Rustic Multigrain Bread
Bake this wholesome and hearty rustic multigrain bread loaded up with whole wheat, rye, bulgur, flax seeds, oats and sunflower seeds. It’s perfectly tender and delicious, and easy enough for all skill levels.
Who can resist a loaf of homemade bread still warm from the oven? Not me! And this rustic multigrain bread is my current obsession. I bake it all the time!
There’s so much stuff going on in this loaf, most of which is really very good for you, plus it’s delicious too! This loaf is plenty hearty, but still soft, tender and not at all too dense. I highly recommend enjoying it slathered in salted butter or jam, or as part of a sandwich.
Table of Contents
- Reasons to bake this hearty multigrain loaf
- Ingredients you'll need
- How to make this rustic multigrain bread
- Why does this bread bake in a Dutch oven?
- Recipe FAQs
- More bread recipes
- Get the recipe
Reasons to bake this hearty multigrain loaf
- It’s wholesome and nutrient-packed thanks to grains like rye, bulgur, flax and oats.
- All that heartiness doesn’t weigh it down, it’s still moist and tender.
- It’s very forgiving and meant to look a little rustic, so there’s no need to fuss about getting it perfect.
- This recipe is great for all skill levels, from beginners to seasoned bakers.
“Second time making this. I’ve never made such a soft multigrain bread before and the flavor is delicious… This is my go-to bread recipe now.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐” —from reader Dale
Ingredients you’ll need
- Whole wheat flour: Provides a nutty flavor and wholesome base for the bread.
- Rye flour: The recipe using a small amount, but it packs big flavor.
- All-purpose flour: Adding this to the whole grains keeps the loaf from being too dense.
- Bulgar wheat: Provides a nice chewy texture in addition to heartiness.
- Oats: More texture, more heartiness.
- Flax seeds: They have a slight crunch to their texture, and pack a lot of nutrition.
- Sunflower seeds: Also provide crunch and nutty flavor.
- Honey: For a touch of sweetness.
- Butter: Fat adds flavor and also tenderizes the loaf.
- Yeast: You can use traditional active-dry yeast or instant/quick rise yeast.
- Salt: For flavor.
Shopping for ingredients: You should be able to find most of the grains and flours at any major grocery store in the specialty flour section, or a well-stocked bulk section. If you can’t find them locally, you can always shop online.
How to make this rustic multigrain bread
Like most yeast bread recipes, this rustic multigrain bread takes some time to make. But it’s not difficult! And it’s definitely a recipe anyone can make. Here’s a quick overview:
- Soak the wheat. Soak the bulgur wheat with warm water for 30 minutes to soften it.
- Warm wet ingredients to active yeast. Heat water, honey, and butter until warm and butter is melted.
- Mix dough. Combine yeast, whole wheat, rye flour, salt, soaked bulgur, oats, flax, sunflower seeds, and warm liquids to make a very wet dough.
- Add flour and knead. Gradually add all-purpose flour while kneading until dough is smooth, elastic, and only slightly tacky to touch.
- Let dough rise. Place dough in a large bowl, cover, and let rise 1 hour until doubled.
- Shape loaf. Punch down, knead briefly, form a ball, and place in a dutch oven lined with parchment.
- Rise again. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle oats, score top with 3 cuts, and let rise 30–45 minutes.
- Bake. Preheat oven to 425°F, but reduce it to 400°F when you put the bread in. Cover pot with the lid and bake for about 45 minutes until golden brown.
- Let cool. Remove bread from the pot and try to resist cutting into it until it has cooled completely. Then, enjoy!
Why does this bread bake in a Dutch oven?
Baking in a covered Dutch oven traps steam released by the dough, creating a humid environment that helps the bread rise fully and makes a nice crisp, shiny crust. Without this steam, moisture escapes, causing the crust to harden too quickly and the bread to become dense and squat.
This is the dutch oven I use, but here is another great affordable option. Want more info on this method? This thorough post from The Perfect Loaf is very helpful, as is this one from King Arthur Flour.
Recipe FAQs
The multigrain texture and soaked bulgur make it tricky, but if your machine has a whole wheat or multigrain setting, you can experiment!
You really should use a Dutch oven! You’ll end up with a better loaf of bread. It conducts heat very well, making it ideal for this recipe, but if you don’t have a cast iron Dutch oven any heavy, oven-safe pot with a lid will work. Even covering a regular pot with foil can help mimic these ideal baking conditions and elevate your loaf.
