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Whoo, boy, this one’s been a long time coming. I’ll start off by saying that I love bread. I really, really do. When I was a child, one of my absolute favorite snacks was a slice of Wonder Bread with margarine and cinnamon sugar spread on top. Oh, the 90s. In addition to that gem, I just really like toast and PB&J sandwiches, and lately I’ve been searching out a way too be able to have these things on a vegan keto (and gluten free) diet. This soft vegan keto sandwich bread is the answer!
Instead of a lengthy preamble about why I’m now obsessed with this recipe, I’ll just get right to it!
Note: 4/1/2022 – This is a continued work in progress! I’ll be testing out more variations (and substitutions) and adding the results below in the “what happens if…” section! I just have about 2 loaves to get through before starting another one… I thought about waiting until I’d tested all variations and options, but realized that was insane, so here we go!
What to Expect From This Soft Vegan Keto Sandwich Bread
- Like all things that are vegan, gluten-free and low-carb, this isn’t going to taste exactly like its carb-filled and glutenous counterpart. It is pretty darn close, though!
- The texture is soft and slightly denser than a “wonder bread” type bread, but can be sliced thinly and it toasts up wonderfully!
- While the crust is initially hard upon taking it out of the oven, it does soften up as it cools down.
Notes on Making Soft Vegan Keto Sandwich Bread
- Yes, there is 1 tsp of sugar here to feed the yeast. It will be consumed by the yeast, and any remaining sugar will really be negligible when spread out over the full recipe.
- If you would prefer to make this without yeast, you could use 1/2 tsp of baking powder with 1/4 tsp of baking soda and add 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar to the liquids. In a pinch, you could just go with the 1/2 tsp of baking powder. It’s not quite as soft as with the baking soda/powder combo, but it still works!
- Substitutions for the almond butter: peanut butter, sunflower seed butter and tahini can all be used here instead! The tahini has the strongest flavor of these three, though. If you don’t like tahini, I recommend one of the other options.
- I used the 2lb loaf pan from Jamie Olliver and really like it. Using this pan, I get 16 slices of bread that are around 1cm thick each. You can obviously use any pan, but for reference, this is what I use. 🙂
- This needs to cool completely before slicing, or else the bread will squish and won’t have those air pockets.
- Store at room temperature, covered, for up to 5 days or for up to 10 days in the fridge.
What Happens if…
- I increase the water to 2 cups? The bread will be a little wetter and will need more time in the oven. A few batches with the increased water had some uneven rising, but the loaf is a little taller. Not a bad change.
- I increase the baking powder? The bread rises too fast, and an air pocket forms at the top, so the bread will have a bubble right beneath the crust, but the bottom will be more dense.
- I decrease the almond butter to 1/2 cup? The bread will be dryer and a little grittier, as the texture will be more coconut floury. This bread dried out quickly, too.
- I increase the almond butter to 1 cup? The bread becomes a bit “wetter” and denser. Honestly, this one was delicious, but wasn’t quite as light. If you want something a little heavier, this is a great option.
- I increase the psyllium? Things get progressively gummier and are just so unpleasant. You can go up to 50g without this happening, but 60g is too much.
- I replace the psyllium with flax or chia? The bread will be somehow both crumbly and wet, and won’t really rise much or hold together to slice.
Specific Brands Used
- Coconut flour: Anthony’s (but Bob’s Red Mill also worked)
- Psyllium: Organic India (again, Bob’s Red Mill also worked)
Craving-Busting Soft Vegan Keto Bread (gluten-free, soy-free)
This soft, gluten-free bread is the ideal way to crush those bread cravings when trying to stay in ketosis. This low-carb and keto-friendly vegan bread is egg-free, dairy-free and soy-free.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 tsp 1 packet active dry yeast & 1 tsp sugar (see notes above for substitutions)
- 1 3/4 cup warm (not hot) water (420ml)
- 1 cup coconut flour
- 1/4 cup whole psyllium husks (20g)
- OPTIONAL: pinch of salt if using unsalted almond butter
- 3/4 cup almond butter (192g)
Instructions
- Whisk together 1/2 cup of the warm water with the sugar and yeast and let sit for about 10 minutes until it becomes foamy to activate the yeast.
