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.
Wholesome chickpea flour flax sandwich bread that tastes like whole wheat! Made with 5 ingredients, it is vegan, grain-free, oil-free & easy to make.
Table of Contents
- Grain-Free Bread that Tastes like Whole Wheat
- Why You’ll Love this Grain-Free Vegan Sandwich Bread
- Ingredients for Wheat-Free Wheat Bread
- How to Make Chickpea Flour Flax Sandwich Bread
- Step 1: Whisk the dry ingredients
- Step 2: Add the wet ingredients
- Step 3: Stir to combine
- Step 4: Spread and smooth batter in pan
- Step 5: Make a lengthwise slash in the loaf
- Step 6: Bake the Bread
- Cool the Bread
- Storage for Chickpea Flour Flax Bread
- Ingredient Substitutions
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Related Recipes
- Chickpea Flour Flax Sandwich Bread Recipe
Grain-Free Bread that Tastes like Whole Wheat
Your eyes are not deceiving you: the bread pictured above looks like whole wheat bread. It tastes like whole wheat bread, too. Yet it is 100%wheat-free and grain-free. Really and truly!
Why You’ll Love this Grain-Free Vegan Sandwich Bread
It gets even better. This wonderful bread is also:
- Vegan (no eggs, no dairy)
- Oil-free
- Yeast-free
- Fast to make (ready, start to finish, in under an hour)
- Easy-peasy to make
- Frugal
It is perfect for sandwiches, toast, and all manner of random nibbling. Sweet spreads? Savory fillings? All are harmonious with slices of this, your new favorite loaf.
Introducing Chickpea Flour Flax Sandwich Bread (a.k.a., Wheat-Free Wheat Bread).
Ingredients for Wheat-Free Wheat Bread
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.
The ingredients for this recipe are minimal: five, to be precise, plus water and optional salt. They are inexpensive, as well, which is a very good thing, since you will want to make this bread over & over again. Here’s what you will need:
- Chickpea flour
- Flaxseed meal
- Coconut sugar (or the sweetener of your choice)
- Baking soda
- Vinegar (any light-colored vinegar, such apple cider vinegar or white vinegar, or sub with lemon juice)
How to Make Chickpea Flour Flax Sandwich Bread
Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.
The hands-on time for making this bread is under 5 minutes (hooray for quick breads!). 5 ingredients & 5 minutes of work is my kind of bread recipe.
Step 1: Whisk the dry ingredients
Place the dry ingredients (the chickpea flour, flaxseed meal, coconut sugar, baking soda and optional salt) in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Break up any an all lumps and bumps, especially with the chickpea flour.
Step 2: Add the wet ingredients
Combine the water and vinegar (in the measuring cup, or in a small bowl) and pour into the bowl of whisked dry ingredients.
Step 3: Stir to combine
Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to combine the wet and the dry until blended (no dry ingredients visible).
Definitely opt for a rubber spatula or wooden spoon here, not a whisk. The batter is thick and will glom onto the whisk like nobody’s business (I “tested” this so that you would not make the same mistake:)).
Step 4: Spread and smooth batter in pan
Working quickly (the baking soda will begin reacting with the vinegar straight away, so get this in the oven as soon as possible), spread the batter in a 9×5-inch loaf pan that has been greased or sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
Since the batter is thick, I like to dip the spatula or a butter knife in water to (more easily) smooth the top.
Step 5: Make a lengthwise slash in the loaf
I have one more (quick) step before the loaf goes into the oven: make a slash.
Take a sharp knife and run it through the top of the loaf (about 1/2 inch deep, no more), lengthwise. This helps release steam from the bread as it bakes, leading to an even, well-risen loaf.
Keep in mind that this is more of a batter than a dough, so the slash will not look significant. It may even close in on itself as soon as the slash is made. Not to worry, that’s exactly how it should look!
Step 6: Bake the Bread
Slide the bread into a preheated 375F oven for 45 to 50 minutes until it is risen, golden brown, and sounds hollow when gently tapped on top. Simple, yes?
It smells so good!
