By making this standard low sodium white bread for sandwiches or toast, you will bake up significant savings in your sodium budget. And who doesn’t like fresh bakery smelling bread? Plus, it is made so easily with a bread machine that it takes 90% of the work out making bread. Easy cleanup and a perfect consistent bake every time and it doesn’t heat your kitchen up but leaves a wonderful bakery fresh bread smell floating in the air. A bread machine is well worth the investment to make low sodium bread regularly, reliably and save loads of sodium. Most of your time is measuring out the simple ingredients and then slicing the bread.
| Typical sodium amount per slice | 120+ mg |
| Sodium per slice for this recipe | 3 mg |
| Sodium total for this recipe | 36 mg |
| Calories per serving | 159 |
STORE BREAD IS EXTREMELY HIGH IN SODIUM
Making your own low sodium bread you can achieve sodium levels as low as 3 mg per slice. Just an incredible amount of savings of your sodium budget!
White bread can range widely from 120 mg per slice to 250 mg per slice of various store bought bread. If your making a sandwich, adding mayo, mustard, cheese and a meat it could easily be waay over you whole daily limit. Just one simple piece of toast in the morning can put a major dent in your sodium budget for a single slice. So as long as you don’t have any gluten or carb problems this bread can be made extremely low in sodium. Fresh bead tastes better than regular store bought product. I know now that store bread is overly laden with salt for preservation and to cover up a rather bland product. My low sodium bread is made without added salt or sodium by simply changing out and adding a few regular off the shelf ingredients.
USE A BREAD MACHINE TO MAKE LOW SODIUM WHITE BREAD
I’ve been making a lot of bread since my stroke because most store bought bread seems to be so incredibly high in sodium. But most basic breads, which are normally among the “Salty Six”, can be easily made without salt or high sodium baking powders and sodas. I had never really made bread before, except once or twice, but on a low sodium diet it’s almost a given.
Therefore, I find a bread machine is almost essential when making bread which is weekly or more now. Plus as an added benefit, I really think you gain so much more taste, flavor and freshness from making homemade bread it’s worth it. I had always thought you needed an expensive Kitchen Aid stand mixer to really do it right. But I have since found out in practice that a bread machine is so much easier. It can mix up and bake the whole bread or just mix up the dough, easily and cleanly, for half the price of a stand mixer. And there is hardly any cleanup! I am not saying mixers don’t have their place, but for me it just doesn’t make sense compared to the ease of use and consistency of a bread machine.
MY BREAD MACHINE RECIPE TIPS
Hains Featherweight no sodium baking powder is your secret weapon to replacing the salt and any sodium filled baking powder. This is what acts as the required leavener for the yeast. Any standard baking powder with sodium is incredibly high in sodium so this is a significant savings. For my recipes, I use as a rule of thumb to double the Hains Featherweight to the salt called for, if you try on any other recipes.
HOW TO MAKE MOIST LESS DENSE BREAD MACHINE BREAD
When I first started making bread it was very dry and crumbly and was hard to spread anything on it without it falling apart. It was also very dense and did not have any airy little holes in it, rather disappointing. So after some research I found Vital Wheat Gluten would fix that problem right up. The difference was amazing! The Vital Wheat Gluten produced a superior texture, improved moisture and also vastly helped the rise of the bread. This product is normally found on the shelves next to the flour. But Beware the directions on the box calls to add 4 teaspoons to your recipe. However, that was way to much for a bread machine, as it ended up pushing open the top of my bread machine towards the end of the bake cycle. I have since found a good balance at about 1 ½ teaspoons. You may need to experiment a bit with your particular bread machine, but you can hardly go wrong and I would start there.
Butter and yeast placement in pan 
Vital wheat gluten and no sodium baking powder
CHANGE UP FLAVOR OF SANDWICH BREAD
Experiment with adding different herbs and spices. Honey or brown sugar may also be used in place of plain crystallized white sugar. Plus it adds a really pleasing flavor profile of low sodium white bread. I often add a couple teaspoons of either onion or garlic powder to add a “spicer” taste.
