This easy keto bread with just 3 main ingredients, and only 0.6 g net carbs per slice, is crusty and perfect for toasting and sandwiches. Plus, the flaxseed bread is 100% gluten-free, wheat-free, flourless, low-carb, sugar-free, oil-free, yeast-free, paleo-friendly, egg-free, dairy-free (vegan), and can be made grain-free!
Diet-Friendly Keto Flaxseed Bread
No matter your dietary requirements, no one should have to forego bread. Over the years, I’ve made plenty of gluten-free bread loaves, rolls, and baguettes. However, if you’re looking for a gluten-free bread that is also high in fiber and protein, and low-carb (keto!), this flaxseed bread recipe is a must-try.
The fiber helps to keep you full for longer while supporting a healthy gut. Meanwhile, flaxseeds are also packed with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids (alpha-lipoic acid), which help to lower total cholesterol. Plus, it’s low GI, meaning no blood sugar spikes, unlike regular bread.
With just 3 main ingredients, where ground flaxseed is key, this linseed bread has an earthy, nutty flavor and relies on baking powder and psyllium husk to double (or even triple) in size while baking without the need for yeast. The resulting bread is crusty on the outside and soft on the inside, without being dry and gritty like other keto bread.
Best of all, by ditching the yeast and gluten, this low-carb flax bread requires no mixer, kneading, or rising time and just 10 minutes to prep. Mix, shape, and bake the dough—no special equipment or skills are required. You might also like this recipe for high-protein lentil bread or keto almond flour tortillas.
The Ingredients
Just three ingredients, plus salt and water, are needed to prepare this keto flaxseed bread recipe.
- Flax seeds: I use whole golden flaxseeds (also called linseeds) for this gluten-free bread that I grind into a fine flour. I don’t recommend using brown flaxseed, as the smell and flavor is far more robust. Do NOT use pre-ground flaxseed meal, as that won’t work since some brands are defatted.
- Psyllium husk powder: This ingredient is essential for helping this gluten-free and wheat-free bread mimic gluten dough, making it easier to work with. Plus, it helps the bread to double (or even triple) in size.
- Baking powder: This will provide the yeast-free bread with lift. You could experiment (I haven’t tried it myself) with 3/4 tsp baking soda and a little vinegar or lemon juice for a grain-free (paleo) bread recipe, or use grain-free baking powder.
- Salt: A small amount of salt will enhance the flavor of the bread.
- Hot water: To bring the dough to the correct consistency and make it pliable.
For the full ingredients list, measurements, complete recipe method, and nutritional information, read the recipe card below.
How to Make Keto Flaxseed Bread?
- First, preheat the oven (either use a convection oven or a gas oven with a fan) to 356 °F/180 °C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat
- Then, blend the flaxseeds in an electric spice/coffee grinder (or small blender) until floury. Transfer the flaxseed meal to a medium-large bowl.
- Add the remaining dry ingredients (psyllium husk powder, baking powder, and salt), and stir with a spoon.
If you only have whole psyllium husk, grind that into a powder after the flax seeds and measure it after grinding!
- Pour in the hot water and mix with the spoon, kneading it with your hands once it’s cool enough to handle.
- Transfer the bread dough to the prepared baking sheet and shape it into a round disk.
- Lightly wet the top of the dough and sprinkle it with extra whole flax seeds, then bake the gluten-free bread for 45-50 minutes, until it doubles (or even triples) in size and has a golden brown crust. Finally, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and enjoying it!
You can enjoy this low-carb bread slathered with hummus, to make avocado toast, for other toasts and sandwiches, and to dip into soups and stews.
Storage Instructions
Store: Once cooled, store any leftover vegan bread tightly covered/ in an airtight container in the fridge for 7 days.
Freeze: You can also freeze this keto bread, either whole or sliced with parchment paper between the slices (to defrost only as much as needed each time) for up to 3 months.
Thaw at room temperature, or thaw/reheat slices in a toaster oven/microwave.
FAQs
Which oven is recommended?
I recommend using a convection oven or an oven with a fan, otherwise, the bread will be denser.
My bread turned out dense or didn’t rise. What is the reason?
Some of the most common mistakes are:
- Using cup measurements instead of the metric measurements I provide (and then measuring 1 1/2 cups of ground flaxseeds instead of whole).
