Basic Protein Bread

Name: Basic Protein Bread
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 16 large egg whites (528g); 1/4 cup whole husk psyllium (28g); 1 cup unflavored pea protein (105g)

Updated: May 25, 2024 · Published: Apr 5, 2014 · By Andréa Marchese · This post may contain affiliate links · 39 Comments

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This is a 3-ingredient recipe for a Basic Protein Bread that is grain-free, gluten-free, high-protein, and low-carb (1g net carb per ⅛ loaf!). I'm calling it "basic" protein bread because that's exactly what it is. On its own you can taste the pea protein a bit, but when you use it for a tasty sandwich you won't even notice it.

a cut loaf of protein bread with two slices down in front on an unbleached sheet of parchment paper — Basic Protein Bread

I created this recipe when I was working on my Protein Croutons. I wanted a simple protein bread, and that's exactly what this is!

It is pretty amazing to me, still, that the texture is so similar to that of real bread. This would also be a perfect bread to accompany your salad and soak up the extra Italian dressing! :)

If you like this recipe, you may also enjoy these other low carb recipes: Spinach Protein Wraps and Protein Pizza Wraps.

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🍞 Ingredients
👩🏼‍🍳 Instructions
🥚 Substitutions
🌱 Variations
🥣 Equipment
🥶 Storage
⚡️ Top tip
Recipe

🍞 Ingredients

👩🏼‍🍳 Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325F (163C).

Line a loaf pan with parchment paper (if not using a silicone loaf pan).

Mix ingredients until smooth.

Pour batter into loaf pan.

Bake at 325F (160C) for about 60 minutes, until it is firm to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool, and slice. (Makes 8 thick slices or 16 thin slices.)

🥚 Substitutions

Whatever you do, DO NOT substitute whey protein for the pea protein. The two types of protein powder bake very differently, and one cannot be substituted for the other. Use unflavored pea protein only.

If you don't mind cracking eggs and tossing the yolks, I suggest using fresh egg whites. The texture of the bread will be a bit lighter and less dense. But if you do use liquid egg whites, be sure to measure 528g (don't use 16x the 3 tablespoon serving they put on the carton). One large egg white is 33g, so 16 egg whites would be 528g.

I haven't tried any substitutions for the whole husk psyllium.

🌱 Variations

This recipe would be great with seasonings like rosemary, thyme, or even cinnamon!

🥣 Equipment

I used a 8.5" x 4.5" loaf pan. If you use a larger pan, your loaf will be shorter. If you don't want to invest in a loaf pan of this size, the disposable aluminum loaf pans they sell in the supermarket tend to be ~8"x4", which would also work well here. If you use a silicone loaf pan, the bake time might be slightly longer.

If you're using a glass or metal pan, I recommend lining it with parchment paper.

I also suggest using an oven thermometer so you can see when your oven is actually preheated, and that it is to the right temperature.

Of course, you're also going to need a mixing bowl. I love this mixing bowl set because it is super easy to clean, dries quickly, and the bowls have rubber on the bottom so they don't slide.

And I strongly encourage you to measure ingredients with a kitchen scale instead of volume measurements.

🥶 Storage

I suggest storing this bread in the refrigerator or freezer. If freezing, I like to slice the bread, separate slices with parchment paper, and remove slices from the freezer as needed.

⚡️ Top tip

Make sure you read the Substitutions section above!

For more high protein food ideas, check out this post with high protein meal prep recipes.

Recipe