MEASURING FLOUR FOR BREAD
When you measure flour, use flour measuring cups and do not to pack the flour in the cup. Otherwise, you will end up with much more flour than you need which will make a denser bread. Just gently, loosely, spoon it into the cup and then jiggle the cup to level it. When measured, I put all my dry ingredients (except yeast) in a mixing bowl and hand whisk to incorporate ingredients and to “loosen” the flour. You want it so it’s nice and light with no clumps.
USE BREAD FLOUR FOR MAKING BREAD
Use bread flour for the best results, not the regular all-purpose flour when making bread for your bread machine recipes. Bread flour contains a higher percentage of gluten and produces taller, airy loaves. If you use all-purpose flour, which has less gluten than bread flour, your loaves will not rise as high and have a denser inside.
ADDING YEAST TO BREAD MACHINE
Make sure to add the yeast last, and add it on top of the dry ingredients (flour). Make a small indentation on top of flour and add the yeast to the divot, as shown in the picture above. Also if you refrigerate your yeast, I like to let the measured amount set out for a few minutes to come to room temperature before adding.
STORING LOW SODIUM WHITE BREAD
The only downside of making your own bread is that it tends to start molding in a couple days if left out. This is because it does not have the sodium and other preservatives that store bread has. So after cooling on a rack, I go ahead and slice it all up and place into a zip lock bag with a paper towel and place in the fridge. The paper towel helps cut down on any condensation in the bag. I have, 90% of the time, used it all up before it has gone bad in this manner. You can also put in the freezer for longer periods and by simply quickly toasting a slice or two that you pull out, it’s pretty much fresh tasting again.
[su_box title=”A few other recipes you may enjoy!” box_color=”#a92224″]
- This bread makes a nice Low Sodium Crouton also
- Pitas with low sodium roast beef
- Homemade Low Sodium Corn Bread
- Homemade Low Sodium Mayonnaise
- Low Sodium Pita Bread
- Naan Flatbread with very low sodium
[/su_box]
Low Sodium White Bread – Machine Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup water (from hot tap)
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 tsp vital wheat gluten
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 3 1/4 cups white bread flour
- 2 tsp bread machine yeast (room temperature)
- 3 tsp Hain’s no sodium baking powder
- 1 Tbsp butter no salt added
Preparation
- Whisk measured dry ingredients together except for yeast.
- Add water and oil into the bread pan. Add whisked dry ingredients except for yeast.
- Make a small divot on top of flour in the middle and add the yeast to the indentation.
- Add ½ slice of the Tablespoon of no salt butter on top of flour in two corners of the pan.
- Insert the bread pan into the bread machine, press or twist to lock pan in place. Close the lid.
- Use Basic bread, 1.5 lb loaf, medium crust cycle (3 hrs 15 minutes)
- When bread is done, remove the bread pan using oven mitts. Turn bread pan upside down and shake it to release the loaf.
- Let bread loaf cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes before slicing.
Notes ______________________________________________
Utensils & special ingredients used
I use, own and recommend these products and ingredients used in this recipe and I may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. Please understand that not everyone’s sodium and dietary requirements are the same, therefore some recipes may be higher than you’re allowed.
https://tastyhealthyheartrecipes.com/a-la-cart/baking/low-sodium-white-bread-bread-machine/© 2024 Tasty Healthy Heart Recipes
Nutrition Information – The information shown is provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be substituted for a doctor’s or nutritionist’s advice. Please understand that not everyone’s sodium requirements are the same, therefore some recipes may be higher than you’re allowed. Always consult with your doctor for your recommended daily sodium allowance.
As always, please let me know how you like this recipe in the comments! I get motivated when I hear from you and am interested to learn about how you liked and served your Low Sodium White Bread. And please leave a comment or rating and share any tips you might have.