- While the yeast is activating, use a dry fork to whisk together the coconut flour and psyllium in a small mixing bowl.
- In a medium or large mixing bowl, stir together the yeast mixture with the almond butter and 1 cup (240ml) of the water and (reserving the remaining 1/4 cup/60ml).
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet, making sure there are no clumps or dry bits. The dough should come together and no dry bits should remain (see picture for texture). If there are any dry bits, add in the remaining liquid 1-2 tbsp at a time, until they are gone. It won't be super smooth, but there shouldn't be any crumbles. Depending on the type of coconut flour and how humid your climate is, you may not need the extra water.
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, and smush the dough into the pan. It won't be smooth, and this is fine.
- Find a warm, dark place for the dough to rise for 60-90 minutes, until it has increased in size by about 30%. It should puff up and smooth out a bit. While the bread rises, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Once the bread has risen, bake for 50-55 minutes, until the crust is hard and hollow sounding. For a thicker crust, continue to bake for another 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, carefully remove from the pan and let cool completely before slicing.
Notes
To calculate net carbs - subtract the grams of fiber and sugar alcohols (if applicable) from the total grams of carbohydrates in the recipe. While I strive to provide accurate nutritional information, different brands of ingredients have different nutrient values, so your calculations may vary.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 90kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 2.8g | Fat: 5.4g | Fiber: 6g
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I noticed you don’t really use guar gum or xatham gum in any of your recipes. It works so well as a binder, I wonder if it would be helpful in any of the bread recipes.
Hi! It’s silly, but I really don’t like the texture of the gums in baked goods. It’s just too…gummy. If you like them, it’s a good idea to experiment with, though! 😀
It does tend to make things gummy. I have trouble with things turning out really really dense. I don’t know that a gum like this would help at all.
Hi! Could you use xatham gum in place of the husks? or any other substitute? I always find myself without husks in the house!
Hi Brooke! I haven’t tried it with xantham gum yet, but will let you know when I do! Someone else in the comments suggested oat fiber, and I’m trying that as well. 🙂
When do you add the almond butter in this recipe? Thanks!
Hi Valerie, good question! It’s part of the “wet” ingredients. I edited it to make that clear! 🙂
When do you add the almond butter? This bread looks delicious, I can’t wait to try it!
This looks amazing! And thank you for including a yeast-free option 🙂
Hi Liz, just one question when should I add the almond butter? I’m not sure it says it in the method. I’ve just put it in at the end before baking.
Ah, nevermind I see it. I hadn’t refreshed the page since you posted this recipe so I didn’t notice you made edits to it as well as the other comments, sorry.
So I’ve added the butter at the wrong time but I’m sure it will turn out great still. It’s still rising at the moment I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Sorry for the confusion! Sometimes I forget that not everyone is in my head and knows exactly what I mean all the time…. 😀
I hope the bread still turned out okay!
Yeah it turned out yummy, thanks. It’s a keeper, for sure. I’m sure it will be even better next time when I put the almond butter in at the right stage .
Do we use rapid rise yeast or regualar? I made this and it was so good but they were only about an inch tall! Didn’t rise too much !
Hi! It’s just regular yeast. I’m sorry it didn’t rise! Like I mentioned in the post, it will only rise about 30%, so if your loaf pan is pretty wide, then this impacts the final height.
In terms of rising, yeast can be fickle, especially in winter. If your kitchen is too cool, it can take quite a while to rise. Additionally, if the water added to the yeast is too hot, it can kill it and then the dough won’t really rise either.
That’s all I can think of for now. I hope that’s helpful! 🙂
Hey Liz,
Which brand of yeast do you use? Should it be quick rising? Thanks!
Also your total time on the recipe doesn’t have the prep time included, wasn’t sure if that was on purpose… 🙂 Sorry I edit a lot of documents in my work day!
