hands with some oil to prevent sticking or use extra flour for dusting.I like my bread in a batard shape better but you can bake it as a boule, too.
- Dust a banneton basket with flour or use a mixing bowl lined with a dusted kitchen towel.Turn the dough inside down into the basket/bowl and press it in to create a flat surface. Cover the dough and leave to proof for 5-7 hours or overnight (12-18h) in the refrigerator.I recommend proofing at about 75F/24C for the best results. Alternatively, you can place the dough in the oven with the light on. The poke test, unfortunately, doesn't work with gluten-free sourdough.
- The dough will puff up some but it won't double in size, that is okay!Carefully turn the dough over onto a piece of parchment paper and score. Scoring means cutting the top of the dough with a sharp razor to create a pattern and aid the oven spring.
- Then, gently lower the parchment with the loaf into a cold Dutch oven, close the lid, and transfer to a cold oven.Start preheating the oven to 450F/230C and once preheated, start the timer for 40 minutes. After the first 40 minutes, take the lid off the Dutch oven, lower the temperature to 350F/175C, and bake for an additional 30 minutes.
- Once the bread is done, transfer it to a cooling rack and let it sit until no longer warm to the touch. Slice with a serrated knife and enjoy!
Notes
-
- The bread will keep for 3-4 days at room temperature in a bread box or a textile bag. But I prefer to freeze my bread because sometimes it will get moldy in a bread box.
-
- To freeze, slice the bread and line the slices with parchment paper to prevent sticking, then transfer them to a freezer bag. Keep for 3-4 months.
-
- To defrost, simply pop the slices into a microwave for a couple of minutes!
-
- Score the dough deep (0.5-1in/1-2cm) if making one cut and do shallow cuts if creating a more elaborate pattern.
-
- Place a couple of foil rings in the bottom of your Dutch oven to prevent bread from burning.
-
- Large hole between the top crust and the crumb - this is a sure sign of overproofing. Next time bake the bread a bit sooner!
-
- Dense crumb could be due to underproofing, using a different type of flour, or substituting ingredients.
-
- Gumminess happens when you underbake or underproof your bread. It also might happen if you play around with ingredients and don't follow the recipe exactly.
-
- The bottom of the bread burns - refer to the section above to see how I solve that issue in my Dutch oven.
-
- Feed your starter the night before (the later the better).
-
- 8 am - mix & proof the dough.
-
- 1-2 pm - bake according to instructions.
-
- Feed your starter in the morning when you wake up.
-
- Mix the dough before going to sleep or in the late afternoon.
-
- Ferment the dough overnight in the refrigerator for 12-18 hours and bake in the morning according to instructions.
Shannon says
After a bunch of fails, my expectations were pretty low. But this is the best GF bread I have had! Nice crust! I make regular sourdough for the family but I need to be GF. The differences between the two loaves are pretty minor.
Anna says
I started baking sourdough recently because GF bread has gotten so expensive and someone oval was selling little jars of her GF starter from a celiac-safe kitchen. I’ve made a lot of mediocre loaves and I’ve made some amazing ones. I got this recipe from one of my old teachers and it’s produced the most consistently good loaves. And definitely the only loaves I’ve felt good enough about to share with anyone outside of my house.
I’m struggling with proofing though. I’ve over proofed one loaf and under proofed way more than that. I’ve only managed about 4 that were just right. Since the GF dough doesn’t rise as much and the poke test doesn’t work, how on earth do you know when it’s just right? I keep getting gummy spots right at the bottom of my loaves and haven’t been able to figure out what exactly is going wrong
Tessa Staab says
Hi! I'm a teacher at a high school. We have sourdough starters made and we are ready to make bread! I use this recipe at home all the time, but have never done any add-ins. Can we do different add-ins with this recipe? If so, would they just go in as it mixes for 5 minutes? Some of my students are asking to do cheese and herbs. Thank you!
Natasha Levai says
Hi Tessa! Yes, add-ins should be fine! Add them in as you knead the dough.
Courtney C says
I used a version of this recipe with brown rice flour, and a version of this recipe with oat flour. My oat flour version was by far the best! The issue I had with both versions is that they both were almost starting to burn on the bottom when the final timer went off and they both deflated when cooled. The brown rice flour version was gummy, but the oat flour version was not. How do I troubleshoot these issues? Thank you!
Joan B. says
I made this as an experiment, and shared it with a gluten free friend. She said it was fantastic and asked how I made it, so I shared the recipe with her.
