Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread
You read the title right, you can make your own homemade Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread with only 4 ingredients! Your body, and wallet, will thank you once you try out this recipe. Being able to bake your own Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread will give you so much relief from having to search around for a fresh loaf.
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Putting the time into baking your own Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread is totally worth it. To be able to bake a fresh loaf of bread for anybody to eat, no matter what their dietary restrictions, is a beautiful skill to have.
There’s so much you can do with your fresh loaf of Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread. You can use it for toast in the morning or a fresh slice to go with your Broccoli Cheddar Soup. You can also use in the morning for Sourdough French Toast or a delicious Sourdough Stuffing in the evening.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe:
Perfect Texture: Enjoy a crisp crust paired with a soft, moist interior that makes each bite satisfying.
Gluten-Free Artisan Loaf: Designed for a gluten-free lifestyle, this recipe produces a beautifully crafted, artisanal loaf without sacrificing quality.
Easy Process: With clear, step-by-step instructions, even beginners can confidently bake a loaf that looks and tastes homemade.
Versatile Enjoyment: Whether toasted, served as a side, or used for sandwiches, this bread adds a wholesome, delicious touch to any meal.
Customizable: Feel free to experiment with additional herbs or spices to tailor the loaf to your personal taste.
Ingredients to Make Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread:
- gluten-free flour. Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend to achieve a balanced texture. This blend is designed to mimic the properties of wheat flour.
- warm water. Water should be around 110°F to activate the sourdough starter effectively.
- active gluten-free sourdough starter. Ensure your starter is active and bubbly. It’s crucial for fermentation and helps develop the bread’s structure and flavor.
- finely ground sea salt. Finely ground sea salt not only seasons the dough but also strengthens the dough’s structure. It is best added after the autolyse period for even distribution.
How to Make Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread:
- In a large bowl, measure out 55 grams of active gluten-free sourdough starter. Add in 350 grams of warm water. Stir with a whisk until the water and active starter are combined then add in 500 grams of gluten-free flour.
- Use a spatula (or your hands) to combine the flour with the starter/water mixture. You should be left with a shaggy dough.
- Cover with a tea towel for 30 minutes. After the thirty minutes are up, pour your salt over the dough and push your fingers into the dough to push the salt in.
- Cover the bowl with beeswax wrap or plastic wrap and set in a warm place. Allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size.
- Grab a bread basket and sprinkle with flour. Place your dough ball in the basket. Cover with tea towel and place in the fridge for a minimum of three hours.
- After the dough has been in the fridge for 2.5 hours, preheat your oven to 450° with the Dutch oven (and lid) inside. Allow to heat for 30 minutes.
- After three hours, remove your dough from the fridge and gently dump onto a piece of floured parchment paper.
- Score your bread using a sharp knife or a lamé. Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and place the parchment paper with the dough into the Dutch oven and replace the lid.
- Put the Dutch oven back in the oven and bake for 40 minutes.
- After 40 minutes, remove the lid from the Dutch oven to allow the bread to brown and get a good crisp. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and place the loaf of bread on a metal rack to cool.
Recipe Notes & Tips:
- Autolyse Period: Allowing the dough to rest for 30 minutes helps the flour fully absorb the water, leading to better texture.
- Filtered Water: Use filtered water if possible. This removes impurities that can affect the rise and fermentation of the dough.
- Salt Integration: Sprinkle the salt over the dough after the autolyse and gently work it in to ensure even distribution without overworking the dough.
- Long Rest Cover: A damp towel works, but plastic wrap or beeswax wrap is preferred to better retain moisture during the long rest.
- Dutch Oven Alternatives: If you don’t have a Dutch oven, a covered bread pan can be used as a substitute.
- Scoring: Score the dough carefully before baking to allow for controlled expansion and a visually appealing crust.
Serving Suggestions:
- Chicken Mushroom Wild Rice Soup
- Tuna Salad
- Beef Vegetable Stew
- Avocado Chicken Salad
- Pizza Soup
- Sourdough Flatbread
How to Store:
Airtight Container: Transfer the cooled bread into an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap to keep it fresh.
Room Temperature: Store at room temperature for up to 2 days if you plan to consume it quickly.
