5-Ingredient Lentil Sandwich Bread (V, GF, Oil-free option)

Amazing 5-ingredient lentil sandwich bread that is grain-free, sugar-free, and vegan! Made with whole lentils, it looks and tastes like whole wheat bread.You can also replace the 1 tablespoon of oil with water, making this oil-free.

Grain-Free Bread, Made with Whole Lentils

Hi everyone, I hope that you are enjoying the first few days of spring!

Everything is in bloom here in Texas and the weather is blissful. All at once, I am craving lighter, fresher flavors and foods, such as salads, simple vegetable preparations, smoothies.

Nevertheless, I am always in the mood to bake, so if it is still chilly where you are living, fear not, I have an option that works for any climate.

Benefits of 5-Ingredient Lentil Sandwich Bread

It looks a lot like whole wheat quick bread, and has a taste and texture to match.  Yet it is:

• Grain-free
• Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
• Yeast-free
• Sugar-free
• Gluten-free
• Oil-free option

It is an excellent slicing bread, too, ideal for the eponymous sandwiches, as well as toast. It’s great with sweet or savory toppings, too!

Ingredients for Lentil Sandwich Bread

To make this bread, you will need the following:

1. Uncooked lentils (I used the common brown/tan variety, but you can use what you have on hand)
2. Tapioca starch (potato starch works fine, too)
3. Psyllium husk (I have options if you do not have psyllium)
4. Vegetable oil (e.g., olive, safflower or avocado oil. Only a tablespoon is needed (oil-free options included–simply use an extra tablespoon of water)
5. Baking powder (be sure to use a grain-free variety if you need this to be 100% grain-free)

Let’s Make Some Bread!

The bread is super-simple to make, but it does require some advance planning to soak the lentils.

Step 1: Rinse and Soak Lentils

Rinse the uncooked lentils under cold water and then place in a large bowl. Cover the lentils with water (enough so that there is about 1 inch/2.5 cm above the lentils) and let soak for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

Step 2: Drain & Rinse Lentils

Drain the plumped-up lentils and give them another rinse under cold water.

Step 3: Blend the Lentil Batter

Place the lentils, 1/2 cup (120 mL) fresh water, and both the oil and salt, in a blender.

Blend away, stopping several times (especially at the start) to scrape the sides of the blender. Keep blending until the result is a completely smooth batter.

Step 4: Add Remaining Ingredients

Transfer the batter to a large bowl.

You can add the remaining ingredients to the blender, but I prefer to scrape the lentil mixture into a bowl before adding the tapioca starch, psyllium husk, and baking powder.

Why dirty an extra bowl? Because the final batter is quite thick and sticky; I find it more manageable to add the final ingredients in a bowl.

If you have a  a traditional blender (as opposed to a high speed blender, like a Blentec or Vitamix),  I strongly recommend transferring to a bowl before adding the final ingredients. You don’t want to blow out the motor, even for a great loaf of bread!

Step 5: Spread Batter in Prepared Pan

Scrape and spread the batter into a 9×5-inch (22.5 x 12.5 cm) loaf pan that has been lined with parchment paper.

Can you bake without the parchment paper? Yes, but the sides will get darker than in a parchment-lined pan. It’s good either way!

Spread the batter evenly and give the pan a hard bang on the counter to remove any big bubbles.

Step 6: Bake

Slide the pan into the middle of a preheated 400F (200C) oven and bake. Pretty simple, right?

In roughly 50 minutes (it will sound hollow when you tap the top), you have a glorious, golden loaf of bread!

Remove the bread from the pan soon after it emerges from the oven. I’ve found that leaving it in the pan can result in a slightly soggy bottom. No one needs that!

Cool and Slice

Let the bread cool completley on a wire rack. Your only remaining tasks are slicing and eating!

You can slice the bread very thin, or go thick and rustic. It’s very filling, so I prefer thin slices for sandwiches and medium slices for toast.

I’m loving this bread but I am excited to know what you think if you give it a try.

Happy Baking, everyone!

More Easy, Grain-Free & Vegan Breads to Love:

• Easy High Protein Red Lentil Sandwich Bread (4 ingredients, oil-free)
• 2-Ingredient Lentil-Flax Bread
• Chickpea Flour Beer Bread (3 ingredients, oil-free)
• Coconut Flour Bread (4 ingredients, oil-free)
• Almond Flour Soda Bread (oil-free)
• 3-Ingredient Vegan Almond Bread
• 2-Ingredient Flax Sandwich Bread
• Fluffy Red Lentil Bread 
• Triple Chickpea Sandwich Bread