Cool the Bread
Let the loaf cool in the pan, on top of a cooling rack, for 20 minutes. To remove the loaf, run a butter knife or other dull knife around the edges of the pan to loosen, and then invert the bread onto the cooling rack. Turn the bread right side up and let cool completely before slicing.
Hello, delicious.
Storage for Chickpea Flour Flax Bread
Store the cooled loaf in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 3 days, the refrigerator for 2 weeks or the freezer for up to 6 months.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Chickpea Flour. I do not recommend substituting the chickpea flour. The ratio of wet to dry ingredients is formulated specifically for chickpea flour, and other gluten-free flours or blends will alter the texture and structure
- Coconut Sugar. An equal amount of brown sugar or the granulated sugar of your choice canna be used in place of the coconut sugar. An equal amount of liquid sweetener (e.g., maple syrup, agave nectar) can also be used; add it along with the water-vinegar mixture.
- Sugar-Free Option. The bread will work without the sugar (it is added for a flavor balance); if you need to leave it out, go right ahead.
- Vinegar. Any light-colored vinegar will work here (e.g., apple cider vinegar, white vinegar) or use an equal amount of lemon juice.
- Flaxseed Meal. You should be able to use an equal amount (weight) of ground chia seeds (chia meal) in place of the flaxseed meal.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Does this bread taste like chickpea flour? No! I know many of you were wondering as you read along. The bread has a very neutral, whole wheat flavor. So regardless of your feelings about chickpea flour (love, hate, somewhere in between), you will be pleased with the go-with-everything flavor of this bread.
- Can I slice the bread thin? Or thick? You can slice this bread whichever which way you like, it is not a crumbler! Slice it super thin for open-faced tartines, thick for toast, medium for sandwiches, or any which way that you please.
- Can I leave out the sugar? Yes, the sugar can be omitted without any affect on the structure of the bread. Nevertheless, I strongly recommend adding it. I added the tablespoon-ful after several rounds of testing, and wow, it adds so much to the “whole wheat” flavor of the bread! to mimic the flavor of wheat bread.
Happy baking & may this lead to many delicious sandwiches!
Related Recipes
Chickpea Flour Flax Sandwich Bread
Equipment
- 1 9×5 inch loaf pan
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups chickpea flour
- 1/3 cup flaxseed meal
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar , (or sweetener of choice)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, (optional/ adjustable)
- 1 2/3 cups water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar, (or lemon juice)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Spray or grease a 9×5-inch (22.5×12.5 cm) loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk the chickpea flour, flaxseed meal, coconut sugar, baking soda and salt until blended, breaking up any lumps in the chickpea flour.
- In a measuring cup or small bowl, combine the water and vinegar; pour into the chickpea flour mixture, stirring until combined (the batter will be thick).
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top (I dip a rubber spatula or knife in water to smooth the top).
- Using a sharp knife, make a lengthwise slash, about 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) deep, across the loaf (The slash will not remain, since the batter is loose— but this step still creates an indentation in the baked bread).
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes until risen, golden brown, and hollow soulding when gently tapped on top.
- Cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 20 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges to loosen the bread, and then invert loaf from pan. Turn right side up and cool completely on cooling rack.
- Slice it thick, ultra-thin, or anywhere in between!
I just mixed this recipe and it is extremely watery. You have 1 2/3 cup water in the recipe. That is way too much!! Something is wrong with your recipe.
Hi Susan,
This is a looser dough than other breads (in part because it is not like other breads, made with ground legumes and flax), but not thin or “watery” (see photos of dough in post). The 1 2/3 cups water is the correct amount. Perhaps you mis-measured the amount of flour. Did you bake the bread? You do not mention what happened after mixing.
Ever have one of those days?!!! I started to make this loaf (I make it just about weekly) and discovered I didn’t have enough chickpea flour in the house, I only had a bit more than half of what I needed. I had some ingredients already in the bowl, so I continued on using a mix of tigernut and almond flours instead. Then I reached for my jar of fresh ground flax and discovered I had less than half what I needed of that, too! So I made up the difference with the scraps of ground basil seed, ground chia seed and a bit of tapioca starch to make up the full measure. To my surprise and delight, the loaf turned out pretty darned good! I prefer to stick to your original recipe as written, but it’s nice to know that in a pinch, this loaf comes out well with a few partial substitutes. I have a loaf baking now before tomorrow’s big storm hits so we have something nourishing if the power goes out. Thanks, Camilla, for your huge assortment of grain free baking recipes. And now that I can enjoy legumes again, I am trying even more of your recipes. 🙂
I love everything about this, Jana 😍❤️👍 I am so glad that you didn’t give in and kept on substituting–brilliant, all around.
