This easy to make gluten free vegan millet bread is made with a base of millet, arrowroot, and plenty of seeds. It’s a great GF multigrain loaf for everyday.
Photography by Sophie MacKenzie.
It’s so tricky to find a really good gluten-free vegan bread – especially one that’s high in fibre, with plenty of whole grains. Our version is packed with a variety of seeds, plus whole grain millet and quinoa flour.
These heartier flours balance out the textural dream team of gluten free breads, arrowroot and tapioca. Those very starchy flours, or powders, are what give the bread a texture that’s very similar to a normal white flour loaf, but on their own they’re a bit blah. Millet and quinoa add a delicious toasty flavour.
This makes a good toast bread, but it’s also great for sandwiches, grilled cheese, and any way you’d use another loaf of bread. It’s a much bread-ier gluten free bread than the full seed/psyllium husk versions and a good everyday bread for those who may be starting to cut gluten out of their diets for whatever reason.
💖Why You’ll Love This Recipe
✔️ It’s easy to mix, with no kneading required.
✔️ It freezes really well in individual slices, perfect for toast.
✔️ It has the texture of a perfect GF loaf and all the flavour of a seed bread. Win-win.
📋Ingredients
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Seeds: the seeds can be switched up a bit if you’d like, apart from the ground flax and chia. Try pumpkin in place of the sunflower seeds, or use more flax in place of sesame, or try adding a bit of hemp – this can be altered within reason.
- Active dry yeast: Sophie has a great gluten-free sourdough millet bread recipe. We also haven’t tested with instant yeast and don’t recommend using it in this recipe.
- Flour: we don’t recommend making any other changes to the recipe, especially to the flour and starches used. You can buy small amounts at stores like Bulk Barn if you don’t want to commit to full bags.
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the printable recipe card with full ingredient measurements and complete instructions.
👩🍳Method
STEP 1: Toast the seeds in a skillet and set aside.
STEP 2: Make the chia egg and set aside to thicken.
STEP 3: Activate the yeast with the sugar and water, then add the oil.
STEP 4: Mix the flours into the yeast mixture, then stir in the toasted seeds.
STEP 5: Transfer to a lined bread tin and top with reserved seeds.
STEP 6: Bake for about 1 hour 45 minutes, until golden. Cool fully before slicing.
💡Top Tips
1. Check your yeast. If the yeast mixture doesn’t bubble up after ten minutes, you probably need to buy new yeast.
2. Don’t worry about over mixing. While you don’t want to take it too far, there’s not really a concern with over-mixing like there is with gluten dough.
3. Toast those seeds. The extra flavour boost is well worth it!
📝Recipe Notes
- There are a lot of different flours and seeds involved in this loaf. If you often bake gluten-free, you probably have most of them in your pantry already – if not, then we recommend buying them from a bulk food store.
- This bread can be stored at room temperature in a bread bag, and it freezes really well. You can slice ultra-thin for toast (our favourite) and then freeze for individual slices as you need them. Just pop them straight into the toaster.
- The dough is a bit wetter than other gluten bread doughs, almost like a cross between a batter and a dough, so keep that in mind when mixing. The ground flax will help it to come together while baking.
- The slightly higher amount of sugar isn’t a typo – we think it’s a good counterpoint to the flavourful, toasty flours. If you prefer, you can reduce it to a teaspoon, but don’t leave it out entirely.
- It’s important to cool the bread fully before slicing, or it won’t slice properly.
❓Recipe FAQ
Dried yeast is best kept in the refrigerator for the longest shelf life. A pantry or, even worse, above the stove, are both too warm and it won’t last as long.
It depends. Whole grains are great no matter whether they contain gluten or not. This bread is relatively high in protein and fibre without containing much sugar.
A longer cooking time and plenty of flavour boosters. This takes almost double the time to cook versus a gluten bread, and it uses flavourful seeds and flour types to make sure it has the best possible taste and texture.
More Gluten-Free Recipes
Recipe
Gluten-Free and Vegan Millet Sandwich Bread
Description
Equipment
- Skillet
- 3 Mixing bowls
- 8.5 x 4.5 inches (21.6 x 11.4 cm) loaf pan
- Parchment paper
- Stand mixer
- Whisk
- Wooden spoon
- Wire racks
- Measuring cups and spoons or a digital kitchen scale
Ingredients
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons flax seeds
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 cups water, warm, divided (see recipe notes)
- 1 tablespoon cane sugar
- 2 ¾ teaspoons active dry yeast, 1 full package
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup arrowroot flour
- 1 cup millet flour
- ½ cup quinoa flour
- ½ cup brown rice flour
- ½ cup tapioca flour
- ⅓ cup ground flax seed
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium heat, add the sunflower and stir regularly until they just begin to change colour, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the sesame seeds and continue stirring until both seeds are golden brown, approximately 3 more minutes.
- Transfer the seeds to a mixing bowl with the flax seeds (whole, not ground) and stir to combine. Remove one tablespoon (10 grams) of mixed seeds and set both portions aside to cool. The smaller portion will be used to sprinkle on top of the bread.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and grease and line a 8.5 x 4.5 inches (21.6 x 11.4 cm) loaf pan with a sling of parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, soak the chia seeds in ½ cup (125 grams) water.
