This Easy Wholemeal Bread Recipe is my go to when I want homemade sandwich bread and I want it fast! My no knead, whole wheat & vegan loaf ticks all the boxes which makes it my perfect everyday bread.
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There is no better smell than that of homemade bread baking in the oven. Would you agree?
If you love the idea of baking homemade bread but are put off by all the hands on time it takes then you've come to the right place.
My Easy Wholemeal Bread recipe takes literally minutes to prepare, there is no kneading involved at all and proving and baking happens as you get on with other stuff. Make sure you set a timer though, as it's so easy to lose track of time.
Why is this Easy Wholemeal (Whole Wheat) Bread recipe so good?
There is no kneading involved in this easy wholemeal bread recipe at all. Gentle mix with a spoon and you're done.
No fancy equipment is required beside few basics like mixing bowl, spoon, kitchen scales and a loaf tin.
This wholemeal bread makes for perfect sandwich loaf when fresh and fantastic toast the following day!
I've always loved crusty breads the most and this one has got a lovely golden crust with a bit of crunch. If you prefer softer crust you can simply cover your freshly baked bread gently with a clean tea towel as it cools which will makes it softer.
Is wholemeal flour the same as whole wheat?
Yes, pretty much the same. Wholemeal is more frequently used in the UK and whole wheat in the US.
Is this bread vegan?
It is indeed 100% vegan hence also dairy-free.
Do you need strong (bread flour) to bake this bread?
No you don't. I've baked this bread numerous times using just plain white and plain wholemeal (whole wheat) flours and the results are the same as when I've used strong (bread flours).
You can be pretty brave and mix and match your flours here but I would advise you to keep to 50/50 ratio of white to wholemeal/whole wheat flour for the best results and nice, light crumb.
I often use 50% white spelt & 50% wholemeal spelt flour.
How long does this bread last and can you freeze it?
As with any homemade bread and because of the lack of preservatives it is the best on the day you bake it.
My recommendation would be to eat it fresh on the day you bake it and perhaps the following day and toast it after that. I must say I like to eat my sandwiches toasted anyway so I usually only eat it it fresh when still warm on the day I bake it.
If you don't eat a lot of bread you can easily freeze it. Simply let it cool completely, slice it and pop into freezer safe bag until you need it. To defrost simply take it out onto the kitchen counter where it should thaw in an hour or so, usually less than that. Alternatively, you can simply toast it from frozen until thawed and nicely crisped up.
Helpful tips to make your bread baking a success!
- Remember that salt kills the yeast hence the order in which I mix in dry ingredients. Flour, salt and sugar are mixed together first with dry yeast following after.
- Make sure you use lukewarm/tepid water when making your bread dough as it will help to activate yeast. Hot water will kill the yeast!
- The best place to prove your dough is somewhere warm and draught free. In the summer or if you have a really warm kitchen you can leave the dough to prove on top of your kitchen counter. I sometimes put it in our sunny conservatory or my favourite place of all - airing cupboard!
- When proving your dough you can cover the bowl with clean kitchen towel or I would highly recommend getting yourself an elasticated plastic shower cap*! I got mine from the hotel I was staying in few years ago and it's still going strong. I wouldn't normally recommend a single use, disposable plastic items but this one turned out to be a winner and definitely not a disposable one.
- Once you've baked this bread few times and are comfortable with it feel free to adapt it by throwing some interesting flavours to the mix. You can try adding some seeds to the dough, sunflower and caraway seeds* are my two favourites.
- To bake my bread I use this silicone loaf tin 2lb /24 x 10cm* which doesn't need lining with baking paper at all as anything I bake in it simply pops out. I still tend to spray it lightly with some rapeseed oil just to be on a safe side. You can use any 2lb loaf tin you've got but you might want to grease it and line it with some baking paper for the ease of removal of your bread once baked.
What to serve this Easy Wholemeal Bread with?
The world is your oyster here!
We love it fresh or toasted for breakfast with the variety of spreads like lemon curd, homemade orange marmalade or this plum and chocolate spread.