Hurrah that you can now eat legumes! That’s great. Cheers 🙂
This turned out great. I turned around and turned half the loaf into my Thanksgiving stuffing and it was perfect.
That’s fantastic, Keith, I love that you used some I=of it in your stiffening recipe, that’s great 🙂
I make this weekly! It’s so easy to make and works well with either sweet or savory sandwich fillings–or even plain as a quick snack.
Jana, that is wonderful to hear! I am so glad you are enjoying the bread ☺️
(1 and 2/3) cups water** for anyone who was confused like me lol I’m going to try making this bread this week, very excited to try it
This came out really good! We topped the slices with guacamole and enjoyed it with soup. I left out the sweetener.
That sounds wonderful, Susan! So glad the bread was a success 😊
A real winner! I successfully made this several times and then made this! It is so yummy! I do it as a foccacia baked on buttered parchment. 2/3 c flax ground, 1 T cinnamon, 1/4 t nutmeg, 2/3 c raisins cut small, 1 T soda, 2 t psyllium ground, 2 c water, 1 c honey, 1/3 c water, 1 T lemon.
Oh my word, Kathy, that sounds spectacular!!!!! I am absolutely positively going to try this, yum! I am so glad that the recipe gave you such great inspiration 🙂
This bread is absolutely fantastic ! Really easy recipe and very tasty bread. I didn’t have quite enough gluten-free flour, so subbed in a bit of rice flour (about 40g) and a quarter tsp of gf baking powder. I lined the loaf tin with parchment. The cooking times are just right.
The gluten free guest I made it for loved it and so did the non gluten free ! I’ll be making this for ourselves. Thanks so much.
That is wonderful, Sarah! Love that you figured out how to make it work despite being short on chickpea flour 🙂 Thanks for sharing that for others to try. Cheers!
I made this today and it is delicious. Also super easy. I made a sandwich with tofu, hummus, sliced tomatoes, lettuce and mustard, and the bread held up well. So good! Thank you!
Thank YOU, Connie 🙂 So glad that the bread was a success! Your sandwich sounds scrumptious, too.
What happened to the ingredients being listed by weight?
Hi Amy, they are there :-). If you look at the bottom of the ingredients, it will have US standard and metric. the ingredients are shown as standard by default but you can toggle to metric to get the weights in metric measurements. Sorry for any confusion.
I would love to make that one 🙂 do you have the “metric” option here? thank you very much in advance <3
Hi Scarlette,
Done! If you go to the list of ingredients in the recipe card, there is an option to toggle to metric instead of US standard 🙂
Ah…I really wanted this to work. Mine didn’t rise quite as much and was hard as a rock by the morning…any tips?
Hi Oli,
I am sorry you did not like the bread. When you say yours “did not rise quite as much,” do you mean in comparison to my photos. This is not a high rising loaf, if you look at the photos of the slice bread. The bread should definitely not be hard as a rock on day two. Did you store it in an airtight container, as the storage notes advise? That will hold in the moisture for this quick bread.
I carefully measured every ingredient according to the instructions and my batter was pretty runny, but I baked it up anyway and it came out perfectly. Thanks for this great recipe. It’s so nice to eat bread again!
I am glad you persevered, Jennifer–so glad you like the result 🙂
Ooch. I made a serious error. I thought chickpea flour = besan flour. My bread had a great taste but did not rise up as much. It also had an overwhelming soda smell. I retraced my steps and can confirm that I did everything right. Perhaps the lack of rise concentrated the soda taste.
Once cooled, sliced and toasted the soda smell faded somewhat. And I agree it tastes wonderful.
