Whole Wheat No Knead Bread Recipe

This Whole Wheat No Knead Bread is so simple to make, only takes about 5 minutes of hands-on time and is so light, fluffy and delicious! It is similar to my No Knead Artisan Bread Recipe HERE, but with a slightly heartier feel to it.  Keep reading for the full recipe.

Whole Wheat No Knead Bread

Whole wheat bread made only with whole wheat flour is typically very dense.  Most of the time, people will mix half and half whole wheat and regular flour to have a lighter, less dense bread.  But this bread uses all whole wheat flour and is still light and airy.  

It is not as dense as a traditional whole wheat kneaded bread recipe and so you get all the goodness of whole wheat flour with the lightness of an artian bread.  And it is so super yummy!

It is pretty fantastic if you ask me!  Or my kids.  Who ate it all very willingly and very quickly. 

What is No Knead Bread?

No knead bread is simply bread made without any heavy kneading required.  You will stir the ingredients together twice.  But there is no big mixer needed, no kneading with your hands required (although it is fun to get your hands into that dough!), and no huge time investment. 

No knead bread requires only about 5 minutes of hands-on time so it is the perfect bread to make if you don't have the time to invest in traditional bread. 

No knead bread does have a slightly different texture than regular bread, but it is one that is actually very light and airy. My Herb Crusted Artisan No Knead bread is so light and airy and perfect to eat with butter or dipped in oil and balsamic vinegar.  Yum!  

This no knead wheat bread is made in a traditional loaf pan and is slightly heftier than my artisan bread, but not as dense as typical whole wheat bread.  So it is like the best of both worlds with little hands-on time which is always a huge win in my book.

Why don't you need to knead this bread dough?

Instead of kneading the bread, you will actually let it sit and ferment and rise overnight.  This takes the need for a big stand mixer or lots of hands-on time kneading the bread out of the equation.  But it will mean you will want to throw the ingredients in a bowl and give it a little stir before you go to bed. 

But won't using all whole wheat flour make this bread very dense?

Yes and no.  This bread IS denser than my artisan bread, but it is NOT denser than a typical loaf of homemade bread.  The long rising period allows there to be a lot of air in the bread which keeps it light and fluffy.

Is no knead wheat bread ok for sandwiches?

Yes!  Because of it's slightly denser texture than most no knead bread, this actually makes the perfect bread for sandwiches or toast.  I put mine in a bread loaf pan and it turned out perfectly.  We have been eating it all week long and my kids can't get enough of it.

What is the best whole wheat bread recipe?

I think that any bread recipe that only takes a few minutes of time to throw together is the best bread ever!  But this recipe is also very tasty, light and fluffy too!  With the added benefit of it being a bread using only whole wheat flour, I am really able to pack the nutrients, fiber, and goodness into this bread and no one complains at all. 

Is this an artisan bread recipe?

Yes.  And no.  My artisan bread recipe uses only white flour and has added spices and even cheese in it!  It is really delicious and I highly recommend making it ASAP!  This recipe is based on the same concept being a no-knead bread, however, I don't add extra spices or cheese so it will taste more like a traditional loaf of bread instead of an artisan bread.

What ingredients do you need for whole wheat no knead bread?

• Whole Wheat Flour
• Salt
• Instant Yeast
• Sugar
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Water

How long does it take to make no knead wheat bread?

It takes about 3 minutes to stir the initial ingredients together.  Then it will sit overnight untouched.  The next day it will take about another 2 minutes to mix in a little more flour and put it into a pan.  Then it will sit for about another 1.5 hours and then bake for about 30 minutes.  The hands-on time needed for this recipe is very small, but it does require a bit of time to sit and rise.

What kind of oven do you use to cook no knead bread?

I am using my BRAVA oven!  A traditional oven will work too.  But I really love how my Brava bakes. I am able to get a nice outside that sounds hollow when I knock on it while maintaining a soft and fluffy inside.  It also cooks incredibly evenly.  I love it so much. 

You can learn more about the Brava, its features and why I love it so much HERE.

No Knead Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

Ingredients: 

• 3 cups Whole Wheat Flour, plus about 1 cup more
• 1 ½ teaspoons Salt
• 1 ½ teaspoon Instant Yeast
• 1 Tablespoon Sugar
• 1 ½ Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 ½ cups Water

Directions:

1. The night before, combine 3 cups whole wheat flour, salt, yeast and sugar in a bowl with a spatula.
2.  Add oil and water and use a spatula to mix until combined. 
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit overnight, or about 12-18 hours.
4. On your counter (I like to cover mine with plastic wrap for easy clean up), sprinkle flour and then dump the dough onto the counter.  The dough will be very wet.
5. Add more flour to the dough and gently stir it in with a spatula until the "wetness" is gone.  It could take a cup of flour or even more depending on many factors, just make sure that the dough is no longer wet and sticky.
6.  Shape the dough and place it in a greased bread pan.  Cover it with plastic wrap.
7. Place this into your OFF OVEN for 1.5 hours. (do not turn the oven on)
8.  Remove dough from oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
9.  Bake for about 30 minutes or until the top is slightly browned and it sounds "hollow" when you lightly knock on it.
10. Let cool for a few minutes before removing it from the pan.  Let cool completely before cutting.

This bread seriously is so pretty to look at and delicious to eat!

Snag the printable recipe below:

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Herb Crusted No Knead Artisan Bread

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