For lunch it will make a delicious sandwich with whatever filling you fancy. How about some wild garlic hummus or smoked mackerel pate? It will also make delicious addition to any soup. Some of my favourites are:
Roasted Celeriac & Sweet Potato Soup
Easy Leek and Potato Soup with Celeriac
Jerusalem Artichoke & Carrot Soup
Being bread loving family we have it with dinner sometimes as well. It goes well with pasta dishes or anything saucy as it makes for perfect sponge to mop up the juices!
How to make this Easy Wholemeal Bread?
- Put both flours you're using in a large mixing bowl.
- Add salt and sugar and give it all a good mix until all the ingredients are well combined.
- Add dry yeast and stir it in as well.
- Make a well in the centre of your dry mix and pour in warm water and mix it in with a spoon until combined. You'll have pretty sticky dough and that's how it should be.
- Cover your mixing bowl with a clean kitchen towel, reusable wax wraps or like I did here a plastic shower cap and leave in a warm place to prove for about an hour or until it doubled in size.
- Prepare your loaf tin by spraying it with a little oil. In addition you can also line it with some baking paper overlapping on both sides for easier bread removal later.
- Deflate your proved dough using a spoon. Give it a little mix and transfer it to prepared loaf tin.
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6.
- Sprinkle your bread dough with topping of choice like oats, seeds etc. and cover gently for a second prove. It shouldn't be a long one only the time it takes for your oven to heat up or (10-15 minutes). The dough should rise in a tin ever so slightly.
- Bake your wholemeal bread in preheated oven for approximately 55 minutes to 1 hour. You will know it's baked if it sounds hollow as you tap it gently underneath.
- Take it out onto cooling rack and leave to cool slightly before you slice into it.
- Enjoy!
If you like this recipe you might also like:
Easy Wholemeal Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 250 g plain white flour (all-purpose) see notes
- 250 g wholemeal (whole wheat flour) see notes
- 2 tsp sugar caster or granulated
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp dry yeast (7g sachet)
- 400 ml warm water see notes
- some sunflower/pumpkin/poppy seeds or oats to use as topping optional
Instructions
- Put both flours you’re using in a large mixing bowl.
- Add salt and sugar and give it all a good mix until all the ingredients are well combined.
- Add dry yeast and stir it in as well.
- Make a well in the centre of your dry mix and pour in warm water and mix it in with a spoon until combined. You’ll have pretty sticky dough and that’s how it should be.
- Cover your mixing bowl with a clean kitchen towel, reusable wax wraps or like I did here a plastic shower cap and leave in a warm place to prove for about an hour or until it doubled in size.
- Prepare your loaf tin by spraying it with a little oil. In addition you can also line it with some baking paper overlapping on both sides for easier bread removal later.
- Deflate your proved dough using a spoon. Give it a little mix and transfer it to prepared loaf tin.
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6.
- Sprinkle your bread dough with topping of choice like oats, seeds etc. and cover gently for a second prove. It shouldn’t be a long one only the time it takes for your oven to heat up or (10-15 minutes). The dough should rise in a tin ever so slightly.
- Bake your wholemeal bread in preheated oven for approximately 55 minutes to 1 hour. You will know it’s baked if it sounds hollow as you tap it gently underneath.
- Take it out onto cooling rack and leave to cool slightly before you slice it.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Nutritional information is approximate, per slice and should be treated as a guideline only.
- Feel free to substitute flours, and use strong bread ones if you've got them or white and wholemeal spelt flours but make sure to keep 50/50 ratio of white to wholemeal /whole-wheat for the nice texture and light crumb.
- Make sure your water is not too hot as it will kill the yeast. It should be lukewarm/tepid.
- As any homemade bread this loaf is best when eaten on the day it's baked and perhaps the following day. It also makes a great toast the day after or can be frozen.
