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5 from 8 votes
by Marly
16
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Sometimes you want that special touch of homemade bread without all the hassle. That’s why this whole wheat no-knead bread recipe is perfect for an easy weeknight night dinner. Any night of the week when you want homemade bread with a crispy crust and tender insides, this recipe will do the trick. Serve warm with your favorite bread toppings such asvegan honey butter, olive oil, etc.
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Vegan Whole Wheat Bread
If you’ve never baked yeast bread before or you’re just looking for a super simple loaf recipe, this will be your favorite. Looking for more homemade vegan bread recipes? This vegan naan recipe is a go-to favorite. And this vegan cheesy pull-apart bread is great alongside a meal or served as an appetizer.
How to Make Whole Wheat No-Knead Bread
- Mix together in a large bowl the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour.
- Add salt.
- Add yeast.
- Whisk to combine.
- Heat water in the microwave until it’s between 105 and 110°F.
- Stir in vinegar and maple syrup.
- Pour it into the flour mixture.
- Use a spatula to stir the mixture together.
- Use your hands if necessary to incorporate all the flour.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Set aside for 12 to 24 hours.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, and mold it into a round loaf.
- Transfer the dough in the paper to a bowl.
- Cover with plastic wrap, and set aside for an hour or so to let the dough rise.
- About15 minutesbefore you’re ready to bake, place a dutch oven in a cold oven and turn the heat to 425°F/200°C.
- Lightly score the top of the loaf and grab the parchment paper and place the loaf in the hot dutch oven.
- Cover and bake for50 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes or so until the top is golden brown.
You may feel like homemade bread takes too much time, but this whole wheat no-knead bread is a simple, rustic loaf. You do need to allow some time for the dough to rise, but it doesn’t need to be watched. No hovering in the kitchen is required!
Storage Tips
Store bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the fridge for up to 7 days, or in the freezer (in a freezer-safe container or bag) for up to 2 months.
Flour Options
You can use any of the following for the flour:
- Regular whole wheat flour
- White whole wheat flour
- Whole wheat pastry flour
- All-purpose flour
- Bread flour
Try mixing and matching to create your favorite loaf. To create a softer loft, increase the percentage of all-purpose flour. For a more dense loaf, increase the percentage of whole wheat flour.
Yeast Options
The amount of yeast you’ll use depends on a couple of variables, such as the type of yeast you’re using and whether you’re going for a slow (my preference) or fast rise time.
- Slow Rise (12 – 24 hours): use either 1/4 teaspoon of instant yeast or 1/2 teaspoon of active dry yeast.
- Faster rise (2 – 8 hours): use either 1 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast or 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast.
Baking Options
I bake my loaves using either of these options:
- Dutch Oven — A whole wheat dutch oven bread is a favorite for a reason. That lid steams the loaf, creating the perfect crispy crust. To do it, bake the loaf in a dutch oven by preheating the oven to 425°F/220°C. Let the dough rise on a piece of parchment paper. When it’s ready to bake, grab the edges of the parchment paper and gently place it in the pan, Gently score the top of the loaf. Bake for roughly 50 minutes with the lid on. Then remove the lid and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until golden on top.
- Pizza Stone — To bake the loaf on a pizza stone, transfer the scored dough onto a pizza stone. Place the loaf in the oven. Add a pan to the oven with water to add steam as the loaf bakes. This is what helps create the crust we’re after with this bread.
Rising Bread Dough
When making an artisan whole wheat bread recipe, finding the perfect place to let the dough rise is key. I like to let the dough rise in a draft-free slightly warm location. Here are some great ways to do this in your own kitchen:
- Microwave— Fill a coffee mug with water and heat in the microwave for 2 minutes, until hot and steamy. Scoot it aside and place the covered bowl of dough in the center. Close the door and let it rise.
- Oven— Turn the oven on its lowest setting (probably around 200°F/93°C). Then turn off the heat after several minutes. Place the bowl in the slightly warmed oven for the dough to rise.
- Counter— If your kitchen is warm, you can set it on the counter.
What Makes This Recipe Shine?
- EASY — Mixing the dough together and letting it passively rise makes this bread recipe super easy to make
- HEALTHY — Combine whole wheat with all-purpose flour makes this bread healthy and delicious
- FLAVORFUL — Adding maple syrup and a bit of vinegar not only creates the right texture, it also adds great flavor to every slice!
Serving Suggestions
Serve this vegan whole wheat bread with your favorite soups, stews, and casseroles.
- Vegan Minestrone
- Vegan Beef Stew
- Pinto Bean Soup
- Vegan Tofu Casserole
Serving some no-knead wheat bread with dinner is so easy, you’ll wonder why you haven’t done it before. And I love that this recipe uses simple ingredients that you might have in your kitchen right now!
