Soft Whole Wheat Whey Bread (No-Knead)
This quick and easy whole wheat whey bread recipe uses leftover liquid whey instead of warm water. The protein-packed, soft sandwich loaf requires no kneading and is ready in 2 1/2 hours. Bread maker instructions included.
Since I started making Instant Pot yogurt at home, I’ve been looking for recipes that use leftover whey. Baking with whey enhances the texture and flavor of many baked goods, including breads, rolls, pancakes, waffles, and cakes.
I started making my favorite sandwich bread recipe with whey simply by replacing the water portion with liquid whey. It not only gives the delicious bread a protein boost, but it also creates a soft, pillowy texture and fine, soft crumb. The dough needs no kneading which allows you to whip up a whey loaf in 2 1/2 hours from start to finish. Quick and easy – whey to go!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- No-knead whey bread recipe
- Homemade bread in 2 1/2 hours
- Uses a lot of whey. Double batch the recipe to use up an even larger amount as the bread freezes well.
- Soft loaf of bread, perfect for sandwiches
Related recipes
If you enjoy baking bread at home, check out my following bread recipes:
Ingredients
- Whey – I use leftover yogurt whey from making Greek-style yogurt but whey from homemade ricotta or other cheesemaking can be used as well.
- Yeast – Active, dry yeast works well. You can also substitute it with fresh yeast.
- Sugar – I use granulated sugar but brown sugar, honey or maple syrup work well too.
- Flour – A combination of all-purpose and whole wheat flour gives the bread a wholesome flavor and increases its nutritional value. You can substitute a portion of the wholemeal with white flour if you prefer white bread.
- Salt – Salt is an important flavoring in bread. Do not reduce the amount.
- Sunflower oil – I use extra virgin sunflower oil but you can substitute it with other vegetable oils.
- Pumpkin seeds (optional) – I add some pumpkin seeds on top of the bread before baking. You can omit those or simply replace them with seeds you prefer.
- Butter – I use butter to grease the loaf pan but vegetable oil is suitable as well.
Tips for the perfect whey bread
- Make sure the whey is lukewarm, not hot or cold, so it can easily be activated with the yeast and sugar. It should be between 100 and 110 F (36.5 to 40.5 C).
- The dough will be a little bit wet. Don’t add any additional flour or the bread will end up dry.
- Grease the bread pan thoroughly with oil or butter to prevent the loaf from sticking to the pan.
- If the bread is getting too dark during baking, cover the loaf with baking paper.
- Although it will be hard to resist, don’t slice the bread while it’s still hot.
Crusty whey bread
To make a crusty whey bread, shape the dough into a round loaf or boule and bake it in a preheated Dutch oven to create a crunchy crust. Alternatively, you can bake it on a preheated baking stone in the oven.
Bread maker instructions
To make this whey bread in a bread maker, simply activate the yeast with lukewarm whey and sugar for about 5 minutes first. Add all ingredients including the activated yeast to the bowl and place it in the bread maker. Choose a quick program that does not include too much kneading. Program 5 and loaf size XL on my Panasonic Automatic Bread Maker SD-2501 work well for a rapid 3-hour loaf.
FAQ
You can store it in a bread bin for 2-3 days at room temperature. Alternatively, you can slice and freeze it for up to 3 months which allows you to defrost individual slices in a toaster.
Acid whey which is also known as sour whey is a byproduct of acid types of dairy products including cottage cheese and strained yogurt. Adding acid whey to your bread will increase the protein levels of your loaf, and create a finer crumb and golden crust.
Soft Whole Wheat Whey Bread (No-Knead)
Ingredients
Activate Yeast
- 2 cups whey liquid, lukewarm
- 1 1/2 tsp yeast active, dry
- 1 tbsp sugar
Prepare Dough
- 3 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil extra virgin
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds optional
Grease Loaf Tin
- 1 tbsp butter
Instructions
Activate the yeast
- Heat up the liquid whey on the stove or in the microwave until it's lukewarm.2 cups whey
- Add the yeast and sugar to the warm whey and stir thoroughly until the yeast is starting to dissolve. Set aside for 10 minutes.1 1/2 tsp yeast, 1 tbsp sugar
Prepare bread dough
- In a large bowl, combine whole wheat and all-purpose flour, and salt.3 cups whole wheat flour, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- Add the liquid ingredients including the activated yeast mixture and olive oil to the dry ingredients. Stir everything until they are fully combined and a wet, sticky dough forms.3 tbsp sunflower oil
- Cover the bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour. The dough will rise by about 1/3 during this time.
- Preheat the oven to 350F/180C.
- Grease a bread loaf tin with butter or line it with parchment paper. Transfer the dough to the tin. Let it rise for another 30 minutes.1 tbsp butter
- Add the pumpkin seeds on top of the loaf and bake it in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- Remove the bread from the loaf tin after about 10 minutes and let it fully cool on a wire rack before slicing it with a sharp knife. Enjoy!
