The aroma of true sourdough bread is absolutely intoxicating. There is nothing quite like the warm smell of bread coming from a kitchen. Although whole wheat sourdough gets a lot of flack for being too difficult, there are some simple steps to take in order to make it a simple process. This einkorn whole wheat sourdough bread will warm your kitchen and delight your tastebuds.
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Sourdough bread has alluded me for the past few years. Back in 2020, I tried making einkorn sourdough bread after I heard from the Trim Healthy Mama community that einkorn was one of the ancient grains that were approved on the Trim Healthy Mama plan.
Looking back at the Facebook Live that I did (and put on Youtube) has me cringing! I was trying so hard to act like I knew what I was talking about. You can see me fumbling through the process here (and you might even notice that I didn't count correctly on how many cups of flour I used!).
My whole wheat einkorn sourdough bread tasted good, but the bread was cracked and overall just looked like a big brick than a pretty sourdough bread creation.
I've come a long way with whole wheat sourdough and although I have by no means perfected my whole wheat sourdough process. You'll see in my photos that my whole wheat einkorn bread still has some unseemly cracks but it sure does look different than those early days.
My point? Keep going, keep trying, laugh at your mistakes, and celebrate your victories.
Tips & Tricks
You won't see me boasting about being a whole wheat sourdough bread recipe creator, but there are a few things that I've learned along the way to make sourdough a bit more of a smooth process.
- Using whole wheat einkorn flour is preferred on the Trim Healthy Mama plan, however, it is a bit harder to get that 'perfect' sourdough look.
- Einkorn is a little harder to work with than traditional sourdough. It is a sticky loaf. If you would like to make sandwich bread with this recipe, the dough in a loaf pan, it will make the perfect sandwich bread.
- Some water contains chemicals that will kill the beneficial bacteria in sourdough. Always use filtered water or know your water quality.
- Using a combination of all-purpose einkorn and whole wheat einkorn will yield a more fluffy texture. This recipe only uses whole wheat einkorn which makes it ideal on THM (however all-purpose einkorn flour is still on plan with THM).
- I recommend that you do 2-3 stretches and folds with this dough. Einkorn has a different gluten structure so it may not shape in the same way as other sourdough bread you have tried. If you do 2-3 stretches and folds, I find that it will still yield a light and airy texture.
FAQ
Can I use a different sourdough starter that is not einkorn based?
Yes! You can use a regular wheat sourdough starter and then use einkorn flour for the rest of the recipe. Nothing changes in the recipe.
How do I convert my regular wheat sourdough starter to an einkorn starter?
You can convert your regular wheat sourdough start to an einkorn sourdough starter. Start feeding and discarding your sourdough starter with einkorn flour. By the 6-7th time, you will have almost an entire einkorn sourdough starter (Farmhouse on Boone claims by the 5th feeding it will be 96% an einkorn starter).
Feed your sourdough starter 4-12 hours in advance prior to making this recipe. It should be nice and bubbly and at least doubled in size.
Can I eat sourdough on Trim Healthy Mama?
If you are following the Trim Healthy Mama plan, sourdough is an excellent resource for your bread needs. I personally like baking my own, but I know others who buy approved sourdough in the store as well.
Interested in learning more about what flours are approved on Trim Healthy Mama? THM has an excellent resource in this article.
Sourdough bread does appear in the Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook. It uses Rye as the flour and rye sourdough is not our favorite so einkorn has been a more preferred flour. Einkorn will have a more gentle texture and taste.
This bread is great for E meals or as a healthy crossover.
Equipment
You may need these tools for the einkorn sourdough bread.
- Glass Bowl
- Banneton Basket (Proofing Basket)
- Dutch Oven
- A Danish Dough Whisk is optional. I usually just use a wooden spoon.
- Lame
- Bench Scrapper
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Parchment paper
You can find all my kitchen essential favorites, including all my sourdough equipment in my Amazon storefront or Like to Know Shop.
Ingredients
Sourdough Starter
- Sourdough starter
- Filtered water
- Whole wheat Einkorn flour
Bread Dough
- All of the starter from above
- Filtered water
- Whole wheat einkorn flour
- Salt - we prefer to use Redmond Real Salt
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Use these simple steps for making delicious whole wheat sourdough bread.
Feed your starter - Feed your ¼ cup of sourdough starter with ⅔ cup water and 1 cup whole wheat einkorn flour. Let ferment for 6 hours or overnight. I tend to let it ferment overnight.
Mix your dough - Add your remaining ingredients to the sourdough starter. With a Danish dough mixer, wooden spatula, or similar instrument, mix until well combined. Allow dough to rest (sit) for ½ hour. Flatten the dough and do a stretch and fold in the corners of the dough. Shape it into a ball. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes. Repeat this process an additional time.
Stretch & Fold - Flatten the dough and do a stretch and fold in the corners of the dough. Shape it into a ball. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes. Repeat this process an additional time.
Shape the Loaf - Dust a Banneton Basket with flour. Shape and place in the basket upside down (the part on the bottom will be the top of your sourdough bread). Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 6-12 hours or overnight. Alternatively, you can let rise in the refrigerator. I prefer to let the bread rise at room temperature.
Baking Bread
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the Dutch oven into the oven to preheat. Remove your dough from the basket and place it upright on a piece of parchment paper. Slash with a scoring lame. Transfer the bread with the parchment paper to the Dutch oven cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover. Reduce oven to 350 degrees and bake for another 15 minutes.
Hint: give yourself a bit of grace with your stretch and fold. Whole wheat flour is hard to work with and the dough tends not to give a nice 'window pane test' while stretching and folding.
More Einkorn Recipes Straight from our Kitchen
Easy Sourdough Einkorn Pancakes
Einkorn Sourdough Strawberry Cream Cheese Cobbler
Artisan Einkorn Sourdough Bread
The aroma of true sourdough bread is absolutely intoxicating. There is nothing quite like the warm smell of bread coming from a kitchen. This einkorn sourdough bread is a basic recipe that will fill your home with cozy aromas!
Ingredients
Sourdough Starter
- ¼ cup sourdough starter
- ⅔ cup water
- 1 cup whole wheat Einkorn flour
Bread Dough
- All of the starter from above
- ¾ cup water
- 3 cups whole wheat einkorn flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Feeding Your Starter
Feed your ¼ cup of sourdough starter with ⅔ cup water and 1 cup whole wheat einkorn flour. Let ferment for 6 hours or overnight. I tend to let it ferment overnight.
Mix Your Dough
Add your remaining ingredients to the sourdough starter. With a Danish dough mixer, wooden spatula, or similar instrument, mix until well combined. Allow dough to rest (sit) for ½ hour.
Stretch and Fold
Flatten the dough and stretch and fold in the corners of the dough. Shape it into a ball. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes. Repeat this process an additional time.
Shape the Loaf
Dust a Banneton Basket with flour. Shape and place in the basket upside down (the part on the bottom will be the top of your sourdough bread). Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 6-12 hours or overnight. Alternatively, you can let rise in the refrigerator. I prefer to let the bread rise at room temperature.
Baking Bread
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the Dutch oven into the oven to preheat. Remove your dough from the basket and place it upright on a piece of parchment paper. Slash with a scoring lame. Transfer the bread with the parchment paper to the Dutch oven cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover. Reduce oven to 350 degrees and bake for another 15 minutes.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 18 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 192Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 119mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 7gSugar: 0gProtein: 9g
Online nutrition calculators are estimates only. Use your best judgement when consuming