Thank you Bill for providing this recipe and all your tips. I have a new Kitchenarm bread machine which does have a ‘no salt’ recipe in its book – didn’t look fun to make or even taste. I’ve been trying your suggestions regarding how to keep the top 1/3 of the loaf from falling. Finally, I have a consistent loaf of bread. Here’s what I have done but remember to use the correct order of ingredients: According to the manufacturer I need to use their measuring spoons and weigh the flour & water on a scale. I did that with worse results. So I then used your recipe still weighing the flour & water. This is what I did: 1.5 lbs loaf; Water 1 1/8 cups (270g) temp adjusted, oil 2 tablespoons, sugar 1 1/2 tablespoons, bread flour (weighted) 433 grams which is 3 1/4 cups, yeast 1 1/4 tea (room temp), 2 tea vital wheat gluten, 1 tablespoon no salt butter, and this is where it gets different – I used 1/4 teaspoon “LoSalt” (amazon carries it but you must get the one “LOSALT” not other brands) and then 1 1/2 tea Hains baking powder. The reason I added the salt was I had a reaction to the amount of Hains Baking Powder with the change I don’t. Also cutting the loaf into 12 slices the amount of sodium per slice is 28.4 grams of sodium per slice – not salt-free but something I can do with no health issues. Note: I read that Haines featherweight Baking powder can cause digestive issues and it did with me. sadly. Again – thank you So much for showing me how to work with making bread – it’s so AMAZING to eat bread again – toast and eggs and sandwiches – just WOW!
Love the recipe but I’m having issues with the bread falling about 1/3 during the bake cycle. I cut the finished bread lengthwise and it looks like the part that fell has larger bubbles. The 3/4 that didn’t fall is perfect; nice golden crust, fluffy inside that holds together, and tastes well – I’m lost as to how to fix this….
What am I doing incorrectly?
I’m new at bread making and the machine I’m using follows your suggestions. Thank you and so glad I found you!!!
Hi. It’s hard for me to diagnose because there are so many variables, including different bread machines. When this happened to me I added a little less than a teaspoon of vital wheat gluten. Sometimes I think it just happens. Here is website that may help https://www.breadmachinediva.com/bread-troubleshooting-bread-that-rises-and-then-falls/ Good luck!
I’m sure that the recipe is good. But i have a question. The bread maker I’m considering is a 2 pound loaf maker, no option for smaller size, but it does have a low sodium option. Is this compatible with your 1.5 loaf or are there any adoptions to make the recipe work in this 2 lb breadmaker?
Hi Pat, Kind of a hard question to answer, as I have not had any experience between the two. You might check for a manual online for the machine you are considering and see if it has any recommendations. Also, try online for recipe conversions between the two sizes. Sorry I could not be more help.
Thank you Bill for the quick response. I think I’ll look at other bread makers that have a 1 pound loaf size. Do I really need a machine with a low sodium option? Would you be able to tell me what bread maker you use?
I have not seen a machine that has a low sodium option. I have a West Bend bread machine (no loso option) that is about 20 years old at this point. It does just fine making bread with low sodium ingredients. When it comes time for a new one I am fairly certain I will stick with that brand. Bill
The Zojirushi BB-PDC20 has a no-salt function/course. The recipe looks like basic white but calls for apple cider vinegar instead of salt. It’s a very easy recipe to follow but my wife didn’t care for the finished product.
Although the recipe here is a bit more complicated than most recipes (vital gluten + baking powder + bread flour + oil + butter) it is lighter in texture yet has a stable gluten structure and my wife likes it. ????
Without knowing the weight of the flour I was surprised that the loaf turned out okay.
Nice and light great taste. I find I need a dark setting. I also bake with 2 tsp featherweight baking powder & 1/2 teaspoon grey sea salt for a bit more flavor. I will try baking in a loaf pan next time for a more loaf like shape. Ty. Can have bread again for my husband. Now I need a 1/2 wheat & white recipe that is light and not too dense
This is my first time ever making bread. For this I used a bread machine and it turned out fantastic. I am glad to be able to eat bread again. Thank you!
