This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure and privacy policy.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure and privacy policy.
Healthy 4-ingredient white bean flatbread, made with dried white beans and coconut flour! It is grain-free, low carb and easy-to-make.
Table of Contents
- Grain-Free Bread made with Dried Beans & Coconut Flour
- Healthy Highlights of 4-Ingredient White Bean Bread
- Ingredients for White Bean Flatbread
- How to Make 4-Ingredient White Bean Flatbread
- Step 1: Soak the Beans
- Step 2: Drain & Rinse Beans
- Step 3: Blend the Beans and Liquids
- Step 4: Add the Coconut Flour
- Step 5: Shape the Dough
- Step 6: Bake the Bread
- Related Recipes
- 4-Ingredient White Bean Flatbread {grain-free, vegan} Recipe
Grain-Free Bread made with Dried Beans & Coconut Flour
For my latest ultra-simple bread creation, I decided to revisit one of my favorite recipes from last year–my Red Lentil Sandwich Bread— for inspiration and a variation. I was so happy with the combination of legumes and coconut flour from the recipe; it seemed like a good place to start.
It was. With a few ingredient swaps and ratio changes, I have a winner to share. It is my 4-Ingredient White Bean Flatbread.
Healthy Highlights of 4-Ingredient White Bean Bread
This easy-to-make, delicious, versatile bread is:
- Made with 4 ingredients (excluding water and salt)
- Grain-free
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
- High in fiber (3 g per serving)
- Low-carb
- Very low in sugar (less half a gram per serving)
Ingredients for White Bean Flatbread
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.
Beyond water and salt, the four essential ingredients for the recipe are
- dried white beans, soaked overnight and drained
- coconut flour
- oil (I used olive oil)
- baking powder
I love to top focaccia and flatbread with rosemary or other chopped herbs, but I am specifying it as an option in the recipe. This bread has a great neutral, hearty white bread texture–complementary to both sweet and savory spreads and toppings–so I am choosing to limit the recipe to the fundamentals. You can take it in whichever direction you choose!
How to Make 4-Ingredient White Bean Flatbread
Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Soak the Beans
You will need to soak the white beans for 8 hours or overnight to plump them. However, if you are in a hurry, I have a quick-soak method in the notes of the recipe that reduces the soaking time to an hour and 15 minutes. Pretty nifty, especially for those of us who procrastinate.
Step 2: Drain & Rinse Beans
After soaking the beans, drain and rinse them thoroughly under cool water.
Step 3: Blend the Beans and Liquids
Add the drained beans, oil, and 1 and 1/3 cups fresh water to a blender and blend until completely smooth and creamy. I apologize if you only have a food processor; the beans must be blended in a blender. A food processor does not make a smooth enough puree.
Step 4: Add the Coconut Flour
Next, scoop the bean mixture into a large bowl. Add the coconut flour, baking powder and salt, stirring until well blended. Dough complete! It will be quite stiff.
Step 5: Shape the Dough
Press the dough into an even, 13×9-inch rectangle on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I used my hands (I ran them under water first, to keep the dough from sticking). If that’s not your thing, use the back of a large spoon or rubber spatula to smooth and spread the dough..
If you like, drizzle the dough with a few extra teaspoons of olive oil. I do this because I like the flavor of olive oil, but it is completely optional. If you are adding rosemary or any other herbs or toppings, sprinkle away.
Step 6: Bake the Bread
Pop into a preheated 375F (190C) oven and bake for about 28 to 32 minutes until the surface of the bread appears dry with small cracks, and the outer edges are just beginning to turn a light shade of golden brown.
Hello, delicious flatbread.
The bread will look dry on the outside–because it is bread, it has a thin crust :). Slice into it, and it is an entirely different story. The bread is light, tender and fluffy.
You’re going to want to eat a piece straight away. For quality control, of course.
It is just what you need to bake this weekend!
Happy baking!
