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Healthy and wholesome 4-ingredient buckwheat flax chia bread is a perfect go-with everything bread! It is vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, & easy to make, too.
Good morning, everyone! I hope you had a happy Labor Day weekend. Mine was busy, with relatives in town, water-skiing at the lake, and long runs with running buddies.
I also spent time laboring over this amazing buckwheat bread recipe, trying to get it just right. Done!
Table of Contents
- The Benefits of Buckwheat Chia Flax Bread
- Bread Made with with Whole Buckwheat Groats
- Simple, Wholesome Buckwheat Bread
- Ingredients for 4-Ingredient Buckwheat Flax Chia Bread
- How to Make the 4-Ingredient Buckwheat Flax Chia Bread
- Step One: Quick-Soak the Buckwheat
- Step Two: Hydrate the Chia Seeds and Flaxseed Meal
- Step Three: Process Some of the Batter
- Step Three: Preheat Oven & Prepare Pans
- Step Four: Divide Batter Between Pans
- Step Five: Bake the Bread
- More Great GF & Vegan Buckwheat Recipes:
- Buckwheat Flax Chia Bread {vegan, oil-free, gluten-free} Recipe
The Benefits of Buckwheat Chia Flax Bread
This bread earns its ‘amazing’ moniker because it is:
- Only 4 ingredients (other than water & optional salt)
- Flourless
- Oil-free
- Sugar-free (zero grams sugar per serving)
- Gluten-free
- Vegan (egg-free & dairy-free)
- 46 calories per slice
- (Most importantly) incredibly delicious!
Bread Made with with Whole Buckwheat Groats
Buckwheat, one of my favorite grains, is the star of this amazing bread.
Despite the name, buckwheat has no relation to wheat whatsoever. Rather, this naturally gluten-free grain is the seed of a plant related to rhubarb.
It is one of my favorite grains because it is packed with protein, fiber, an also an array of antioxidants (the same that are found green tea and dark chocolate). It is a wonderful choice for making truly feel-good (in every sense) bread!
Simple, Wholesome Buckwheat Bread
I came across several recipes for simple, whole grain buckwheat bread–all essentially the same– on a variety of websites, which sparked the idea for this bread.
They involved soaking the buckwheat in cold water for 2 to 8 hours and then mixing with psyllium husk for structure.
For a bread-er texture, I nixed psyllium altogether and settled on a combination of flaxseed meal and chia seeds, as well as some streamlined preparation methods.
Ingredients for 4-Ingredient Buckwheat Flax Chia Bread
The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Whole buckwheat groats
- Flaxseed meal
- Chia seeds
- Baking powder
You will also need water and (optional) salt.
The combination of chia and flax provides structure (i.e., no post-bake deflation) as well as texture and taste (flax, in particularly, complements the already nutty flavor of the buckwheat). Flax (and chia) have a high oil content, so I was able to nix any added oil, too.
How to Make the 4-Ingredient Buckwheat Flax Chia Bread
Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.
Step One: Quick-Soak the Buckwheat
Full disclosure: I am a fundamentally impatient person. This led me to experimenting with quick-soaking the buckwheat in boiling water rather than soaking the buckwheat in cold water for an extended amount of time.
It worked: the buckwheat begins to break down in about 20 minutes, while still leaving whole (but softened) groats for lots of nubby texture in the finished bread,
Drain the buckwheat and give it a rinse (in a colander) under cool water.
Step Two: Hydrate the Chia Seeds and Flaxseed Meal
Meanwhile, combine the chia seeds and flaxseed meal in cold water to thicken.
Step Three: Process Some of the Batter
Transfer roughly 2/3 of buckwheat mixture to a food processor or blender. Process, using ON/OFF pulses until almost , but not completely, smooth. Scrape back into bowl with remaining buckwheat and stir vigorously.
Stir in the chia-flax mixture, baking powder and optional salt until combined.
Processing some of the batter creates a finished loaf that is definitely bread (no crumbling slices). Keeping 1/3 of the batter unblended ensures lots of tasty, hearty nubby-ness to the loaf.
Step Three: Preheat Oven & Prepare Pans
Preheat the oven to 325F (160C). Spray 3 small pans with nonstick cooking spray, or line with parchment paper.
This recipe works best when using 3 small loaf (5×3-inch/ 12.5x 7.5 cm) size pans as opposed to one large 9×5-inch pan. The 9×5 pan will definitely work (bake for about 85 to 90 minutes), but it may droop a bit at the center once fully cooled.
Step Four: Divide Batter Between Pans
Spoon and spread the batter into the prepared pans, smoothing the tops.
As another measure to avoid drooping, the pans are filled close to the top with batter. If yo do not have this size, do not worry–go smaller, including a muffin tin (shorten the baking time). Mostly, you want structure, so opt for small.
Step Five: Bake the Bread
Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes until top appears dry and a toothpick inserted in center of each loaf come out clean.
The result is beautiful, firm, hearty loaves with nutty, toasty flavor. Once completely cooled, they can be sliced thick or very thin. If you want bigger slices, simply slice lengthwise!
The bread takes well to toasting (love), but it is still wonderful un-toasted, too.
I am crazy about this bread and hope that you will be, too! Let me know if you give it a try :).
Happy baking!
More Great GF & Vegan Buckwheat Recipes:
- Oil-Free Buckwheat Granola
- 1-Ingredient Buckwheat Bread
- Vegan Buckwheat Banana Bread
- Buckwheat Almond Shortbread Cookies
- No-Bake Buckwheat Granola Bars
Buckwheat Flax Chia Bread {vegan, oil-free, gluten-free}
Healthy and wholesome 4-ingredient buckwheat flax chia bread is a perfect go-with everything bread! It is vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, & easy to make, too.
