This is a 3-ingredient recipe for a Pea Protein Bread that is grain-free, gluten-free, high-protein, and low-carb (1g net carb per ⅛ loaf!). 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.
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
- Unflavored pea protein
- Egg whites
- Whole husk psyllium
👩🏼🍳 Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325F (163C).
Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
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
Basic Protein Bread
Equipment
- parchment paper
- mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 16 large egg whites 528g
- ¼ cup whole husk psyllium 28g
- 1 cup unflavored pea protein 105g
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F (163C).
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper (if not using a silicone pan).
- Mix all the ingredients until smooth.
- Pour batter into loaf pan.
- Bake at 325F (163C) 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.)
- Enjoy! And store in the refrigerator.
Sarah says
Is there anything I could substitute for the psyllium husks? I have IBS and even a tiny amount kills my stomach.
Andréa says
Hi Lanore,
I toss all the yolks, actually. I haven't tried this recipe with whole eggs, but I think it would come out more wet and dense from the yolks. I would suggest using cartoned egg whites (and beating them a bit) if you'd rather not have the waste. That might not be as fluffy as fresh egg whites, but I think it is a better choice than adding yolks.
Thanks for writing in!
Andréa
Lanore says
What do you do with all the yolks? Can I use whole eggs?
Andréa says
Hi Rachael,
I've kept it out overnight with no problem, but for longer storage I'd keep it in the refrigerator. That's true for most of the recipes here. With a high protein content (and lower sugar and fat content), these recipes don't stay as fresh as regular baked goods. Hope that helps. And thanks for writing in!
Andréa
Rachael says
Hi! I just made your bread and it is delicious! I was just curious on to how long its lasts and where/how I should contain it? As of right now, it is in tinfoil on my kitchen counter. Where/how do you store your finished products?
Andréa says
Hi Jade,
I usually just throw them away. I haven't really looked into what I could do with them otherwise.
Thanks for writing in!
Andréa
Jade says
Hi! I was wondering what you do with all of the leftover egg yolks?
Andréa says
Hi Stela,
Thanks for writing in! I would try ground flax seeds, and then letting the batter sit for about 10 minutes before baking. If the bread comes out too dense like this, I would try adding a teaspoon of baking powder, too.
Let me know how it goes!
Andréa
Stela says
Hi Andrea!
I am following your recipes, but I live far in Croatia and here I can not find Husk Psyllium, is there any advice what I could use instead?
I am really looking forward trying to make this recipe
Thank you so much
Andréa says
Hi Kat,
Flax meal might work, but I don't think almond meal would work. The thing about psyllium husk is that it absorbs liquid and grows, providing a texture similar to the growth from yeast in bread. Flax might be a reasonable substitute. If anything, with flax your bread might be a little more dense, but I think ti is worth a try! Let us know how it goes!
:)
Andréa
kat says
I am just curious, in lieu of Husk Psyllium, could one use almond meal, or flax meal instead? I don't have husk but i have flax, and rice flour galore
Andréa says
Hi Christine,
If it is their pea/pumpkin/rice protein blend, I think it would be great!
Thanks for writing in, and let me know how it goes!
:)
Andréa
Christine says
I have a container or about time vegan protein powder. Do you thing I can use that in this recipe? It's not the best tasting protein powder and I'm trying to use it up. Thanks!
Andréa says
Hi Janet,
Thanks for writing in! It also might lighten up with a teaspoon of baking powder. Keep me posted!
:)
Andréa
Janet Rogers says
I used refrigerated egg whites that came in a carton and beat them lightly before adding the other ingredients. This worked quite well, though the loaf was still heavy. Next time I will beat to soft peak stage and see what happens.