Related Recipes
4-Ingredient White Bean Flatbread {grain-free, vegan}
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/3 cups, 200 g dry white beans (I used Great Northern beans)
- Water to soak beans
- 1 and 1/3 cups, 325 mL water
- 3 tablespoons 45 mL olive oil (more, if desired, for drizzling on top)
- 1/2 cup 56 g coconut flour
- 2 and 1/2 teaspoons, 12 mL baking powder
- 1/2 2.5 mL teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Thoroughly rinse and drain the beans. Place the beans in a large bowl and add enough water to cover beans by at least 1 inch (2.5 cm). Soak 8 hours or overnight. Drain.
- Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a high-speed blender, process the drained beans with the 1 and 1/3 cups (315 mL) water and oil until completely blended and smooth.
- Transfer the bean mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the coconut flour, baking powder and salt until completley blended.
- Scrape the dough (it will be thick) onto the prepared baking sheet. With a spoon or moist hands, press into an even 13×9-inch (33×22 cm) rectangle. If desired, drizzle with a few teaspoons of additional olive oil and/or sprinkle with optional rosemary.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 28 to 32 minutes until the surface appears dry with small cracks, and the outer edges are very light golden brown.
- Cool on a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes before cutting into pieces and serving.
I live in a camper w/ small oven. I’d like to prepare enough beans for a full recipe, but only make a half recipe. Then I’d freeze the other half of the blended beans. Would the recipe still work using the thawed, blended beans? Then proceed with the rest of the recipe (cut in half, of course)?
Hi Dana! I think that should work, but it’s not based on experience (I don’t think I’ve ever frozen cooked beans, on their own. Only when they are included in something else, like a chili or soup). That would be a wonderful time saver. I would love to know if you give it a try!
CAPS DUE TO RETINA ISSUE. I TRIED THIS RECIPE, HOPING TO USE IT W A POT OF WHITE BEANS I SLOW COOKED ALL DAY, IKR? PERFECT! WELL, I FOLLOWED THE DIRECTIONS AND INGREDIENTS DOWN TO A ‘T,’ BUT I’VE MADE ENOUGH BREAD TO KNOW THAT WHEN THE BATTER WAS WATERY (PLUS THE BAKER’S DESCRIPTION THAT THE ‘DOUGH’ SHOULD BE THICK), THAT CHANCES WERE LIKELY IT WOULD NOT TURN OUT TO BE A FUNCTIONAL BREAD–AND SADLY, IT WAS NOT. BUT I BAKED IT ANYWAY. THE SIDES COOKED COMPLETELY BUT ONLY UNTIL I’D LEFT IT IN FOR DOUBLE THE COOK TIME SO THE TOP WAS OVERBROWNED. WHEN I PICKED UP THE CORNER, THE DELICATE TOP LAYER PEELED UP AND CRUMBLED APART IN MY HAND. EXCEPT FOR THAT INCH AROUND THE EDGES, IT WAS RAW. THE BOTTOM WAS COMPLETELY WET AND DID NOT HOLD TOGETHER AS I HAD INITIALLY SURMISED. I USED FOIL ON THE BOTTOM AND WHEN I CHUCKED IT, I ROLLED UP THE FOIL AND THE BAKED INGREDIENTS OFFERED NO RESISTANCE. THEY ROLLED UP LIKE A JELLY ROLL.
OBVIOUSLY IT HAD TOO MUCH WATER, BUT I USED ONLY THE 1-1/3 C WATER CALLED FOR, AND OTHER THAN THE 3 T OF EVOO, I DID NOT ADD ANY OTHER WET INGREDIENT. NOT SAYING ANYTHING BAD ABOUT YOUR RECIPE. FOR ME? IT DIDN’T WORK BUT I DID WANT IT TO.
Hi Donna Jean,
I’m so sorry the bread did not turn out. Am I reading correctly that you used the slow cooked beans to MAKE the bread? If yes, then that is where things went wrong. The recipes uses soaked beans, not cooked beans. The beans are softened from the soaking, but are still raw when making the batter. The recipe will not work with cooked beans. Cooking the beans changes their structure (much like using cooked eggs in a cake recipe that calls for raw eggs). I hope you will consider trying the recipe again with soaked, not cooked beans
Hi Camilla,
Should I cook the beans for 2 hours before blending them and baking with the other ingredients? Won’t only baking them cause bloating?