- Meanwhile, add remaining 1-½ cups (375 grams) warm water (100-110°F), sugar, and yeast to a medium bowl or large measuring cup and stir to combine. Set aside until frothy, about 10 minutes. Once activated and frothy, add the olive oil.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or large bowl if you’re mixing by hand), add the arrowroot, millet, quinoa, brown rice, and tapioca flours along with the ground flax, and sea salt.
- Turn the mixer on to low speed (or with a whisk or wooden spoon) mix flours together. With the stand mixer running, slowly add in the soaked chia seeds and yeast mixture and mix until well-combined.
- Add the larger portion of cooled seeds and mix until just stirred through.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with remaining seeds.
- Place loaf in the oven and turn the heat down to 350°F. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
- Decrease the temperature to 300°F and bake an additional 25 minutes, or until golden brown and crusty.
- Cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting into it.
Video
Notes
- If this is your first time experimenting with gluten-free baking and you don’t want to invest in all of the flours, we recommend going to a bulk store and buying just what you need for this recipe. This will give you a chance to test the waters and see if you like it.
- We think the sugar provides a nice balance to the flavour-forward flours, but you can cut the sugar down to 1 teaspoon if you prefer.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in November 2014. It has been updated most recently as of September 2022.
Gabby @ Gabby Loves Veggies says
I am very interested in this bread! But I have a tapioca allergy, do you think I might be able to substitute it for potato starch?
Kris Osborne says
Hmmmm, good question, Gaby! Have you tried subbing in potato starch in place of tapioca in the past? I think it might work, but I can’t be certain because I haven’t tried it with this recipe before. Though I have subbed the flours in other recipes. I would try it if I were you and risk a possible failure. It might also add a nice flavour to the bread. If it doesn’t work, maybe you salvage what you made for something else like a bread pudding or bread soup. :) If you decided to try it, I’d love it if you’d report back. I’m so curious now.
Brian @ A Thought For Food says
Seeded breads are the best. Whenever we go to our local bakery, I always pick out at least one multi-grain loaf. Love the textures.
It’s been FAR too long since I’ve made bread… And eventually I have to get over this ice cream-making obsession. Maybe I’ll switch to bread baking. You’ve totally inspired me. :-)
Kris Osborne says
Oh, I’ve been there with the ice-cream making obsession. Last summer, it was all I could think of! But bread is rewarding in a different way. It requires patience and is completely transformative, in a way that no other ingredients really are. I’m glad to hear that you might be joining the bread-baking club again soon. :)
Jenalle says
This bread looks so amazing – I am very excited to make it!
One question – the quinoa and the millet – are they in their whole food form, or in a flour form? In the photo of the bread it doesn’t appear to have large grains of millet or quinoa in there, but the recipe doesn’t state ‘flour’ specifically.
Thanks so much!
Jenalle
Kris Osborne says
Hi Jenalle, Thanks for posting this. It is all flour-based, with the exception of some seeds. It sounds like the recipe didn’t translate properly. I will make that change now!
Ashley says
This looks fantastic, Kris!!!! I can’t believe it’s also vegan!
Kris Osborne says
I can’t take full credit. It’s an adaptation from the Gluten-free and Vegan Bread book. But it’s really good bread! Seriously. :)
Maryna says
I love the pictures so much!!! Great recipe) plus one recipe to my “want to try” list))
Kris Osborne says
Glad to hear it, Maryna!
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan says
i love love love baking bread, and I just picked up a package of millet the other day! This is going on my ‘to make’ list ASAP!
Kris Osborne says
Amazing, Abby! Tag us on IG or twitter if you do it. We’d love to see it in action. :)
Sherrie says
Wanna know something? I’ve NEVER made my own bread…I think I’ll start with this one. Kris these shots are so lovely.
xo sherrie
Kris Osborne says
Yes!! Do it, girl! It’s one of the most rewarding experiences you can have in your kitchen. And this bread is totally worth it. :) xo
Alanna says
Oh wow, what a handsome loaf, and these photos are just exquisite, every last one. I’ve been baking Josie Baker’s Adventure Bread every week but hankering for something a little lighter but still whole grain, just like this one. I even have all the ingredients! Hoping to make this in the next few days – thank you so much for sharing the recipe, Kris!
Kris Osborne says
Alanna, I love Josey Baker’s approach to baking bread. He’s just like, “you can do it! Just get in there and do it!”–which is true, but hard to believe if you’ve never done it before. I haven’t made the adventure bread (but am totally going to now that it’s on my mind!) and have yet to try his pizza dough, but I’ve had my eye on it for quite awhile. Thanks for stopping in and making me blush, Alanna. :)
Kimberly/TheLittlePantation says
This bread looks lovely and it’s vegan and it’s gluten-free. You are a genius.
thanks so much for sharing.
Kris Osborne says
You are most welcome, Kimberly! :) Thanks for stopping by.
kristie {birch and wild} says
I love when I get excited to make a recipe and I have all of the ingredients in my pantry! This loaf looks so, so good.
Kris Osborne says
That’s so awesome, Kristie! And I totally know what you mean. :)