Cassava Bread (Grain-Free, Nut-Free)

Today I am sharing with you this Gluten-Free Cassava Bread because so many of you have asked me to create bread without grains and nut flour. So here it is a grain-free and nut-free bread.

The cassava bread is a little denser than typical sandwich bread. It has a texture more of German rye bread. For extra healthiness, I added chia seeds, sesame seeds and psyllium husk.

This Gluten-free cassava bread is made using two flours, cassava and arrowroot. Neither of these two flours are made from grains, but I will talk about cassava later.

The bread slices very easily without crumbling. You can slice it relatively thin, which is great because you can make sandwiches without overwhelming the filling with thick slices of bread.

You will especially love this grain-free, nut-free cassava bread if you like denser bread.

What is cassava flour?

I must admit this is the first time I used cassava flour. I was a bit surprised how absorbent this flour is, very similar to coconut flour. Because of the high absorbency, the measurements have to be exact for this recipe.

This means do not scoop the flour with your measuring cup, but rather use a scoop to fill the measuring cup and level the flour off with a knife.

When measuring any flour, you should use this technique unless you are weighing the flour. Weighing is ultimately the best way to measure flour.

However, I know some of you don’t have a kitchen scale, and this is why all my recipes are measured with measuring cups. As long as you follow the scoop – fill – level technique, this recipe will turn out perfect!

How is cassava flour made?

Sorry, I digressed a bit, so what is cassava flour? Cassava flour comes from grating and drying cassava root. Cassava root is also known as yucca. You may have heard of the yucca plant. Cassava is a plant that has a starchy root, which is used to make the flour.

If I were going to compare the texture to another vegetable, it would be a potato. It’s an underground tuber. Cassava has a very mild nutty flavour and is why this naturally gluten-free flour makes an excellent flour substitute in gluten-free baking.

It is also easy to digest, making it a good choice for people with sensitive digestive systems and is acceptable for paleo diets.

gluten free cassava bread recipe details

This grain-free, nut-free bread is pretty straight forward. It is a yeast leavened bread, so you need to proof the yeast first. If the yeast doesn’t bubble up, discard it and start again. Often when the yeast is dated, it will not work as it should. Next, combine the dry ingredients.

For moisture, I used eggs, olive oil and apple cider vinegar, you need to beat these three ingredients together until light and creamy, then mix in the yeast mixture.

Next, combine the wet mixture with dry ingredients until you form a smooth dough. This takes about a minute, then place the dough in a loaf pan, sprinkle with extra sesame seeds and allow the bread to rise in a warm place.

I have noted that I recommend to proof the bread in a warm oven. To do this, preheat the oven to 90 F and turn the oven off. It makes a difference in the bread texture because there are no cold drafts, allowing the bread to rise quickly. 

It is important to know that gluten-free dough doesn’t rise the same as the wheat dough. The dough will rise anywhere from a third to fifty percent – this is normal.

Now you are ready to bake the bread. No kneading or double rising is necessary to make this grain-free, nut-free cassava bread.

2 ingredients that make the best cassava bread

Gluten-free bread is often reluctant to rise. Add apple cider vinegar and dry milk to the mix, and the gluten-free bread will get that extra needed lift and tender texture.

Why does apple cider vinegar help the bread dough rise?

Yeast likes an acidic environment, so the vinegar will stimulate the yeast making it more active. However, an alkaline environment is not suitable for yeast. Vinegar also helps to strengthen dough, giving the bread a springy texture the way regular bread is.

Here are our 3 favorite gluten free bread recipes.

Healthy Gluten-Free Flax Bread

Gluten Free Portuguese Bread

Gluten-Free Homemade Italian Bread

Why is dry milk essential to add to gluten free bread recipes?

Dry milk will result in the bread in a more tender texture, adds a smoother and more mellow flavour, and it will help the bread rise significantly higher.

Why did my gluten free bread collapse?

The bread dough has expanded too much. This means that the yeast in the bread has exhausted itself. So when you bake the bread, the dough cannot rise anymore because the yeast cannot produce any more gasses. This makes the bread slightly collapse.

Another reason is if the bread isn’t fully baked. Once you take it out of the oven and the bread starts to cool, it will collapse. This applies to most gluten-free baked goods.

I would like to note that this bread is not soft and light. It is a denser bread and makes excellent healthy sandwiches. You can add avocado, tomatoes, lettuce, onions…whatever your heart desires. My favourite filling is a healthy salmon spread.

To create a good grain-free and nut-free bread wasn’t easy. However, if you have to follow a grain and nut-free diet, you will enjoy this delicious hearty bread.

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Many thanks!

Kristina xx