Easy Seed Bread (Vegan, Gluten-Free, No Yeast)
on Aug 06, 2023, Updated Apr 22, 2026
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This flourless seed bread is one of those recipes that seems like it shouldn’t work. There’s no flour, no eggs and no yeast. Psyllium husk and chia seeds do the binding work that gluten would normally handle, and what comes out of the oven is a dense, nutty, satisfying loaf. I’ve been making it for years and it’s a go-to for a hearty breakfast or snack any time of day.
It’s made entirely from seeds like sunflower, pumpkin, flax and chia, which makes it naturally gluten-free, grain-free, and suitable for keto and paleo diets. It’s easy to amke too, just one bowl, ten minutes of prep, and fifty minutes in the oven.
Top Review
I’m about to make my 6th bread with this recipe. It’s really good! I don’t put a sweetener and I really like it like this. I have tried it with tahini and almond butter, as well with a combo of both. For the additional seeds, I tried sesame seeds and macadamias, as well as just extra of the pumpkin seeds. Thanks a lot, this helps me stay full on a lower carb diet due to reactive hypoglycemia.
Why This Seed Bread Works
Most flourless breads rely on eggs to bind everything together. This one uses psyllium husk powder and chia seeds instead, which absorb the water and form a gel that holds the loaf together through baking. The result is a dense, hearty slice with a nutty, earthy flavour and a texture that holds up well to toasting and toppings.
No flour, no eggs, no dairy, no yeast. One bowl, ten minutes of prep. It’s naturally vegan, gluten-free, grain-free and keto-friendly, and high in fibre and healthy fats from the seeds.
It’s also very easy to customize. Different seed combinations, herbs and spices, or a touch of sweetener all change the flavour of the loaf without changing the method.
🔍 Recipe at a Glance
Prep Time: 10 min
Bake Time: 50 min
Servings: 14 slices
Per Serving: 146 calories | 5g protein | 5g fibre
Diet: Vegan, gluten-free, low-carb.
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredient Notes
- Sunflower Seeds: Use raw, plain sunflower seeds with no added oil or salt. These form the bulk of the loaf and give it substance and a mild, nutty flavour.
- Pumpkin Seeds: Also known as pepitas. Use raw seeds with no added oil or salt. They add crunch and colour and are one of the most nutrient-dense seeds you can use.
- Mixed Seeds: For the remaining half cup you can use more pumpkin seeds or mix and match from hemp seeds, sesame seeds or finely chopped nuts. This is where you have the most flexibility, use whatever you have on hand or enjoy.
- Flaxseeds: Must be ground, not whole. Whole flaxseeds won’t absorb water or bind anything. Ground flaxseed acts as a binder alongside the chia and psyllium husk.
- Chia Seeds: You can use white or black chia seeds. Like flaxseed, they absorb water and expand, adding to the binding structure of the loaf.
- Psyllium Husk Powder: This is what holds the loaf together in place of gluten and eggs. It absorbs most of the water and forms a gel that gives the bread its structure. It can’t be substituted or skipped, without it the bread won’t hold its shape.
- Sweetener: Optional, but I find a touch of sweetness improves the flavour, it balances the earthiness of the seeds. I used stevia to keep it sugar-free but 1 tbsp maple syrup or sugar can also be used. Monk fruit is another good sugar-free option.
- Tahini: I like tahini best here. It adds a mild, slightly bitter nuttiness that works well with the seeds. Sunflower seed butter, almond butter or cashew butter all work as substitutes, as does peanut butter, though peanut butter is more noticeable in flavour.
This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.
How to Make Seed Bread
Quick Overview of how to make seed bread:
- Mix dry ingredients.
- Add tahini and water.
- Press into loaf pan.
- Bake for 50 minutes.
- Cool completely before slicing.
Step 1. Mix the dry ingredients. The dry ingredients include all the seeds plus the psyllium husk powder and salt. If you want to add seasonings like herbs and spices or sweetener to the bread, add that now as well.
I recommend using 1 cup of sunflower seeds plus a mixture of other seeds like sesame, hemp and pepitas.
Step 2. Add the tahini and water and mix it into a doughy paste. It’s going to be quite thick, paste-like and kind of dry but that’s perfect.
Step 3. Add the dough into the lined loaf pan and spread evenly until flat. Pop it in the oven and bake for 50 minutes.
Quick Tip: Do not skip lining the loaf pan with parchment paper. Parchment paper makes it super easy to lift the bread out of the pan once baked.
