Healthy, hearty, and absolutely delicious, this whole wheat quinoa bread is light, fluffy and packs a protein punch. Pretty sure it’s my new favorite homemade bread!

I have been so excited to share this homemade bread recipe with you! It’s no secret I love making homemade bread. I’ve used this tried-and-true fabulous recipe (Darcy’s recipe in that post) to make my family’s everyday bread for years.

There’s just something about making bread that feels wholesome and good. It’s hard for me to explain.

A loaf of wheat bread with thick slices cut off of it on a wooden cutting board.

I guess I’m just always amazed that such simple ingredients can come together to create fluffy domes of hearty goodness; it’s a mini miracle.

I wasn’t always good at making bread. And even now, sometimes my bread flops, but it is definitely one of the most satisfying things I make at home.

Having said that, can I take a minute to just throw this out there:

You don’t have to make homemade bread to be a a good mom, a decent human being, a rockstar in the kitchen, a role model to young children, or anything else that your guilt complex might want to fill in that blank.

THERE SHOULD BE NO GUILT OVER STOREBOUGHT BREAD, PEOPLE. And likewise, there shouldn’t be any guilt if you decide to make bread every day of your life in lieu of cleaning your bathrooms.

Three loaves of homemade wheat bread on a cooling rack.

Sorry to get all lecture-y on you; I just feel strongly that we all need to stop the guilt.

Anyway, moving on.

A little while ago, I decided to branch out and try a new whole wheat bread recipe. With quinoa! I know. It sounds a little strange, but since we eat quinoa with dinner quite a bit, it wasn’t too much of a stretch to throw it into bread.

And oh, my goodness. This whole wheat quinoa bread is the best bread to ever come out of my kitchen.

So good, in fact, that this is the only sandwich bread I’ve been making for weeks. I’ve even converted several of my staunch bread making friends to this recipe, too. We are all in love!

A loaf of homemade wheat bread with five thick slices cut off.

The quinoa lends a deliciously nutty flavor to the bread. It also makes the loaf extremely tender.

And if you are wondering, like I was, what happens to the quinoa in the bread dough, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. The  loaf is intensely soft and fluffy without any hard bits of quinoa in the crumb.

The quinoa melds and absorbs in the bread dough as it mixes and bakes. There’s a hint of nutty flavor, but it’s not an in-your-face-quinoa punch as you eat it.

My kids are convinced this whole wheat quinoa bread makes the best toast in all the land. They’ll often eat through a whole loaf at breakfast (or for an after school snack, particularly if I let them slather it with nutella).

Because I want you to love this bread as much as we do, I’ve included a step-by-step tutorial below.

Step-by-step photos and instructions showing how to make homemade quinoa bread.

The recipe really is straightforward, but the method is a little unique, and the texture may be a bit different than other classic sandwich bread recipes.

Speaking of mixers, I know the world is divided when it comes to which stand mixer reigns supreme, but I make all of our bread in my beloved Bosch stand mixer. It is a powerhouse when it comes to bread.

I haven’t made this whole wheat quinoa bread in a KitchenAid mixer or by hand. Both could work, although keep an eye on your stand mixer if it has a weak motor.

I don’t want any stand mixers burning out (and people getting mad at me!).

A loaf of sliced whole wheat bread on a cutting board.

UPDATE: I’ve been getting a lot of questions about the bread pans I use. My favorite bread pans are the USA bread pans and the Chicago Metallic pans. I have a few of each and love both of them.

This whole wheat quinoa recipe is softest, fluffiest, best bread ever!

And if you are wanting to delve into the world of bread making but don’t know where to start or feel a little intimidated, here’s a step-by-step guide on my other go-to whole wheat bread recipe. And here is a tutorial on yeast (an oldie but a goodie of a post).

Please leave any questions in the comments below (or on specific recipe threads). I don’t have all the answers, but I can definitely try to help!

Thick slices of homemade wheat bread on a wooden cutting board.

One Year Ago: Quick Blender Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins {Gluten-Free}
Two Years Ago: Foolproof No-Stir Homemade Caramels {With Step-by-Step Tutorial}
Three Years Ago: Simple Homemade Haunted Halloween Houses

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Whole Wheat Quinoa Bread

4.62 stars (136 ratings)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup uncooked white quinoa, rinsed
  • 2 ¼ cups water
  • 8 cups whole wheat flour, don't pack the flour in the measuring cup
  • cup vital wheat gluten, optional, see note
  • 1 ½ tablespoons instant yeast
  • 4 teaspoons salt
  • 2 ¼ cups milk, lightly warmed (about 110 degrees F)
  • ¾ cup room temperature water
  • ½ cup honey
  • ¼ cup oil, canola, vegetable, avocado

Instructions 

  • Combine the quinoa and 2 1/4 cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Cover and let cook for 10-12 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, remove the lid, stir the quinoa, and let it stand for 10-20 minutes.
  • In a stand mixer, combine the wheat flour, gluten, yeast, and salt. Mix.
  • Add the milk, 3/4 cup water, honey and oil. Continue mixing; the dough will start out looking very crumbly and come together in a stiff mass. That’s ok! It will soften as the quinoa is added.
  • Spoon in the warm quinoa while the mixer is running. Gradually add all the quinoa and any excess water (there shouldn’t be much; most of it should have absorbed in the quinoa).
  • Continue to mix until the dough comes together and forms a soft ball of dough that clears the sides and bottom of the bowl. If for some reason (and this can depend on elevation, humidity, temperature, etc), the dough is sticky and wet, gradually add 1/4 cup of flour at a time until it forms a ball of dough that clears the sides of the bowl – but avoid adding extra flour unless you really need to.
  • Let the dough knead for 7-9 minutes.
  • Place the dough in a greased bowl or container, cover, and let it rise until double.
  • Lightly punch down the dough and portion into three equal loaves, about 32-35 ounces each. Form the dough into loaves by patting each piece into a thick rectangle and rolling it up, pressing with the heel of your hand to get rid of air bubbles and form a taut loaf.
  • Place the loaves in greased 8 1/2-inch by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans. Let rise, covered, until 1-inch above the rim of the pan.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and gently turn the loaves out on to a cooling rack to cool completely. Brush the tops with butter while still warm, if desired.

Notes

Whole Wheat Flour: my preference, always with whole wheat bread, is to use white whole wheat flour. Red whole wheat flour may make the bread more dense and hearty (not a bad thing, just a fair warning).
Wheat Grinding: here’s a quick post on wheat grinding and deciphering the different varieties of wheat.
Vital Wheat Gluten: I like using the vital wheat gluten as it helps to develop the natural gluten in bread made with 100% whole wheat flour and makes for a super soft, fluffy loaf; however, it is optional (others in the comments have already made this bread without it and have reported back with good results). If you decide to leave it out, think about increasing the kneading time by a couple minutes.
Serving: 1 Slice, Calories: 147kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 1mg, Sodium: 267mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 5g

Recipe Source: whole wheat quinoa bread adapted from this recipe in America’s Test Kitchen Bread Illustrated (I swapped out all the white flour for whole wheat and added a few extra ingredients to help with tenderness, and I changed up a few other minor things with ingredients and method)