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My gluten-free teff & oat bread is a perfect power up, any time of day. It is also vegan, yeast-free. easy to make in minutes, and ideal for fueling your next marathon, or any of your epic adventures! You can also make it oil-free.
Happy Monday, everyone!
The Houston Marathon is fewer than 6 days away, whoo-hoo! This will be my first time running it, and I am especially excited because it is such a short distance away (no plane trips required), it’s super-flat (last marathon–July–was in San Francisco), and all of my Saturday-morning running buddies will be there, too. (Any power hungry readers running this year? I’d love to know!)
The only downside has been training in the cold. Yes, cold in Texas! It has been in the teens the last few weekends, and I hate running in the cold. As a reward, I have been making and baking runner-food (e.g., power bars, breads, energy cookies) following frigid runs, so that I can stand by the oven as much as to reap the rewards of my labor.
Wholesome Gluten-Free Bread Made with Teff Flour
One of my favorite new developments is this dark and delicious quick bread, made quickly and easily with oats, and teff, a favorite superfood of Ethiopian, Eritrean, and many Western distance runners, too.
It’s my gluten-free Teff & Oat Bread. I like to call to call it Marathon Bread.
The inspiration for the bread came from a recipe I stumbled across, in Bon Appetit. for super-seedy, gluten-free bread. It caught my eye because I gravitate towards dark, hearty loaves of bread, plus, I knew I had some teff flour (which is called for in the recipe), waiting for a use, in the freezer. It looked and sounded like a winer.
Yeast-Free Teff Bread
But then I looked at the recipe more closely. It is a yeast bread (fine), but…did I want to wait around to soak oats proof yeast? No. Further, while I am a fan of nut- and seed-studded baked goods, 2-1/2 cups worth seems excessive, as well as unwise for fuelling long runs (too many pit stops. Enough said on that subject :)).
So, I scrapped the yeast, nuts and seeds, and headed in my own direction, recalibrating the bread as a simple, hearty quick bread.
I love it. I think you will too.
Recipe Benefits
- Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
- Gluten-free
- Nut-free
- Oil-free option
- Yeast-free
- Quick and easy to make
- High fiber
Ingredients
The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.
- plain nondairy milk (e.g., oat milk, almond milk, hemp milk)
- cider vinegar (or other light color vinegar, or lemon juice)
- rolled oats (certified GF, as needed)
- whole psyllium husks
- flaxseed meal
- molasses (or maple syrup)
- teff flour
- baking soda
- neutral vegetable oil (e.g., coconut oil, avocado oil or olive oil; see notes for oil-free options)
You will also need a small amount of salt (always optional or adjustable) and water (I use filtered tap water).
How to Make Gluten-Free Teff & Oat Bread
Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.
You can whip up this bread in no time flat!
- In a large bowl, stir together the water, milk, vinegar, oats, psyllium, flaxseed meal and molasses until combined. Let stand for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F (180 C) and grease or spray 4 small (5×3-inch/12.5×7.5 cm) loaf pans.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the teff flour, baking soda and salt.
- Add the teff mixture and oil to the oats mixture, stirring vigorously until completely combined (batter will be very thick).
- Divide batter equally between prepared pans, smoothing the tops.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 44 minutes and tops of loaves are very puffed.
- Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely in pans (loaves will begin deflating almost immediately, to about the level of each pan top). Remove from pans, slice and eat!
What is the Taste & Texture of the Bread?
The texture of the bread is tender, similar to a whole wheat and oat quick bread recipe I used to make years ago. It has a slightly sweet, wholesome flavor that pairs well with both sweet and savory toppings for sandwiches, toast, or anytime gnoshing.
FAQ
- My batter is very thick. Should I add more liquid? No. Note, in the photo below, that the batter is meant to be VERY thick, in large part due to the psyllium husks, which adds structure to the loaves. It may seem dry when you first add the teff flour mixture, but keep stirring, it will all blend.
- Can I Make the Bread in One Large Loaf? No, I do not recommend it. Gluten-free loaves that rely on psyllium and flax need all of the added structure they can get, which is why I decide on four mini loaves as opposed to one 9×5-inch loaf. This allows the bread to bake completely in the centers for a traditional wheat bread-like texture, with minimal deflation after baking.