Once it’s done, lift it out of the pan and let cool on a rack for 15 minutes before slicing.
Troubleshooting Your Seed Bread
The dough looks wrong. This is the most common concern and almost always fine. The dough should be thick, paste-like and quite dry, not like a typical bread dough. If it looks like wet cement, you’re on the right track. It won’t look like anything you’d expect bread dough to look like before baking.
The bread is crumbly when I slice it. Almost always caused by slicing too soon. Let the bread cool completely on a rack, the longer it sits, the firmer it becomes. If it’s still crumbly after fully cooling, the psyllium husk measurement was likely slightly off. Use a kitchen scale and go by the gram measurements rather than cups, especially for psyllium husk which is very light and easy to mis-measure by volume.
The bread isn’t baking through the middle. Check the dough consistency before it goes in, it should be thick and paste-like. If it’s too wet the centre won’t set properly. Another cause is older psyllium husk, flax or chia seeds that have lost their absorbency. If your binding seeds are more than a year old, they may not absorb water as effectively.
It came out too sweet. The sweetener is optional. If you used the full amount of stevia and found it too sweet, reduce it or leave it out entirely next time. The bread is perfectly good without any sweetener, several readers prefer it that way.
Can I use whole psyllium husk instead of powder? Whole husks and powder measure very differently by volume. Whole husks are much lighter, so a ¼ cup of whole husks weighs significantly less than 45g. Go by the gram weight (45g) rather than the cup measurement if using whole husks, or ideally use the powder.
The dough is still liquid after mixing. Make sure you’re mixing all dry ingredients with the tahini and water together in one bowl, the tahini doesn’t go in separately. The mixture will thicken quickly as the psyllium husk and chia seeds absorb the water. If it’s still very wet after a few minutes of mixing, let it sit for 5 minutes and stir again.
Seed Bread FAQs
Yes. For savoury versions, add garlic powder, herbs, or everything bagel seasoning. For a slightly sweet version, add cinnamon and a small amount of maple syrup or use a sugar-free sweetener.
Yes, this recipe is gluten-free as written.
Yes. You can replace up to 1 cup of the seeds with finely chopped nuts like almonds, walnuts, or pecans. Keep the flax, chia, and psyllium husk unchanged, as they’re needed for binding.
It keeps for 2–3 days at room temperature, up to 1 week in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer. For best results, slice before freezing so you can thaw individual pieces as needed.
Yes. Sunflower seed butter is the closest substitute. Almond butter, cashew butter, or peanut butter also work, though they will slightly change the flavour.
No. Psyllium husk is essential for structure. It absorbs water and forms a gel that replaces gluten and eggs. Without it, the bread will not hold together.
Sunflower and pumpkin seeds form the base, while flax, chia, and psyllium husk provide structure. Hemp and sesame seeds work well for variety and flavour. Avoid reducing the binding seeds.
Yes. This seed bread is low in net carbs, with about 3g net carbs per slice. It contains no flour or grains, making it suitable for keto and low-carb diets.
Yes. Slice the loaf, store in an airtight container or freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Toast directly from frozen or thaw at room temperature. You can also wrap and freeze the loaf whole.
Yes. Seed bread is high in fibre, healthy fats, and plant-based protein from ingredients like flax, chia, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds. It’s also more filling than traditional bread, which can help with satiety and blood sugar control.
Key Tips for Perfect Seed Bread
- Line the pan properly. Use parchment paper with overhang on the sides so you can lift the loaf out cleanly. Skipping this makes removal difficult and can cause the bread to break.
- Measure by weight if possible. Psyllium husk, flax, and chia are easy to mis-measure by volume. Even small differences can affect how well the bread holds together, so a kitchen scale makes a big difference here.
- Let it cool completely before slicing. This is non-negotiable. The structure continues to set as it cools, and slicing too early is the main reason this bread turns out crumbly.
- Expect a dense loaf. This bread won’t rise like traditional bread. There’s no flour or leavening, so the texture is intentionally compact, hearty, and filling.
How to Serve Seed Bread
Try this delicious, hearty bread topped with:
- avocado – I like adding salt, pepper and hot sauce too!
- avocado and thinly sliced smoked tofu
- any nut or seed butter
- with soup for dipping
- with smoked salmon
- nut butter and banana
- jam – try this homemade chia seed jam
- hummus – try with sprouts, cucumber, tomato etc.
