24 Super Simple Soaked Grain Recipes (2024)

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I have a confession to make. My family has been eating real foods for several years now, but I didn't learn about the importance of soaking grains until recently.

Why Soak Grains?

In short, soaking wheat in particular releases phytic acid and important enzymes that allow us to better digest the grains. Soaking grains is a traditional practice in cultures around the world.

My Experience Soaking Grains

I have experimented with sourdough and learned about soaking nuts and beans when we did the GAPS diet over one year ago. Then in the last few months, I have been introduced to sprouted flour.

However, I have found that sourdough can take quite the commitment (one I don't have time to commit to with my busy schedule right now) and sprouted flour can either be time-consuming or be a bit more expensive than our food budget can handle.

That's when I learned about soaking grains. But, I was skeptical at first. Anything new in cooking can seem like a lot of extra work, especially when you don't know what it entails. I was afraid that soaking grains for things we already make would be time-consuming and/or too complicated.

This post is in dedication to how easy I've found it can be. I hope you will try some of these recipes and find out for yourself just how easy soaking grains can be!

Breakfast

Breakfast is one of the easiest meals to soak grains for. They can be prepared quickly the night before, which makes breakfast that much quicker in the morning.

Plus, many of the soaked grain breakfast recipes are the easiest by far.

Traditional Bread & Biscuits

If you think that making delicious, healthy homemade bread is hard. Think again. I've been baking bread for years and I found soaked whole wheat bread to be one of the easiest bread ever to make for my family.

Plus, who doesn't love biscuits? Wouldn't you love to eat them guilt-free? You can now!

Muffins and Quickbreads

Muffins and quickbreads are easy to soak because they normally don't require an exact consistency. They are easy to “throw” together when you need something for the next day.

Cookies, Cakes, & Bars

Don't forget the sweet treats! You'll love these soaked cookie, cake, and bar recipes.

Gluten-Free Soaked Recipes

Need gluten-free? No worries…

Other Soaking Recipes

Here are a few other recipes and posts on soaking you don't want to miss.

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Want more info about soaking grains and other traditional methods of preparing food? Read Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.

What is your favorite soaked grain recipe?

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Vanessa, the founder of Nerdy Millennial, is a compassionate Provisionally Licensed Mental Health Practitioner from Nebraska. She specializes in complex trauma (c-PTSD) therapy, providing support to clients of all ages, including children, teens, and adults. Vanessa is a Certified Trauma Professional (CTP) with expertise in attachment-based interventions. Additionally, she is actively pursuing play therapy (RPT) and EMDR certification and is trained in sandtray therapy.

Alongside her therapeutic work, Vanessa is also a certified birth doula. With her doula training, she offers compassionate support to individuals and families during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period, ensuring a nurturing and empowering experience.

Vanessa's commitment to supporting individuals on their healing and transformative journeys shines through her expertise in trauma therapy and her compassionate approach to birth support. With her diverse skill set and passion for holistic well-being, Vanessa strives to provide comprehensive care and education.

24 Super Simple Soaked Grain Recipes (2)

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24 Super Simple Soaked Grain Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How do you use soaked grains? ›

Cover and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 7 hours or longer. Change the water after 24 hours if you're still soaking. Drain and rinse the grains before cooking with fresh water. Even though 7-8 hours is the minimum recommended for soaking, even a few hours is better than nothing.

How long is too long to soak grains? ›

WAPF recommends a very lengthy bean-soaking process of up to 36 hours with the soaking water being changed out and the beans being thoroughly rinsed at least every 12 hours. In addition, WAPF recommends adding a phytase-rich medium to the bean soak to help further improve phytic acid reduction.

What grains can be soaked overnight? ›

Soaking whole grains overnight or for a few hours can help break down anti-nutrients, making them easier to digest. Soaking whole wheat flour before baking can improve its texture and reduce the heaviness often associated with whole grain products.

Are soaked grains healthy? ›

The health benefits of consuming nuts, seeds, beans and grains are many. By simply soaking these foods before preparing or eating them, the anti-nutritional properties can be significantly reduced.

When should I eat soaked grains? ›

Soaking whole grains overnight or for a few hours can help break down anti-nutrients, making them easier to digest. Soaking whole wheat flour before baking can improve its texture and reduce the heaviness often associated with whole grain products.

What grains should be soaked before cooking? ›

  • Soaking grains overnight is a common practice in some cultures and can have several benefits:
  • Grains that are commonly soaked overnight include oats, rice, and legumes such as lentils and chickpeas.
Jan 30, 2023

What are the disadvantages of soaking grains? ›

And through other research, I've found that soaking doesn't reduce phytic acid enough to even bother with the process…if you wanted to rid yourself of the phyic acid in the first place. Some even say that the body, through digestion, reverses the process of soaking anyway.

Are soaked grains easier to digest? ›

Soaking is not necessary but it does appear to make it easier to digest and breaks down the phytic acid that blocks absorption of some nutrients.

Should we discard soaked water? ›

There is a common misconception that soaked water contains antinutrients and should be discarded. This is absolutely wrong. ” As per Nutritional science, you should continue to use this water for cooking or making dough. This water does not contain any anti nutrients.

Which seeds should be soaked overnight? ›

Pine nuts, sunflower seeds, watermelon seeds and pumpkin seeds are all seeds that need to be soaked. Their soaking method mimics how we soak nuts: For every 4 cups of raw seeds, cover with room temperature, filtered water by two inches, and 2 teaspoons sea salt. Stir well to dissolve the salt.

What is the unhealthiest grain? ›

Grains to avoid are wheat (such as wheat berries, spelt, kamut, farro and bulgur), rye, barley and triticale.

What are the healthiest grains in the world? ›

You can even order harder-to-find items online.
  • Barley. ...
  • Bulgur. ...
  • Farro. ...
  • Millet. ...
  • Whole Oats. ...
  • Quinoa. Pronounced “KEEN-wah,” this versatile, gluten-free grain is actually an edible seed. ...
  • Sorghum. What is sorghum? ...
  • Teff. These tiny grains of goodness provide a mild, nutty flavor along with iron and other minerals.

What are some unhealthy grains? ›

List of Grains to Avoid
Type of GrainLectin LevelCarbs per 100g
Corn flourHigh76.8 g
OatmealHigh68.2 g
SpeltHigh71.4 g
QuinoaHigh64.2 g
7 more rows
Dec 17, 2023

Why do we eat grains after soaking them? ›

Most people don't realize that it's important to break down whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds by soaking or sprouting first. Nuts have phytic acid. Phytic acid is also found in grains and legumes. Just as with nuts, soaking grains and legumes is essential for proper digestions.

How do you dry grains after soaking? ›

Method #3: Dry in the Oven

The lowest temperature on most ovens is above the 113ºF threshold, so enzyme activity will be lost; however, the grains can still be dried at low oven temperature, usually 150-200ºF. The grains will dry faster due to the warm, dry heat of the oven, so check them for dryness in 8-12 hours.

Can you eat raw soaked grains? ›

Raw grains can be prepared for consumption by soaking them in water for several hours or overnight. This process helps to soften the grains and make them easier to digest.

What happens when grains are soaked? ›

Whole grains are wonderful in flavor and I'm glad you are using those such as millet. Soaking is not necessary but it does appear to make it easier to digest and breaks down the phytic acid that blocks absorption of some nutrients.

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