This Walnut Levain Bread recipe is so delicious. To all of my gluten intolerant friends – shield your eyes (and I’m sorry)! Everyone else, get your butter knives ready. Today’s post is all about gluten. Well, Walnut Levain to be exact and a giveaway that will make all you bakers giddy with joy!
In This Post
Heather’s Notes
- The combination of sourdough starter and instant yeast gives you flavor depth and reliability.
- Walnuts bring a rustic, nutty taste that pairs perfectly with cheese boards, soups, and salads.
- This bread bakes beautifully in a Dutch oven for a crisp crust and chewy interior.
- It’s freezer-friendly, so you can bake once and enjoy fresh slices for weeks.
- Ideal for bakers anywhere walnuts are locally harvested.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Walnut Pieces – or halves, toasted in a dry skillet
- Sourdough Starter – here’s how to make it
- Lukewarm Water – to bloom the yeast
- Instant Dry Yeast – from a packet or a glass bottle
- Sugar – white granulated sugar helps the yeast activate and get bubbly
- Kosher Salt – or table salt
- Whole Wheat Flour – gives the bread an earthy flavor and chewy texture
- Unbleached All Purpose Flour – or regular all purpose flour
Substitutions
- Walnuts: use toasted, chopped hazelnuts, or omit the nuts all together.
How to Make Walnut Levain Bread
This recipe is not hard to make and results in an earthy, nutty loaf.
- Add the walnuts to a dry medium skillet set over medium-high heat. Toast until they become fragrant and slightly browned. Remove to a cutting board and coarsely chop. Set aside.
- In a large bowl add the remaining ingredients and mix well to combine. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough becomes elastic. Flatten out and place the chopped walnuts in the center. Knead until the nuts are well incorporated, about 10 turns. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and add the dough ball. Lightly coat with cooking spray and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place in a warm, draft free, area for 90 minutes.
- Divide the dough in half and form into balls. Place on a flour dusted parchment lined baking sheet and cover loosely with plastic and place in a warm, draft free, area for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Bake the bread for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
More Recipes We Love
- Sweet Bread, Sausage & Medjool Date Stuffing
- Dark Chocolate, Pear & Walnut Tart
- Beetroot Gratin with Fontina
- Endive Salad with Stilton
- Herbed Pasta with Pears & Blue Cheese
Walnut Levain Bread Recipe
Levain is a sourdough bread, also known as pain au levain. In this version of Walnut Levain Bread the walnuts are toasted and give the tangy bread a bit more texture. This bread has the perfect chewy texture and goes great with a slab of butter and a warm soup.
YIELD: Large Loaves
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup walnut halves, or pieces
- 1 cup sourdough starter
- 1 ½ cups lukewarm water
- 2 tsp instant dry yeast
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 4 cups all purpose flour, unbleached
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Instructions
- Add the walnuts to a dry medium skillet set over medium-high heat. Toast until they become fragrant and slightly browned. Remove to a cutting board and coarsely chop. Set aside.
- In a large bowl add the remaining ingredients and mix well to combine. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough becomes elastic. Flatten out and place the chopped walnuts in the center. Knead until the nuts are well incorporated, about 10 turns. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and add the dough ball. Lightly coat with cooking spray and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place in a warm, draft free, area for 90 minutes.
- Divide the dough in half and form into balls. Place on a flour dusted parchment lined baking sheet and cover loosely with plastic and place in a warm, draft free, area for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Bake the bread for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
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Nutrition
*Nutritional information is not guaranteed to be accurate.
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Hi! I’m Heather
I’m Heather, a recipe developer and content creator based in Vancouver, Washington. I started Farmgirl Gourmet in 2006 because I believed weeknight dinners shouldn’t be boring and gourmet shouldn’t mean complicated. I’m also the co-founder of Spiceology, so safe to say I think about food for a living. Stick around for recipes that actually make it into your regular rotation.
This is a hearty loaf of bread that goes great with winter soups and stews.