I made the chickpea sandwich bread as well, hoping that the switch to baking powder plus the added almond flour would taste better. But it suffered from the besan heaviness. Baking powder could not make it rise. It maybe expanded 1/4 inch only. They taste good tho so I sliced that up and airfried them into crackers. Yum!
Meantime I need to find a besan bread recipe to finish the two kilos I have.
Hi Risa,
Chickpea flour and besan are both “chickpea flour.” Desi chickpeas (smaller) are more the common variety grown in Southeast Asia and typically used for besan, Kabuli (larger, paler) more common in North America used in most North American brand chickpea flours. They can be used interchangeably. 🙂
This bread does not have a super high rise, because the volume of batter is not large. If you look at the photo of the baked loaf still in the pan in my photos, you can compare it to the rise of your bread. Regarding the soda taste: just checking to make sure the vinegar was added? It should neutralize the baking soda flavor.
I am excited to find your recipes & anxious to try them
Thank you for sharing
I am excited that you found my site, Rachel–welcome! Enjoy, and let me now what you think as you try the recipes.
I’m WFPB for about 4 years. Make flatbreads some, but miss sandwiches, miss toast! Miss toast with nut butter. Miss toast with soups and stews. Miss toast with guacamole! Not any more! So, thanks a bunch!
You can also add vital wheat gluten to this receipt, if you’re okay with gluten, want to keep this recipe low carb, but want to make the bread less crumbly. I added 60g of vwg and it was noticeably less crumbly.
Thanks, Simon!
You can also add vital wheat gluten to this receipt, if you’re okay with gluten, want to keep this recipe low carb, but want to make the bread less crumbly. I added 60g of vwg and it was noticeably mess crumbly.
Thanks Simon! That’s a great tip for those who can eat gluten.
Hi there – the instructions say “2 and 1/2 cups (300 g) chickpea flour”
Which is it:2 and 1/2 cups, which is 600g; or 300g?
Hi Simon! Chickpea flour has 120 grams per cup. So 2.5 (2 and 1/2) cups is 300 grams.
First, I make this recipe as written all the time and it is fantastic! It’s definitely in the regular rotation but today I decided to try adding zucchini and success!
I added a big handful of zucchini (1 – 1 1/2 cups?) that was peeled, deseeded and squeezed to remove liquid (I didn’t go nuts I just squeezed it with my hands). Then I reduced the water from 1 and 2/3 cup to 1 cup. Batter looked thick but not dry. And baked for the usual amount of time. Hooray for having one more way to use up the zucchini LOL!
Brilliant, Jane! I have some zucchini on the counter as I write, I think I will follow your lead!
What a great recipe! I have been trying a lot of gluten free and vegan recipes. Some are just awful. This one is really really good!! Thank you so much for it!!!
You are so welcome, Patty, thank you!
hello! how would you suggest i try making this if i ferment the chickpea flour and water? or ferment actual chickpeas in water so i don’t have to use baking soda and lemon for the rise?
Hi Vanessa! Gosh, I apologize, but I really do not know, I do not have any experience with fermenting chickpea flour or chickpeas. I suggest what I do when I am experimenting with a totally new method: scale the recipe down to do test batches (just to see of the fermentation method works). For example, make 1/4 the the amount for the bread (or smaller) and bake in muffin pan. Then if it works, scale back up to a loaf.
I have made this bread many times,it is very delicious, however it is never thick enough to where a knife slit will stay intact. Also it turns out a bit crumbly.
I use garbanzo bean flour,maple syrup as a sweetener and lemon juice instead of vinegar. I can’t figure out what is going wrong, Should I soak the flaxseed meal for a bit before adding everything else? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Hi Renee, I am glad you like the flavor of the bread. Regarding the knife slit: I note that the slit does not really remain since the batter is somewhat loose; you can see in the photo That it closes back up due to the looseness of the batter; nevertheless the slit makes a difference in the bread. With regard to the crumbly texture, it might be the bake: is it moist crumbles or really dry crumbles? If it is the former, then you should probably bake the bread longer, and if it is the latter, bake the bread for last time. I hope that helps resolve the issue!
Wow, so delicious and easy. I added some fresh dill and garlic – YUM!