Refrigeration:For longer storage, keep the bread in the fridge for up to a week; just be aware that refrigeration might slightly affect the texture.
Freezing: For extended storage, wrap the cooled bread in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm it in the oven before serving.
FAQs:
Allow the dough to rise until it doubles in size during bulk fermentation. The timing can vary based on room temperature.
This recipe relies on an active gluten-free sourdough starter. If you don’t have one, consider preparing a starter in advance or using a gluten-free yeast bread recipe instead.
Factors like water temperature, the strength of your starter, or ambient temperature can affect rising. Ensure your water is around 110°F and your starter is active and bubbly.
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Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread
Ingredients
- 500 grams gluten-free flour, 1:1 ratio
- 350 grams warm water, about 110°
- 55 grams active gluten-free sourdough starter
- 12 grams finely ground sea salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, measure out 55 grams of active gluten-free sourdough starter. Add in 350 grams of warm water. Stir with a whisk until the water and active starter are combined then add in 500 grams of gluten-free flour (I prefer Bob’s red mill)
- Use a spatula (or your hands) to combine the flour with the starter/water mixture. You should be left with a shaggy dough.
- Cover with a tea towel for 30 minutes. After the thirty minutes are up, pour your salt over the dough and push your fingers into the dough to push the salt in.
- Cover the bowl with beeswax wrap or plastic wrap and set in a warm place. Allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size.
- Grab a bread basket and sprinkle with flour. Place your dough ball in the basket (seam side up!) Cover with tea towel and place in the fridge for a minimum of three hours (I wouldn’t exceed 24 hours).
- After the dough has been in the fridge for 2.5 hours, preheat your oven to 450° with the Dutch oven (and lid) inside. Allow to heat for 30 minutes.
- After three hours, remove your dough from the fridge and gently dump onto a piece of floured parchment paper. (Seam side down!)
- Score your bread using a sharp knife or a lamé. Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and place the parchment paper with the dough into the Dutch oven and replace the lid.
- Put the Dutch oven back in the oven and bake for 40 minutes.
- After 40 minutes, remove the lid from the Dutch oven to allow the bread to brown and get a good crisp. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes (depending on how crispy you like your crust)
- Remove from the oven and place the loaf of bread on a metal rack to cool.
Nutrition
Notes
-
- Autolyse Period: Allowing the dough to rest for 30 minutes helps the flour fully absorb the water, leading to better texture.
- Filtered Water: Use filtered water if possible. This removes impurities that can affect the rise and fermentation of the dough.
- Salt Integration: Sprinkle the salt over the dough after the autolyse and gently work it in to ensure even distribution without overworking the dough.
- Long Rest Cover: A damp towel works, but plastic wrap or beeswax wrap is preferred to better retain moisture during the long rest.
- Dutch Oven Alternatives: If you don’t have a Dutch oven, a covered bread pan can be used as a substitute.
- Scoring: Score the dough carefully before baking to allow for controlled expansion and a visually appealing crust.
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How do we go from covering and allowing it to double in size to grabbing a bread basket and placing the dough ball seam side up? Is there a step missing? Do we fold the dough before placing it in the basket?
You didn’t miss anything, after the bulk rise you just gently shape the dough into a ball, then place it seam-side up in the basket. A light fold or tuck while shaping is enough.
Hi! How would I add inclusions such as jalapeño & cheddar to this recipe if it skips the stretch and fold process? Thanks so much!
Add them either right after mixing the dough or gently fold them in before shaping!
This bread is rustic and cozy with a satisfying flavor. If the recipe is followed carefully it turns out fabulous!
Hi do you use the red or blue bag of bob red mill flour ?
Either work as long as it is gluten free!
Can I add baking powder to get it to rise?
Can you use a different flour then then what you used for your starter?
Absolutely!
I used the KA M4M flour and the dough was very thick. It never really raised a whole lot and ended up being like a big biscuit, should I have added more water? You use the BRM 1:1 gluten free flour? Maybe I will try that,,,
I had the same issue. I used King Arthur’s 1:1 and it never rose. When I added the flour to the water mixture it dried up really quickly. I never achieved that sloggy dough mentioned above. I added a little bit more water and followed the rest of the steps. It never rose. :(.