It should be deep golden brown with a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom. You can also use a thermometer and bake to 195–205°F internal temp.
This hearty multigrain bread will keep at room temperature for several days, though I recommend enjoying it within 48 hours for the most freshness. It also freezes really well. Wrap it in 2 layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 1-2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then warm uncovered in a 350°F for
More bread recipes
Get the recipe
Multigrain Bread
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons (30 grams) bulgur wheat
- 1 ¼ cup (283 grams) water , divided
- 2 tablespoons (43 grams) honey
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter
- 2 ¼ teaspoons (7 grams) active-dry yeast
- 1 ½ cup (170 grams) whole wheat flour
- ½ cup (50 grams) rye flour
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt
- ¼ cup (25 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
- ¼ cup (35 grams) flaxseed
- 2 tablespoon (20 grams) raw sunflower seeds
- 1 – 1 ½ cups (120-170 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg + 1 tablespoon water , beaten for egg wash (optional)
- Additional rolled oats , for sprinkling (optional)
Equipment
Instructions
- Soak the bulgur wheat in ¼ cup warm water for 30 minutes, or until all water is absorbed.3 tablespoons (30 grams) bulgur wheat, 0.25 cup (56.6 grams) water
- In a small saucepan, combine the remaining 1 cup water, honey, and butter. Place over medium heat until butter is melted. Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes (to about 120-130°F).1 ¼ cup (283 grams) water, 2 tablespoons (43 grams) honey, 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter
- Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, whole wheat flour, rye flour, and salt. Pour in the warm water mixture and mix until combined. Add the rolled oats, flaxseed, sunflower seeds and soaked bulgur wheat and mix until combined.2 ¼ teaspoons (7 grams) active-dry yeast, 1 ½ cup (170 grams) whole wheat flour, ½ cup (50 grams) rye flour, 2 teaspoons coarse salt, ¼ cup (25 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats, ¼ cup (35 grams) flaxseed, 2 tablespoon (20 grams) raw sunflower seeds
- Add the all-purpose flour a few tablespoons at a time until the dough clears the bowl (you may not use all 1 ½ cups of the flour). Continue kneading in the mixer until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 3-4 minutes. This dough is heavier than many bread dough, but you should be able to pull it a bit without it immediately breaking.1 – 1 ½ cups (120-170 grams) all-purpose flour
- Gather dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place. Let rise until doubled and it doesn’t bounce back when pressed, about 1 hour. Punch down dough and knead a few times until smooth. Let rest for about 5 minutes.
- Place dough in a dutch oven or large heavy pot lined with parchment paper. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with rolled oats, if desired. Use a sharp knife to slice 3 cuts into the top of the bread. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for an additional 30-45 minutes.1 large egg + 1 tablespoon water, Additional rolled oats
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425°F and place oven rack in the center of the oven (or lower if necessary to fit the pot). When ready to bake, cover the dutch oven with a lid and place in the oven. Turn the oven temp down to 400°F and bake for about 45 minutes, until the top of the bread is golden brown.
- Let bread cool before slicing. It is best enjoyed the day it is baked, but will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.
Notes
Multi grain breads are always healthy and full of fiber. While I was searching online buying multi gain bread, I found out how to make it! This is just perfect!
Okay, I’ve made this recipe probably 1/2 dozen times now…finally got a better rise and less hard loaf…though multigrain should be dense and heavier, it was a bit over the top. Anyway, I also added 2 TBSP Vital Wheat Gluten and 2 TBSP Milk powder (Both Bob’s Red Mill brand) and it is fantastic. Baked at 375 for 45 minutes.
Yes, indeed an excellent bread recipe if you want something more than soft bread. More like European breads! Thanks again for sharing this!
Best whole grain bread I’ve ever made. Recipe directions true.
I made 2 loaves of this bread (one for me to taste and the other for gifting) and it was delicious! The dough is so easy to work with and the flavours of all the grains that are in there are very well balanced. Thank you for sharing!
Nice Post
Can I use this recipe for bagels also?
I’ve never tried it with bagels, sorry!
Hi! Just the type of recipe i was looking for! I have a condition on my hands and try to use the diugh cycle on my bread machine. I always do the final proof after and cook in the oven.
