Light Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

This easy, step-by-step whole wheat sourdough bread recipe (and video) is light and flavorful, not heavy and dense. Made with 20% whole wheat flour. Naturally leavened with active sourdough starter. Ideal for sandwiches, toast and soup.

Whole grain flours are prized for their toasty, earthy flavors. Packed with plenty of fiber and nutrients, their natural complexity is a perfect match for any slow-fermented sourdough bread recipe. However, in bread baking there are rules…

You can’t just swap white flour for whole wheat flour and expect the same results (unless you like dry and dense bread). Adjustments need to be made.

In this post, you’ll learn how to make exceptional whole wheat sourdough bread that’s not only light, crisp and airy, but is good for you too. {Browse my full collection of sourdough bread recipes here}

How To Make Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread {Step-By-Step Recipe}

Step 1: Mix The Dough

To Start: Weigh your ingredients using a scale. Mix the sourdough starter and water together in a large bowl. Add the flour and salt. Stir to combine, and then squish by hand to form a rough dough. This dough is very sticky, around 75% hydration. It’s like playing with wet mud. Very satisfying! Cover the bowl and rest for 1 hour- this is your first rest.

Tip: Whole wheat flour is thirsty. Because it absorbs more water than regular all purpose flour, extending the “autolyse” or first resting period gives the dough ample time to hydrate. The texture of the dough will be noticeably different after the full hour: it will be softer, and more extensible to stretch and fold later on.

Step 2: Bulk Rise With Stretch & Folds

Now the dough needs to rise. During this stage, you’ll stretch and fold the dough to strengthen the gluten and boost the height of the bread. I like to do 4 sets spaced 30 minutes apart. The dough will become soft, pillowy, and a bit stiffer by the 4th set which is what you want.

When finished with the folds…

Cover the bowl with lightly oiled plastic wrap, and continue to bulk rise, untouched at 75-78 F for about 2-3 hours. The dough is ready when it’s puffy, airy, and almost doubled in size. Chill overnight.

Step 3: Shape The Dough

In the morning, you’re going to shape the dough twice to build extra strength. The first shaping is called “pre-shape” and the second one is the “final shape.”

Pre-shape

Remove the cold dough onto a floured surface. Rest for 10-15 minutes to take the chill off. Shape the dough into a loose ball. Cover and rest for 20-30 minutes.

Final Shape

Using a bench knife for guidance, flip the dough over and shape it again (a little bit tighter this time). Place into a lined bowl of proofing basket seam side up. Cover the dough with the vloth overhang. 

Tip: Pre-shaping Bread Dough: not every sourdough recipe needs it. High hydration doughs (like this one) benefit from the extra support to hold its shape. Otherwise, it might spread when baking.

Step 4: Second Rise

The dough needs to rise again, but only briefly. Rest the dough in the warm spot you used earlier for about 30 minutes to 1 hour. The dough is ready when it’s puffy and looks plump. It should not be super cold or dense-looking prior to baking. Preheat your oven.

Step 5: Score The Dough

Invert the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper. Flour the surface. Using a bread lame or small serrated knife, score the dough at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock, turning the parchment paper as you go. Alternatively, make one long slash down the center- do whatever you feel comfortable with. Scoring takes practice.

Step 6: Bake The Dough

Place the dough in a Dutch oven or another oven safe pot with lid. You don’t have to preheat it first. Pop the lid on top, and bake @ 450 F for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the bread from the pot. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour before slicing, otherwise the interior crumb might taste gummy. How good does this look?!

Let’s Talk About Taste.

Because this dough is made with only 20% whole wheat flour, the taste is mild and nutty, with a light texture.

For a heartier loaf, you can increase the whole wheat flour up to 30% with additional water (see recipe card below). However, the biggest mistake I see with bakers is attempting these higher %’s without understanding that it can cause extremely dense and heavy bread. Start small, practice, and work your way up.

Then once you’ve mastered this recipe, have a look at my classic sourdough bread recipe, this easy sourdough sandwich bread and my light and airy sourdough focaccia!