- Using brown flaxseeds instead of golden.
- Using store-bought flaxseed meal (it often has less fat and won’t work).
- Using the same amount in tablespoons of whole psyllium husk instead of psyllium husk powder. If you only have whole psyllium husk, grind that into a powder and measure it after grinding!
- Using too much water.
- Not using hot water (let it simmer in a kettle, then pour it immediately over the dry ingredients).
- Kneading the bread for more than 30 seconds (this might result in a dense, flat loaf).
- Baking the bread with other dishes (like a casserole) which will affect the humidity in the oven.
How many carbs does one slice of this keto bread have?
One slice (from 11 slices) of this healthy low-carb bread contains less than 0.6 g net carbs, which is extremly low! This keto bread contains mainly fiber that helps to keep you full for longer and is very beneficial for a healthy gut.
Why is there a large air bubble in the low-carb bread?
If you don’t grind the golden flax meal fine enough, it can cause issues with the structural integrity of this yeast-free bread. That can mean large air bubbles or even the crust pulling away from the bread within.
Can I use a bread loaf pan?
I haven’t tried it, though it should work. However, the baking time may need adjusting.
Why is my flax bread bitter?
Flaxseeds become rancid quickly and become bitter. Before making the low-carb bread, smell and taste the seeds. When fresh, they should have a mellow, nutty flavor and aroma.
Can I add more flavor to the flaxseed bread recipe?
Just like regular bread, you can add more nutrients and flavor to the linseed bread with the addition of your favorite fresh or dried herbs (thyme, rosemary, sage, Italian seasoning, etc.), spices (onion/garlic powder, etc.), sun-dried tomatoes, minced jalapeños, or some olives. You could even sprinkle some extra seeds (like sunflower, pumpkin, sesame seeds, etc.) over the top.
Recipe Notes
- Use home-ground flax seeds: They’ll taste much better and fresher than pre-ground seeds (which often won’t work if you use a brand of flaxseed that has been defatted). Note that the finer the meal, the better the bread will hold together. Sifting it and re-grinding leftovers will help make a really fine flour.
- Allow to cool completely: Leave it to rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
- Shape the dough to your liking: Instead of one large loaf, feel free to make smaller bread rolls or baguettes and adjust the baking time as needed.
Other Gluten-free ‘Bread’ Recipes
- Gluten-Free Bread Rolls (German Brötchen)
- Vegan Cheesy Garlic Breadsticks
- Potato Flatbread
- 2-Ingredient Lentil Tortillas
- Chickpea Flour Tortillas
- Gluten-Free Pita Bread
- Gluten-Free Naan
If you try this healthy keto flaxseed bread recipe, I’d love a comment and ★★★★★ recipe rating below. Also, please don’t forget to tag me in re-creations on Instagram or Facebook with @elavegan and #elavegan—I love seeing them.
Keto Flaxseed Bread
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (240 g) whole golden flaxseed (see notes)
- 4 Tbsp (40 g) psyllium husk powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ⅓ cups (320 ml) hot water
Instructions
- You can watch the video in the post for visual instructions. I recommend using metric measurements for exact results.First, preheat the oven (either use a convection oven or a gas oven with a fan) to 356 °F/180 °C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Then, blend the whole flax seeds in an electric spice/coffee grinder (or small blender) until floury. Transfer the flaxseed meal to a medium-large bowl.If using ground flaxseed, make sure to use 240 grams (don't measure 1 1/2 cups of ground flax seeds). By grinding the flax seeds the volume will increase a lot, so it's always best to follow metric measurements.
- Add the remaining dry ingredients (psyllium husk powder, baking powder, and salt), and stir with a spoon.If you only have whole psyllium husk, grind that into a powder after the flax seeds and measure it after grinding!
- Pour in the hot water and mix with the spoon, kneading it with your hands for some seconds (up to 30 seconds), once it’s cool enough to handle.
- Transfer the bread dough to the prepared baking sheet and shape it into a round disk.
- Wet the top of the dough and sprinkle it with extra whole flax seeds, then bake the bread for about 50 minutes, until it doubles (or even triples) in size and has a golden brown crust.Please note that it might take longer as each oven is different.
- Finally, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and enjoying it!
