This Sorghum Bread gives gluten-free baking a good reputation! The naturally sweet, nutty flavor of sorghum also has an impressive nutritional profile. It's rich in fiber, protein, and essential minerals.
This loaf has a satisfying texture that holds up beautifully for sandwiches and toast.
If gluten-free bread has let you down before, it's time to give this recipe a try.
It's simple to make, free from xanthan gum and other additives, yet still has a fabulously moist and tender texture.
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What is Sorghum?
Sorghum is an ancient grain from Africa with a mildly sweet and nutty flavor. It works well in lots of recipes. From baking to grain salads and brewed and fermented beverages.
This versatile grain offers several benefits:
- Naturally gluten-free: Sorghum contains no gluten, making it perfect for people with celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, or those who choose to avoid gluten.
- Packed with nutrients: It's rich in antioxidants that help fight inflammation. It also provides good amounts of fiber, protein, and important vitamins and minerals like iron.
- Earth-friendly grain: Sorghum needs less water than many other crops and leaves a smaller impact on the environment.
Psyllium Husk Powder
Perhaps the one ingredient in the list you're not familiar.
Psyllium husk serves as a crucial binding agent that helps replace the elasticity and structure that gluten normally provides. It creates a network that traps air bubbles, giving bread rise and preventing it from becoming crumbly.
This recipe specifically uses whole psyllium husk versus powder, which will bake up differently so make sure you buy the right type. I like the brand Organic India.
Gluten-Free Flour Blends vs Sorghum Flour
Why not just use one of the many pre-made gluten-free flour blends available?
While these commercial mixes have made gluten-free baking more accessible, I've discovered that sorghum flour offers compelling advantages:
- Budget-friendly: Sorghum flour typically costs 15-20% less than pre-made gluten-free flour blends.
- Nutritionally superior: Unlike many rice-based gluten-free blends, sorghum flour delivers significantly higher protein and fiber content, promoting better digestive health and keeping you satisfied longer.
- Simpler ingredient list: Most commercial gluten-free blends contain numerous additives and stabilizers, while sorghum flour is just one single ingredient. You will see that we add potato starch to this recipe helping to lighten things up, but no sneaky additives or preservatives in this blend!
Instructions
You don't need any special equipment to pull of this loaf. Just a few bowls, a whisk, a spatula, parchment paper and a 9 inch loaf pan. Let's make some bread!
- Step 1: Mix the yeast with ¾ cup warm water (100F to 110F) until it "blooms" aka, becomes foamy, meaning it's activated and ready to do its job.
- Step 2: Whisk together the psyllium husk powder, flaxseed, oil, honey, vinegar with the remaining 1 ¾ cups of water and let it hang out until it gets thick and gel-like.
- Step 3: Mix together the sorghum flour, potato starch, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- Step 4: Once the yeast is foamy and the psyllium husk mixture is gel-like, mix the wet ingredients with the dry until everything comes together in a slightly sticky dough ball.
- Step 5: Press the dough into a parchment-lined 9-inch metal loaf pan and cover it with plastic or a kitchen towel.
- Step 6: Let it rise for 45 to 60 minutes until it's just peeking over the top edge of the loaf pan.
- Step 7: Place a water-filled pan on the lowest oven rack and the risen loaf on the middle rack, then set oven to 350°F. Bake for 60 minutes, remove the water pan, then lift the bread out using the parchment and return it to the oven for 20 more minutes to crisp the crust completely.
- Step 8: Let the loaf rest on a cooling rack for 2 hours before slicing. Slicing too soon will cause moisture to escape the bread to dry out.
I'm a fan of this bread sliced just as it is, smeared with butter, jam and a sprinkle of sea salt. It's also a great base for avocado toast and is sturdy enough for sandwiches.
Also, take the opportunity to toast a slice or use it to make grilled cheese. You won't regret it!
Tips & Tricks
- Putting your loaf into a cold oven and then turning on the heat is called the "Cold Start Method". As the oven gradually heats up, the bread continues to rise slowly before the crust sets. This is a popular method in gluten free baking because it helps to maintain the structure of the bread. I did a test version of this recipe with a preheated oven and the loaf ended up sinking in the middle and was not evenly cooked through.
- You'll know the loaf is done baking when you tap on the side and it sounds hollow.
Sorghum Bread
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 75 min
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 15 slices
- Category: bread
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Sorghum bread has a satisfying texture and nutty sweetness that gives gluten-free bread a good reputation, all while supporting your health and the environment.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups (600g) water, divided
- One packet (2 ¼ teaspoons) (7g) active dry yeast
- 2 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon (16g) whole psyllium husk
- 1 Tablespoon (7g) ground flaxseed
- 2 Tablespoons (30g) neutral oil (avocado or olive)
- 1 Tablespoon (15g) honey
- 1 Tablespoon (15g) apple cider vinegar
- 3 ⅓ cups (400g) sorghum flour
- ⅓ cup (50g) potato starch
- 1 teaspoon (4g) baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons (9g) salt
- Seeds for topping: pumpkin, sunflower, chia, sesame, etc.
Instructions
Prepare Yeast Mixture:
- Heat ¾ cup (178g) of the water to 100F to 110F (43°C)
- Add the active dry yeast
- Stir and let bloom for 10 minutes until frothy
Create Psyllium-Flax Gel:
- In a medium bowl, combine 2 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (16g) psyllium husk and 1 Tablespoon (7g) ground flaxseed along with the remaining 1 ¾ cups (422g) water, 2 Tablespoons (30g) oil, 1 Tablespoon (15g) honey, and 1 Tablespoon (15g) apple cider vinegar
- Stir vigorously and let sit for 5-10 minutes until thickened into a gel
Mix Dry Ingredients:
- In a large bowl, whisk together 3 ⅓ cups (400g) sorghum flour, ⅓ cup (50g) potato starch, 1 teaspoon (4g) baking powder, and 1 ½ teaspoons (9g) salt
Combine & Form Dough:
- Add the bloomed yeast mixture and psyllium-flax gel to the dry ingredients
- Mix thoroughly with a spatula until a cohesive dough forms
- Line a 9-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving over-hang for easy removal
- Transfer dough to the pan, smooth the top, and press gently into corners
- Sprinkle the top generously with seeds of choice
Rise & Bake:
- Cover the loaf with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rise for 45-60 minutes until just above the edge of the pan
- Place a rack in the middle of the oven with another rack below it
- Put a pan filled with 2 cups of water on the lower rack
- Place the bread (still in pan) on the middle rack in the cold oven
- Set the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake for 60 minutes
Finish Baking:
- After 60 minutes, remove the water pan from the oven
- Carefully lift the bread out of the pan using the parchment paper (if it doesn't release right away, run a knife around the edges to help free it)
- Place the bread with parchment back in the oven, directly on the oven rack
- Bake for an additional 20 minutes until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped
- Transfer the loaf to a cooling rack and cool completely (at least 2 hours) before slicing
Notes
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature
Freeze sliced bread for up to 3 months
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 152
- Sugar: 1.7 g
- Sodium: 314.5 mg
- Fat: 3.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 29.5 g
- Fiber: 2.8 g
- Protein: 2.7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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