For those following a ketogenic lifestyle, one of the most significant challenges can be finding satisfying bread alternatives. Traditional bread is high in carbohydrates, making it unsuitable for a keto diet, which requires a very low carbohydrate intake to promote ketosis. Fortunately, many innovative recipes have emerged that allow you to enjoy bread-like products without compromising your dietary goals. This article explores various keto sub bread recipes, offering detailed insights into ingredients, preparation methods, and tips for achieving the perfect taste and texture.
Understanding Keto Bread
Keto bread differs significantly from regular bread. Keto rolls are made with low-carb, grain-free flour like almond flour or coconut flour. Traditional bread relies on wheat flour, which is high in carbohydrates. Keto bread substitutes these high-carb flours with low-carb alternatives such as almond flour, coconut flour, flaxseed meal, and psyllium husk powder. These ingredients not only reduce the carbohydrate content but also add fiber and healthy fats, aligning with the nutritional goals of a ketogenic diet.
Key Ingredients for Keto Sub Bread
Several key ingredients are essential for creating delicious and satisfying keto sub bread. Understanding the role of each ingredient can help you customize recipes and troubleshoot any issues that may arise during baking.
Almond Flour: This is a popular choice for keto baking due to its low carbohydrate content and slightly nutty flavor. Almond flour adds a tender crumb to bread and is relatively easy to work with. When measuring almond flour, it's recommended to measure your ingredients in weight rather than quantity. Almond flour, in particular, can be tricky to measure by volume and this can throw off the consistency of your keto baked goods.
Coconut Flour: Another low-carb flour option, coconut flour, is highly absorbent and requires more liquid in recipes. It has a slightly sweet flavor and can produce a drier texture if not balanced with enough moisture. Remember almond flour and coconut flour are not interchangeable in recipes.
Read also: Keto Bread Recipes
Flaxseed Meal: Ground flaxseed adds fiber, healthy fats, and a slightly nutty flavor to keto bread. It also helps to bind the ingredients together, improving the texture of the bread.
Psyllium Husk Powder: This ingredient is a soluble fiber that helps to create a bread-like texture by absorbing liquid and forming a gel. It adds elasticity and structure to keto bread, preventing it from being too crumbly. The use of psyllium husk keeps the texture of this paleo bread beautiful and dense and helps to mask the flavor of the coconut flour and eggs.
Eggs: Eggs are a crucial ingredient in keto bread, providing moisture, binding, and structure. They contribute to the overall texture and help the bread rise. For this recipe, I started with my foolproof fathead dough. A handful of melted cheese helps give the dough elasticity, while the egg adds essential moisture. Preferably use room temperature eggs.
Cheese: Certain keto bread recipes, such as fathead dough, use cheese to add elasticity and flavor. Mozzarella and cream cheese are common choices. For any keto dough, I prefer using low-moisture mozzarella cheese because of its mild flavor and stretchy consistency.
Baking Powder: This leavening agent helps the bread rise, creating a lighter and airier texture.
Read also: Tips and Tricks for Keto Bread
Featured Keto Sub Bread Recipes
Fluffy Pull-Apart Keto Rolls
These rolls are incredibly easy to make and versatile. You can enjoy them as dinner rolls, sliders, or hamburger rolls. The recipe is based on a fathead dough, which is known for its simplicity and excellent results.
Ingredients:
- Almond flour
- Shredded, low-moisture mozzarella cheese
- Cream cheese
- Eggs
- Baking powder
Instructions:
- Prep Work: Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
- Melt the Cheese: In a microwave-safe bowl, add the shredded cheese and cream cheese. Microwave for 30 seconds, or until the cheeses have mostly melted. Remove from the microwave and whisk together until smooth. Let the cheese cool for several minutes. Make sure the cheese is properly cooled.
- Finish the Dough: When the cheese has cooled slightly, add in the almond flour and two of the eggs, and mix well until a smooth dough remains.
- Shape and Bake: Using your hands, form 10 balls of dough. Place them on the lined tray. Whisk the remaining egg and, using a pastry brush, brush the exterior of each of the rolls. Bake the rolls for 25 minutes, or until golden on the outside. As you’re baking, check to make sure the rolls aren’t browning too quickly.
- Serve: Serve warm. For better or worse, these rolls are best enjoyed fresh out of the oven.
Variations:
- Garlic Butter Rolls: Brush the baked rolls with garlic butter for added flavor.
- Sesame Seed Rolls: Sprinkle sesame seeds on top of the rolls before baking.
Storage:
- To Freeze: Place the cooled rolls in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- To Reheat: Microwave the rolls for 30 seconds or bake in the oven until warm.
