This gluten-free sourdough bread is a staple gluten-free recipe made with a gluten-free sourdough starter. Learn how to make gluten-free sourdough bread with our step-by-step guide and best tips for soft and delicious gluten-free bread.
Have you always wanted to bake sourdough bread or sourdough recipes, but are gluten-free? Then you have come to the right place. Gluten-free sourdough bread and gluten-free sourdough recipes are easy to make with a gluten-free sourdough starter and a few other simple ingredients.
Our recipe for gluten-free sourdough bread is a staple in our gluten-free kitchen and will become a staple in yours. The process of making gluten-free sourdough bread is similar to making regular sourdough bread but with some variations.
This step-by-step guide to gluten-free sourdough bread will walk you through the process and help you make your first gluten-free loaf!
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What is Sourdough Bread?
Sourdough bread is bread made with a sourdough starter as the leavening agent. A sourdough starter is an active culture of beneficial bacteria and yeast made through the process of fermenting flour and water.
Because your sourdough starter is the sole leavening agent in the recipe, it is important to use a healthy, active, bubbly starter. A healthy and active starter will produce great bread. Using a starter that is not bubbly or active will result in a dense loaf that doesn't rise.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Brown Rice Flour - Brown rice flour is a heavyweight flour that's high in protein therefore is common in gluten-free flour blends because the protein provides structure to the dough.
- White Rice Flour - White rice flour is a lightweight flour that gives the bread a fluffy and soft texture.
- Tapioca Starch - Tapioca starch is a lightweight flour and is used as a thickener to help bind the dough together.
- Potato Starch - Potato starch is a lightweight flour that lightens up the flour blend for a soft texture.
- Salt - Salt is essential in sourdough for flavor and helping the ingredients work together to form the dough.
- Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter - A mature, active, bubbly sourdough starter is essential to making delicious gluten-free sourdough bread. You want to use a starter at its peak in this recipe. This is when the starter has doubled in size, is bubbly and smells sour. Note our gluten-free starter is made with brown rice flour. We have not tried this recipe with a different gluten-free flour starter.
- Water - Water is necessary for the process of fermentation to occur and therefore essential in sourdough as it helps the dough to ferment before baking.
- Maple Syrup - Maple syrup is a source of glucose that accelerates the fermentation process.
- Whole Psyllium Husk - Whole psyllium husk is a form of fiber and it acts as a binder that allows the dough to be workable. Without psyllium husk, you would not be able to stretch and fold the dough. Note that psyllium husk and psyllium powder are different. You want the whole husk for the gelling and binding benefits of the ingredient.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Kitchen Scale - We highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure out the ingredients for accuracy and best results.
- Large Glass or Stoneware Bowl - A large bowl is necessary for mixing the bread dough and allowing it to ferment. We recommend a glass bowl or stoneware bowl. We don't recommend using a metal bowl, because it may affect your sourdough as acid reacts with metal.
- Dough Whisk - A dough whisk helps to combine the ingredients.
- Plastic Wrap - We like to use plastic wrap to cover the dough as it ferments because it helps to keep the moisture in the bowl so the gluten-free dough doesn't dry out.
- Bread Lame - A bread lame makes scoring the loaf easy to do, but a sharp knife or razor blade works great too.
- Tea Towel - A tea towel is necessary in the final proofing of your sourdough if you do not have a banneton basket.
- Dutch Oven - A Dutch oven is necessary for baking the sourdough loaf in.
- Parchment Paper - Parchment paper sits under the loaf as it bakes in the Dutch oven so it can easily be removed after baking.
How to Make Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread
Follow this step-by-step guide to make gluten-free sourdough bread. Specific instructions and timing is located on the recipe card below.
Step 1.12 hours before making the dough, discard and feed your starter then set aside to bubble and double in size.
Step 2. When you're ready to make the dough, add the gluten-free flours and salt to a large bowl.
Step 3. Whisk the flours and salt together.
Step 4. In a separate bowl, combine the water and maple syrup.
Step 5. Pour the psyllium husk into the bowl then whisk it into the water to form a gel-like consistency.
Step 6. Add your active, bubbly sourdough starter to the bowl.