Ingredients
- 1 and 3/4 cups (322 g) whole buckwheat groats
- Boiling water, to cover
- 1 cup (237 mL) water
- 3 tablespoons (39 g) chia seeds
- 3 tablespoons (20 g) flaxseed meal
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Place buckwheat in a large bowl; pour boiling water over. Let stand for 20 minutes (buckwheat should be breaking down. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- In a small bowl combine 1 cup water with the chia seeds and flaxseed meal. Let stand at least 5 minutes to thicken.
- Preheat oven to 325F (160C). Line 3 small (roughly 5x3-inch size) baking pans with parchment paper; lightly grease or spray remaining sides.
- Transfer roughly 2/3 of buckwheat mixture to a food processor or blender. Process, using ON/OFF pulses until almost , but not completely, smooth. Scrape back into bowl with remaining buckwheat, as well as the chia-flax mixture. Vigorously stir to combine, also breaking up some of the remaining buckwheat.
- Add the baking powder and salt to bowl, stirring until blended. Spoon and spread into prepared pans, smoothing the tops.
- Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes until top appears dry and a toothpick inserted in center of each loaf come out clean.
- Transfer pans to a cooling rack and cool 10 minutes. Using parchment overhang, remove loaves from pan. Cool completely. Slice each loaf into 8 slices and eat (toasting optional, but recommended!)
Notes
Storage: Store the cooled loaves, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, Alternatively, wrap in plastic wrap and then foil and freeze for up to 6 months.
Nutrition Information
Yield 24 Serving Size 1 sliceAmount Per Serving Calories 46Total Fat 1.1gSaturated Fat 0.1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 87mgCarbohydrates 8.3gFiber 1.7gSugar 0gProtein 1.8g
Love this recipe but the nutrition is completely wrong. I’m a nutritionist and wanted to let you know. Thanks though for this amazing recipe
Hi Gennifer,
I am glad you like the bread! I am wondering what, specifically, you see that is wrong with the nutrition? I use a nutrition calculator for this and all of the recipes. Cheers.
Can you add psyllium husk to this recipe,?
Hi :D,
I am sure you could. Did you mean instead of the flax and chia? Or in addition to those ingredients? Are you interested in creating a firmer loaf?
Could I substitute milled buckwheat groats for buckwheat groats
Hi Michelle! By milled buckwheat groats, do you mean buckwheat flour? I am going to assume that is what you mean. It might work, but with a change to the first step which involves soaking and draining the buckwheat groats. The groats absorb some of the soaking water, so this is what I suggest: (1) Use the same weight (322 g) of milled buckwheat as for whole groats: (2) skip step one (the soaking buckwheat groats); (3) When you get to step 3, skip the food processor step. In stead, combine the soaked chia-flax mixture with the milled buckwheat and about 2 to 4 tablespoons water (start with 2, add more as needed). (4) Continue with remaining steps.
I would love to know how it goes, Michelle!
@Camilla, thank you for the detailed reply! But it is not buckwheat flour it is actually Bobs Red Mill creamy buckwheat cereal which is milled buckwheat groats. Would I treat it more like groats or flour as it looks more like pieces of groats.
Hi Michelle! ok, thanks for clarifying. I would think it could work since I imagine the cereal is 100% buckwheat. I think you could proceed with the recipe as written.
@Camilla, wallace baisden asked on
April 18, 2021 at 07:05 AM
“can you substitute whole buckwheat flour in place of the groats?
Your Reply
Camilla
July 17, 2021 at 04:14 PM
Hi Wallace,
No, not with this particular bread.”
I’m reading 2 different responses to same question,I’m confused. Please clarify.
I want to make this bread with buckwheat flour, what I have.
Thank you
Hi Priscilla,
Thanks I see I did shoot down the prospect of using flour with Wallace back in 2021. In 2022 I hypothesized how it might work, and proposed some changes to give it a try. It would definitely be an experiment since I have not tested the recipe with flour. The bread partly depends on the texture of the groats, but I was suggesting that it might work. I know that you only have the flour, but sometimes substitutions just aren’t possible. It might very well work with the flour, as I noted in the 2022 response, but it is a gamble.
WONDERFUL and easy….I added in 2 T maple syrup, 2t turmeric and 2t nigella seeds. I love what these do to the smell, health, color and taste! Able to make thin slices…toasting is great…eat plain, with honey or butter or with cheese and chicken! very moist. I baked in a regular loaf pan….done in 1 hour and 50 min. Thank you!
hi! What is the optimum internal temp for this amazing bread? I, too, would prefer a larger loaf pan….thank you very much!
Hello and thank you for the great recipe.
I have a very simple question- is there a particular reason why you bake it in small tins(apart from moisture/ baking time)? I do not have access to US baking tins and was thinking about baking in a regular loaf tin.
Hi Astrid!
I bake it in smaller lives to get a better rise from the bread, and to ensure that the centers get done. You should be able to use a larger loaf pan, but the bake time will need to be longer and there will be less of a rise.
Just made this bread. It was so good. Thanks
I am so glad to hear it, Sue!
can you substitute whole buckwheat flour in place of the groats?
Hi Wallace,
No, not with this particular bread.
Hello from Russia. Just baked the bread and have to write that it is just amazing!!! I’ve done a couple of recipes with the green buckwheat so far but yours is the best one! It is so soft and I would say moisture inside. I’m in love really. Going to bake since today only according to your recipe. I just put baking soda instead of baking powder, but I guess it doesn’t really make any difference as the bread is wonderful. Well, thanks a lot for the recipe and I hope everyone will try it and everyone will start using so simple and healthy superfoods for their baking instead of yeast and so on : )
Regards,
Daria
I absolutely ADIRE this recipe!!!! It tastes so good, and makes me feel amazing. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.