Client Inspired

Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread Recipe

Some of my gluten-intolerant clients can still enjoy regular-old sourdough bread because it’s fermented. Fermenting creates healthy bacteria in the bread making it easier to digest.  Plus, the fermentation process reduces the amount of gluten in it.

However, if you are still one of those that is sensitive to even a small amount of gluten, you can try making your own gluten-free sourdough bread from scratch.

Sadly, a lot of commercial gluten-free bread is highly processed and made with a lot of ingredients you can’t understand. And most of the time it doesn’t taste too good. 

One of my clients, who loves to make her own bread, highly recommends making your own.  She uses a gluten-free sourdough recipe from the book Cannelle et Vanille (French name for cinnamon and vanilla) Bakes Simple by https://www.arangoyoaga.com/  if you want to check it out.  She says it’s delicious and has a great taste!

I also identified another recipe online that looks really clean and simple.  Plus, it’s vegan and gluten-free! https://vanillaandbean.com/seeded-multigrain-gluten-free-sourdough-bread/.  (SEE RECIPE BELOW)

I am not a baker so have not attempted to make this myself, but feel free to share your thoughts if you end up making either one.  Looks so yummy!

Seeded Multigrain Gluten Free Sourdough Bread

4.9 stars (from 100 ratings)By Traci York — Updated March 13, 2024 — 465 Comments / Jump to Recipe

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Texture rich, flavorful and tender, homemade Seeded Multigrain Gluten Free Sourdough Bread is gluten free bread you’ll look forward to eating. Use your Gluten Free Sourdough Starter to make this whole grain gluten free bread and love bread again! This recipe is gluten free and vegetarian or vegan.

Table of Contents

Going Gluten Free

Going gluten free for a trial period in the summer of 2018 meant I had to give up my beloved homemade sourdough. After a few weeks of throwing internal fits, I finally decided to explore gluten free flours, and learn the nuances of gluten free baking. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I finally embraced the challenge. 

After much research, creating a gluten free sourdough starter and baking many loaves of gluten free sourdough bread, testing, tweaking and taking notes along the way, I’m sharing my best loaf yet: Seeded Multigrain Gluten Free Sourdough Bread.

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Although I’m eating gluten again, this bread remains one of my most beloved recipes on the blog. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family, friends and V&B makers have.

How to Make Multigrain Gluten Free Sourdough Bread

This gluten free sourdough bread recipe is simple to make, but you’ll need a gluten free sourdough starter. My starter recipe takes six to seven days to develop, but once you create it and continue to refresh (feed) it, it’ll be on stand-by next time you’re ready to bake! In summary, here’s how to make this GF sourdough bread (see recipe card for details): 

• First, prepare the soaker by placing the flax, oats, quinoa, and sunflower seeds into a small bowl. Pour room temperature water over the top of the soaker. Allow to sit overnight (or see shortcut in recipe). 
• Second, in a medium bowl, whisk the flours including oat, brown rice, millet, tapioca with psyllium husk powder and salt. 
• Third, in a large bowl, whisk your fed starter, water, and maple syrup or honey. Add the flour mixture to the starter/water mixture and mix with a fork. 
• Fourth, hand mix in the soaker. 
• Fifth, transfer the gf sourdough to a prepared loaf pan, while patting and smoothing the top and rounding the edges of the dough.
• Next, cover with a damp tea towel and ferment for 12-14 hours at room temperature. 
• Last, bake the loaf for about an hour. 

You’ll notice there is no proof for this recipe, meaning it only rises once (fermentation). Once the loaf is shaped and undergoes bulk fermentation, it’s ready to bake.

After baking, the gluten free sourdough needs to cool completely, at least a few hours before you slice into it! Waiting until the following day is even better as it allows the bread time to cure. 

Can I Use Other Gluten Free Flours in this Recipe?

You can certainly give it a go! I’ve tried subbing buckwheat and amaranth flour for millet in this recipe but the bread wasn’t as tender and light. I’ve found thorough trial and error that millet helps give loft to gluten free bread without adding more starch. Also, amaranth was a little too strong for my taste. 

What Does this Gluten Free Sourdough Bread Taste Like?

In a word, earthy in such a good way! This gf sourdough bread is texture rich due to the seeds/grains, has a mild oaty flavor, and a chewy interior thanks in part to the binding power of psyllium husk powder, with a nice crisp crust (after toasting). 

Because this bread is gluten free, egg and dairy free (yes, vegan gluten free sourdough bread!), mostly whole grain, free of fillers and large quantities of starches, you’ll notice the interior is moist/tacky to the touch. So, it needs to be toasted to bring out its best texture. Sometimes I’ll double toast for breakfast toast, aka, avocado with egg toast.  

How Do I Store Gluten Free Sourdough Bread?

After the bread is completely cool, slice it with a serrated knife. The slices can be stored at room temperature in a closed container for up to three days or frozen for longer storage. For freezer storage, slices can go from freezer to toaster directly – this is also when I’ll double toast a slice. 

A Few Recipe Notes

• Sourdough discard? Save it, put it in a covered container in the refrigerator and then, make these Gluten Free Sourdough Pancakes, Gluten Free Sourdough Waffles, or Gluten Free Sourdough Pizza!
• Dutch oven? I’ve tried this recipe in a Dutch oven in an effort to make a boule. Without walls of a loaf pan to hold the dough together, it spread way too much and was flat. Stick to a loaf pan ( if not experimenting 😀 ) .
• Shaping and then transferring the dough to the pan is sticky business. I’ve included two ways in the recipe to get the hardest part of the recipe done: a. shaping prior to putting the dough into the pan or b. shaping the dough after putting it in the pan. I prefer method a. as it produces a better shaped loaf – but it’s harder to do. Note the photos show method b. 
• With a 119% hydration, this dough is sticky. But I’ve found gluten free loaves with higher hydration and low starch content have a better rise and produce a more tender crumb.
• One of the flours used in this recipe is oat flour. I DIY oat flour and have a tutorial on the blog if needed. 
• Substitutions: I do not recommend subbing any other ingredient for psyllium husk powder. It soaks up the water, gives the bread it’s chew like gluten-full bread has and holds the dough together.
  • I’ve tried subbing buckwheat and amaranth flour for millet in this recipe but the bread wasn’t as tender and light. I’ve found millet helps give loft to bread without adding more starch. Also, amaranth was a little too strong for my taste.
  • I’ve not attempted subbing a different flour for oat flour. 
• Use a scale. In baking, weighing ingredients is important for optimal outcome. I find that especially true in gluten free baking. I recommend investing in a good digital kitchen scale.