- My loaves puffed up but deflated slightly after removing from the oven. Is this normal? Yes! When the loaves are finished, they will be puffed high above the edges of the pan, but this is only for a moment (due to the psyllium). The tops will drop almost immediately, but, due to the small loaf size and combination of ingredients, the loaves retain their shape (no center drooping, and no gumminess!).
- Can I make the bread oil-free? Yes! Replace the oil with an equal amount of nondairy milk, unsweetened applesauce or unsweetened pumpkin purée.
- Is there a substitute for the teff flour? Yes! An equal amount of amaranth flour, quinoa flour, sorghum flour or millet flour can be used in place of the teff flour.
- What can I use in place of the molasses? An equal amount of maple syrup, coconut sugar, agave nectar, brown sugar, or honey (if vegan is not necessary), can be used in place of the molasses. If you prefer no sugar, you could add 3 extra tablespoons of milk, or 3 tablespoons of applesauce or pumpkin puree.
Related Recipes
Teff & Oat Bread (V, GF)
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 1 cup nondairy milk, (e.g., oat milk, soy milk, almond milk)
- 1 teaspoon cider vinegar, (or lemon juice)
- 1.5 cups rolled oats, (certified GF, as needed)
- 1/4 cup whole psyllium husks
- 1/4 cup flaxseed meal
- 3 tablespoons molasses
- 1 cup teff flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup oil , (e.g., avocado oil, melted coconut oil; see notes for oil-free options)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together the water, milk, vinegar, oats, psyllium, flaxseed meal and molasses until combined. Let stand for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F (180 C) and grease or spray 4 small (5×3-inch/12.5×7.5 cm) loaf pans.
- Add the teff mixture and oil to the oats mixture, stirring vigorously until completely combined (batter will be very thick).
- Divide batter equally between prepared pans, smoothing the tops.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 44 minutes and tops of loaves are very puffed.
- Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely in pans (loaves will begin deflating almost immediately, to about the level of each pan top). Remove from pans, slice and eat!
I made these twice
Once using Teff flour and they tasted different but I liked it
The second tome I made then in muffin pans and used sorghum flour instead of Teff flour.
I was wondering if i can freeze them?
Hi Maha, I am so glad the bread worked well with the sorghum flour, too, that’s wonderful. Yes, you can freeze in an airtight container or bag for up to six months. I like to slice breads before I feeze them so I can grab a slice or Māori at a time, but you can also freeze the entire loaves. Cheers.
Hi. How to make it in a full-size loaf pans ? Thank you.
Hi Maria,
This recipe is best baked in the smaller pans, so that it does not sink (which can happen with breads that are both gluten-free and vegan). You could definitely try in a larger pan, but I suggest adding more psyllium husks (perhaps 2 more tablespoons), and then baking for double the amount of time.
I made this tonight. I didn’t pay close attention to the recipe and mixed all the dry in one bowl and all the wet in another. I mixed the two together and made sure there was no lumps of dry teff flour. Let it set for 15 minutes and baked. I only used 1 tablespoon of molasses. The mini loaves didn’t sink at all and stayed plump. I like the flavor real well, but was surprised how oily they are. Of course you did call them Keto for a reason! ???? I am gonna make these again, taste great, but using apple sauce.
Thank you,
Trina
Delicious !I subbed chia for flax, nut butter for oil (more nutritionally dense), and only 1 tbsp molasses.
Bread is dark, holds together fantastically, taste is ‘teffy’ balanced with sweet. Cuts beautifully for slices. Toasts well. Used 4 small loaf pans lined with parchment. Thank you!!!
Whoohoo! I am so glad you pulled this one up, Vicki, as I need to get back to using teff, it is so tasty. I am going to have to try your variations for this recipe!
I was wondering what to do with the teff flour in my pantry and came across this recipe. It is absolutely wonderful.
WOW! I have found a bread that I absolutely love! I can see that this recipe would be a good starter bread for other ingredient such as banana and raisins and nuts and etc.
Thank-you!
How wonderful, Terri! Thank YOU!
Thank you so much for this delicious and easy recipe. My hubby and I made it twice already. We replaced the molasses with applesauce. Thank you again for your expertise!
I bought some teff flour today and am looking forward to trying this! Husband is GF and finds most GF bread quite insubstantial- and the good stuff is so expensive. This looks just the ticket! We only have full-size loaf pans though, would you suggest cooking in a muffin tin instead?
