High Protein Pumpkin Lentil Bread (V, GF)

Learn how to make high protein pumpkin lentil bread (8 grams per slice)! Lightly sweet, tender, and filling, it is vegan, grain-free, gluten-free, oil-free & easy.

How to Make High Protein Pumpkin Lentil Bread

I’m so excited to share my new High Protein Pumpkin Lentil Bread, inspired by my popular High Protein Lentil Bread recipe! This version takes everything I love about the original—its wholesome ingredients, high protein content, and hearty texture—and infuses it with warming fall flavor.

Unlike traditional pumpkin breads that are more like cake, this loaf is only lightly sweet and has a wonderfully substantial, bread-like texture—perfect for toasting, spreading, or enjoying plain. It is the best of both worlds: the comforting sugar-and-spice flavor of classic pumpkin treats combined with the satisfying nourishment of a protein-rich bread.

It’s just the kind of pumpkin goodness we all need—wholesome, flavorful, and ready to fuel your day from breakfast to snack time (or any cozy moment in between).

Recipe Benefits

• Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
• Gluten-free
• Grain-free
• Yeast-free (no active yeast or instant yeast required)
• Oil-free (e.g., no olive oil, avocado oil, or other vegetable oil)
• High fiber (16 grams fiber per serving)
• High protein (8 grams protein per slice)
• Flourless
• Easy to make
• Frugal

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.

• Split red lentils, uncooked (see notes for using other lentils)
• Unsweetened pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• Coconut sugar (see notes for alternatives)
• Whole psyllium husks
• Pumpkin pie spice (see notes for alternatives)
• Lemon juice (see notes for alternatives)
• Baking soda
• Salt

I recommend adding salt to the recipe, to bring out the flavors, but it is optional/adjustable according to your preferences and needs (i.e., if you choose to omit the salt, it will not affect the success of the bread).

​No fat–in oil or whole ingredient form–is needed to make this recipe work.

No Protein Powder Required

Note that no protein powder is required to make this high protein bread! Only simple, frugal ingredients.

What are Whole Psyllium Husks?

Psyllium husk is essential for making this grain-free, gluten-free, yeast-free bread “work.”

Psyllium is a plant product derived from the husks of the seeds from the Plantago ovata plant. When combined with liquid, the husks swell, creating a gelatin. The gel can be used in ways similar to eggs, and also stands in for gluten (creating structure) in gluten-free and grain-free breads.

I order whole psyllium husks online. You can search for them on any search engine and find multiple purveyors. You may also be able to find them in a well-stocked natural foods grocery store.

Store the psyllium husks in an airtight container and it will last for years, making it a frugal buy. Plus once you have it, you can make all kinds of amazing gluten-free vegan breads, such as my 100% Millet Sandwich Bread, Easy Multigrain Sandwich Bread, Coconut Flour Sandwich Bread, 100% Millet Banana Bread, Buckwheat Sandwich Bread, Oat Sandwich Bread, 4-Ingredient Power Bread, 100% Chia Firm Sandwich Bread, and much more!

Step by Step Instructions

Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.

Step One: Quick Soak the Lentils

Place the uncooked (raw) lentils in a large bowl. Add enough boiling water to cover the lentils by at least one inch of water. Let soak for at least 45 minutes until the lentils are plump and nearly twice their original size.

Alternatively, soak the lentils in cold or room temperature water for 8 to 12 hours until similarly plumped.

Step Two: Drain the Lentils

Drain the lentils through a colander or mesh sieve. Discard the soaking water.

Step Three: Preheat the Oven and Prepare Baking Pan

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step Four: Process the Lentils

Place the drained, soaked lentils, pumpkin puree, coconut sugar, lemon juice, pumpkin pie spice and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process, stopping several times to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until very smooth (i.e., no noticeable pieces of lentil remain).

Step Five: Blend in the Dry Ingredients

Add the whole psyllium husks and baking soda to the pumpkin mixture in the food processor bowl.

Process, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the processor bowl, until a soft dough forms (it is a very thick, not loose, dough).

Step Six: Shape the Dough

Gather the pumpkin lentil bread dough into a ball. With damp hands, roughly shape the dough into a log. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Shape and flatten the log into a loaf measuring about 9 inches (22.5 cm) long, 4 inches (10 cm) wide and 2 inches (5 cm) high.

Step Six: Bake

Bake the lentil pumpkin loaf in the preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes until the loaf is puffed and risen. The surface of the bread will appear dry, with a deep orange-brown color.

Step Seven: Cool Bread

Transfer the lentil pumpkin bread to a cooling rack or other wire rack. Let the bread cool completely before slicing.