Nutrition
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Evie says
Made this yesterday and it's lovely, so easy too! Thank you soo much for including the step by step pictures, I'd never made bread before so they were incredibly useful for making sure I was doing everything right! 🙂
joskitchenlarder says
I'm so happy to hear you found step-by-step pics helpful, thanks so much Evie! 🙂
Jackie says
I’ve followed so many bread recipes before that required kneading and used honey and other special flours, just to get a result which didn’t feel worth the effort and the ingredients expense. Your recipe, however, is simple, low in sugar, oil-less and best of all - DELICIOUS! No kneading means I can make it so quickly. I often make double the amount and split it in a cob and a loaf, which I slice up later and freeze for future use. This recipe is a winner and I still can’t believe it requires less time and effort than any other bread recipe I’ve ever tried! My favourite part of it? The crust. Oh my, I better go for a slice now, haha.
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Jackie, Thank you so much for your kind words, I'm so pleased you love the bread! 🙂
Mary Carnie says
Hi. This no knead mix of white and whole meal flour is great. It tastes so good. I was wondering if I could add a tray of boiling water to the bottom of the oven while loaf is baking to make it less dense. Or is this not advisable. Thank you in advance.
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Mary, I have never baked this particular bread with steam as the beauty of this loaf is its simplicity but you could definitely try it. I don't think it will affect the density of the bread though, more the crust. Do let me know if you try it. 🙂
Judy says
I was so pleasantly surprised and happy with the result of this recipe! My husband and I both think it’s a keeper. You’re right about it being best the same day it’s baked, but my husband had it this morning toasted and loved the inside part. He’s not big on crust. I am. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
joskitchenlarder says
You simply cannot beat homemade bread on the day it's baked but this one definitely toasts beautifully too. I'm pleased you both like it and thanks so much for lovely feedback Judy! 🙂
Lilyn says
Hi Jo,
Can I use 370ml warm milk n add 30g melted butter to make it 400ml?
Thanks 😊
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Lilyn, I'm afraid I haven't tried this recipe with milk and butter in place of water so you might have to experiment. 🙂
Sian says
Hey there,
I just made this bread and it is absolutely divine! Thank you so much.
Sian
joskitchenlarder says
So pleased to hear Sian! Thanks so much! 🙂
Wendy says
I loved this so crusty! My husband loves white bread, would it work and be just as crusty with just white flour?
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Wendy, I'm so pleased to hear you enjoyed the bread. 🙂 The crust should be similar whether you use the mixture of flours or just the white one. 🙂
Ava says
Hi Jo,
I am wondering if I can leave the mixture sit over night and then bake in the morning?
Thanks,
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Ava,
I've never done it with this particular recipe but if I was to do it I would do first proving of dough and once doubled in size I would deflate it and transfer to baking tin as per recipe, cover and put into the fridge overnight for its second rise. Fridge is a must as otherwise dough will overproof. Then in the morning let the loaf come to the room temperature as you preheat the oven (or a bit longer depending on whether it doubled in size in the fridge or not) and then bake.
Hope that helps. 🙂
Maurice McNelis says
I have made this bread many times now and still get a great taste every time. Thank you
Mo
joskitchenlarder says
That makes me very happy! Thanks so much for great feedback Mo! 🙂
xanthoula says
May you let me know please if I don’t prefer to add sugar and the whole flour is whole meal only, is it possible?
joskitchenlarder says
Hi,
You should be fine to leave sugar out completely. It has been included to help the yeast act faster and dough rise quicker but it shouldn't affect overall loaf.
As for the flour you can use just wholemeal flour but your bread will have denser consistency than when using half white and half wholemeal. Also you might need to add a bit more water to the dough depending how "thirsty" your flour is. You want your dough to be sticky and not too dry.
Hope that helps.
Patricia Betts says
I ve run out of plain flour can I use 50% self raising to 50% strong whole meal flour,the bread is amazing 👍🏻👍🏻
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Patricia, I'm super chuffed that you like the bread! Self-raising flour wouldn't be a good substitute for plain flour I'm afraid. You could use 100% strong wholemeal but the loaf will be heavier and denser than that made with 50/50 white and wholemeal.
