White Okara Bread

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• This recipe makes bread that is soft and delicious. You will love every bite!
• It is simple and does not take much effort. No need to stress about complicated steps!
• This okara bread is just right for making sandwiches. Put your favorite fillings between slices and enjoy a tasty meal.
• Instead of throwing away leftover soybean pulp (okara), you can use it to make this bread. It is a smart way to make the most out of your ingredients and reduce waste.
• Making this bread won't cost you much. It is a budget-friendly option for having fresh, homemade bread.

What is Okara?

Okara is the leftover pulp from making soy milk or tofu, known as a Japanese term.

It is packed with fiber, calcium, protein, and other minerals, making it a healthy ingredient for various dishes.

While fresh okara is commonly found in Japan, Korea, and China, it is not as easily available elsewhere unless you make soy milk or tofu at home.

If you are curious about using okara, check out our helpful article on "What To Do With Soya Bean Pulp," where we discuss how to cook, store, dry, and even turn it into a powder.

For more insights into okara, you can also read our post "What Is Okara?"

Can You Eat Uncooked Okara?

To know if okara is safe to eat, it is important to know where it comes from: if it was made from cooked or uncooked soybeans.

You can figure this out by understanding how it was used when making soy milk.

There are two methods of making soymilk:

• One method is to grind soaked uncooked beans, squeeze the milk from the pulp, then heat the pulp free milk for safety. The raw okara from this method requires cooking for dishes like salads but can be used in recipes that involve cooking, to ensure safety.
• The other method is to cook soaked beans in water, then grind and extract the milk from the pulp. Okara from this method is already cooked and safe for use, especially in cold dishes.

If there is any uncertainty about how it was made, it is best to cook the okara to ensure safety.

If you are using powdered okara, it has already been cooked and is safe to use in cooking.

Ingredients

Please note that below is a guide for some of the ingredients we used in the recipe. The printable recipe further down the page has the complete list of ingredients, including quantities and step-by-step instructions.

Fresh Okara - This is the leftover pulp from making homemade soy milk. It gives the bread a unique texture and adds nutritional value.

Butter - Adds rich flavor to the bread and helps keep it moist. Without butter, the bread might lack some richness.

Salt - Essential for flavoring the bread. It brings out the taste of other ingredients. If you skip salt, the bread might taste a bit plain.

Sugar - Sweetens the bread slightly, balancing out the flavors. It also helps with the bread's texture and browning during baking.

Bread Flour - Provides the structure and texture of the bread. Using bread flour ensures a soft and fluffy consistency.

Dry Instant Yeast - Helps the bread rise quickly without the need for proofing. It \'s essential for achieving that light and airy texture.

Warm Milk - Activates the yeast and adds moisture to the dough. Using warm milk instead of cold liquid helps the yeast work faster and creates a softer dough.

Equipment

• Stand mixer
• Kitchen scales
• Metric measuring spoons
• Bread tin 25cm (L) x 11.5cm (W) x 10cm (h) (10 x 4.5 x 4 inches)
• Cake rack

Kneading The Dough

This bread recipe is written for a stand mixer, but you can also knead the dough by hand or in a bread machine if you prefer.

Instructions

Advanced prep

Put the fresh okara in a dry pan on low to medium heat. Stir it often for around 5 minutes so it doesn't burn. 

Or, you can spread the okara on a plate that's safe for the microwave and cook it on high for 3 minutes.

Let it cool down completely before you use it.

Step 1 - Into the bowl of a stand mixer place the butter, salt, sugar, bread flour, okara, instant yeast, and almost all of the milk.

Note: The amount of milk you use will vary on how wet your okara is, so always add less than you think you need and check the dough after a few minutes of kneading.

Step 2 - Attach the dough hook, and start the machine at low speed to combine all the ingredients. 

Increase the speed to medium and knead for about 2 minutes, in that time if the dough feels a little dry, add a touch more milk. 

Continue to knead the dough on medium speed for another 5 minutes or until the dough has come away from the sides of the bowl.

Step 3, 1st rise - Remove the bowl from the stand mixer, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a dry clean towel. 

Place the bowl in a warm area and allow the dough to rise and double in size, this can take anywhere from 1 - 3 hours depending on your room temperature.

Grease and flour the inside of a 25cm (L) x 11.5cm (W) x 10cm (h) (10 x 4.5 x 4 inches) bread tin.

Step 4, shape the bread -  When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, use your hands or a rolling pin, to roll the dough into a large rectangle about 8 x 15 inches (20 x 40cm). Roll the dough into an 8-inch (20cm) log and place it into the prepared tin seam side down.

Step 5, 2nd rise -  Cover the tin with a clean cloth and allow the bread dough to rise to about 1 inch above the top of the bread tin.

Place the oven rack low down in the oven and preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

Step 6, Bake - Bake the bread for about 30- 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown on top. 

If the bread looks like it is browning too quickly loosely cover the top with a piece of aluminum foil. 

You can tell when the bread is cooked by tapping on the top of the loaf, if it sounds hollow it is ready.

Step 7 - Remove from the oven, and allow the bread to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before slicing.

Substitutions

• Instead of butter, you can use margarine.  
• If you do not have bread flour, you can use all-purpose flour as a substitute. Keep in mind that bread flour has a higher protein content, which helps give bread its structure and chewiness, so the texture will vary slightly.
• If you do not have dry instant yeast, you can use active dry yeast instead. However, you will need to activate active dry yeast by proofing it warm milk with a bit of sugar before adding it to the dough.
• Instead of warm milk, you can use warm water or plant-based milk such as almond milk, soy milk, or oat milk. Just make sure the liquid is warm to help activate the yeast.
• If you are looking to reduce sodium intake or do not have salt on hand, you can omit it from the recipe. However, keep in mind that salt enhances the flavor of the bread, so the final result may taste slightly bland without it.
• You have the option to swap sugar with alternatives like honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, or any other sweetener you prefer. Make sure to adjust the quantity based on your taste. Also, if you use syrup sweeteners, consider reducing the amount of milk to balance the liquid in the recipe.

Variations

Dinner rolls  - If you are not keen on making a whole loaf of bread, you can simply divide the dough into 12 equal portions and shape them into dinner rolls. 

The cooking time for the dinner rolls would typically be around 15-20 minutes at the same temperature specified in the original recipe for baking the loaf.

Storage

Room temperature - To store okara bread, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to keep it fresh. 

You can also place it in a resealable plastic bag or an airtight container. 

Store the bread at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. 

Refrigerator - In hot and humid climates, it's best to store the bread in the refrigerator to keep it fresh.

Freezing – If you want to keep it for longer, you can freeze it. Slice the bread before freezing to make it easier to thaw individual portions. 

To thaw frozen bread, let it sit at room temperature.