Hi Nicole,
No, that will definitely not work. The recipe is made with raw beans. Cooking the beans changes their protein structure. For comparison, imagine a cake recipe that calls for 4 raw eggs. It is easy to visualize why the cake batter would not work with four hard boiled eggs or scrambled eggs in place of raw eggs. The same is true when replacing raw beans with cooked beans before the recipe is baked.
Regarding digestibility: You are essentially making a flour out of the beans (but with some added liquid; you grind the beans until they are completely broken down). Legume (bean, lentil, pea) flours have been used for centuries in Asian and European breads, main dishes and sweets. Phytates are reduced in three ways here: soaking, grinding/milling and baking. You can always opt to do a longer soak. If you are sensitive to beans, then you may want to stick with bean dishes you know work well for you. Cheers.
Thank you, it makes sense. Look forward to making these for lunches with avocado, lettuce and cucumber.
Great, Nicole! 🙂
I’m desperate to try this as a Pizza base. Have you done so, Camilla?
Hi Jessie,
I think that is a great idea. I have not done it, but I would bake the the flatbread most of the way before adding the toppings of your choice. I would love to know how it goes! Cheers 🙂
Grateful I found your site! Do you think another flour would work? I am sensitive to coconut.
Hi Mandy, welcome! I am glad you found me, too :). I think almond flour will work. Just be sure to roughly 2 to 3 times the amount of almond flour (star with double the amount, then add more to achieve the dough consistency you need). Coconut flour is used in tiny amounts, you typically need about 3 times the amount of other kinds of flour, such as almond flour.
Just clarifying you don’t cook the beans?? Thanks!
Hi Jane,
Correct. You are essential using the dried beans as a bean flour (like you would chickpea flour, or black bean flour), but with the added benefit of soaking the beans first.
Great recipe! Very good for sandwiches
I know white beans would be best for color, but would other dried beans work? (To save a trip to store *and* use up some sad waiting beans🙂)
Thanks Camilla!
Poor sad beans 😂 Yes, I am sure other beans could work.
I am pretty sure that would work fine, Eve! 😊
Came out great, thank you for the recipe. I think I will try used to get as a pizza crust in the future.
This turned out really good! Thank you, I will make it again with a variety of toppings. Might even using it for a pizza crust.
Oh my! Stumbled on your website last night. So many yummies!!! Delicious!! I added fresh cracked pepper and garlic along with rosemary and olive oil. Yum! Will be making again. Thanks for sharing!
Ooh, that sounds fantastic De Ann! And WELCOME!
Camilla,
I just made this. It turned out just you described. I’m amazed. So easy and so delicious! Thanks for a wonderfully simple recipe. Glad I found you and am looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
)I am so happy to hear that the bread turned out well, Debbie 🙂 Glad you found me, too ::
wow wonderful! this came out great, and so easy + frugal! thankies!!
Can you use a different flour than coconut?
Hi Devon, almond flour would be your best bet. Start by using twice as much almond flour s coconut flour, add a bit more if it is still too wet 🙂
Have you tried this using canned beans rather than dried?
Hi Patty,
No, I haven’t tried it with canned beans, sorry. I am not sure what might need to be tweaked to make it work. I do have a simple recipe for a biscuit using canned white beans, in case you are interested. Here it is White Bean Flax Biscuits (4 ingredients, vegan)
I just now pulled this out of the oven and can’t wait to try a piece! Such an easy recipe, I can see myself making this again and again. Besides perhaps using it for a pizza base and to serve along side a meal, what other uses do you think this might be good for? Have you tried making it thicker and slicing it like bread for toasting?
Thanks so much for your recipe!
@Camilla this simple bread has become my go to sandwich bread especially for packed lunches. I think I’m saving about $30 a week by making my own bread rather than buying gluten-free bread at the store or breaking down and buying a gluten-free lunch after not packing my own, so thank you for that.
Wow this sounds so good! You have the best recipes! Thanks for all your posts I really enjoy them!
Thank you so much, Arlene! I am so glad the recipes appeal, it means a lot to know that you are enjoying them 🙂
I do not have a high speed blender.
What would work instead?
Hi Sue,
Do you have any other kind of blender? Regular blender, bucket blender, immersion blender? Any of those should work fine. I am not as sure of a food processor, not sure it would purée the beans enough.