Gluten-Free Bread With Psyllium Husk

This no-knead gluten-free bread with psyllium husk is soft, moist, flexible, flavorful, and remarkably stable. It is also vegan and very easy to make. The soft and airy crumb is combined with the crunchy crust for the best bite!

You can make garlic bread or toast the slices to serve along soups, in grilled cheese, or next to a side of fresh mozzarella salad!

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Why You Will Love This Recipe
Whole Husks vs. Powder
Ingredients for Psyllium Bread
Substitutes
How to Make Psyllium Husk Bread
Expert Tips
Common Questions
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Gluten-Free Bread With Psyllium Husk
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Why You Will Love This Recipe

Texture. Psyllium husk makes the bread incredibly soft and moist!
Easy to shape. Thanks to psyllium husk, this bread shapes just like a regular loaf!
No-knead. Since it is gluten-free, you only need to mix the dough, and it's ready for shaping! This method is similar to how I make my extra soft gluten-free Dutch oven loaf.

Whole Husks vs. Powder

When shopping for psyllium husk you will see an option for whole husks or powder. Powder is cheaper and easier to get while whole husks tend to cost a bit more and aren't as easy to find at a grocery store.

I prefer baking with whole husks because they don't clump in water (unlike psyllium powder), don't turn your bread purple (powder can do that depending on the type), and are simply easier to work with. Psyllium powder can be substituted for whole husks if necessary; in that case, you would only use 85% of the amount called for in the recipe!

Read my psyllium husk 101 article for more information and visuals.

Ingredients for Psyllium Bread

Psyllium husk - preferably use whole husks, but you can use psyllium powder if necessary (use 18g instead of 20g). Check out this psyllium husk guide if you are new to it!

Yeast - I prefer using instant yeast because it doesn't require activation before use.

Substitutes

Psyllium husk - there is no good substitute for psyllium husk! Xanthan gum will yield crumbly and dense bread, so it is not a good option to use in this recipe. Check out my konjac bread if you can't have psyllium.

Sugar - use maple syrup or honey instead.

Yeast - check my yeast-free gluten-free loaf if you can't have yeast! Alternatively, you can try making gluten-free sourdough bread as it uses home-grown natural gluten-free yeast.

Brown rice flour - use sorghum flour instead.

White rice flour - use buckwheat flour instead.

Tapioca starch can be substituted with arrowroot starch.

Potato starch can be swapped with cornstarch.

How to Make Psyllium Husk Bread

Step 1 - Make psyllium gel

Psyllium husk in water with a whisk in a bowl.

Combine whole psyllium husks, water, and sugar in a medium-sized bowl and whisk to incorporate. Set aside.

Step 2 - Mix the dry ingredients

Add the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk to incorporate.

Step 3 - Mix the dough

Kneading the dough by hand in a metal bowl.

Once the psyllium husk turns into a gel (1-2 minutes), add it to the dry ingredients and mix the dough.

You can mix the dough by hand, with an electric mixer, or with a wooden spoon. It will be sticky but workable!

Step 4 - Shape the loaf

Shaping the dough step-by-step in five steps.

Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured working surface and flatten it into a disc. Shape the dough by folding each side of the dough disc onto its middle, then flip it.

Shape the dough into a ball by turning it around with your hands and tucking the sides under. See the pictures or video for visual instructions!

Place the dough into a floured proofing basket or a mixing bowl lined with a kitchen towel. If you are baking the bread in a bread pan, place it into the greased bread pan. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel.

Leave the dough to rise for about 30-60 minutes. Keep an eye on the bread; you don't want it to rise too high (or double in size) or it will fall during baking.

Step 5 - Bake

Gluten-free bread dough scored on a piece of parchment paper.

Once the loaf is done proofing, carefully transfer it onto a piece of parchment paper, score (cut the surface with a razor) about 1inch/2.5cm deep, and carefully lower the loaf into the Dutch oven (unless you're baking in a bread pan).

Place the lid onto the Dutch oven and transfer it to the oven. Start preheating the oven to 450°F/230°C. Once the oven is ready, start the timer and bake for 40 minutes.

Then, carefully remove the loaf from the Dutch oven, transfer it to the oven rack, lower the temperature to 350°F/180°C, and keep baking for another 30 minutes.

Let the bread cool completely (until no longer warm to the touch) and enjoy!

Expert Tips

Yeast will do best if you use room temperature ingredients!
Use a digital scale to ensure the best results.
Grease your hands with oil to prevent the dough from sticking to them.
Let the bread cool down completely (until no longer warm to the touch before slicing it.
Proof the dough in the oven at 120°F/50°C to speed up the rising process!

Slices of gluten-free bread on a kitchen towel.

Common Questions

Can I make this bread in a bread machine?

I never tried making this recipe in a bread machine. However, here is a great collection of gluten-free bread machine recipes that work great!

Can psyllium replace gluten?

In gluten-free bread, psyllium husk acts as a binder and moisturizer, helping to replicate the structure of wheat bread. While it does help "replace" gluten, combining it with xanthan gum is key to achieving a soft, fluffy texture - especially in recipes like this gluten-free sourdough.

What is psyllium bread?

Psyllium bread is gluten-free bread made with psyllium husk as a gluten substitute to provide structure, chewiness, and moisture to the loaf like in these fluffy buckwheat rolls.

How do I store this bread?

Store bread with psyllium husk at room temperature in a bread bag or a container for 3-4 days, or slice and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in a microwave or thaw the slices at room temperature!