- vegan cream cheese and tomato or strawberries
- herbed tofu ricotta
- date paste
- slow cooker apple butter
Storing and Freezing
- The loaf can be stored at room temperature in a cool, dry location for 2-3 days.
- It’s recommend to slice and store the loaf in a sealed container in the fridge or freezer.
- It will keep in the fridge for 1 week or can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Enjoy straight from the fridge or warm for a few minutes in a toaster oven, oven or microwave.
If you make this recipe, please consider leaving a comment and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe, and I love to hear from you. Thanks for trying my recipes! – Deryn
Seed Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw sunflower seeds, 150 g
- 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas), 80 g
- 1/2 cup mixed seeds of choice, choose from hemp seeds, more raw pumpkin seeds or sesame seeds, approx. 70 g
- 1/4 cup ground flaxseed, 30 g
- 1/4 cup chia seeds, 45 g
- 1/4 cup psyllium husk powder, 45 g
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp powdered stevia, 10-20 drops liquid stevia or 1 tbsp maple syrup, optional*
- 1/4 cup tahini, 60 g
- 1 1/4 cup water, 295 mL
Instructions
- Prepare for Baking: Preheat the oven to 375 F and line a standard-sized loaf pan (approx. 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.5 in) with parchment paper with the ends sticking out over the sides so you can lift the finished bread out of the pan.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Add everything except the tahini and water to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the tahini and water and stir into a thick, doughy paste.
- Add Dough to Pan: Place the dough in the lined loaf pan and use your hands to evenly spread and press it down into a flat, even layer.
- Bake: Bake for 50 minutes. If you tap the loaf and it sounds hollow, it's done. If not, return to the oven for a little longer.
- Cool: Remove from the oven. Let sit for a couple of minutes then use the parchment paper to lift the loaf out of the pan. Let cool on a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes. Slice into 12-14 slices.
Baking this bread for years, low carbs. All my friends ask for the recipe. Yuum, feeling not deprived of bread
What can I substitute the chia seeds with?
You could potentially try using all ground flax but I haven’t tested that myself. The texture, density and moisture of the bread works best with chia. If you read through the comments, you may find another reader that’s tried it without chia but sorry, I can’t say for sure myself without testing. My best suggestion would be to increase the flax to 1/2 cup.
Excellent! Very easy and delicious, I used 2 tbs of Maple Syrup version.
Can I use xantham gum instead of p husk? I cannot hace p husk!
I’m sorry, I have not tested that and I don’t have much experience with xantham gum.
I could not find p husk and decided to substitute it with buckwheat flour. The taste was unbelievable and the loaf held together well.
Super easy to make. Taste is quite bland. Wondering how to make it taste better with different toppings perhaps.
Hi. I want to try this recipe but your gram measurements don’t add up. 1/4 cup of psyllium husk is not 45g. Also I think there is a glitch in the site- if we increase the measurements to 2X or 3X , the gram weight remains static. This is the same for chia seed jam also. I tried following your recipe by using a weighing scale ( as mentioned in your notes) and then the cup measurements to the grams is off for certain items and completely off for lighter items like psyllium husk. Please can you correct this? I would like to make this bread and jam. Thanks.
The gram measurements don’t work if you increase the measurements unfortunately, sorry about that, it’s how the recipe card functions. The psyllium husk powder I used is 45g for 1/4 cup so please go by the gram measurement for that. Any weights provided are exactly what was used in the recipe development. Thank you!
Just made it for the first time. I was looking for a recipe that uses sunflower seeds and is keto. I love it!
I soaked the chia seeds in the water with the tahini for about 15 minutes before mixing everything. I used 1/2 a Splenda sachet. That’s a keeper! will make another one for my In laws…making points here.
Thanks so much!
Love this recipe and have made it many times. I add cayenne pepper, a natural herb and garlic mix and salt – and leave out the sweetener. I’ve done it with and without and prefer it without.
Hello. Your seed bread looks lovely. Are the nutrition facts for how heavy a slice? If I don’t know, I can’t make it 🙂
Thank you
I don’t have the weight per slice but it’s for slicing the loaf into 14 portions. Thanks!
I have made this recipe several times, and it’s delicious! After baking and cooling, I usually put half in the fridge and the other half in the freezer. I’ve started having problems with the freezer getting moldy very quickly after pulling it out. Any suggestions on how to prevent this? Thank you!