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Urad Dal Lentils made into a batter and baked to make a soft flavorful nutritious Lentil bread. This Lentil Sandwich Bread is Free of dairy, egg, soy, gluten, nut. Can be made corn-free. Can be made grain-free by omitting the rice flour. Paleo Vegan Glutenfree Recipe.
The amazing thing about Urad dal (split and dehusked black gram) batter is that it aerates by itself really well. Hence, the dal is the mandatory ingredient in the southern Indian crepes(Dosa) and steamed cakes(idli). Urad dal is also used to make Vadas(fried dumplings) which have just one main ingredient- urad dal.
Another feature of urad dal is that it keeps the final product moist and soft. All of these properties make it a great candidate to make today’s bread.
There really isn’t a substitute for Urad Dal. No other lentil works as the batter will not ferment. You can buy the urad dal lentils online on amazon Urad Dal Matpe Beans, Split
This bread might seem like it has a hard crust right after baking but it gets softer as it sits because the dal leaks moisture. The photos do not do justice to how soft and delicious this bread is. There is no gluten or gum or nuts or added yeast in this bread.
Welcome to my world of experimentation 🙂
The lentil batter can also be left at room temperature to ferment for a few hours for a more leavened bread. The dal attracts wild yeast and ferments. I am not sure if that would be technically called yeast-free after fermentation.
Things to know before jumping into this recipe, this bread is going to taste like urad dal lentils. This bread is denser than a usual sandwich bread. /the bread is also very moist. So if you slice it before it has cooled, it will feel like it has not cooked through, but it has. If the bread doesn’t turn out right, just add the chopped bread into any of the indian sauces or sambhar(split pea stew) to soften and serve.
Or make a mini loaf with 1/2 cup lentils in a mini loaf pan to try first. You can also make fat pancakes with the batter and use them as burger buns.
This bread is full of protein, so make some grilled sandwiches with this one for a hearty snack!
Urad Dal pictured below.
More gluten-free breads on the blog
GLUTEN-FREE FLAT-BREAD BURGER BUNS
GLUTEN-FREE OAT RICE FOCACCIA STYLE PIZZA CRUST
GLUTEN-FREE VEGAN WHITE BREAD LOAF Mini
GLUTEN-FREE STRAWBERRY SANDWICH BREAD
Lentil Bread - Gluten-free Vegan Sandwich Bread
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups urad dal, (split and skinned black gram- Urad Dal Matpe)
- 3 tbsp rice flour
- 3 Tbsp corn starch , or tapioca starch
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp flaxmeal , or psyllium husk
- 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp oil
Instructions
- Soak the urad dal overnight. Drain and add to a food processor. Process the dal until it is just slightly gritty. Process for 30 to 45 seconds then move the dal with a spatula. It will take 3 to 4 minutes to break the lentils down into a batter type consistency. Add just a little water (3 to 6 Tablespoons) to help with the processing. Add the rest of the ingredients and process for a minute to combine. Check the batter for aeration. (drop a half tsp of batter in a cup of water. The batter should float on the top). If not aerated well , transfer the thick batter to a bowl and whip with a large spoon a few times, then check again. the batter should be thick and pasty but also slightly bubbly.
- Drop batter into parchment lined bread pan. Spray oil on top and even it out using a light hand so the air in the batter is not pressed out.
- Preheat the oven to 395 degrees F / 200ºc. Bake for 45 minutes. Cover the bread with another parchment after first 15 to 20 minutes by placing the parchment on the loaf pan. Reduce temperature to 375 degrees F / 190ºc after 45 minutes, remove parchment and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes or until it sounds hollow when tapped.
- Cool completely before slicing. (about an hour). The bread slices more easily the next day. Refrigerate the bread for upto 5 days in an airtight container. The bread crust is crusty the first day and gets softer as it sits because of moisture. Moisture in the storage container after a day is normal. I like to use to bread with chutney toppings or simple sandwiches.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I cannot seem to find urad dal that is Guten Free. the ones that I find on Amazon either do not mention GF or say that they are processed in a facility that also processes other things such as wheat. Can you guide me? I live in Canada but I am willing to order from US if the shipping is not too outrageous.
hmm. I am not sure. there might be some orgnanic brands. Or you could wash the dal 2-3 times and drain well before using if that works. Maybe theres a local farm growing some and you can get the fresh beans and try those.
Would this recipe work if I process the Urad dal into flour before making the batter?
no that damages the bean and its ability to ferment
This looks so good –love my vadas so I am excited to try this — I do have a question can I use Urid dhal flour instead –I use a mill often and mill my own grains etc
The flour doesnt ferment well as the dal bean gets damaged in milling. It might work. Try a small portion
Hi ! First of all, I love your blog. Regarding this recipe, I followed everything exactly and my bread did not rise enough to use as sandwich bread. Is there any tweaking you would recommend like more baking powder or something? It turned out great other than did not rise enough.
The batter makes a small bread. You can possibly use a smaller loaf pan for a taller loaf and also a bit more baking powder
You lost rice flour or that it can be omitted. I am allergic to wheat and rice, what could I use in place of rice flour? Or what changes if I just omit it?
you can omit it. Soak more the lentils as a sub
Hi Richa,
I made this amazing bread about 10 days ago and I am so surprised about how long it lasts!
I just finished the loaf, toasted with homemade goats cheese and homemade spicy mango sauce.
An absolute taste sensation!
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe.
thats awesome!
Can you use arrowroot instead of corn starch? Thanks!
yes
Thank you Richa, great recipe! I have made this bread several times now, love it.
I tried making this lentil bread twice and both times it came out disastrous 🙁
The batter was like wall paper paste – so sticky and it didn’t have the bubbles. Very sad as I was so excited to try lentil bread. The second time I added more baking powder in case that was the problem but same result.
hmm. did you use the urad lentils?
I had the same reaction, the smell of the lentils before cooking and after is awful. Is it supposed to have this pungent scent?
it depends. the lentils have a peculiar smell. if you havent smelt it ever before, you might find it pungent.
The other reason could be if the lentils were really old or were whole lentils. Those sometimes will ferment too quickly and add the sour or moldy smell.
If its generally too smelly and unpalatable, i think its probably old lentils.
People have made this bread with other lentils such as red or yellow lentils as well andthose are not smelly. It doesnt rise as well as with urad lentils but works
I know little on the science fo baking. this sounds great. Just a few questions.
Can I add yeast to this bread? Does this bread get hard? Will yeast change the consistency?
yes you can add yeast to the bread. Just add some instant yeast to the batter. Yeast might add just a bit more airyness to the rbead consistencyc. Hoewever if you leave the batter too long before baking, the batter will get sour.