My vegan red lentil blueberry bread is oil-free, grain-free, gluten-free, and nut-free. Great for breakfast or snacks, It is satisfying, as well as quick & straightforward to make.

overhead shot of blueberry bread made with red lentils

Vegan Oil-Free Breakfast Bread with Blueberries

I loved my 4th grade Sunday school teacher, Dr. Hale. Warm, funny, and witty, he had the reliable knack for teaching Bible stories in a way that was both illuminating and fun for an audience of 10-year-olds. (He was a brilliant History professor at UC Berkeley, too; I learned that much later).

Also, he brought coffee cake.

Every. Single. Sunday.

Not just any coffee cake, either. He greeted us each week with a fruit-loaded, almond icing-drizzled, pure butter puff-pastry coffee cake from the Swedish bakery he passed by on his way to church.

Can there be any question as to why I will forever associate Sundays with fruit coffee cake?

I am not giving it up, either. Lest you think that your coffee cake days are long past, think again, because I have a cinch of a recipe for blueberry breakfast bread that is exactly what your Sunday morning needs.

It is myVegan Red Lentil Blueberry Bread, made withRed Lentils & Coconut Flour. Andblueberries:).

a piece of blueberry lentil bread on a n olive green plate

I used myRed Lentil Sandwich Breadas the starting point for the recipe, and then tweaked it, adding coconut sugar, milk, vanilla and blueberries to create a morning bread treat.

I am calling it “bread” rather than “cake” because it is not too sweet, and can definitely be enjoyed as a snack at any time of the day.

Recipe Benefits

Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
Gluten-free
Grain-free
Oil-free
Nut-free
High in fiber
Straightforward

Ingredients

The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post.Toggle betweenUS Customary(volume) andMetric(weights) for preferred measurement option.

split red lentils (uncooked)
nondairy milk
coconut sugar
vanilla extract
coconut flour
baking powder
fresh blueberries

You will also need some water, as well as some optional (but recommended) salt.

How to Make Vegan Red Lentil Blueberry Bread

Note that the complete instructions are also in the recipe card below.

Step One: Soak the Lentils

Combine the rinsed lentils and water in a medium bowl or other container; loosely cover. Let stand, at room temperature, for at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.

If you prefer, quick-soak the lentils by using boiling water. This method requires less than 30 minutes of soaking.

Step Two: Preheat Oven & Prepare Pan

Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line a 9-inch (22.5 cm) baking pan with parchment paper; spray or grease exposed sides.

Step Three: Blend All Ingredients (Except Blueberries)

Do not drain the lentils.Add the entire contents of the bowl (soaked lentils and remaining water), milk, coconut sugar, and vanilla to a blender.

Blend on HIGH speed until completely smooth (no tiny bumps), stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of container.

Add the coconut flour, baking powder and salt to the blender; blend until combined, stopping to scrape down once or twice.

Step Four: Add to Prepared Pan

Spoon half of batter in pan and sprinkle withhalfof blueberries. Repeat with remaining batter and blueberries.

lentil bread batter in a pan with blueberries

Step Five: Bake

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the bread is risen, appears dry on the surface, and a toothpick inserted near center of bread comes out clean.

Cool bread in pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Use the parchment paper liner to remove the bread from the pan. Cut into squares and serve warm or cool completely.

overhead of vegan blueberry bread squares

Do not be fooled into thinking a 16th of this cake is a measly serving: the bread rises to a significant height, so one square feels generous. Also, like the Red Lentil Sandwich Bread, this bread isveryfilling and satisfying. Yum!

Bonus: you will have plenty of leftovers for breakfasts this week! The bread travels very well, so you can feel like its still the weekend as you nibble.

Happy baking , everyone!

close up of red lentil bread with blueberries

FAQ

How Should I Store the Bread?

Store the bread in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 1 day, the refrigerator for 1 week, or the freezer for up to 3 months.

Can I Use Other Varieties of Lentils?

No, brown, green and black lentils have a a strong flavor that does not work well for this bread. The texture is also much rougher with other varieties of lentils.

Is There a Substitute for Coconut Flour?

No, it must be coconut flour for this particular recipe. I have some other satisfying blueberry breads, made with other flours, in therelated recipesbelow.

Vegan Red Lentil Blueberry Bread (GF, Oil-free)

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 16 pieces

Ingredients

1 cup 200 g split red lentils , rinsed and drained
1 cup 237 mL water
1 and 1/4 cups 296 mL nondairy milk
1/3 cup 64 g coconut sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup 37 g coconut flour (lightly spoon to measure; do not pack)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/2 cups 22 g blueberries

Method

Combine the rinsed lentils and water in a medium bowl or other container; loosely cover. Let stand, at room temperature, for at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours (see notes for fast soak in notes bleow).
Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper ; spray or grease exposed sides.
Do not drain lentils.
Add the entire contents of bowl (soaked lentils and remaining water), milk, sugar, and vanilla to a blender. Blend on HIGH speed until completely smooth (no tiny bumps), stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of container.
Add the remaining ingredients to the blender; blend until combined, stopping to scrape down once or twice.
Spoon half of batter in pan and sprinkle with half of blueberries; repeat with remaining batter and blueberries,
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until bread is risen, appears dry on the surface, and a toothpick inserted near center of bread comes out clean.
Cool bread in pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Use parchment to remove bread from pan and cool completely, or serve warm. Cut into 16 squares.

Notes

Storage: Store the cooled bread in a covered container at room temperature for 1 day, the refrigerator for 1 week, or the freezer for up to 3 months. Fast soak option: If you like, fast-soak the lentils by using 1 cup (238 mL) boiling water in place of regular water. Soak the lentils for 30 minutes and then proceed as directed with the recipe. Serving tip: Although the blueberry bread is still satisfying when cold, it is most satisfying when warmed a little bit. 10-15 seconds in the microwave is reliable. Tip: Split red lentils have become widely available in recent years. You can find them in most grocery stores, shelved alongside other dry beans and legumes.