Marly’s Tips
- For variety, you can add some chopped nuts to the dough, like pecans
- Try adding some different flours, like buckwheat, for a different flavor
- You can also add some dried fruit, like raisins, to make it into a breakfast bread
- Immediately after pulling it from the oven, top it with some olive oil or vegan butter, and then add some dried rosemary for even more amazing flavor
- Speaking of herbs, I could see adding some dried basil to the dough as well
- Why not serve it with a bowl of olive oil combined with rosemary, basil, and salt? Perfect for dipping!
More Whole Wheat Flour Recipes
Are you looking for ways to improve your diet? I love using whole wheat to transform indulgent recipes into something healthy and delicious! Here are some of my favorites:
Whole Wheat Pancakes
20 mins total
Vegan Bran Muffins
30 mins total
Whole Wheat Banana Bread
70 mins total
Whole Wheat Waffles
35 mins total
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Vegan Artisan Bread
A crispy crusty, lightly-sweet harvest loaf of whole wheat no-knead bread. You'll make this easy loaf again and again because it adds a special touch to a weeknight dinner.
5 from 8 votes
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Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 8 hours hours
Cook Time: 55 minutes minutes
Resting Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 9 hours hours 5 minutes minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 151kcal
Author: Marly McMillen
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 ½ cups water plus 1 or 2 tablespoons
Instructions
For the Dough:
Mix together in a large bowl the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, salt, and yeast. Stir to combine.
Measure out the water and heat in the microwave until it's between 105 and 110°F/45°C. Stir in the maple syrup and vinegar. Add this mixture to the flour mixture and stir to incorporate. Use your hands if necessary to incorporate all the flour. The dough will be slightly sticky.
For Rising the Dough:
Rise #1: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Set aside for 12 to 24 hours (overnight works, but so does setting it aside for the day to bake at night). See notes for rising options.
Rise #2: After the step above is done, place the dough on a lightly floured surface, and mold it into a round loaf. Place on a large piece of parchment paper in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside for an hour or so to let the dough rise.
For Baking the Bread:
About 15 minutes before you're ready to bake, place a dutch oven in a cold oven and turn the heat to 425°F/220°C.
Once the oven is heated, lightly score the top of the loaf and then grab the parchment paper and carefully place the loaf in the hot dutch oven (be careful because it's very hot). Cover and bake for 50 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes or so until the top is golden brown. You know the loaf is done when you tap the bottom and it has a hollow sound. See notes for baking on a pizza stone.
Serve warm with your favorite bread toppings such as vegan honey butter, olive oil, etc.
Store bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the fridge for up to 7 days, or in the freezer (in a freezer-safe container or bag) for up to 2 months.
(The products above contain sponsored links to products we use and recommend)
Notes
Flour Options
You can use any of the following for the whole wheat flours:
- Regular whole wheat flour
- White whole wheat flour
- Whole wheat pastry flour
Whole Wheat Percentage
You can alter the ratio of whole wheat to all-purpose flour ratio. For a lighter loaf, you can go half and half with whole wheat and all-purpose flour.
Yeast Options
- Slow Rise (12 – 24 hours) use either 1/4 teaspoon of instant yeast or 1/2 teaspoon of active dry yeast.
- Faster rise (2 – 8 hours): use either 1 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast or 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast.
Serve with olive oil or vegan honey butter.
Baking Options
- Bake the loaf in a dutch oven by preheating the oven to 425°F. Let the dough rise on a piece of parchment paper. When it’s ready to bake, grab the edges of the parchment paper and gently place it in the pan, Gently score the top of the loaf. Bake for roughly 50 minutes with the lid on. Then remove the lid and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until golden on top.
- To bake the loaf on a pizza stone, transfer the scored dough onto a pizza stone. Place the loaf in the oven. Add a pan to the oven with water to add steam to the oven. This is what helps create the crust we’re after with this bread.
Rising Bread Dough
Let dough rise in a draft-free slightly warm location. Here are some great ways to do this in your own kitchen:
- Microwave — Fill a coffee mug with water and heat in the microwave for 2 minutes, until hot and steamy. Scoot it aside and place the covered bowl of dough in the center. Close the door and let it rise.
- Oven — Turn the oven on it’s lowest setting (probably around 200°F/93°C). Then turn off the heat after several minutes. Place the bowl in the slightly warmed oven for the dough to rise.
- Counter — If your kitchen is warm, you can sit it on the counter.
Calories: 151kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 197mg | Potassium: 133mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 2mg
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a rating below then tag @namelymarly on Instagram and hashtag it #namelymarly. I love seeing your creations!
This post was originally published in 2017 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2022.