Notes
- Please read the FAQs section in the post before making the bread.
- Use home-ground flax seeds: Note that the finer the meal, the better the bread will hold together. Do NOT use store-bought pre-ground flaxseed meal, as that won't work, since some brands are defatted.
- Make sure to use grain-free baking powder if you have to avoid corn.
- Shape the dough to your liking: Instead of one loaf, feel free to make smaller bread rolls or baguettes and adjust the baking time as needed.
- Oven: I noticed that the bread will be denser if NOT using a convection oven or an oven with a fan.
- You can add more flavor to the bread with the addition of your favorite fresh or dried herbs, spices, sun-dried tomatoes, minced jalapeños, or some olives.
- Check out some of the bread remakes which I highlighted in my Instagram story.
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
Equipment
„Simple and Delicious Vegan“ Cookbook by ElaVeganCLICK HERE to order!IF YOU ARE USING PINTEREST, FEEL FREE TO PIN THE FOLLOWING PHOTO:
I used carb soda and apple cider vinegar because I didn’t have baking powder and results were fantastic ..Bread nearly tripled it’s size and was very fluffy. I tried baking powder the next time and loaf rose only half the size. Very disappointing. Bread was still nice but more like a brick.. So carb soda and vinegar is my go to now.. Love this recipe , so easy and yes fresh golden flaxseed is best. I also zap the psyllium.
Hi Maggie, how much baking soda and apple cider vinegar did you use. I’d like to try it that way.
Thanks,
Kerry
The bread tasted wonderful, but unfortunately it did NOT rise. Not even a little. I used only organic ingredients and ground the golden whole flax seeds really fine as well as the psyillium husks. It looked and smelled wonderful, and tastes awesome but did NOT rise at all.
Your baking odder maybe was old…
The best ever keto Bread…thank you very much🙂
I am so glad you like it, Annie. 🙂
Hello Ela,
I have made several of your recipes without a problem but this bread recipe didn’t come out right for me.
I followed the measurements and the exact ingredients very closely but the bread, after 55 minute was still very soft inside. Do not know where it went wrong… I grounded the flax seeds, and all my ingredients were of very god quality.
Hey Jan, did you use psyllium husk powder instead of whole psyllium? Unfortunately, a lot of readers make this mistake.
Fabulous recipe – thank you! I had only brown flaxseed on hand, and my first loaf ended up looking so much like Pumpernickel I decided to change the recipe so it would taste like Pumpernickel too. Turned out great!
I added 1.5 teaspoons of salt to the recipe instead of 1/2 tsp and added about a tbsp of caraway seeds to the dough. I also put caraway seeds instead of flaxseeds on top. It tastes just like Pumpernickel! Great plain or toasted. Love it!
I used the exact measurements you gave (except for my 2 slight changes), stirred the ingredients a lot in the mixing bowl and broke up all the lumps too, and I used water that was almost boiling, I made a single long loaf and flattened it a bit, and I baked it for an hour at 355 F.
Thanks for your great feedback. 🙂
Will this work if the ingredients are cold? Im reading that u should store the flax seed in the fridge.
Yes, absolutely.
Thanks for the reply!
Actually I have another question. Id like to make the dough but freeze most of it as smaller balls, and just bake them whenever i need to. Is there any reason why freezing the dough wouldn’t work? Have you tried doing this yourself?
Thanks in advance!
Hey, that’s a good question. I actually never tried freezing the dough, so I am not sure.
I am highly intolerant of flax seeds. Can I use chia seeds instead of the flax seeds?
I am afraid that won’t work.
Hi Ela, is it possible to replace the psyllium husk with chia?
Hi Coco, chia won’t work. 🙂
looking forward to trying this recipe – have ordered ingredients from Amazon as i can’t find them here in Austria. Have been told I have a fatty liver so looking at changing my diet.. your recipes look delicious.m Regards
Great! I hope you will like it. 🙂
I was really disappointed that my bread didn’t rise at all. I followed the recipe, except that my 4 Tbsp of psyllium Husl powder didn’t weight anywhere close to 40g, so I actually die put 40g in. Could this be a problem?
Not sure what went wrong. Is it possible that it was whole psyllium?
Delicious!
I just made this – it is my first time with this recipe and the second time making a flax bread. The addition of psyllium is fabulous for the texture.
