100% Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

This nourishing whole wheat sourdough bread is easy and packed with amazing flavor. It makes for a hearty loaf of bread that's filling and ultra-rich in nutrients. All you need is a sourdough starter, whole wheat flour, water and salt! Perfect for toast but also to serve alongside salads, soups and stews.

Most days we prefer a classic white boule of sourdough bread, so this quick and easy same-day sourdough bread finds its way back to our table regularly. But whenever we feel like a very hearty loaf of bread that is filling and packed with extra nutrition, then this whole wheat sourdough bread is the only recipe we need. And I hope you love it just as much as we do!

The dough is made entirely using whole wheat flour, and you can build up a sourdough starter made using whole wheat flour to make it or simply use your regular all-purpose flour sourdough starter.

Using only whole wheat flour to make sourdough bread will give you a similar result to what you get from using buckwheat flour to make sourdough bread: a more dense yet deliciously chewy and tender nourishing bread that has a bold and rich flavor and that carries an appetizing darker color.

I have a light whole wheat flour rustic bread that we make regularly, so I expected more "denseness" from this 100% whole wheat flour loaf. BUT, it is surprisingly lovely and pleasant in texture with a much softer crumb than expected. You will also love how satisfied this robust bread will leave you, making it the perfect morning toast to get your day started the right way. Also, this is a #1 choice of bread to dip in soups and stews.

Let me know if you give it a try! ❤️

Making sourdough bread with whole wheat flour

This whole wheat sourdough bread isn't more difficult to make compared to your regular white flour bread, only the texture from the dough will be slightly different as you manipulate it.

You should also expect a loaf of bread that's more flat, heavy and that carries a tighter crumb, thanks to the extra fiber from the bran and germ in the 100% whole wheat flour. If you are looking for an airy, high up and light bread, then I suggest you to check out this same-day white sourdough bread. Here, we are looking for rustic bread that is full of character and that sticks to your ribs!

As a side note, you can easily find 2 kinds of whole wheat flour on the market: white whole wheat flour and regular whole wheat flour (darker). They differ from the type of wheat berries used, but they mostly are nutritionally the same. Both work for this recipe, but know that regular whole wheat flour might give you a slightly darker loaf of bread that has a stronger earthy flavor compared to white whole wheat flour.

What kind of sourdough starter to use

For simplicity, I used my regular sourdough starter made using white flour.

If you want to make your bread even closer to a truly 100% whole wheat sourdough bread, then you can also prepare a levain made with whole wheat flour.

To make it, combine 40g of your starter with 40g. of whole wheat flour and 40g. of water. Stir and let it sit for 4-6 hours or until it rises nicely. You can repeat this process to reduce the white flour composition even further.

In any case, make sure your sourdough starter is very active, packed with bubbles and high in the jar before using to combine the dough ingredients.

Health benefits of whole wheat sourdough bread

We already know that sourdough bread is healthier than regular bread made with commercial yeast, thanks to the wild yeast and gut-friendly bacteria from the sourdough starter. While fermenting, the gluten breaks down, the amount of phytate lowers (phytates reduce the absorption of nutrients), and valuable prebiotics + antioxidants accumulate and become readily available in the loaf. Also, once you eat the bread, the free sugars from the carbs are less likely to spike in your bloodstream.

Simply put, sourdough bread is much easier to digest, packed with nutrients and lower on the glycemic index compared to commercial bread!

Plus in this case, on top of all these wonderful health benefits that come from eating sourdough bread, this recipe uses only whole wheat flour to make the dough, which makes it even richer in healthy fiber, plant-based protein, vitamins, minerals and more.

Why you should try this recipe

• Makes for a hearty and filling bread
• Versatile: perfect for toast or to accompany salads, soups and stews
• Very healthy, easy to digest and packed with nutrients
• Loaded with robust flavor from combining the whole wheat flour with tangy sourdough starter. The depth of flavor is unbelievable!

What you will need

(more details down below in the recipe card)

• Sourdough starter: you will need a bubbly and very active sourdough starter to make this recipe. You can find out how to make your own starter from scratch by following this guide.
• Whole wheat flour: you can use white whole wheat flour or darker whole wheat flour for this bread recipe, both will work. I used the organic whole wheat flour from the brand Bob's Red Mill.
• Water: use room temperature or slightly warm water.
• Salt

How to make 100% whole wheat sourdough bread

(all the recipe details are in the recipe card below)

Prepare your sourdough starter

Make sure to feed your starter about 4-6 hours before you want to mix the dough ingredients. Once it is packed with bubbles and has risen at least twice its height in the jar, then you can use it to make the dough. See above if you want to use whole wheat flour sourdough starter!

