Artisan Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread

The short answer

This is the loaf we bake when we want a real crust and a slice that can stand up to soup. The formula upgrades our house gluten-free sourdough with King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour, or an equivalent high-protein gluten-free bread blend, plus whole psyllium husk for a gel network that wheat gluten would otherwise provide. Hydration sits at 100 percent of flour weight, so the mix looks like a thick batter that firms as the husk hydrates, not a kneadable wheat dough. We use 20 percent active brown-rice starter at 100 percent hydration and 2 percent salt. Instant yeast appears only as an optional note for sluggish winter kitchens in Indianapolis; the loaf does not require it. Bake in a screaming-hot Dutch oven at 500F with the lid on, then finish lid-off for color. Cool at least two hours so the crumb sets. The result is a blistered boule with a nutty, gently tangy crumb and a crackling crust you can hear from across the counter. Score deep enough to open, and trust the steam trapped under the lid more than any extra handling.

For the method behind gluten-free structure, read the gluten-free sourdough guide and keep a lively culture with the starter guide.

Why it works

• Whole psyllium husk at 6% of flour weight forms a flexible gel that traps fermentation gas the way gluten would.
• 100% hydration gives enough water for rice-based bread flour to fully gelatinize in the oven without collapsing into paste.
• A covered 500F bake traps steam so the loaf can expand; lid-off drying sets a thick crust.
• A long cool lets starch retrogradation finish; that is structure, not patience for its own sake.

Nutrition

Approximate values per serving. Always verify labels if you bake for celiac safety.

Substitutions

King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour

500g of a similar certified gluten-free bread blend (brown rice, sorghum, tapioca or potato starch, and a little millet). Avoid 1:1 cake-style blends; they bake up cakey.

Whole psyllium husk (30g)

26g psyllium powder (about 85% of husk weight). Do not swap xanthan 1:1; xanthan at this hydration makes a sticky, tight crumb.

Brown-rice starter (100g)

100g active sorghum starter at 100% hydration. Keep the inoculation at 15–30% of flour weight.

Dutch oven

A lidded roasting pan or a baking steel plus a preheated pan of water for steam. The 500F lid-on then lid-off sequence is what builds the crust.

Storage

Cool completely, then keep cut-side down on a board for 24 hours, or wrap in a clean towel for up to 2 days at room temperature. Slice and freeze up to 2 months; toast from frozen. Refrigeration stales the crumb faster than the counter.

Notes

• Whole psyllium husk at 6% is the structure. If you only have powder, use about 26g (85% of the husk weight) and expect a slightly tighter crumb.
• Instant yeast is optional and not required: 1/8 tsp mixed into the dry flours can lift a weak starter in a cold house. It will taste a little less lactic.
• The mix should look like thick batter that gels, not wheat dough. Adding extra flour to make it kneadable dries the crumb.
• Preheat the Dutch oven a full 45 minutes at 500F. A shy preheat gives a dull crust and a tight score.
• Cool at least 2 hours. Gluten-free crumb finishes setting as starches retrograde; slicing early is the most common cause of gumminess.

FAQ