Nettle Whole Grain Bread Recipe

Ingredients
Equipment
Directions
FAQs
Find answers to your most pressing questions about this delicious recipe right here.
This hearty bread combines fresh nettle leaves (or spinach), whole wheat and white bread flours, mixed seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, flax), instant dry yeast, salt, olive oil, honey, and warm water for a nutritious, rustic loaf with subtle herbaceous notes.
Learn how to cook Nettle Whole Grain Bread by blanching nettles, combining them with whole grains and creating a dough that's kneaded, risen, shaped and baked in a Dutch oven or on a baking stone. The process creates a rustic loaf with a crisp crust and hearty, medium-dense crumb flecked with vibrant green throughout.
Yes, spinach makes an excellent substitute for nettles in bread recipes. You could also use other nutritious greens like kale or chard—simply blanch them as you would nettles to soften their texture and mellow their flavour before incorporating into your dough.
Blanching nettles in boiling water for 2 minutes neutralises their stinging compounds, making them safe to handle and eat. This process also preserves their bright green colour while softening the leaves, allowing them to incorporate evenly throughout the bread dough.
Once completely cooled, store your whole grain bread in a paper bag or clean tea towel for the first day, then move to an airtight container. For longer storage, slice the entire loaf and freeze with parchment paper between slices—this allows you to defrost individual portions as needed.
Whole Grain Bread
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