The Best Artisan Grain-Free Sourdough Bread
Remember the smell of fresh sourdough baking in the morning? The crackle of the crust as you slice it open? That tangy, chewy interior that pairs perfectly with butter, jam, or just a simple drizzle of olive oil? For many of us, those little joys felt out of reach when we went gluten-free, grain-free, or dairy-free.
But what if you didn’t have to give them up? There’s something so satisfying about biting into fresh homemade artisan bread. Whether you eat it plain, dipped in olive oil, slathered in peanut butter and honey, or you make delicious french toast, croutons, sandwiches, or stuffing with it, I promise you will love it!
Sourdough can seem very daunting – it was for me until I created this recipe! I scoured the internet searching for recipes that would fit my dietary restrictions (I have to eat gluten free, grain free, dairy free, and refined sugar free). I tried so many recipes that I found online – either they weren’t very good, or they just didn’t turn out the way they were supposed to. I almost quit. I was convinced it was too hard, took too long, and just “wasn’t my thing.” So if you’ve ever been overwhelmed by other sourdough recipes, you’re in the right place. If I can make sourdough recipes work, you definitely can too!
Side note: If you don’t yet, have my grain free sourdough starter, let’s start by getting that to you – it’s 100x easier to start your sourdough journey with an established starter.
3 reasons you’ll love this grain free sourdough bread
Flavor Variation Ideas
Swap maple syrup for the honey to see if you like the flavor profile more.
For a nice savory twist, add some fresh rosemary to the dough before you proof.
I’m currently working on add-ins and variations for this recipe, so stay tuned. Grain free sourdough is a completely different type of sourdough, so variations are trickier than traditional sourdough recipes.
Do you know how good grain free sourdough is for you? It’s filled with clean and healthy ingredients, and because it doesn’t have any grains or gluten, it’s less inflammatory and easier for your body to digest. The slow fermentation of the live active cultures helps boost your immunity by adding to your good gut bacteria. Your gut will thank you for this! I’m so excited for you to try it.
Get my grain free sourdough starter: In each of my recipes, I try to make them as simple and fool proof to follow. The best way to start a new sourdough starter is to get one from someone else, and I’m here for you! Click the link below to get my dehydrated grain free sourdough starter!
Tips:
- Active starter: There are a lot of thoughts on what defines an “active” sourdough starter, but with this recipe, I have found that if I feed it a day before I need to bake with it, it performs best. Whenever you decide to “feed” your starter, make it work for your schedule. No need to stress about it.
- “Feeding” your starter: This just means that you remove some of your starter (or “discard it) and add more cassava flour and room temperature water. If your starter isn’t very bubbly, it will still work great for this recipe.
- Proofing: Proofing means to let your dough rest and ferment before you bake it.
- Temperature matters:
- Ensure the water temperature is 85° F when adding it to the psyllium husk mixture.
- When proofing your dough, be sure the room is 75° F or it might not rise much.
- I recommend a fermenting mat to help heat your starter in colder rooms, or some have had success
with sticking their dough in the oven and turning the oven light on. I haven’t tried the oven method yet.
Equipment
- Dutch Oven (at least 2 quarts)
Ingredients
- 85 g active grain-free sourdough starter
- 300 g water
- 25 g psyllium husk
- 25 g honey
- 147 g almond flour
- 204 g tapioca flour
- 7 g salt
Instructions
- Start by weighing each ingredient into individual bowls using a food scale set to the gram measurement.
- In the stand-up bowl mixer, mix together the water, psyllium husk, and honey using the paddle attachment. Mix for about a minute or until it looks fully incorporated. Let this mixture sit for about 10 minutes while you measure out your other ingredients into individual bowls.25 g psyllium husk, 25 g honey, 300 g water
- Combine the almond flour, tapioca flour and salt into a bowl. Using a whisk. Blend the ingredients together until fully mixed.147 g almond flour, 204 g tapioca flour, 7 g salt
- After letting the psyllium husk mixture rest for 10 minutes, add in the sourdough starter and mix for one minute on the lowest setting until fully mixed.85 g active grain-free sourdough starter
- Turn off the mixer and add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix on the lowest setting for 1 to 2 minutes or until fully combined.
- Use a silicone spatula to scrape the dough onto a tea towel that has been lightly dusted with tapioca flour.
- Add a small amount of olive oil to your hands and gently shape the dough into a round ball. Place the dough back onto the tea towel and into your medium bowl with a lid.
Proofing Your Dough
- Cover the dough with the tea towel and let it proof in a space that is 75°F for 5 hours.
- After 4 hours, preheat the oven to 500°F. Place your Dutch Oven on the top rack and your pizza stone or cast iron skillet on the bottom rack, and heat everything for 1 hour.
Scoring Your Dough
- Lightly dust the top of your dough with tapioca flour.
- Using your lame or a serrated knife, gently score a simple pattern onto the top of the loaf.
Baking Your Dough
- Remove your Dutch Oven from the oven.
- Cut a piece of parchment paper the size of your Dutch Oven and place your dough on the parchment paper.
- Place your dough and parchment paper inside the Dutch Oven, put the lid on, and return to the top rack of your oven. Reduce the temperature to 450°F and set a timer to bake for 35 minutes.
- Remove the lid from the Dutch Oven, reduce the temperature to 400°F and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the Dutch Oven and the parchment paper from the oven completely, and place the loaf on the top rack in your oven. Reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the bread from the oven and place it on a cooling rack for at least 4 hours.
