Soft Whey Bread (No-Knead)
This quick and easy whole wheat whey bread recipe uses leftover liquid whey from yogurt making to create a delicate soft crumb. The protein-packed 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 as part of my weekly meal prep routine, 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, whey pancakes, German waffles, and cakes.
This is my favorite sandwich bread recipe but I simply by replaced 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 crumb.
Why you’ll love this whey bread recipe
- Quick and easy bread recipe: Just like my spelt bread, this no-knead bread takes only 2 1/2 hours to make from start to finish and uses a few staple ingredients only.
- Leftover whey: Just like my whey pancakes and whey scones, this recipe is perfect to use up your leftover whey from yogurt making. Double batch the recipe to use up an even larger amount as the bread freezes well.
- Soft texture: Wholemeal loaves can easily be firm in texture but this soft whole wheat bread is perfect for sandwiches.
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 or instant yeast. Just follow the package instructions.
- 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 the wholemeal with white flour if you prefer white sandwich 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 you can use vegetable oil or parchment paper as well.
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 baked goods will increase their protein levels, and create a finer crumb and golden crust.
Related recipes
If you enjoy baking bread at home, check out my following bread recipes:
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Soft 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!