That sounds so good, Amy! So happy you like the bread.
I just found this recipe and I am going to try it. Can I use ground chia seed to replace the flax seed meal? Has anyone done this?
Hi Cathy,
I think that would likely work! I am really getting into using ground chia (chia flour), so I think I am going to have to give it a try, too. I suggest using an equal weight of ground chia to replace the flaxseed meal.Cheers!
Followed recipe to the letter ( or more accurately gram and ml), and it is perfection! I cannot believe I made this. It is so good plain or toasted.
My batter was not too thick or too thin, but yes, a batter ( not a dough) as described in the post. I found the instructions about making the slash very useful (the explanation that the slash will close back up). But once baked, you see the slash reappear and open up, like the photos.
So happy to hear the bread was a success, Andrew!!!
This bread is the BEST!!! Reminds me so much of whole wheat bread and it is so easy and inexpensive to make. THANK YOU!
You are very welcome, Freida, glad you like it!
I measured the dry ingredients by gram and took the warnings of other users to watch the water. I added the water slowly and stopped when the batter was just past thick and getting thin. I ended up with several ml water unused and the loaf turned out perfectly. Thank you!
Oh, that’s wonderful, Wendy! So glad that it turned out well!
Something seems really wrong here. I followed your recipe exactly, using the gram measurements with a scale and the batter was total liquid, not at all right. I added more flour but I don’t think this will turn out at all. Bummed to waste so much chickpea flour.
Hi Alexandra,
Oh no, I am so sorry that the batter did not look right. I am not sure how you could have ended up with such a liquid batter. The recipe has almost 3 cups of dry ingredients (2.5 cups chickpea flour and 1/3 cup flaxseed meal) mixed with 1.67 (1 and 2/3) cups water. Flaxseed meal is very absorbent, too. This produces a relatively thick batter. I hope your loaf turned out ok. It sounds like you may have accidentally added too much water.
Followed recipe to the letter. Batter was way too runny had to add more flour but it was in no way thick. Are you sure the measurements are correct?
Hi Gary! Oh no, I am so sorry that the bread did not turn out. Yes, the amounts are correct–this bread is in my regular rotation of recipes at my house. The proportion of dry ingredients (2 and 1/2 cups flour + 1/3 cup cup flaxseed meal) to 1 and 2/3 cups water makes a thick batter which only becomes thicker as the flaxseed meal is combined with the water. I know that sometimes I think I have followed a recipe exactly, but was in fact distracted or misread ingredients. I hope you give it another try.
This chickpea flax bread is a revelation! Love it, thank you.
Oh that’s wonderful, Tessa! So glad it was a success 😊
Hi there. I have just tried this recipe but my batter was super super watery and I followed the recipe to the T not sure why this has happened 🙁 Hopefully the bread will turn out ok. I will just leave it in to cook for longer then to stand a little longer too x
Hi Gen,
Oh no, sorry that the batter appeared odd. The batter should definitely not be watery, it should be relatively thick (per the photos). I hope it turned out ok–it sounds like the measurements for either the dry ingredients or water were off.
@Camilla, I made this with a toasted chickpea flour (besan) from a local Indian grocery store. It is out of this world!!! thanks for such an easy delicious recipe
Baked this gorgeous loaf this morning. Fits all our ‘intolerance’ requirements and hubby loved it so win win.
Yippee! I am pleased as punch to hear it, Sandra. Thank you for letting me know that it was a success 🙂
This was fabulous. Absolutely love the texture and flavor. This recipe is definitely a keeper for me.
I made this recipe this morning because we enjoyed your Soda Bread recipe so much. This one is also delicious. I used a different brand of chickpea flour, and my batter was thinner. But the bread still turned out great. Thank you for your recipes. I’m sharing them with friends 🙂
Great site. Have subscribed.
Would this recipe need to be altered if I added some seeds to the mix? Also being more of a batter mix would the seeds ‘fall’ to the bottom of the loaf? Wondering same if added nuts (walnut) instead of seeds?
