This chia almond low carb bread recipe has a texture just like whole-wheat bread and can be baked as a loaf or as rolls. A perfect everyday grain free bread, this easy recipe is gluten free, Keto and delicious with sweet and savoury toppings. No eggy taste!
Sandra: "This is the first low carb bread that tastes great and is like actual bread. I love it."⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Since I first published this recipe in August 2018, this bread has become a firm reader favourite with hundreds of five-star reviews like the one above.
Together with my almond flour bread, it is one of the most popular recipes on my website.
I am so happy with this bread - it might just be my personal all time favourite. The texture reminds me of whole-wheat bread. It is soft, with a tender crunch in the crust.
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Can you eat bread on a low carb diet?
Yes! As long as it is a grain-free, low-carb bread like this one.
When I first went low carb, I thought I had to give up bread forever as grains are off the menu. Wheat and other grains contain easy-to-digest carbohydrates that the body converts into glucose (=sugar). Eating grains provides a short-term energy boost and will spike your blood sugar - whether you choose a white loaf or a "healthy" whole-wheat one. Shortly after, your insulin levels plummet and you'll feel hungry again.
As Dr Willam Davis writes, 2 slices of whole-wheat bread raise blood sugar higher than 6 teaspoons of table sugar. Read his book Wheat Belly, in which he explains in detail why we should ditch wheat and other grains - it's an eye-opener.
The good news is, there are plenty of bread recipes using grain free flours. These will not spike your insulin levels the way regular bread does AND they taste absolutely delicious.
Ingredients
Let's talk ingredients! Here is what you need to make a delicious keto-friendly bread that does not taste eggy at all.
Quark - The Secret Ingredient
The secret ingredient in this low carb bread recipe is quark. This German cooking cheese is made by heating soured milk until it curdles.
Why does quark work so well in this recipe?
- Recipes using almond flour can result in a crumbly, dry texture because of the lack of gluten. The quark makes up for this and gives this low carb loaf a wonderfully moist bread-like texture.
- Quark makes this recipe also less heavy than other grain free bread recipes, because we use it in place of fats such as butter or coconut oil. As almond flour contains plenty of healthy fats ALREADY, you still get that lovely low carb long-term energy boost.
If you have difficulties sourcing it, replace the quark with Greek yoghurt. This will alter the taste slightly, but it would still work well.
Other Ingredients Needed
- Eggs. The eggs should be large and room temperature. This helps the bread rise better.
- Almond flour and coconut flour. Both almond flour and almond meal (or ground almonds) work in this recipe. The added coconut flour further improves the bread-like texture and taste.
- Psyllium husk provides an extra dose of fibre, which we all need for well-functioning digestion. It gives the bread more substance and that whole-wheat taste. Check what kind of psyllium you have - if you want to use psyllium powder, use only 1 ½ tablespoons as opposed to the 3 tablespoons stated for the crushed husks.
- Chia seeds. You can use black or white chia, whichever you can get hold of. These awesome superfood seeds are not only packed with nutrients, but they also act as a binder. That's why you only need 3 eggs for this bread. Other low-carb bread recipes use as many as six eggs. Fewer eggs = zero eggy taste!!!
- In addition to the above, we're using baking powder, a pinch of salt and sunflower seeds. The sunflower seeds are optional. Any other seeds would work just as well - sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds, for example.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Instructions
Below are the basic steps to make this bread. Scroll down to the recipe card for a detailed method.
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, blend the eggs and quark with an electric mixer until smooth.
Step 2: Add the almond flour or ground almonds, coconut flour, baking powder and salt. Blend until fully combined.
Step 3: Add the chia seeds and psyllium husks. Add the optional sunflower seeds if you're using them.
Step 4: Fill the dough into the loaf tin and let it rest for 15 minutes so the psyllium and the chia can absorb the liquid. Sprinkle more sunflower seeds over the top.
Step 5: Bake the bread for around 45 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and a knife inserted comes out clean.
Let the bread cool fully before slicing. It is fragile while hot and firms up as it cools.
Katrin's Top Tip
I used a small loaf tin (18 x 9 cm / 7 x 3.5 inch) with a volume of 450 ml. It is about half the size of regular loaf tins. Low carb breads tend to be extremely filling as they are nutrient-dense, that's why this smaller size is just perfect.
Variations
Super-fluffy bread: For an even fluffier and lighter bread, separate the eggs. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold them in last.
Dairy-free: A reader has told me that she used silken tofu instead of the quark and it worked a treat. Almond or coconut yogurt also works as a dairy-free alternative to quark and yogurt - although I have not yet tried it myself in this recipe.
More Quark alternatives: Many of my readers use Greek yogurt instead of quark. Another high protein option is blended cottage cheese. Drain all liquid before blending it!
No psyllium husk: Use ground flaxseed instead.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. If you want to use a full-size loaf tin, double the recipe and increase the oven time by around 15 minutes.
Yes. Let the dough rest until the chia and psyllium have absorbed all moisture before you handle the dough! Form 6 bread rolls with wet hands and put them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Or portion the dough with a spoon to make drop biscuits. Bake them at the same temperature for about 35 minutes.
I have never used a bread machine, but readers have told me that they mix the dough beforehand and then use the quick bake setting of their bread machine.