Instead of salt, I added 4 tsp of Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel Seasoning and a teaspoon of black seeds. Then I sprinkled more EBtBS on top. Yum.
Wonderful! I am so glad you liked it. 🙂
I only have brown flax so changed 20 gr with
almond flour, these 3 roles were delicious even if
they were a bit dense second time I tried I replaced
20 gr with almond flour and 20 more gr with dry soy
flakes and put a bit more water (180 ml instead of 160- made half the recipe) and the water wasnt boiling it was just getting clouded in the kettle worked really
fast to put it as soon as I could in my ninja 170
degrees 30 min.. and it came out AMAZING! THANK YOU SOO MUCH FOR SHARING
You are very welcome, Rona. 🙂
Thank you for this amazing recipe! I adore bread and can’t have it on Keto, so this Keto option ticks all the boxes for me! Spongy and light,and tastes gorgeous!! Thank you so much for sharing! x
I am so glad you like it, Liz. 🙂
Hi there! I love the idea of this recipe and your photos look amazing.
I thought I would give it a go this morning but it didn’t work out too well for me. The bread came out very doughy and dense in parts, and the dough didn’t come together nicely like yours did. I wonder where it went wrong?
I used 100 degrees celsius water and pre-ground flaxmeal flour., so that could be the problem. Any advice?
Thank you.
Hey! As mentioned before, pre-ground flaxmeal doesn’t work because it’s often defatted. That’s why I ONLY recommend whole golden flaxseed freshly ground into flour…
I love the idea of this bread. I have attempted to make it several times but the bread continues to sink to the bottom. What might cause this? Could it be the temperature of the water or that I used brown flax seeds instead of golden? Any thoughts?
Yes, brown flax seeds will make the bread more dense, that’s why I don’t recommend them. Also, the flaxseed must be very finely and freshly ground (not using store-bought flaxseed meal as that won’t work).
how hot should be water?
I would say around 60°C is fine.
I am excited to find your wonderful recipes!
The grinder you use looks so handy, and the other cooking tools you use (plates, etc., all in great taste!) Do you have a page where you showcase about them?
Hi Jasmin, this is the grinder I have: https://www.amazon.com/KRUPS-Electric-Coffee-Grinder-Stainless/dp/B00004SPEU/
My plates are from all over the world (I don’t have any links for them). 🙂
Thank you for your reply!
I will buy it and use it too since it is unexpectedly affordable.
I have been ill and have become more careful with my food.
With your interesting collection of recipes, I will be able to have fun in my daily life.
I can feel your great sense of taste in all your recipes. Will try the recipes as they are. Thank you.
Thanks for your kind words, I appreciate it. I hope you will enjoy my recipes. 🙂
Brilliant recipe! It came out exactly like the pictures😁
So happy to hear! 🙂
I’m not seeing the measurement for the ground flaxseed, only for the whole flaxseed. How many cups ground flaxseed? Thank you.
Please use metric measurements, which means 240 grams. Cup measurements are not exact and for this recipe you really have to use exact measurements. Also, you should freshly grind whole flaxseed, and not use store-bought ground flaxseed.
HI ,
Thanks for sharing this keto recipe, my question is ….what can be the best replacement for psyllium husk? Thanks.
Hi! Currently, I don’t know of any replacement that would work in this recipe.
i believe someone said chia seeds can replace the psyllium powder.. I would grind them….
Hello! I attempted this bread twice. Both times the dough sunk to the bottom and didn’t bake through.
Here’s what I did differently. I used xantham gum with the appropriate substituted amounts. I used preground flax seed. I used a bread pan to bake. I also live in CO at altitude so I’m wondering if that made a difference. What can or should I do differently? It certainly had a wonderful taste!
Thanks!
Hello! First, you did NOT follow the recipe. Actually, you completely changed it.
1) I never, not once, mentioned that xanthan gum can be used as sub, because it can’t be used in this recipe!
2) I mention several times to use WHOLE flax seeds and grind them fresh. Pre-packed ground flaxseed is often de-fatted and won’t work in this recipe!
3) I never baked the bread in a bread pan. However, any moisture in the oven will negatively affect the bread, so I do not recommend it.
I hope, next time, you will follow the recipe.