Ancient Grain Bread

This no-knead ancient grain bread is a tasty and nutritious alternative to traditional bread. With a satisfyingly chewy texture and nutty taste, this bread is perfect for sandwiches and as a side for soup. This recipe comes together quickly and uses simple ingredients, making it ideal for bakers of all skill levels.

I choose to do overnight hydration of the wheat for this ancient grains bread recipe because it makes for a really tender bread. When baked in a Dutch oven, the bread forms a beautiful brown crust while staying moist and fluffy inside.

I love making bread such as my Green Chili Cheese Bread in Dutch ovens because it steams the bread and creates a consistent temperature for baking. This is great for those who are new to baking or that have hot spots and inconsistent temperatures in their oven.

For more delicious bread recipes, check out my Sourdough Focaccia, Kamut Pizza Crust, or Einkorn Sandwich Bread.

No Knead Bread

Kneading is an excellent technique to get tender bread, but did you know that a longer rise time can produce similar results? Rather than kneading bread by hand or mixer, you can mix up your bread and let it sit overnight.

During the extended rise, the gluten strengthens, similar to the results that kneading produces. This is great for those short on time or who cannot knead by hand.

Why You'll Love it

Simple- This is the best ancient grain bread because it uses only 5 ingredients. Most of these ingredients are those you might already have in your pantry. The simple ingredients allow the natural flavors to shine. Plus, this recipe is budget-friendly, making it an excellent choice for those who want to keep down costs by making homemade bread.

No knead- This recipe doesn't use a bread machine or extended kneading time. It's just as tender as traditional bread but much more convenient. Because this bread mixes up in just minutes, you can easily fit it into your regular schedule and always have fresh bread to enjoy throughout the week.

Healthy- Making homemade bread is rewarding because you know exactly what's in it, and there aren't preservatives. While this means that your bread may last less time than store-bought, knowing what's in your food is worth the change. In addition, Spelt flour and Einkorn are both flours with essential vitamins such as iron and magnesium and are good sources of fiber.

What is an ancient grain?

An ancient grain is a grain that is considered to have been minimally changed with selective breeding. Ancient grains are not made into hybrids but instead, remain as close as possible to their natural origins. Because of this, they're often more nutritionally dense than regular grains.

Some pseudo-cereals, such as whole grain quinoa, also fit into the category of ancient grains. While these are not technically grains, they share similar nutritional benefits, including protein and fiber.

Is ancient grain bread gluten free?

No, this ancient grain bread is not gluten-free. However, not all ancient grains contain gluten. So if you're searching for gluten-free bread, look for recipes that use amaranth flour, brown rice flour, buckwheat flour, or other gluten-free flour varieties.

It's important not to substitute a gluten-containing bread recipe with gluten-free flour because the entire recipe must be adjusted. In addition, the moisture levels will change, and it may be necessary to use binders such as xanthan gum to compensate for the lack of wheat gluten.

Are ancient grains easier to digest?

Ancient grains are less processed and often still have the bran and germ layers intact. These layers are rich in fiber and aid in digestion. They are also considered to be more easily digested than modern wheat because they have less gluten, which can cause intestinal discomfort in some people.

Sprouting whole grains can also make nutrients more readily available for absorption and further aid digestion.

Ancient Grains Flour

There are many types of ancient grain flours. For this recipe, I've chosen to use a blend of my favorites- Spelt flour and Einkorn. Of course, there are many types of ancient grains flour, including teff, kamut, whole grain sorghum flour, and more. But the flavor and texture of spelt and einkorn are perfect for this recipe.

Ingredients

Water-Water helps hydrate the dough and is the only liquid needed for this simple bread. You can use tap water or filtered water. They will both taste great and work well in this recipe.

Salt- Salt is essential to give the bread flavor. It heightens the naturally nutty taste of the flour.

Active dry yeast- Active dry yeast gives our bread rise. If you don't use yeast often, be sure to learn how to test yeast to see if it's still active. As yeast ages, it loses potency and can cause your bread a lower rise. Storing yeast in the refrigerator can help extend its shelf life.

Spelt flour- Spelt flour is a type of wheat and contains the entire grain, including the endosperm, bran, and germ. Spelt flour works really well as part of a blend in flour recipes because it has a distinct flavor that benefits from being mixed with others for a balanced texture and taste.

Einkorn flour- Einkorn is considered one of the earlier wheat. It has more protein and less starch than modern wheat. It has a unique earthy flavor and a slight sweetness that makes it taste great in bread, pasta, and pizza. 

How to Make Ancient Grain Bread

Mix ingredients

• Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Next, add in the wet ingredients and mix until combined.

Cover

• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 10-18 hours. You can make it in the evening and then bake the following day.

Preheat the Dutch Oven

• Preheat your Dutch oven to 485 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Both the dutch oven and the oven itself must be hot before the bread is added.

Form the Bread

• Flour a work surface generously. Place the bread dough on the surface. Roll the dough into a ball. It will be sticky, but just be patient with the process. Once you have shaped the dough ball, place it onto a piece of parchment and score it. Scoring the bread helps steam escape from a planned area rather than simply bursting through the weakest point in the loaf.

Bake

• Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and take off the lid. Be sure to use an oven mitt; sometimes, it's easy to forget the lid has been in the oven for a while too.
• Gently pick up the edges of the parchment paper with the loaf and move it to the hot Dutch oven. Place the lid back onto the Dutch oven and put it back into the hot oven.
• Bake at 485 degrees for 30 minutes with the lid on. Then, remove the lid and bake for another 20 minutes until the loaf is a beautiful golden brown.

Cool

• Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and carefully lift the parchment to remove the loaf. Place the loaf on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Allowing it to cool will help the inside to set before you slice into it.

Tips and Substitutions

• Flour Substitutes- Spelt flour can be substituted with kamut flour and rye flour, which are nutritious and flavorful alternatives to wheat. Each has its unique taste, so choosing one for your recipe can give you a flavor all its own.
• Adding seeds such as flax seeds or pepitas on top of your ancient grain bread loaf adds extra nutrients like fiber, healthy fat, and protein. They can also make your loaf look fantastic and add some extra flavor.
• Preheating the Dutch oven is essential. To achieve a perfect golden crust, the bread must be baked evenly. The steam inside the Dutch oven keeps the bread moist while baking and results in a perfectly baked loaf every time. 

• Yeasted Breads
• Baked
• Einkorn Flour
• Spelt Flour