Yes, a muffin would work great, Charlotte. Start checking for doneness at about half the time 🙂
This is a Fabulous and Delicious bread recipe. Thank you so much for sharing and for also adjusting the recipe for a larger batch. Doing so by just doubling the original recipe doesn’t always work. I look forward to trying more of your recipes!
I am thrilled that you found this and love it, Charlene! Teff is so delicious, I hope that it eventually catches on more.
This was delicious, Thank you!
Did not have the flax, so a little crumbly. But still excellent. Added walnuts and raisins.
I’m so glad, Manjari 🙂
I dont comment ofen but this recipie is brilliant. I make it like buns. Easy to freeze and slices well.
Thanks so much so much.
Thank you for making this recipe the exception, Maggie (regarding posting). I so appreciate it!
@Maggie, could I ask how it is you make it as buns? They sound wonderful!
Hi Camilla
My bread rose and collapsed in the middle on cooling. Any ideas why?
I followed the recipe exactly- only halved the amounts as a trial.
Thanks
Hi Bina,
Just checking to see if you made the bread in the small loaf pans? The bread will definitely collapse if made in a larger pan.
Sounds amazing. And so healthy. Not sure if the nutrition is correct? I calculated with my Weight Watchers based on the nutrition listed here and one 1/8 of a tin came to 2 points. When I entered the recipe into WW it calculated it as 8 points per 1/8 of the tin.
Hi Karen,
I can recheck! I am not familiar with how the nutrition calculator works on weight watchers. I use a nutrition application to calculate the recipes.
HI. Is it possible not to use Oats? What can I use instead?
Hi Eliot,
Oats are a fundamental part of the recipe so I do not have a ready substitute. I would suggest trying chickpea flour (go by weight not cups–you will need about 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon chickpea flour). I would love to know how it turns out if you try it!
Wow, these are really good! I used an 8 mini-loaf pan and baked them 30 minutes. This recipe is easy to make and really delivers on flavor! Thank you for sharing it!
Great, Kim! It has been awhile since I made this, I need to make it again. Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Camilla
I follow a whole food plant based diet which eliminates oil. Wondering if I could substitute apple sauce for the oil. Or any other suggestion?
Looks awesome but I don’t want to waste these good ingredients if it doesn’t work well without oil. Thanks much for this recipie
Maggie
Hi Maggie,
I know for certain that it will work because a friend did that exact thing (she also does not eat oil). It’s true, the swap will definitely not work on all recipes, but it will here (and it will still be tender thanks to the fat n the flaxseed meal).
I loved this recipe, the bread was very tasty. Thank you!
I meant to add, I used corn starch in place of the psyllium husks
I just made this and used small silicon loaf moulds and mini cup cake moulds. The whole family (which includes 2 Lil ones) loved this bread! This tastes great and is so healthy!! Thanks heaps Camilla.
Hi – where do you get gluten free oats. I’m allergic to gluten (go into anaphylactic shock!) and cannot eat barley, oats, rye, wheat, etc!! I’m in Australia and this is what we gluten intolerants avoid!
Hi Wil,
I know from working on a gluten-free baking book a few years back that Australia classifies all oats as containing gluten. In the U.S. and Europe, gluten-free certified oats are available.
Oats do not contain any gluten, but they are typically exposed to gluten by how they are grown (e.g., with other, gluten-containing grains) or in the processing phase. Certified gluten-free oats have to grown in very strict growing conditions, free from other grains, and have to be processed and packaged in gluten-free warehouses. Examples are the following brands : Bobs Red Mill, Avena Foods, and PureOats.
Can psyllium husk powder be used in place of whole?
Yes.
This looks great! I follow another recipe, where the author uses English Muffin tins, to speed up the cooking process, and prevent the teff from falling. I use mini-cake tins. I might try this with your recipe. The other recipe takes approximately 20-25 minutes to cook. Mine takes almost 30 minutes, as mini-cake tins are a slight bit bigger.
Great idea, Carla, I need to look for some tins like that!
Hi Camilla, is there anything I can sub for the whole psyllium husks.please?
Hi Gill,
You could try different amounts of flaxseed meal or chia seeds, but I cannot predict how they will work for this particular bread. It would take some trial and error, since the psyllium is an integral part of this particular recipe working properly.