Storage
Store the bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Can you freeze this bread?
Absolutely! I like to pre-slice my loaves and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Layre parchment paper between the slices so they don't stick together.
Then, I pop each slice straight from the freezer in the toaster. This is meal planning the German way - we were brought up on bread and I just NEED to know I can have a sandwich when I feel like one!
Ready to try out more keto bread?
I have plenty of coconut and almond flour bread recipes on the blog. Check out my rustic Paleo bread with seeds, this soft fluffy flaxseed bread or this lusciously chewy-crunchy low carb garlic bread.
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Recipe
Everyday Low Carb Bread
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup quark 250g, (use Greek yoghurt as an alternative)
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup almond flour 100g, or ground almonds
- 2 tablespoon coconut flour 12g
- 3 tablespoon psyllium husks 18g, 1.5 tbsp if using psyllium husk powder)
- 3 tablespoon chia seeds 30g
- ½ tablespoon baking powder 6g
- ½ tsp / large pinch salt
- 2 tablespoon sunflower seeds optional, 15g
Instructions
- Line a small loaf tin (450ml capacity) with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, mix the eggs and quark with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Add the almond flour/ground almonds, coconut flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until fully combined.
- Last, add the chia seeds and psyllium husks. Add the sunflower seeds if you're using them.
- Fill the dough into the loaf tin and let it rest for 15 minutes so the psyllium and the chia can absorb the liquid. Sprinkle sunflower seeds on the top.
- Preheat the oven to 170 Celsius / 340 Fahrenheit.
- Bake for around 45 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and a knife inserted comes out clean.
Christine Cort
Each time I bake with psyllium husk I end up with a really dense, and almost 'soggy-middle' end result - even after baking for much longer than advised. I'm really not getting along with it! 🙁 What could I be doing wrong? I can't work out if I'm over-mixing or not mixing enough - over-cooking or not cooking enough - any suggestions? I don't have a food processor (i do everything by hand or with an electric whisk) so not sure if that us why? Help!
Katrin
An electric whisk is absolutely fine for these kind of recipes. I'd say don't over-mix, so you keep some air in the dough. Another thing you can do is check that your baking powder is fresh! It should fizz when you put it in water. If it's old, bread and cakes won't rise as well. Hope this helps 🙂
Deborah Reasoner
I made this bread last night. My family loved it. We all thought it was amazing. I used Greek yogurt and it was delicious!!
Katrin
Glad you liked the bread Deborah!
Lara
Hi mine turned out a little doughy don’t know where I went wrong my first time eating low carb bread so maybe it’s an acquired tadte
Katrin
Hi Lara, if you felt the bread was too wet it may be your oven - they can vary in temperature. Next time, just leave it in a bit longer, and test with a knife, making sure it comes out clean.
Lara
Hi Katrin
I made this today with Greek yoghurt and cooked for 48 mins it was perfect and delicious
Katrin
WOnderful! Glad to hear it went well 🙂
Alison Anderson
Looking forward to trying this recipe. Would it work if I doubled the recipe and cooked it in a regular sized bread tin? How much longer do you think it would take to cook?
Katrin
Hi, I’m sure it would work. I‘d leave it in the oven for an extra 20 minutes. You may have to cover the top at the end with aluminium foil to prevent it from burning. Be sure to test it’s done by inserting a knife, it should come out clean
Diane
Fantastic recipe. So easy and tasty. This will now be a regular for me! Thanks
Mandy
I made a lot of GF bread, this definitely has the best texture and so tasty. I used buckwheat flour instead of coconut flour because that's what I had and added Flax meal and Teff seeds to make it more grainy. This will be my new bread recipe.
Joanna
I am making this bread weekly for my husband, and it's a huge success. For those who wonder about alternatives to quark, I've used thick Greek yogurt and also something called Icelandic yogurt (Skyr) and both work fine. I also use 1 C egg whites from a carton instead of whole eggs, and add 1/2 cup of protein powder, 1/4 cup of oat bran and 1/4 quarter cup of almond milk, in order to fill a regular loaf pan. It rises beautifully and slices really thin!
Katrin
Thank you for your detailed recipe alteration tips! I've been meaning to start using protein powder in recipes so these are great recommendations 🙂
Ingrid Prendergast
I would love to implement your alterations but can't have oats. Can you recommend a replacement? Thanks.
Katrin Nürnberger
Maybe flax would be an alternative.
Helen Gregory
I now use this bread as my go-to bread alternative, baking it 2-3 times a week. It's delicious, keeps really well in the fridge, tastes great as a sandwich or just as toast with lashings of butter. Brilliant recipe.
Katrin
Wonderful! I'm really happy you like it 🙂
Wendy
Can you sub out sour cream for Greek yogurt...I don't want to run back out to the store
Katrin
I think that could work too. You'd have a higher fat content. See if it has the same firmness as Greek yoghurt. Maybe use a tiny bit less if it's really liquid (or increase the baking time accordingly)
Lawren Phillips
How much fiber and omega 3 does this recipe have? My daughter needs both of these added to her diet..
Katrin
A serving contains 3.9g of fibre and 0.5 g of omega 3 from the chia seeds.