Step 7. Whisk the starter into the wet ingredients.
Step 8. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the flour and salt.
Step 9. Mix the ingredients together into a dough then cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.
Step 10. Use your fists to gently punch the dough down to flatten it.
Step 11. Hold onto one side of the dough, lift it up and allow it to stretch down into the bowl.
Step 12. As it stretches, fold the dough over itself. Turn the bowl and repeat a total of 4 times.
Step 13. Shape the dough into a circle loaf shape. Then repeat stretch and folds according to recipe instructions.
Step 14. Shape the dough into a circle loaf then place in the fridge to ferment overnight.
Step 15. After fermenting overnight, place the dough on a slightly damp surface
Step 16. Gently punch the dough into a rectangle.
Step 17. Fold the long side into the middle of the rectangle.
Step 18. Fold the other side into the middle.
Step 19. Roll the dough up.
Step 20. Shape the dough into a circle shape.
Step 21. Allow the dough to sit on the counter for 20 minutes, then repeat steps 15-19.
Step 22. Flip the dough into a tea towel lined bowl.
Step 23. Fold the edges of the towel over the dough then place the bowl in the fridge for 2 hours.
Step 24. Remove the dough from the fridge then flip it onto parchment paper.
Step 25. Use a bread lame or knife to score the loaf.
Step 26. Transfer the loaf to a preheated Dutch oven then place in the oven to bake.
Step 27. Bake the loaf in the oven.
Step 28. Remove the loaf from the Dutch oven to cool completely.
Sample Sourdough Baking Schedule
This is a sample baking schedule for making gluten-free sourdough bread. This recipe starts with preparing the dough in the evening then baking the bread in the morning. You can adjust the times to fit your schedule or time preferences.
Step-by-step and specific instructions can be found on the recipe card below.
Day 1
7am - Before making the dough, discard half of your sourdough starter then feed it with ½ cup brown rice flour & ½ cup water. Stir to combine, cover then set aside in a warm area to double and bubble.
6pm - Your starter should be bubbly and have doubled. Measure out the ingredients for the bread. Mix the dough together per the instructions, cover with plastic wrap then set aside for 30 minutes.
6:30pm - Stretch and fold the dough then cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
7pm - Stretch and fold the dough then cover and set aside.
7:30pm - Stretch and fold the dough then cover and set aside.
8pm - Stretch and fold the dough then shape into a circle loaf shape and place in the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap then set it in the fridge to ferment overnight.
Day 2
7am - Remove the bowl with the dough from the fridge and dampen your countertop with some water then place the dough on the countertop. Shape the loaf according to the recipe instructions, then allow the dough to sit for 20 minutes.
7:30am - Repeat the shaping process then flip the dough to a bowl lined with a tea towel and sprinkled with white rice flour. Place the bowl in the fridge for 2 hours for the final proof.
9am - Preheat the oven to 500 degrees with a Dutch oven inside.
9:30am - Remove the bowl from the fridge and flip the dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Score the loaf, then transfer it to a preheated Dutch oven. Lower the oven temperature to 450 then place the Dutch oven into the oven to bake according to the instructions found on the recipe card.
10:30am - After baking, allow the loaf to cool completely before cutting it.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
This recipe makes one loaf of gluten-free sourdough bread that can but cut into 10-12 slices. You can serve the bread as an easy dinner side dish, make it into toast or make a sandwich. As you can see there are so many ways to enjoy sourdough bread.
If you like this recipe, then you will also love our other gluten-free sourdough recipes.
How to Store Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread
Sourdough bread is best when stored in slices. Allow the loaf to cool completely then cut it into slices to then store on the countertop or in the freezer.
- Countertop - in an airtight container for 3 days
- Freezer - in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To enjoy, allow the bread to thaw or you can also toast it to warm it up quicker!
Recipe FAQ
There are a few reasons why your loaf may come out gummy on the inside. The most common reason is that you did not bake it long enough but other reasons may be that you used too much water or cut the bread too early while it cooled.
We recommend using a Dutch oven because it acts as a mini oven that traps steam inside. This keeps the inside of the loaf soft while also allowing the crust to form.