Step Eight: Slice

Slice the bread (crosswise) into thick or thin slices. Enjoy plain, or topped with your favorite spreads and toppings.

Storage

Store the cooled pumpkin lentil bread in an airtight container at (cool) room temperature for one day, the refrigerator for two weeks, or the freezer for up to six months.

This high protein pumpkin lentil bread should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer after one day because of the relatively high moisture content (which can make the bread go bad more quickly than a traditional loaf of bread made with wheat flour, or other gluten-free bread made from flour).

Taste & Texture

• Texture: This high protein pumpkin lentil bread is firm, yet soft, bread with a tender, thin crust. It is wonderful plain, toasted, or warmed for a few minutes in the microwave. It has a close (dense) crumb, which makes it an excellent choice for travel (no crumbling!). The combination of high protein and high fiber also means that one serving is very filling and satisfying.
• Taste: The bread is aromatic from the spices and lightly sweet. You will not taste the lentils, at all. It is less like traditional pumpkin breads (which are almost like cake) and more like a lightly sweet, yeasted bread. You can add more sweetness with additions to the loaf, such as dried fruit, or chopped chocolate. Alternatively, spread slices with jam, nut butter, or other sweet toppings, as desired.

Variation: Rolls Instead of a Loaf

Instead of making one large loaf, consider making pumpkin lentil rolls!

• Divide Into 12 Portions: Divide the dough into twelve equal portions. You can do this by weighing the dough to measure equal portions, eyeballing it, or rolling the dough into an even log and cutting into 12 even amounts.
• Shape into Rounds: Shape each piece into a ball. Flatten and smooth each ball into a 2-inch (7.5 cm) diameter round. Place the pumpkin lentil bread dough rounds on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, spacing 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
• Bake & Cool: Bake in a preheated 350F (180C) oven for 25 to 30 minutes until puffed and a deep golden orange-brown in color. Cool completely on a cooling rack.

Add-In Suggestions

Customize your loaf, or rolls, with a variety of add-ins!

• Extracts or Zests: Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract to the bread dough, and/or add one to two teaspoons of finely grated orange zest.
• Dried Fruit: Add between 1/2 cup to 1 cup of chopped dried fruit, such as dried cranberries, dried blueberries, raisins, dried apricots, dried cherries, prunes, or dried figs.
• Chocolate: Add between 1/2 cup to 1 cup of your favorite dark chocolate chips or chunks. 
• Nuts or Seeds: Add between 1/2 cup to 1 cup chopped nuts or seeds, such as walnuts, pecans, peanuts, pepitas, or sunflower seeds. Alternatively, sprinkle a few nuts or seeds on top of the loaf, or rolls, before baking.

FAQ

• My pumpkin lentil bread is gooey inside. Why? This gluten-free bread should not be gooey inside, at all. If your bread comes out gooey in the middle, it is most likely due to one or more of the following reasons:
  • Oven temperature is not accurate. Use an oven thermometer (they are very inexpensive) to regularly check the accuracy of your oven’s temperature.
  • The pumpkin lentil bread was not baked long enough. The bread may look done before 55 to 60 minutes have passed. That does not mean that it is cooked on the inside. Bake for the entire time.
  • The bread was not cooled before slicing.
  • Inaccurate measurement of ingredients. With minimal gluten-free bread recipes such as this one, accuracy of measurements is critical. I strongly suggest using a kitchen scale for measuring the lentils and whole psyllium husks.

• Can I replace the psyllium with flaxseed meal? No. This particular gluten-free bread recipe can only be made with psyllium husks.
• What can I use in place of coconut sugar? You can substitute an equal amount of brown sugar or granulated cane sugar.
• Can I make this high protein pumpkin lentil bread in a bread maker (bread machine)? I have not tried it so I cannot make recommendations one way or any-other. I can say that you are most likely to have success with unconventional breads, such as this, if you follow the directions given.
• Can I use psyllium powder in place of whole psyllium husks? I have not tested this bread with psyllium powder, but theoretically it should work. Be sure to use an equal weight of psyllium powder to replace the whole psyllium husks (not volume). One tablespoon of whole psyllium husks (5 grams) = One teaspoon psyllium powder (5 grams). 

Healthy Topping Ideas for This Homemade Bread

• My easy Cashew Cream Cheese
• Nut butter or seed butter (try my DIY Sunflower Seed Butter, Pepita Butter, Almond Butter), or Roasted Chickpea Butter
• Brownie Batter Hummus
• Vegan Greek-style yogurt, sliced fruits or fresh berries
• Jam, preserves, or marmalade

Happy baking!

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