Love it! Thanks Brian.
what time and temperature should I use if I’m baking it in the oven?
Hi Laura, I have seen 30-35 minutes at 400 F. But I do not know about the pre-rising etc. This recipe is used often and tested in my bread machine, so I cannot make any solid statement. I make it so often the bread machine, it is the only way to go for me. I do have an oven baked https://tastyhealthyheartrecipes.com/a-la-cart/baking/low-sodium-artisan-bread-and-no-knead/ you might try.
I have made this twice already!! Well done! I have been making bread for years and even grind my own wheat for flour🙂 this recipe even got approval from my 22 yr old bread spoiled son. I’m trying the No Knead Bread recipe today. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks Lisa! I’ve making the no knead bread more and more to go with soups and stuff. It also makes great croutons.
Thanks for this recipe. My first try flopped, but I’m definitely going to try again because even though i got “crater” bread, the taste was wonderful and it makes fabulous toast! So I’ll try a little less liquid or an extra couple of TBSPs of flour next try. If that doesn’t solve the problem I’ll reduce the Vital Wheat Gluten to 1 tsp as you suggested in another comment response. I was wondering if you could do anything about the print feature. When I go to print the recipe, a popup ad covers either some of the ingredients, and/or some of the instructions.
Thanks again for a much needed low-sodium bread recipe!!
Hi Gina, Let me know how your “experiments” go. I’ve read that different machines may need a little tweak here and there. And every once in a while I still get a loaf that “craters” too. I use that failed loaf to make my low sodium croutons https://tastyhealthyheartrecipes.com/a-la-cart/baking/low-sodium-croutons-garlic-herb/
Thank you for letting me know about the print problem I will look into it.
Bill
I have used your bread machine recipe twice. I like the bread very much. I use the dough cycle, then place dough in loaf in 9X5 loaf pan. Let rise again for approximately one half hour then bake in oven. I like a more traditional looking loaf this gives.
what it you don t have a bread machine what else can you use
Hi Alanda, I suppose you could use a kitchen aid type mixer with a bread hook. Then let the dough naturally rise and then bake. I have only used a bread machine for the mixing and baking. For me it just seems a much easier process because I bake so much sandwich bread once or twice a week. I don’t think the exact amount of ingredients would be transferable though.
I just made this:)!!! Love this recipe! Bread came out crusty on the outside and soft on the inside.
Thanks Denise!
Why does recipe call for 1 Tablespoon no salt butter, but, only 1/2 Tablespoon is used on top in corners? Where does the rest go?
Hi Mary, I meant 1/2 of the tbsp in each corner, like it was cut in half. I will try to clarify the recipe.
Thanks
Bill
Very light and tasty but my Panasonic insists on a 4 hour cycle so even a light crust is too hard.
Hey Brian, Seems to be a lot of differences in bread machines since I have posted this recipe. I have and old West Bend machine myself.
With your machine I would set a timer and end the cycle about 20-30 minutes early as a guesstimated starting point.
Bill
I made this recipe twice and both times it was not edible. bottom and side crusts were hard almost to the top of the loaf and the insides were not completely baked. I followed the recipe measurements exactly as you indicated. Once I measured using cup and measuring spoons, the second time I used a scale. All of my ingredients were fresh. I will mention that I have been using bread machines for years, just now trying to make low sodium, no sodium bread. The 1.5 lb loaf cycles take 2 hours 53 minutes. The 2 lb. loaf takes 3 hours 10 minutes. I have tried both size loafs. I have tried quite a few of your recipes and thought they were really good.
I am a heart failure patient and am very careful with salt intake, so I would love to be able to make this recipe, it looks so good. Hoping to hear from you
Hi Patsy,
I’ve just started using a bread machine the few years since my stroke. It’s really hard to for me to pinpoint the problem since there are so many variables and I am not pro baker by any means. I use this recipe almost weekly and every once in a while I will get some type of fail. Even then, I could not really pinpoint what the problem was.