Hi Sue! I think you can add a variety of nuts or seeds here without altering the recipe. Chop them and they should be fine suspended in the batter (it is a pretty thick batter)
This is my go to bread!!! I love the chickpea flour sandwich bread on your site, too, but this one reminds me of whole wheat bread, as you mention in the description. Thank you for this easy, inexpensive, wonderful bread!!!
This is my favorite bread. I’ve made it at least 10 times. I wanted you to know because it is a wonderful , unique recipe. Thanks for sharing your creativity with the world!
Thank you for giving me a bread option!! So excited to find your website.
Hi. Can you make stuffing with this bread? If so, would you have advice, please?
Thank you!
Hi Holly,
Yes, I think that would work well! I suggest breaking the bread into cubes and toasting in the oven until crisp, then use in your favorite recipe. You might also be interested in my stuffing recipe here (using the chickpea flour “cornbread” or you could use the chickpea flour-flax bread): CHICKPEA FLOUR CORNBREAD STUFFING {vegan, grain-free}
@Camilla, ???????? CROUTONS!!! Yes!!
Yes, this bread would make great croutons. I have used my chickpea flour no-cornbread recipe to make stuffing (crumble and then toast the bread pieces–yum), so croutons should be excellent made with this.
Hi .. ur site is great I’ve been tryin to make bread without flour for over a yr..ive made many but don’t seem to get d measurements right..I use chickpeas ..flaxseed..oats..wheat germ ..anything with out flour.they are edible but heavy..ill try chickpeas an flax seed tomorrow..
I hope you like it, Julia! I have a number of grain-free breads on the site.
Hi! At what Fahrenheit should i bake the bread? I am new to gluten free baking =)
I forgot to read the instructions carefully =). Its 376F. I am so excited to try this. I love chickpeas and bread
Not to worry, Celine! 🙂
I am so excited for this! I have recently been diagnosed with a lot of intolerance and while I feel loads better since cutting them out, I have been bummed about not being able to eat “normal” food any more. Your website has been a godsend! I’m so excited to have vegemite on toast for breakfast again!
That brings me so much Joy, Katie!!!
It is so challenging finding recipes that are vegan, grain- and nut-free! Thank you for your recipes! Have you used other legumes besides chickpeas and lentils (I saw your other recipe too)? I was considering using white beans (or even sweet potatoes) instead because our son is allergic to chickpeas. Thanks!
Hi Michele! I have a white bean coconut flour flatbread you might like to try. You could very likely make a lentil flour or white bean flour in a high speed blender to use in place of the chickpea flour. Also, Bob’s Red Mill and others make a black bean flour that can be used as a sub for many of the chickpea flour recipes.
Yum, this is excellent! Live your other chickpea sandwich bread, this is as easy but really different, too. Thank you!
You are so welcome, Tasha!
OMG, this made me very happy! I used to love grainy whole wheat bread back in the day, but can no longer tolerate wheat. My loaf came out great, used maple syrup instead of the coconut sugar (didn’t have) . Served to my boyfriend along with a soup (chilly in Oregon) and we both loved it. Looking forward to toasting
The morning and having with homemade ollakiberry preserves. 😊
I’m so happy it turned out so well, Ramona! Ollalieberry preserves sound so delicious 😋
Made this for supper, everyone (3 littles, 1 husband) liked it a lot. I loved it. Great recipe, I’ll be making this one a lot.
Oh good, so glad it was a success, Shay!
This is delicious, and so easy, too! It does remind me of whole wheat bread. I was able to slice it very thin, as you promised.
I am so happy you gave this a try and like it, Greta 😊
You have outdone yourself! I love your chickpea flour sandwich bread but this is so good. So easy and came out just like the photos. Thanks for another great and reliable recipe!
Great to hear that it came out as expected and that you like it so much, Jenny! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
Do you think this could be doubled to make a larger slice of bread?
Hi Andrea,
Possibly, but I have not tested it. I tended to keep the volume smaller for grain-free, vegan loaves because they have a tendency to deflate and/or not get cooked through in the middle if there is too much batter in the pan.
@Andrea, Consider baking it in a larger baking pan so the ‘bread’ would be flatter and then cut to desired size [once baked] and then slice horizontally to make 2 slices.