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By Author Christine Benlafquih
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Those on a gluten-free diet in Morocco know the challenge of finding or making a properly textured gluten-free Moroccan bread to replace regular Moroccan bread (khobz).
That’s because bread is famously used in place of utensils to scoop up Moroccan salads, sides and main dishes.
Eating by hand is the norm in Morocco, and it’s not only acceptable but encouraged to clean one’s plate and soak up sauce with pieces of crusty, chewy bread.
An Easy Gluten Free Bread or Sandwich Roll Recipe
This gluten-free bread recipe works well for all of that and more. The dough can be shaped into free-form loaves that resemble khobz or into sandwich-sized rolls.
Be sure to select a high-quality gluten free flour mix intended for making bread. The mix should be yeast-free as you’ll be adding yeast yourself.
The bread shown here was made usingSchär Mix B
, which is my preferred brand here in Morocco but may be hard to find in the US.
If you’re in the US, you might want to try using King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill products. Again, be sure that the mix you buy is recommended for bread recipes and not limited to cakes or cookies.
Do You Need to Use Xanthan Gum?
Xanthan gum isn’t required in this recipe, but I am aware that it’s often recommended in gluten free baking and have used it in other recipes.
If your gluten-free bread flour mix doesn’t contain xanthan gum and you want to use it, the standard amount is 1 to 2 teaspoons per cup of gluten-free flour. You might want to experiment to see if it makes a notable difference in your results.
The shelf life for homemade gluten-free Moroccan bread is quite short. Freeze leftovers to preserve that fresh-baked quality and texture.
Gluten-Free Khobz Recipe – Gluten-Free Moroccan Bread
Christine Benlafquih | Taste of Maroc
This gluten-free Moroccan bread recipe yields a dough that can be shaped into a free-form loaf, perfect for making khobz or gluten-free sandwich rolls.
Note that the dough requires several rising times, so will take longer to make than traditional Moroccan khobz.
4.71 from 27 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Resting & Rising 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Total Time 3 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Course Bread
Cuisine Moroccan
Yield 4 small loaves
Calories 213 kcal
Equipment
mixing bowl
Ingredients
For the Starter
- 1 tsp dry yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp gluten-free flour - (yeast-free bread mix)
- 3 tbsp warm water
For the Dough
- 2 cups gluten-free flour - (yeast-free bread mix)
- 1 tsp salt - (omit if included in your GF bread flour)
- 1 to 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup warm water - (approx.)
Instructions
In a large bowl, whisk together the starter ingredients. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and then a towel, and set aside until foamy and doubled, about 30 minutes.
Add the 2 cups of gluten-free flour, salt, oil and water to the starter. Use a rubber spatula to combine the ingredients to form a wet, sticky, spongy dough. It should be too sticky to handle but not as thin as a batter. Adjust flour or water if necessary to get that texture.
Use the spatula to turn over and “knead” the dough several times. Cover the bowl with plastic and then a towel, and leave to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
After rising, the dough will have absorbed more liquid and will be easier to handle. Dust the dough with a little gluten-free flour or oil your hands to prevent the dough from sticking to you. Divide the dough into four portions and shape into loaves on a lightly floured surface.
Transfer the shaped dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.(For Moroccan bread, a smoothed, rounded mound of dough can be left to rest, covered, for 10 minutes then patted down into a flattened circle.) Cover loosely with plastic wrap and then with a towel, and leave to rise until light and puffy, about 30 to 60 minutes.
Preheat your oven to450° F (230° C). Prick each loaf in several places with a fork then bake in the preheated oven until light golden, about 15 to 20 minutes depending on size and shape. (If the bread is pale, turn on the broiler to help with coloring the last few minutes.) The bread will feel hard when tapped but should soften as it cools.
Transfer the bread to a rack or towel-lined basket to cool before serving. Once cooled completely, it can be stored in the freezer where it will keep for up to a month.
Notes
- Depending on your gluten free flour mix and your oven, you may find it challenging to get a nice golden color to this bread. One trick that works for me is to fully preheat the oven, then turn on the broiler element when placing the bread in the oven. After several minutes, I turn off the broiler and continue baking normally with the oven element. I find this yields more even coloring than using the broiler element for browning at the end of baking.
- Xanthan gum is not included in the list of ingredients but you can use it if you like. The standard amount for bread recipes is 1 to 2 teaspoons per cup of gluten free flour. Be sure you’re using a mix that’s suitable for bread baking.
Nutrition
Calories: 213kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 6gFat: 2gSodium: 585mgPotassium: 9mgFiber: 6gSugar: 3gCalcium: 40mgIron: 2.2mg
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate obtained from online calculators. Optional ingredients may not be included in the nutritional information.
Tried this recipe? We’d love to know!Mention @tasteofmaroc or tag #tasteofmaroc!
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About the Author
Christine Benlafquih
Christine Benlafquih is Founding Editor at Taste of Maroc and owner of Taste of Casablanca, a food tour and culinary activity business in Casablanca. A long time resident of Morocco, she's written extensively about Moroccan cuisine and culture. She was the Moroccan Food Expert for The Spruce Eats (formerly About.com) from 2008 to 2016.
