Nutty Herbal Spelt Bread
Prep. Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes
Servings
1 loaf
Difficulty
Easy
Soy-Free
This hearty vegan bread is easy to make without a mixer and comes in two versions: one with whole grain spelt and one with all-purpose flour. I boost the texture with vital wheat gluten and add chia seeds, flaxseed meal, nutritional yeast, raisins, herbs, and a little olive oil for flavor. The result is a loaf that’s slightly sweet, a bit crunchy, and full of depth—good enough that we’ve skipped buying bakery bread. It freezes well too, which makes it handy for road trips or busy weeks when you want bread ready to go. We use it for breakfast toast, packed lunches, or alongside soups, and you can swap in different nuts or leave them out to fit your family’s taste.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups whole spelt flour
3/4 cup vital wheat gluten
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tbsps chia seeds
1 tbsp Italian seasoning (or any mix with a touch of rosemary, thyme and basil)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup raisins
3 tbsps olive oil
1 tbsp active dry yeast
11.8oz/ 350mL warm water + 3.4 fl.oz (100mL) warm water (to activate the dry yeast)
1 tbsp sugar (to activate the dry yeast)
2 tsps salt
Instructions
Activate the yeast: In a measuring cup, combine 1/4 cup warm water, sugar, and active dry yeast. Stir gently and let it sit for 5-10 minutes, until the mixture becomes frothy.
Prepare the dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, gluten, nutritional yeast, dried herbs, and salt. Stir everything together, making sure it's evenly distributed.
Make the dough: Pour the olive oil and the rest of the warm water into the dry mix. Once the yeast mixture is ready, pour it into the dry ingredients as well. Combine and mix everything together until a dough starts to form. The dough will be a bit sticky—don’t worry, that’s normal! You don't need to kneed the dough, just make sure it is in an even consistency, and that the texture is of a sticky dough.
Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover it with a clean towel. Let it rise for 2 hours in a warm place (or room temperature), until it has doubled in size.
Bake: Preheat your oven to 410°F (200°C). Line a dutch oven (a heavy, lidded pot, usually made of cast iron that retains heat well enough to create a steamy environment for the bread) with parchment paper, or preferably use a silicone bread baking sling (allows you to lift the loaf easily from the oven once it's ready) and bake it with the lid on for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
Take the lid off, and bake for 5 more minutes.
Transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
And there you have it—a simple, rustic loaf that's rich in flavor and so satisfying. Enjoy it with a little butter, your favorite spreads and salads, or on its own; it’s that good!
Notes
No vital gluten in your pantry? No worries! Use half all-purpose flour and half spelt flour.
If you're looking for a taller loaf, replace half of the Spelt flour with all-purpose flour.
Once out of the oven and cool, slice the load and freeze in a gallon ziploc bag to maintain freshness.
The Latest Bite
No-Bake Pistachio Ice Cream Cake
I love ice-cream cakes, and it is so hard to find vegan ones in stores, so I knew at some point I'd want to try and whip a recipe up, but one thing that's always a factor for me is whether or not it'll be a time-consuming project or not. If I need to use my mixer, food processor or oven, it means I need to plan for more dishes and more time spent on this, and that's where I sometimes hold off on exploring and developing new recipes. I was not only aiming for an easy-to-make recipe here, but also one that requires very few ingredients and as allergen-friendly as possible. This makes it a store-in-the-freezer dessert for when I have unexpected guests, or when we are on the road and want an indulgent treat.
Made primarily from raw pistachio butter, coconut cream and almond flour, this easy no-bake cake is elemental and holds texture and flavor impressively. Compliments are guaranteed!