Vegan Keto Bread (Nut Free)

Does anyone else just dream about bread? It’s something I never really appreciated enough before I went grain-free, but now I get the green-eyed monster over sourdough toast! Of course, it’s always the simple things that we love and miss the most.

Speaking of simple things; I’ve created the most straightforward Vegan Keto Bread recipe for those of you following a low carb diet, and who can’t have nuts or are looking for an eggless keto bread.

Most keto breads contain eggs, sometimes too many and can taste eggy. Today I wanted to make an eggless keto bread. My almond flour vegan keto bread will be coming to the blog soon (so stay tuned) but I thought I’d challenge myself and start with a nut free vegan keto bread.

I cannot get enough of this recipe. As soon as it’s out the oven it disappears! Gloriously tasty, easy, and nut-free; even your grain-loving friends and family will adore this recipe.

Achieving the perfect texture

For those of you who follow a keto, low carb, paleo, or on any other grain free diet, the world of faux bread can be a bit of a minefield. A major sticking point with keto bread has always been texture. Baking it often meant you had to sacrifice the soft, spongy texture and wholesome toasty flavour of a fresh baked loaf made with wheat flour. But sacrifice no more my fellow grain-free bread lovers, I’m about to introduce you to the secret weapon of keto bread.

Meet your new best friend; psyllium husks.

This truly magic ingredient, in a nutshell, is a gluten substitute. Subsequently it acts as a binding agent and a texture enhancer, to achieve that fluffy, wonderfully chewy loaf, and even without eggs. The days of dry, crumbly, sink a duck keto bread are over; we’re only munching on blissfully soft bread from now on.

Packing in the Flavour

There’s lots of ways to add extra flavour to this nut free Vegan Keto Bread – herbs, spices, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, go wild and feel free to customise as you like but I wanted to start with the classic base recipe today.

Good quality extra virgin olive oil and flaky sea salt is the key to adding a nice flavour without extras. It’s the perfect combination needed to enhance that truly mellow, savoury bread flavour.

In spite of its earthy, wholesome flavour that is so central to this bread recipe, flax meal can also come with a slight bitterness. The addition of coconut flour counteracts this by adding a subtle sweetness, and the sunflower seed meal adds a nice nuttyness, while still keeping things nut free and keto-friendly.

Additionally, for a keto loaf so tasty you can’t keep your hands off it; make sure don’t skip out on the toasted sesame seed oil. This simple ingredient adds a delicious, umami nuttiness to the bread that I just adore! If you can’t have sesame seed oil you can substitute with more olive oil.

The apple cider vinegar is also equally important and essential to the recipe; giving rise by activating the bicarbonate of soda and a depth of flavour to create a bread recipe that is unbelievably more-ish.

Nutritional Values

Taste and texture aside, this keto bread is oh-so-good for you. Specifically, this recipe doesn’t require any gums (like xanthan which are often found in keto breads for texture but can cause issues for those of us with sensitive guts), only naturally healthy whole-foods. Flax meal packs in 18g plant-based protein per 100g, and sunflower seed meal is a fantastic source of healthy fats, to keep us glowing and energised. Isn’t it great when food that tastes great, is good for us too?!

Why has my bread gone purple?

Some brands of psyllium husk can turn bread purple. Don’t worry, it’s perfectly safe to eat and tastes just the same. It’s often most common in yeast breads but I’ve always had good results (as in no purple bread) with Now Foods psyllium husk.

Why has my bread gone green?

Sunflower seeds contain chlorogenic acid, which, when combined with baking soda, can turn green.

I made this loaf a few times and my first attempt went green! In theory, the rule is if you choose to substitute a combination of baking soda / bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar instead baking powder you should use 1/2 tsp cream of tartar + 1/4 tsp baking soda for every 1 tsp of baking powder, but trust me it stills goes green.

To prevent this Vegan Keto Bread going green you need to use the measurements in the recipe below (1 tsp baking soda + 3 tsp cream of tartar + 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice).