Dwight says
Hello Jo. I am a relatively inexperienced baker and have never made bread before but I will be trying this recipe soon. I presume 'deflate the dough' means press it flat with the back of a spoon but thought I would check before I start. Please would you let me know? Many thanks.
joskitchenlarder says
Hello Dwight, As this is a sticky dough, you simply go in with the spoon and mix it lightly so that its volume goes down. I hope that helps and that you enjoy this yummy loaf. 🙂
Dwight says
Thanks Jo, I gave it a go this morning but it came out a bit gooey in the middle despite me leaving it for an hour in the oven and letting it rest (covered) for 30 minutes after taking it out. I'm guessing my mix was too wet so will bear that in mind when I next try it. I think I will halve the proportions next time as well as it's a lot of loaf for just one person.
joskitchenlarder says
It sounds like your loaf wasn't fully baked which after an hour in the oven makes me think that oven temperature wasn't high enough which might be down to oven thermostat. Did you bake your loaf at 200C/400F and did it sound hollow when tapped underneath once out of the oven? As long as you followed the recipe to a T your dough shouldn't have been too wet. If you used mixture of white and wholemeal flours, 400ml water should have been just fine. As I mentioned in my previous comment, this dough is quite sticky.
I hope this doesn't put you off this bread as it really is a very reliable and foolproof recipe.
Dwight says
Thanks Jo, no, it hasn't put me off at all - I'm proofing another mix as I write this! Yesterday's did sound hollow when I took it out of the oven, which although is a fan assisted type I still set to 200 degrees as the recipe states. Fingers crossed this time!
joskitchenlarder says
Great, I hope the second loaf was successful. 🙂
Annaliese Brown says
This was my first attempt at wholemeal bread, and I must say this recipe works really well. My oven seems to be quite fast so my loaf cooked in 45-50 minutes. My husband said ' did you make that? It looks so professional!'
The texture is quite dense but we like it, feels more homemade.
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Annaliese, Your husband's reaction speaks for itself 😊 I'm so pleased to hear you both enjoyed this loaf!
Weiyen says
I made the loaf today and spread some butter over the loaf as it cools and that worked perfectly to soften the crust. However, the bread feels more dense than fluffy. How can I make the bread less dense?
joskitchenlarder says
Hi, Sorry to hear your bread feels more on a dense side. I assume you followed the recipe to the letter with 50-50 white and wholemeal flours? Couple of things that come to mind not knowing exactly what you might have done differently if anything at all would be either over-proofing or more like under-proofing the dough which might have affected the crumb. Another thing would be yeast that wasn't fresh or became inactive by the reaction with salt or water which might have been too hot. I hope that helps a bit.
Paula says
Best and easiest bread I ever made. I already had a good wholemeal bread recipe but it was too complicated, and I needed something I would WANT to make everyday... And this recipe is not just easier that the one I had, the flavor and texture is so much better! Thank you so much for sharing this great recipe! ❤
joskitchenlarder says
I'm so pleased Paula and thank you so much for your lovely feedback!😊
Chris Pankhurst says
So easy to make! My bread maker gave up the ghost so i found your recipe. I wont bother buying another machine this is so much better. I love it 🥰
joskitchenlarder says
Yay! So pleased to hear you love the recipe Chris!😊 Thanks so much for lovely comment!
Ruben Kaplan says
Great Recipe! I've already done it a hundred times with several variations, including honey, rye flour, spices, etc. It's so easy and tasty! Thank you for sharing!
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Ruben, Thank you so much for your lovely feedback! I'm so pleased it's your go to recipe now! It's great to read that you really made it your own and took advantage of its versatility.
Michael says
I was ready to give up bread baking because my efforts were pitiful. Problems with my joints makes kneading very painful. I happened on your site and decided one last try. WOW my first attempt was amazing. My loaf of no knead bread looks just like yours and is delicious. Thanks so much. I look forward to trying more of your recipes. Regards Michael.
joskitchenlarder says
It is so lovely to read such a great feedback Michael, thank you! I'm so pleased you decided to give this loaf a go, it really is one of the easiest and most delicious breads and I'm really happy it turned out so well for you too!