Why do you add the salt after everything else?
Salt is added after the initial mixing because it can slow down fermentation and interfere with enzyme activity if added too early.
I’m new to the gf sourdough making and just was curious because I didn’t see anything about stretch and folds at all in this recipe and I’ve seen everyone doing these when making sourdough should I be doing that?
Hi Breanna, when you stretch and fold sourdough it helps to develop the gluten. Since this is gluten free it’s not necessary!
Hi Kaeleigh,
Good to know!! Thanks so much!!
Hi Kaeleigh,
One more question is it ok for this recipe if I use brown rice flour instead of normal gluten free flour since I used the brown rice flour for my starter?
I have never tried, but it should work fine with maybe a slightly different texture!
Hi, ok thank you! I just wasn’t sure if it matter to use the same flour as what you used for the starter? Cause I also have bobs red mill regular gluten free flour too but used bobs red mill brown rice for the starter!
About how long does it take for the dough to double?
Mine took about 6 hours. My house is pretty chilly but I had it in the oven turned off with the oven light on so it was getting warm. I saw it getting larger around 2 hours but it definitely hadn’t doubled in size but overall it took around 6 hours. Now it’s just waiting in the fridge!
So it takes that long to rise? I have mine in my oven that’s turned off. It hasn’t really risen any yet. I can smell the dough, but not rushing very quickly.
I am new to the GF Sourdough world and will be baking my first loaf this weekend, finger crossed! Have you done inclusions with this recipe? My husband is itching for a jalapeño and cheddar loaf.
Do you have a good gluten free starter recipe?
I just use a regular sourdough starter recipe and substitute the flour 1:1 with gluten-free flour!
I used the KA gluten free flour recipe online. It worked great!
Hi there! Very excited to make this bread 🙂 just wondering- do you recommend putting anything in the bottom of the dutch over before the parchment paper?
Thank you!
You can use these silicone mats if you prefer but parchment paper also works fine!
Is this with fed or unfed starter?
A fed starter! Usually about 4-6 hours after feeding is best
How long should it take to double in size? My starter was bubbly throughout but nothing happened after adding salt.
It can take anywhere from 4-8 hours to double.
What is the desired texture of the starter?
It might feel more pasty and sticky than a traditional wheat-based starter, it won’t have the elasticity that comes from gluten, but it should still stretch a bit when you stir it.
After letting it proof until doubled ( about 8 hrs) I put in fridge over night- about 8 hrs with a tea cloth over it. It was dry and deflated. I baked as directed anyway because I didn’t know how to rescue it. It is a brick😞
After the dough rises, how do you shape your dough ball? Are you kneading it? Laminating? I think I’m missing a step between it doubling in size and getting it into the banneton in a ball with the seams up…
Because there is no gluten you don’t have to knead the bread, simply shape it and place in the dutch oven.
I made this recipe very excited. It turned out like a brick, very small, very dense. I left it out to prove on the counter for 4 hours before putting it in the fridge overnight.
Just mixed mine together and it’s very dense too.
Mine is also very dense. Hopefully it will rise enough so it’s a lighter bread texture after baking
I’m confused on step 4- it says to repeat step 4, do you mean step 3?
It’s supposed to just rise until doubled in size after pressing the salt in, sorry about that!
Which flour do you recommend for gluten free? Does it have to be gluten free bread flour? Can we used gluten free rice flour? Gluten free all purpose flour? Looking to see what’s best. Can’t wait to try this!!
We used a 1:1 gluten free bread flour but you can also use rice flour or all purpose flour, it just depends on your personal preference!
Made this. Just took it out of the oven. It looks amazing!! Wondering if it needs to fully cool before cutting into?
Just cool enough to be able to touch!
I’m confused by the stretch and folds. In traditional sourdough, they’re used to strengthen the gluten, but there isn’t any gluten to develop in this, and it doesn’t seem to do anything to help the dough. Am I missing something? I’m new to gf baking and this is my first attempt at gf sourdough. Thanks!
You’re absolutely right, I just did it out of habit! I’m fixing the recipe now, it’s totally not necessary!
Oh thank you!!!!