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There’s no kneading required for this Homemade Whole Wheat Bread! Simple ingredients and foolproof methods give you a rustic, fluffy, and bakery-style loaf every time.
This rustic loaf of Whole Wheat Bread is incredibly soft, fluffy, and, best of all, easy to make! There’s no kneading required and the recipe calls for 5 simple ingredients only: two types of flour, yeast, salt, and water. Baked to golden brown perfection in a Dutch oven, this is a homemade bread recipe anyone can master.
Table of Contents
All About Easy No-Knead Bread
Who needs a bakery when this No-Knead Whole Wheat Bread is so easy to make? Even without kneading the dough or letting it rise overnight, you still end up with a fluffy and rustic bread that’s worthy of any store-bought loaf.
If you’re new to making bread, a no-knead bread recipe is the perfect place to start. You don’t need a starter, hard-to-find flours, or the skills to tell if the dough is proofed just right. The ingredients and techniques are incredibly simple, so any pro or beginner bread maker can master it.
My whole wheat bread recipe uses a combination of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour for that hearty and rustic flavor whole wheat bread is known for. And just like my No-Knead Everything Bagel Bread and my Sun-Dried Tomato Bread, the dough is baked in a Dutch oven to give it a bakery-style crispy crust and fluffy interior. You’ll be lucky if it lasts for longer than a few days!
Ingredients for Vegan Whole Wheat Bread
This homemade bread recipe is easy from start to finish, so we obviously don’t need any complicated ingredients. These 5 pantry staples may already be in your kitchen:
- Flours: this recipe requires a 50-50 mix of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour. When combined, they give the loaf of bread a tall and fluffy structure and a dense and hearty texture. You can only use whole wheat flour if you want, but the bread will be quite dense.
- Yeast: instant yeast helps the dough rise. Before baking, check that the yeast hasn’t expired. If it has, pick up a fresh packet or jar in the baking aisle of your local grocery store.
- Kosher Salt: just a pinch strengthens the dough, controls the yeast, and elevates the flavors.
- Water: a simple yet essential ingredient! Water hydrates the dough and helps activate the yeast to give you a bakery-style whole wheat loaf. Be careful not to use water that’s warmer than room temperature or else it could kill the yeast.
How to Make No-Knead Whole Wheat Bread
- Whisk the flours, salt, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Form a well in the center and pour in the water. Mix until all of the flour has dissolved. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside until the dough has doubled in size.
- Preheat the Dutch oven in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, shape the dough on a lightly floured surface by folding the bottom edges of the dough towards the center of the top, pinching to “shape” it into a ball. Repeat until you have a tight dough ball.
- Flip the ball onto a sheet of parchment paper and carefully transfer it to the preheated Dutch oven. Bake for 30 minutes covered, then remove the lid and continue baking until the crust is golden and crispy.
- Set the baked bread aside to cool, then slice and enjoy.
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Give the dough plenty of time to rest: The ball of dough needs at least 12 hours (or up to 16 hours if your house is chilly) to give the gluten enough time to develop. Proper gluten development will yield a fluffy texture and airy crumb. If you find that the dough is still dense or hasn’t doubled in size after the full 16 hours, let it rest for up to 24 hours in the fridge instead.
- The magic of the double oven: Most no-knead bread doughs are baked in a double oven, AKA a Dutch oven inside of a regular oven, and there’s a really good reason for this! The small Dutch oven is better at trapping steam, which makes the bread super moist and tender on the inside and golden and crusty on the outside.
- Measure the flour with a kitchen scale: Measuring the flour by weight instead of volume will keep you from accidentally adding too much flour to the dough, which can make the bread dense.
- Wait for it to cool! I know it looks and smells irresistible, but you MUST wait for the loaf of bread to fully cool before slicing and serving. It will continue to cook as it comes out of the oven and if you slice it too soon, you run the risk of squishing the loaf and making the interior gummy.
Serving Suggestions
It would be easier to list the ways NOT to use this bread! Just like white bread, whole wheat bread is so versatile. Dunk the slices into soups, use them for sandwiches, toast them in the morning, etc. The options are endless!
One of my favorite ways to enjoy homemade bread is to slather the toasted slices with delicious spreads. Fruit jam, peanut butter, and this Vegan Nutella are great for breakfast, while my Vegan Ricotta Cheese and this Tomato Butter make for a savory snack.
Want to make an epic vegan sandwich instead? Use the whole wheat bread slices when you’re making this Roasted Zucchini Sandwich, this Rainbow Veggie Sandwich, or this Vegan Chickpea Salad Sandwich.
When you’re digging into a bowl of this Vegan Penne alla Vodka or this Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff, use a piece of bread to sop up every last drop of sauce. You also can’t go wrong dunking a big hunk into a bowl of this Vegan Lasagna Soup or this Potato Leek Soup.
If you’re looking for more easy no-knead bread recipes, you’ll also love this Double Chocolate No-Knead Bread, this No-Knead Everything Bagel Bread, and this Sun-Dried Tomato Bread!
How to Store Leftover Bread
Any leftover bread will keep for up to 5 days when stored at room temperature. To keep the bread soft and fresh, store it in an airtight container or resealable bag on the kitchen counter. Try not to refrigerate the bread, as this can dry it out.
You can also freeze the individual slices for up to 2 months. Wrap each slice in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Either let the slices thaw at room temperature or toast them while they’re still frozen before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Bake the bread in another large, oven-safe pot with a lid. Cast iron is best because it will develop a crispier crust.
Yes, the dough can be made and refrigerated up to 3 days ahead of baking. Remember to take the dough out of the fridge while you’re waiting for the Dutch oven to preheat to give it time to come down to room temperature.
Turn the bread upside down and knock on the bottom with your finger. If it sounds hollow, it’s done baking. You can also use an internal thermometer, which should read between 190ºF and 200ºF when it’s done.
Unfortunately, I haven’t tested this recipe with gluten-free flour, so I’m unsure if it will work. Sorry!
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
No Knead Whole Wheat Bread
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- 1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons room temperature water, divided
Instructions
- Prep: Add the flours to a large mixing bowl along with the yeast and salt. Form a well in the center of the dough, then pour in 1 1/4 cups of water and mix with a wooden spoon until all of the flour has dissolved. The dough should be thick and lumpy, but if it is too dry, add in the extra 2 tablespoons of water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then set aside and let rest for 12 to 16 hours, until the dough looks loose and has doubled in size.
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to 450F; once it’s pre-heated, add a 6 quart (or similar sized) coated dutch oven or cast iron pot to the oven and allow it to preheat (lid off) for 30 minutes. Set a sheet of parchment paper aside.
- Shape the Dough: Right before baking, use a spatula to transfer the dough onto a well-floured surface. Dust your hands and the top of the dough with flour as well – be generous! Pull the bottom edges of the dough ball towards the center of the top, pinching well to “shape” it – remember, no kneading! Repeat several times to get a tight ball, then flip the ball onto the sheet of parchment paper so the pinched side is on the bottom. I like to do this right before taking the cast iron out of the oven.
- Bake: Carefully remove the preheated dutch oven, place the parchment paper (and dough) in it, then cover and return to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes covered, then remove the lid and bake for an extra 16 to 18 minutes to get a nice and crispy crust.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool before slicing. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or pre-slice your loaf and store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
I just switched to metric and now I see the weights.
This looks great. Can’t wait to try it.
Your tips suggest to “Measure the flour with a kitchen scale” but you don’t give the weight.
What is the weight of the flour and is it the same for both types of flour?
How about the weight of the water, if that matters?
Sorry for the amateurish questions. I’m a 75 year old newbie cook.