More Gluten-Free Sourdough Recipes
Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread
This gluten-free sourdough bread is a staple gluten-free recipe made with a gluten-free sourdough starter. Learn how to make gluten-free sourdough bread with our step-by-step guide and best tips for soft and delicious gluten-free bread.
Ingredients
- 80g white rice flour
- 60g brown rice flour
- 75g tapioca starch
- 60g potato starch
- 8g salt
- 350g water, at room temperature
- 30g maple syrup
- 20g whole psyllium husk
- 250g gluten-free sourdough starter
Instructions
- 12 hours before preparing the bread dough, discard half of your gluten-free starter and feed it with ½ cup gluten-free brown rice flour and ½ cup water. Mix the flour and water with the starter, cover and set aside to bubble and double in size.
- When the starter is at its peak, is bubbly and has doubled in size, prepare the dough.
- Start by measuring out the ingredients in grams using a food scale.
- Add the gluten-free flours to a large bowl with the salt.
- Use a whisk to mix the flours and salt together.
- In a separate bowl, combine the water and maple syrup.
- Pour the whole psyllium husk into the bowl then whisk the psyllium husk into the water until it forms a gel-like consistency.
- Pour the active and bubbly gluten-free sourdough starter into the bowl with the water and psyllium husks.
- Whisk the starter into the other wet ingredients.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the flours and salt.
- Mix and stir the ingredients together for 3 minutes to combine them into a dough.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove the plastic wrap from the top of the bowl and perform your first set of stretch and folds.
- Holding one side of the dough lift the dough up above the bowl. Allow the dough to stretch down into the bowl. As it stretches, fold the dough down onto itself.
- Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the stretch and fold. Continue to repeat until you have done four stretch and folds. After the fourth fold, pull the sides of the dough down to shape it into a ball with the seam on the bottom.
- Place the dough in the bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, stretch and fold the dough 4 times. Shape the dough into a ball, set it in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, stretch and fold the dough 4 times. Shape the dough into a ball, set it in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, stretch and fold the dough 4 times. Shape the dough into a ball, set it in the bowl, and cover with plastic wrap.
- Place the bowl in the fridge to long ferment overnight.
- In the morning, remove the bowl with the dough from the fridge.
- Clean your work surface, then dampen it with some water.
- Place the dough on the damp work surface.
- Using damp hands, use your fists to gently punch the dough down and out into a rectangle shape without causing holes to form in the dough.
- Fold the long sides of the rectangle of dough over into the middle of the dough rectangle to create a trifold.
- Roll the rectangle up into a roll with the seam on the bottom.
- Push the dough ball away from you on your work surface then pull it toward you to create tension in the loaf.
- Rotate the dough in circles with your hands cupping it to shape into a circle.
- Leave the dough on the countertop untouched for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, repeat steps 24 through 28, shaping the dough into a perfect circle loaf shape.
- Line a bowl with a tea towel and sprinkle the tea towel with white rice flour.
- Flip the dough into the bowl lined with a tea towel so the seam of the dough is facing up.
- Fold the ends of the tea towel over the dough to conceal it in the tea towel.
- Place the bowl in the fridge for 2 hours for the final proof.
- About 30 minutes before the dough is done with the final proof, place a Dutch oven with the lid on inside the oven. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
- After 2 hours in the fridge, remove the dough from the fridge.
- Place a piece of parchment paper on your worksurface.
- Flip the dough onto the parchment paper so the seam is down.
- Some white rice flour will stick to the dough from the tea towel. Gently spread the white rice flour over the dough to even it out.
- Use a bread lame or a knife to score the dough.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the preheated oven. Decrease the oven temperature to 450 degrees.
- Remove the lid and transfer the bread dough on the parchment paper into the Dutch oven by gently lowering it in.
- Place the lid back on the Dutch oven and place the Dutch oven back into the oven to bake the bread for 45 minutes at 450 degrees.
- After 45 minutes, remove the lid from the Dutch oven and allow the bread to bake with the lid off for 20 minutes.
- When the loaf is browned, remove the Dutch oven from the oven.
- Remove the loaf from the Dutch oven and set on a cooling rack to cool.
- Allow the loaf to cool completely before cutting.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 152Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 264mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 3g