Agnes says
I’m so bad at baking but this bread come out so delicious, crispy outside and so moist inside 🙂 I put some pumpkin seeds and some sunflower seeds on top and it looks better that from the shop and the taste is amazing 🤩
joskitchenlarder says
Thanks so much for your lovely feedback Agnes! x
Michelle says
Simply delicious. Love the texture.
First time I made the loaf I didn’t add enough water so it was really dense. But second time round it came out perfectly. I’m sat here dipping it in steak and ale stew!
Just wondered if you can increase the quantities to make a larger sized loaf. Say by half again. Any advice welcome.
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Michelle, I'm so please you enjoyed the bread! 🙂 I've never made this loaf bigger but as long as you increase the quantities of the ingredients in right proportions (by half again sounds good to me), you should be fine. You will need to use bigger loaf tin though and your baking time might increase so do keep a watchful eye and check for doneness as per the advice in the post.
Kathy says
This bread is awesome! Just the right amount of density, moisture and texture. I used white bread flour and plain wholemeal flour and it came out perfect! Will try it with wholemeal bread flour next time (if I can find it).
Thank you for this recipe!
joskitchenlarder says
You're more than welcome Kathy! 🙂 I'm so pleased you like the recipe!
Fiona says
First time making bread, couldn't believe how easy this was!! Really lovely loaf and much nicer than shop bought bread, Thank you.
Can I add to the recipe? Was thinking of maybe onion power, garlic, sun dried tomatoes. If so at what point would I add them?
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Fiona, I'm so glad you found this recipe nice and easy! 🙂 You can definitely go for some extra flavourings here. Add them with all the other ingredients at the beginning. When adding sun dried tomatoes make sure they're well drained from oil and well chopped. Enjoy!
Bernadette says
Excellent recipe was so easy.Bread was a lovely texture was so good.I freezed half after slicing it was perfect for toasting.Thanks my now go to recipe for bread making.
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Bernadette, So fantastic to hear, thanks! 🙂
Sue Day says
Just wandering whether the dough can be left to proof overnight in the fridge?thanks
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Sue, I'm afraid I haven't tried it with this loaf. I know it can be as easy as simply putting your bowl with dough in the fridge to prove without adjusting the amount of yeast but sometimes there is a need to reduce the amount of yeast used. Without trying it out first I cannot really advise.
Esther M says
I have made many different types of bread and this recipe was by far the simplest. I love my crusty bread so its perfect. I did find it a bit on the salty side though, do you recommend putting in half the salt instead?
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Esther, I'm so pleased you like the recipe. 🙂 The amount of salt is definitely a personal preference so feel free to adjust it to suit your taste. Halving it would be a good start and you can then go from there if you still find it too salty or perhaps not salty enough.
Glenn says
Hi Jo
Iv'e baked a couple of loaves using this recipe and both turned out perfect,tasty and so easy. Have passed on the recipe to friends and family.
I'll be baking lots more.Thanks a million.
Glenn
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Glenn, So happy to hear and thank you so much for taking the time to let me know. 🙂 Jo
Baking Scientist says
Thank you for sharing this great recipe. I halved the recipe and baked a pretty looking legit bread! The texture of the bread is like artisan bread, which is exactly how I like it. Hope to see more easy bread recipes like this from you 🙂
joskitchenlarder says
Yay! Thank you so much for such a great feedback. 🙂 I'm so pleased you enjoyed this simple loaf!
Amanda says
Thanks for the great recipe! I used active dry yeast which I put in the water + sugar mixture first to activate, then added the dry ingredients. Came out exactly as pictured and is very tasty. I brushed the top with vegan butter to soften the crust which is a personal preference but also adds a nice flavor to it. Will definitely be making this again!
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Amanda, Many thanks for such a great feedback. I'm really pleased that you like the bread and the recipe worked well for you when using active dry yeast as well! 🙂
Marie says
I made this bread today,I was surprised with how crusty the outside was, I would like it softer, I followed the receipt exactly, could you put a water bath under the bread , this could form some steam, and maybe a softer crust.