I prefer to use bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar with apple cider vinegar over baking powder as it’s difficult to find a baking powder here that doesn’t contain corn starch or rice starch.  If your bread turns green it’s perfectly still safe to eat. I ate my first loaf and i’m still alive!

INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS

Ground Sunflower Seed Meal: If you don’t have ground sunflower seed meal, you can use a high speed blender like a Vitamix and blitz until like a fine flour. I like to use activated sunflower seeds as they are better for the gut and cause less bloating if you have an issue with seeds and nuts.

Activating removes the phytic acid which for those of us with sensitive guts can cause bloating. Careful not to over blend as you don’t want sunflower seed butter.

Use approximately 1.5 cups sunflower seeds to get 2 cups sunflower meal but adjust to make sure you get 2 cups of sunflower seed meal for the recipe.

Psyllium Husk Powder: Make sure you use psyllium husk powder and not whole husks in this recipe. I make my own by blitzing whole psyllium husks in a high speed blender until fine. I’ll do a big batch at a time and store in a jar. It will keep for months this way ready for your next loaf. Once blitzed, weigh the powder for this recipe.

Toasted Sesame Oil: Olive oil or avocado oil can be substituted at a 1:1 ratio.

CAN I USE A LOAF PAN?

I made this eggless Nut Free Keto Bread by rolling into a boulle shape and cooking in an 8 inch / 2o cm non-stick dutch oven. Make sure you grease the dutch oven well with olive oil to prevent sticking. Try to use a similar size as the bread will swell and get thinner if your dutch oven is too big.

You can also make this bread in a non-stick loaf pan. I suggest a 8 x 4 x 2 inch. I haven’t actually made it in a loaf tine yet though so cooking times may vary slightly. Watch it carefully from about 45 minutes and check with a skewer to see it’s fully cooked. It should come out clean if cooked and remember it will firm up when cooled but try not to undercook as will be doughy. I anticipate it will take about 50 – 55 minutes.

HOW MANY NET CARBS PER SERVING?

Each slice of this vegan keto bread contains:

3.9 g net carbs

6.8g protein

206 cals

This recipe yields 12 servings in total and one slice is 1 serving.

HOW DO I STORE THIS BREAD?

Room Temperature: Store this Vegan Keto Bread wrapped in greaseproof paper for up to 3 days at room temperature. You can also keep it in the fridge if you like a firm bread and reheat or toast.

Freezer: Store wrapped in parchment paper and placed in a ziplock bag for up to 2 months. I keep mine this way and just either pop in the oven from frozen and enjoy warm or toast it.

Serving Suggestions

Bread is wonderfully versatile, and you’ll be glad to know that this keto bread is no different. Toast it, load it with toppings, dip it in soup; serve this bread in whatever way tickles your fancy. It’s equally delicious on its own. Too spoilt for choice? Here’s some of my favourite ways to serve up a slice…

Toast it

This might sound obvious, but sometimes the simple things in life are the best. Toasting this bread really brings out the nutty flavour, and it crisps up brilliantly. Pair a drizzle more of olive oil, some smashed avocado and black pepper or spread of choice for the perfect light breakfast or afternoon snack.

Top it

Being part of the grain-free gang often meant missing out on the popular brunch ideas and bread-related tiktok trends. But not anymore; munch away on avo-toast until your heart’s content, or even try out the new custard and ricotta-toast trends. For vegan ricotta toast alternatives I love Nush almond cream cheese, especially the chive one.

French Toast

The ultimate naughty, indulgent breakfast. Soak a few slices of my Vegan Keto Bread in a mixture of eggs, milk and cinnamon, and fry off in some butter until golden and toasty.  For a plant-based alternative, swap out the dairy milk and eggs for almond milk and whipped coconut cream. Serve with a good helping of  blueberries, banana and strawberries. For vegan, you could try subbing egg with a flax egg. Divine!

I hope you enjoy it guys