Gluten Free Sourdough Bread
Real sourdough bread — the kind with a deep mahogany crust, a hollow thump when you tap the bottom, and an open, chewy crumb — has long felt out of reach for anyone avoiding gluten. This loaf changes that. A blend of white rice flour, tapioca starch, and potato starch builds the structure that wheat would normally provide, while whole psyllium husk acts as the binding agent that holds everything together and gives the dough that satisfying, shapeable quality. An active, bubbly starter does the heavy lifting on flavor, delivering the gentle tang you'd expect from a proper sourdough without a single grain of wheat in sight. The dough cold-proofs overnight in the fridge, then bakes in a screaming-hot Dutch oven — the same technique that gives conventional sourdough its dramatic oven spring and crackling crust. Patience is the one non-negotiable here: letting the loaf cool for a full two hours before slicing is what separates a clean, sliceable crumb from a gummy disappointment. With 12 slices per loaf, it's worth every minute of the wait.
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Learn more →Ingredients
12 servings
For the dough
- 200g (about ¾ cup + 2 tbsp) active gluten free sourdough starter, fed and bubbly
- 300g (about 2 cups) white rice flour
- 100g (about ¾ cup) tapioca starch
- 50g (about ⅓ cup) potato starch
- 20g (about 3 tbsp) whole psyllium husk
- 10g (2 tsp) fine sea salt
- 350g (about 1 ½ cups) warm water (90–100°f / 32–38°c)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For dusting
- 1–2 tbsp white rice flour, for dusting
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 300g white rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, psyllium husk, and salt until evenly combined.
- 2
Add the active starter, warm water, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil to the dry ingredients. Mix vigorously with a stiff spatula or your hand for 2–3 minutes until a cohesive, slightly tacky dough forms — it will be denser and stickier than wheat dough but should hold its shape when pressed. Let the dough rest uncovered for 5 minutes; the psyllium will absorb the liquid and the dough will firm up noticeably.
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