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Marie, This loaf is on the crusty side as I have mentioned in the post as loaves without any fat tend to be crustier. The crust does soften a bit as the loaf cools though and if you'd like to help this process along you can cover it with a clean tea towel as it cools (you can even dampen it a bit first). Another way of softening the crust would be brushing some melted butter/vegetable spread as soon as the loaf is out of the oven and on the cooling rack. I hope that helps.
Miranda H says
Brilliant! So easy to make and tasty 😋
I'd love to make a bigger batch. Is it as simple as doubling the recipe? Can you also freeze the dough and bake at a later date?
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Miranda, I's so pleased you've enjoyed making and eating this loaf, lovely feedback like that always makes my day! Making a bigger batch is indeed as easy as doubling the recipe. As for the freezing I have never tried freezing unbaked dough so cannot speak from experience here. I'm going to try and freeze an unbaked loaf just to test soon and will add my findings to the post.
Luiza says
Amazing recipe!!!! Thank you so much. I tried so many different recipes but this worked out perfectly.
joskitchenlarder says
I'm so pleased Luiza! 🙂 Thank you so much for your lovely feedback!
Karen says
Can you also make this bread without a tin - by just shaping it into a round?
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Karen, I haven't tried it as loaf shape works for us. The dough itself is a bit wetter than that of a loaf you can shape and bake on the tray so it could spread out a bit. I think tin works best for this particular recipe. Hope that helps.
Rejily says
Hi
I have two types of yeast with me.
1. Active dried yeast (directions say that it needs to be dissolved in water)
2. Instant yeast.(direction says no need to reconstitute in water)
Which one does this recipe call for?
Thanks for your help! Does that play a major role in determining the softness/texture of the bread?
joskitchenlarder says
Hi, As far as I'm aware the only difference between two types of yeast you described is the way in which you use them i.e. dissolving in water first vs mixing in directly into the dough. My recipe calls for instant yeast you mix directly into the dough. Hope that helps.
Siew says
Hi Jo
Thank you so much for the recipe. I have been trying out your wholemeal loaf and it had been quite a success. Can provide photos if you require.
Being from an Asian country, the majority of the population are not used to the hardy texture of the bread, would appreciate your advice to vary the recipe to have a softer and lighter texture.
joskitchenlarder says
Hello Siew, I'm really pleased you've enjoyed baking my wholemeal loaf. The only thing I can advise with this particular bread to make it softer would be to cover your loaf with the kitchen towel once out of the oven and cooling which should soften the crust. For a really soft bread you would need a recipe that includes some sort of fats (oil, butter). My Easy Yogurt Bread Rolls are much softer in texture if you wanted to give them a go. I'm hoping to have really soft bread recipe on the blog in the near future too.
Nick says
Great recipe, so easy I can make it with my 2 year old helping. Also I have put olives in after the first proof and it came out great. Thanks and keep up the good work.
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Nick, I couldn't ask for a nicer feedback, thank you! Love the addition of olives to your loaf too. 🙂
RACHEL MORTIMER says
I made bread today following this recipe. It turned out to be the best bread iv made to date. The texture and taste are perfect. I will use this recipe everytime in future.
joskitchenlarder says
Thank you so much Rachel for your lovely comment, it really made my day! I'm so pleased you love the bread and that from now on it will be your go to recipe.
Cat | Curly's Cooking says
This looks absolutely amazing Jo! Such a perfect looking loaf. I'd love a thick slice!
joskitchenlarder says
Thanks so much Cat! Not many things can be a thick slice of freshly baked bread!
Sisley White says
I love making bread and I really need to practice my wholemeal loaves. I can't wait to make this!
joskitchenlarder says
Bread is my number one comfort food at the moment! I hope you like it! 🙂
Janice Pattie says
A lovely looking loaf and such an easy technique. Thanks for taking the time to go through the steps and add photos, that's really helpful.
joskitchenlarder says
Thank you Janice! I'm glad you find step by step photos helpful. Hopefully others will as well.