Hi Paige, thank you for pointing out the total time! 🙂
The yeast is just regular, active dry yeast. I’ll make that clearer in the directions. I don’t use rapid rise, so I’m not sure how it would work there!
Haha, so upon further investigation, “total time” is a field that is autofilled by the recipe app and I don’t actually even have a field for it on the back end… so, I guess it has to remain as is. I’ll contact the developer though!
😉
Hi Liz! This bread is delicious! Unfortunately mine didn’t rise either which is upsetting because I’ve yet to make bread that has :/
Looking back on your recipe, when you talked about the psyllium husk, did you mean 2tbsp psyllium and 2tsp BAKING powder? I read it as 2tbsps+2tsp psyllium husk powder and only realized now that it’s probably wrong . There was no baking powder in my recipe then and that’s why it didn’t rise.
Hi Crystal! I’m sorry it didn’t rise, but glad that it at least still tasted good!
The recipe is accurate as written, with the 2tbsp + 2 tsp of psyllium husk powder or 1/2 cup of whole psyllium husks. All of the rising that occurs is from the yeast (though in the notes, there is an option to use leaveners instead). Did your yeast become foamy when you let it sit with the sugar and warm water? If not, it might be expired! Yeast typically lasts around 4-6 months once opened.
Warmth is another factor. If your kitchen is too cold, the bread may not rise. You could always try preheating your oven until it’s around 90 degrees Fahrenheit, then turning it off and keeping the bread in there to rise. I hope that helps! Everyone should get to try a nice raised bread 😀
Thanks for getting back so quickly!! I’m glad I didn’t miss anything in the recipe. Yes my yeast got all foamy, I bought it this week! It’s most definitely my house temp, I will definitely let the next one rise in the warm oven! Thank you! 🙂
My pleasure! My kitchen is also freezing, so I had a hunch that could be it! 🙂
Can you use almond flour instead of coconut flour?
Hi Nikki! As I noted above, I’m still working on a coconut-free version of this, but I’m still eating the loaves I already had on hand, so it’ll likely be another week before anything is updated. 🙂
In the interim, there are some guidelines in this post about subbing out flours: https://meatfreeketo.com/vegan-keto-baking-101-with-recipe-troubleshooting-tips/
I hope this helps!
have you tried this same recipe but replacing the coconut flour for almond flour?
Hi Kerri! As I noted above, I’m still working on a coconut-free version of this, but I’m still eating the loaves I already had on hand, so it’ll likely be another week before anything is updated. 🙂
In the interim, there are some guidelines in this post about subbing out flours: https://meatfreeketo.com/vegan-keto-baking-101-with-recipe-troubleshooting-tips/
I hope this helps!
Thanks for this recipe! Just curious …. do you think I can use coconut sugar instead of regular white sugar?
Hi Susanne! Yes, you can definitely use coconut sugar instead 🙂
I hope you enjoy the bread!
Hi, Liz.
I really appreciate your vegan, low carb recipes! I get excited about so many of them! I’m one of those people who has a hard time with psyllium, and I have had to pass on some recipes I would have tried otherwise. I’m wondering if you have tested oat fiber (0 net carbs for NuNaturals brand) as a possible substitute. Would it be possible for you to name unsuccessful substitutes for ingredients you tested in the notes section of your recipes? I’m not trying to make even more work for you, but I would find that very helpful if I need to make a substitution. Also, regarding the notes, is there a way to have them as part of the recipe? They don’t currently download with the recipe, requiring a separate page for the notes, and printing two pages instead of the front and back of one page. Thank you so much for your creativity and dedication! Melanie
Hi Melanie! Thank you so much for the kind words. 🙂
I’ve actually started listing unsuccessful substitutions in the recipe notes above and have been updating recipes to reflect what doesn’t work as well. I’ve actually never even seen the oat fiber, but will have to check it out! I’d love to not have to rely so much on psyllium!