For anyone interested in how I had excellent success with this recipe this way read on:
Combine water, honey and butter as per instructions. Add WW, rye and yeast while dough cycle is running. Basically follow the steps fir addition exactly while kn dough cycle. Do not stop and restart cycle. Prevent over kneading. I aired lightly on the addition of white flour (maybe humidity ) but i got the dough to a consistency that was indicative of a lower water concentration. Pretty stiff; but pull.
Shaped and rose to double (surprised it worked so well) and baked at 350 for 35 or So min. Used regular oiled bread pan not Dutch w lid hence temp drop.
Excellent. Will be my new stand by.
Highly recommend.
I do have a question however; i like molasses. Could i sub molasses for the honey and have an equally desirable product?
Thank you for this yummy!
AWESOME whole grain bread recipe! I was looking for a hearty whole wheat recipe to make for my European exchange students (American “toast” bread just wasn’t the same!) It is an easy, wonderful recipe! I added 2 Tbsp of Nonfat dry milk powder (Bob’s Red Mill) and I think it made the bread even better…I also had to adjust the temperature down because my LeCruset dutch oven made bottom of crust too brown. That worked well. This one is definitely a KEEPER! Thank you so much for sharing it!
I just mad this for the first time and it was great, I ate half the loaf. I made a few changes as it is what I had or preferred but it still worked perfectly. I use olive oil instead of butter because I prefer it. I used maple syrup instead of honey as it is what I had, and I used chia, flax and sunflower seeds as they were what I had. I did not use the egg wash, I milled my rye and wheat berries and the taste was so good,. I will definitely make again. Thanks
In the last 7 Years, every weekend I made bread. Thanks for sharing your most useful 8 directions for making Rustic Multigrain Bread. Last week, I posted a learning Idea that How to Bake Dutch Oven Bread. I think this is very important for bread lovers.
Great Multigrain Loaf!
I didn’t have bulgar wheat so used Sunny Boy cereal & it worked great.
Also didn’t have a cast iron dutch oven so used a pizza stone – baked it @375 for 30 minutes & it was perfect!
Thanks for the recipe, will definitely use this again.
Is it possible to makethis bread without whiteflour?
Thank you for this incredible recipe! I have been making bread 4 to 5 times a week for the past two years and this is hands-down the best multi grain bread recipe that I have come across. The only thing that I did not do was brush egg on the top because I did not have one available, but otherwise I followed the recipe to a T. This is definitely a keeper! Wow!!!!
I made this bread twice, back to back, because I was disappointed in the rise and texture of the first loaf. Loved the flavor, but the crumb was a bit dense. There was no oven spring. Followed the recipe without any tweaks. Used the weight measures. Used regular whole wheat flour. Didn’t add all the all-purpose flour, but even without the full measure I felt the dough was a bit too firm. Baked the bread in an oblong clay baker following the recipe directions to preheat the oven. The bread baked for 50 minutes to an internal temperature of 205 degrees F.
The second time I made it I tweaked the recipe slightly and the bread was excellent. It had great oven spring and the crumb was moist and tender. It was delicious toasted and as a sandwich bread. Once again I used the weight measures. I subbed white whole wheat flour for the regular whole wheat, added grated orange zest, subbed molasses for the honey, and vegetable oil for the butter. I thought this loaf had a nicer flavor than the first one. I also added 2 tbsp of vital wheat gluten and subbed Red Star Platinum yeast for the active. I’ve found that Platinum yeast and vital wheat gluten help with the rise in a seeded bread. One other change I made was to allow the dough to rest, without the salt added, for about 30 minutes before adding the salt and kneading. Although it wasn’t a textbook autolyse, it may have helped to hydrate the dough. As with the first loaf, I used a clay baker, but didn’t preheat the oven this time. The second proof was in the clay baker with the lid on. When the dough had doubled I put it in a cold oven and started timing after the oven had reached 400°. The bread baked, covered, for 20 minutes, then I removed the cover, lowered the temperature to 375° and baked it for another 15 minutes to an internal temperature of 205°. Definitely 5 star!
This recipe is “Simply The Best”… I invested in all of the ingredients, so worth it…Followed the recipe steps and have made it multiple times. I found that using Red Star yeast, really made a difference. TY! for such a wonderful recipe!