Mix the dough

In a large bowl, add the active sourdough starter and water, then stir to combine.

Then, add the whole wheat flour and salt and keep stirring until uniform and there are no visible spots of dry flour anymore.

I like to start with a dough whisk, then use my hand to have a better feel of the dough. Once it forms a shaggy dough, then cover and let it rest for 20 minutes.

Stretches and folds

Now, do 3 sessions of stretches and folds with about 30 minutes of resting time in between. This will strengthen the gluten network and help have a great texture in your loaf. I have a no-stretch sourdough bread on the blog if you are in a rush, but in this case since we are using only whole wheat flour, we need a few stretches and folds to help with building up a great texture.

Stretch and fold method: grab the dough on the opposite side of the bowl in front of you, pull or stretch it up until it gets tight or you can no longer pull without breaking the dough. Then fold it back and press it over the dough in the middle. Rotate the bowl 90º, then repeat. Keep going around the bowl until the dough feels too tight to stretch. I usually do 4-5 stretches/folds per session.

Bulk fermentation

Once done with the stretches and folds, then cover well and let the dough ferment and rise in a cozy spot in the house. The dough will ferment faster in warmer temperatures, just something to keep in mind. I fermented mine for about 5 hours.

As a general rule, your dough is done fermenting when it is puffy and looks lighter, has risen (but not necessarily doubled) and might have a few bubbles on top of the dough.

Shape and final proof

Once done fermenting, then transfer the dough over a clean and lightly floured counter. Then, pre-shape roughly into a ball by grabbing the edges and bringing them back over the dough in the middle. Flip the dough so the seam side is on the counter and let the dough rest covered for about 20 minutes (you can just flip your empty bowl over).

Flip the dough again so the seam side is up. Stretch the dough into a square, then fold the top part and each side over the dough in the middle. Grab the top and roll down towards you until the seam side is on the counter. Use both your hands to help shape it into a boule.

To strengthen the boule: make sure the counter has barely any flour over or the boule will slip too much. Place both your hands over the top part and drag the boule towards you to create some tension on top. Slightly rotate the boule and repeat. Keep going until the boule is smooth and has a good tension on top.

Generously flour your proofing basket, then use a counter scraper to flip the dough into the prepared banneton with the seam side up. Cover and let it rest overnight in the fridge (or for 5-36 hours).

Score and bake

At least 30 minutes before you want to bake the bread, place a Dutch oven in your oven and preheat to 450ºF.

When ready to bake, flip the dough over a large piece of parchment paper and score the dough as you wish. Then, grab the edges of the paper to transfer the dough into the preheated Dutch oven. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and keep baking for 5-7 minutes or until nicely golden brown.

Carefully remove the bread from the Dutch oven and transfer it to a cooling rack. Let the bread cool down completely or for at least 2 hours before enjoying it.

Helpful tips

• It is essential to have a very active sourdough starter to mix the dough, otherwise the bread won't ferment and rise properly. So make sure to plan and feed your starter 4-6 hours ahead of time so it has enough time to be ready.
• If you want to bake this bread without a Dutch oven, then you can follow this no Dutch oven sourdough bread baking guide.
• Feel free to adjust the scheduling to your routine. I like to feed my starter in the morning so it is ready to use around lunchtime to mix the dough. The dough can then ferment during the afternoon and be shaped in the evening. I prefer to do a final proof overnight so it is easier to score and has a better oven spring, then bake the next morning. But, you could also let it proof for 1-2 hours at room temperature if you wanted to bake the bread later the same evening.
• The fermentation will be faster in a cozy home, so adjusting the temperature of your house will affect how fast the fermentation will be.

Storage tips

Make sure to first completely cool down the loaf before slicing it. A bread that's cut too early can end up being gummy or feel underdone.

Then, slice what you want and flip the rest of the bread on the cutting board with the sliced part down. The bread can be kept that way for up to 48 hours (as long as your house isn't too dry).

For longer storage, you can transfer it to an airtight container or sealed bag so the bread does not dry too fast (the crust will soften in that case). Avoid the fridge as it can change the texture of the bread and feel free to pre-slice the loaf and freeze it for an easy grab-and-go!

For more storage ideas, then check out this guide on how to keep sourdough bread fresh for longer!

More sourdough bread recipes

• High-protein quinoa sourdough bread
• Sourdough onion bread
• Sourdough sandwich rolls
• Sourdough discard sandwich bread
• Chocolate sourdough bread
• Turmeric sourdough bread
• Oatmeal sourdough bread

I hope you enjoyed this sourdough whole wheat bread recipe! If you have any questions, please leave them in the comment section below. Your feedback is so helpful!

Let's stay in touch with Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. Also, don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter to be sure not to miss anything.