I looked up your problem on a bread machine website and the top 3 possibilities are:
Bread has doughy center
Decrease the amount of liquid
Check yeast activity
Bread machine may be malfunctioning; check user’s manual
https://redstaryeast.com/tips-troubleshooting/bread-machine-tips/common-bread-machine-problems/
I hope this helps.
Bill
Live this recipe! It is so versatile, I added cinnamon and raisins for raisin bread. I switched to whole wheat flour for my wheat bread. I even used the recipe with sprouted flour and had great results.
MMM that sounds good!
Thanks Kelli,
I made the Low sodium white bread for bread machine – although my husband does NOT like the hole the machine makes in the bread so…. I let the machine do all the kneading and rising and when it came to the baking part I took it out and put in the oven [like your artisan bread] Thought I ruined it – it came out of bread machine all big and fluffy and as soon as I touched it to put into baking loaf it sank. Too late now going to continue – it came out wonderful. it rose again and cooked up beautiful – less than 30 minutes out of the oven it was half gone already.
My intention was to make croutons out of it – but by the end of the night – there are only a couple slices left.
I found out you can live on bread and butter [as long as its yummy homemade bread]
Question – to make the croutons should you let the bread get “Stale” some first?? or can you make it right out of the oven??
Thanks for sharing – So far we LOVE everything we have made.,
Artisan bread is next weekend
I have not found it makes a big difference in whether it is stale or not. I think that reference comes more from people that want to use up their old bread. I make croutons when it is still mostly fresh. The bad thing about our fresh baked bread is it does not last as long as store bought. But well worth it in my opinion.
Thanks for your comment Gail!
Bill
My bread falls surging baking process, any tips. Most of what I read says it maybe because of no salt. Thanks
Hi Jean,
Salt should not be needed, I have made tons of bread with no salt. But every read machine is a bit different. I would try reducing the yeast by about 2/3 or just under 1 1/2 tsp. Also try reducing the water to 1 cup and 2 Tablespoons. (1 1/8 cup).
I still get a funky loaf every once in a while for some unknown reason. Then I just make Low Sodium Croutons with it.
Here is a good discussion thread about the subject. https://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/41501/bread-with-no-salt
Give that a try and let me know.
Bill
1st time making bread – it was better than expected. I find vegetable oil gives me heartburn so wondering if you’d suggest canola/sunflower/ ??? oil for our use ? Have you experimented with various oils and which one works best ?
Thanks.
Canola oil should work well too. I have not used sunflower oil.
Bill
Hi bill my bread colapsed in the middle I used the Vital wheat gluten but I did not have bread flour did that make a difference Help I have kidney problems and have to use low sodium recipes
Hi Sandra,
I would and always have used the bread flour as it is higher in gluten than regular flour and holds together when the CO2 forms that create the voids in the bread. Also when using the vital wheat gluten do not use the ratio on the box. The recipe uses 1 1/2 tsp. if recipe amount was used I would maybe use just 1 tsp. because it sounds like it is creating CO2 too quickly thus rising too fast then collapsing.
Personally, I have had bread that came out to dense (before vital wheat gluten) but none collapse. But I would start with those two things.
Let me know how it goes.
Bill
I failed to mention in the prior posting, the bread is dense and chewy.
Hello, I have tried your recipe twice and both times the bread rose to the top of the bread machine container. However, at some point in the cycle between the first 30 minutes and the last hour, the bread collapsed. The only difference in the recipe is I am using Whole Foods low sodium baking powder. I live in Houston and the temp is normally around 75 to 77 degrees and 45 to 47 percent relative humidity. What Option/changes should I try?
Hi Bill, Are you using the Vital Wheat Gluten? It made a huge difference in the “crumb” when I started using it. I used too much in the beginning and it pushed the top on mine too. I remember it took several attempts, but the recipe yields the best bread for me now.