I’ve also tried listing the notes next to the recipe, but it has crashed the plugin in the past, so this seems to be the best option for now. I can try to just put minimal notes in and see if that’s okay for recipes going forward. 🙂
Thank you for the great suggestions! I appreciate the feedback and will try and make things more user-friendly. Have a lovely week!
You mentioned baking powder in your writing about the recipe but it actually isnt in the recipe.
Hi Dana! The baking powder mentioned in the notes is an alternative to the yeast. The recipe itself doesn’t need it unless you are making a yeast-free version, in which case you would just make the bread like a quick bread instead of a yeasted bread. 🙂
My loaf pan might be a little bigger than what your recipe used. If I doubled the recipe, would it still come out ok??? I prefer my bread to have more surface area. It was only 2-2.5 inches in height w original recipe.
Hi! I think you might be right about your loaf pan – mine is usually about 4 inches high (not huge, but not tiny!). It should be okay if doubled, but will likely need additional time to allow for the center to cook completely, as there will now be much more volume. I hope it turns out well for you!! 🙂
Thank you so much for your fast reply. I am gonna make it tonight. Hopefully it turns out!!!
I hope it turned out for you! I was thinking also, another way to get the bread a bit higher is to compress the dough to one side of the pan. so it’s the same volume, but distributed differently. This way, you would likely only need 5 extra minutes, if any at all! 🙂
Hi, Anna, I have never heard of anyone having a problem like this with this recipe! I’m sorry you are having so many difficulties. The only thing I can think of is that instead of whole psyllium husk, you used the same volume of psyllium husk powder, which would create a gelatinous mass instead of bread.
First of all, I apologize for not having answered sooner but I was on vacation out of town without being able to check what kind of Psyllium I had used. And … yes, you’re right: I used psyllium hust powder instead of whole psyllium husk. Here is why the bread failed. And I also learned that there are various types of psyllium, which I didn’t know. Could you please tell me how I can use psyllium husk powder ? I’ hate to have to throw it away?.Thank you
Hi 🙂
Thanks for this recipe. I was looking a long time for something like this and experimented a lot.
I was in the middel of making the bread if i realized that i dont have any kind of nut- or seedbutter. so i read that the bread get very dry whit less butter, so i grated 1 little appel and add this instead of butter. it worked verry well. Its a nice (white) bread whit a soft and weat textur.
But the teast is realy not mine… It’s like salty coconut and if got no idea what i should do whit this bread now ^^
May you’ve got a idea? I was thinking of garlicbread or something like that ..
Hi, Sam! That was some good quick thinking!
Hm, I think your idea for garlic bread is best, especially if you added a bit too much salt! I’m glad to know this recipe can work without the nut butter!
Thank you!
The texture is like glutenous bread! So happy. Can’t wait to toast it!
Thank you, Carla! I’m so glad you like it!! 😀
I’m a little bit obsessed with it! It’s so good.
Thank you, Carla! I feel the same way 😀
Can I use tahini instead of almond butter?
Absolutely! This is actually what I do most often now. 🙂
Thanks for this recipe! I tried it with the active dry yeast (just bought that day) and followed all the directions but my loaf didn’t have a lot of air and ended up being only 1.5inch tall. It did rise after sitting in a dark room for 90 minutes but maybe not enough? It was a bout 75 degrees in the house… Any suggestions on what to tweak or adjust to get this to have a bit more air and rise taller?
Also have you tried a version of this with a grain free or gluten free sourdough starter?
Can I add some seeds (sunflower, pumpkin etc) to the dough? I have been looking for a bread recipe for a while, but would like it to have more texture.
Hi Laura! I’ve never tried adding seeds to this, but I don’t think it would be a problem, as long as there aren’t so many that the dough can’t rise!
This is honestly the most beautiful Vegan Keto Bread I ever made.
I substituted almond butter with Tahini and Pumpkin Seed Butter – DELICIOUS
thank you so much!
Have you tried oat fiber instead of psyllium?
Hi Gina, this is a great question. I actually have not yet tried it with oat fiber, and actually have never used oat fiber, so I don’t really know how it would work yet. If I do, I’ll be sure to update the recipe notes though! 🙂