Debbie Drumm says
I LOVE THIS RECIPE!!!
Do you think it would be possible to make rolls with this recipe?
Natasha Levai says
Hi Debbie! Yes, you can absolutely make rolls. Reduce the baking time to about 35 minutes.
Linda says
Oh my goodness. It’s the absolute best bread I’ve made or even ate since going gluten free in 2011. This was my third attempt at gluten free bread, the only one that turned out. Thank you so much.
Sherri says
Thank you for the recipe.
However, my bread rose beautifully, and it was very light, but as it has fallen, by half it’s height, it has become very heavy, and dense. I have followed your instructions completely. I made the dough last night and put it in the fridge overnight.
What can I do differently to keep as much of the rise as possible to make sandwiches with this because right now I couldn’t get a sandwich out of this loaf, it has fallen that much.
Could I bake it in a loaf pan with another loaf pan on top acting like a Dutch oven?
Thank you kindly in advance I appreciate any and all advice you can offer.
Liz says
This is my first time making sour dough. I used King Arthur bread flour and King Arthur one for one. Both have tapioca starch, arrowroot starch
potato starch, sorghum flour, brown rice, millet, xanthan gum and psyllium husk. Should I add more as you listed above?
Natasha Levai says
Hi Liz! I don't know the exact ratios of those blends, so wouldn't be able to tell you how much of what to add to the mixes.
Lisa A Kisch says
Best bread ever. Easy to make. Tyvm
Anna says
I’ve made this recipe with King Arthur 1-1 blend flour and with the exact ratios of the flours in the recipe. I made two loaves at the same time so they could proof for the same amount of time in the same place and then baked them at the same time. The Dutch ovens weren’t identical, but I eliminated as many variables as possible to see the difference. The loaf using the flour blend was a little gummy so if you use that same flour, I’d suggest proofing a little longer and adding about 10 minutes to the baking time. Overall, they were really similar. The loaves I’ve made following the recipe exactly have had a better texture, but when I can’t find the various ingredients for whatever reason, the loaves I’ve made with pre-blended flour have also been pretty good.
Stacy Campbell says
If psyllium husk is in the gf bread flour blend, do you still need to add it to the recipe?
Natasha Levai says
Hi Stacy! I wouldn't recommend using a premixed blend for this recipe for you can't predict how it is going to work. I don't know how much psyllium is in your blend and how much of the other ingredients there is in it, so can't help with this one, sorry!
Tracy says
I love this recipe. One issue I am having is when I get the loaf out of the oven, it is beautiful. As it cools, the rise falls. Should I let it cool in the oven? Bake it a touch more? I followed the recipe exactly using a scale.
Natasha Levai says
Hi Tracy! It will fall soem during cooling and there is nothing we can do about it! But the bread should still turn out soft and fluffy.
Therese says
Hi Natasha, first, thank you so much for this fantastic recipe. I was diagnosed with Celiac a few years back, and I never thought I'd find another sourdough recipe that I liked, but you have (happily) proved me wrong!
I looked through all of the comments you've left for others, and I didn't see this issue addressed. My bread is delicious, but it often/usually splits toward the bottom--a full ring around the base. It reminds me of The Incredible Hulk, splitting out of his breeches! Is that a sign of too much starter, or something else? A couple of possible deviations/culprits: I do use a lactose-free milk, if that makes a difference, and I often use both maple syrup and maple sugar (swapping out between 1-15 oz of milk to make liquid-space for the maple syrup). I also proof the bread in the oven; it occasionally gets up to 80 degrees in there, though it's usually right at 75.
Thanks again for all you do. I'm eating non-sad bread again because of you. 🙂
Jess says
Hello, I have made this recipe a few times now and it has been incredible. But this last time I have huge cracking around the whole loaf, almost splitting it in half (top away from bottom).
Any ideas what I could be doing wrong? I follow the recipe completely, using brown rice instead of sorghum but otherwise identical.
Thanks
Sarah J says
This is the BEST gf bread I have tried. My only question is- mine is brown but yours is definitely not haha, I used all the same ingredients but it seems to be from the psyllium gel (which the instructions don’t say when to add, I assumed with wet), any suggestions? Also the bread spread WAY out in the oven and didn’t hold shape?
Natasha Levai says
Hi Sarah! The color is most likely due to the flour you are using. Psyllium husks may make bread purple but not as much brown. As for the spreading, it could be due to the lack of xanthan gum or too much liquid. Try using less liquid and make sure you are using xanthan gum!