Low Carb Sub Sandwich Bread
This recipe is perfect for making submarine sandwiches, hoagies, or any type of filled roll. It's high in fiber, very filling, gluten-free, and grain-free.
Ingredients:
- Coconut flour
- Ground flaxseed
- Psyllium husk powder
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Seasonings
- Eggs
- Olive oil
- Apple cider vinegar
- Boiling water
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F degrees.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, add the coconut flour, ground flaxseed, psyllium husk powder, baking powder, salt, and seasonings. Mix well.
- Whisk Egg Whites: In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Add the egg yolks to the coconut flour mixture and stir thoroughly. Add the olive oil and mix well. Then stir in the apple cider vinegar.
- Fold in Egg Whites: Gently fold in the egg whites.
- Add Boiling Water: Add the boiling water and gently mix. If the mixture looks a bit too soft, let it sit for at least 10 minutes to firm up.
- Shape and Bake: Split the mixture into 4 sections and take one section. When you are moulding the dough recipe into sub sandwich shapes it may be a bit sticky but don’t be too alarmed. Think of it as gooey playdough and just fashion it into its shape.
- Bake: When it is cooking, the dough should rise quite a bit as you would get with a yeast dough. It will deflate a little bit but should not collapse too much. If the dough does not seem to be quite as firm as you want after 30 minutes, give it another 5 minutes in the oven. Ovens can vary and I often eye mine up with suspicion.
Dairy-Free Keto Sub Rolls
This recipe is adapted from a Dairy Free Cloud Bread Loaf and is perfect for those who need a soft, chewy, and dairy-free option.
Ingredients:
- Egg whites
- Egg yolks
- Egg white protein powder
- Liquid Allulose
- Vinegar
- Avocado oil mayonnaise
- Xanthan gum (optional)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven at 300 degrees F.
- Whip Egg Whites: Place your egg whites in a stand mixer with vinegar and whip until stiff peaks. This should take about 10-15 minutes. Set aside.
- Blend Egg Yolks: Place the egg yolks in a high-powered blender with the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
- Combine Mixtures: Spoon some of the yolk mixture into the whipped egg whites and blend until combined. Do this in 3 batches until combined.
- Pour and Bake: Pour batter into a Sub Roll Pan using just 2 of the cavities.
- Bake: Bake on the middle shelf of oven for 25-30 minutes. Shut oven off and keep in the oven for 5-10 minutes more.
- Cool and Slice: Allow to cool before removing and slicing.
Storage:
- These rolls can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for up to 1 week.
Tips for Perfect Keto Sub Bread
- Measure Ingredients Accurately: Keto baking can be sensitive to ingredient ratios. Using a kitchen scale to measure ingredients by weight is highly recommended, especially for almond and coconut flour.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: Sifting or whisking dry ingredients together ensures they are evenly distributed, resulting in a more consistent texture.
- Whip Egg Whites: For a lighter texture, whip egg whites separately and fold them into the batter. This incorporates air and helps the bread rise.
- Use Parchment Paper: Line your baking pan with parchment paper to prevent the bread from sticking.
- Monitor Baking Temperature: Bake at a lower temperature than traditional bread recipes to ensure even cooking. Resist the temptation to increase your oven temperature! This lower baking temperature helps ensure that your bread cooks evenly.
- Check for Firmness: Instead of relying on the toothpick test, check the top of the loaf for firmness to determine doneness.
Variations and Adaptations
Keto sub bread recipes can be adapted to suit different tastes and dietary needs. Here are a few ideas:
- Add Flavors: Incorporate herbs, spices, or cheese into the dough for added flavor.
- Use Different Flours: Experiment with different combinations of low-carb flours to achieve the desired texture and flavor.
- Make It Sweet: Add a keto-friendly sweetener and flavor extracts to create sweet keto bread for desserts or breakfast.
Other Keto Bread Recipes to Explore
Besides sub bread, there are many other keto bread recipes to explore. Here are a few notable options:
Read also: Fluffy Keto Bread
- 90-Second Keto Bread: A quick microwave recipe that’s perfect for a single serving.
- Keto Cornbread Waffles: A fun and healthy twist on cornbread, using ground almonds for texture.
- Low Carb Sandwich Bread (Blender Recipe): A simple recipe where the batter is made in a blender.
- Keto Biscuits: A great option alongside family feasts, ready in under an hour.
- Keto Hamburger Buns: Perfect for cookouts, these buns are paleo, keto, low carb, and nut-free.
- Keto Lemon Blueberry Loaf: A delicious coffee house-style loaf that’s perfect for breakfast or snacking.