I love rye, a wonder grain known for its many nutritional properties and health benefits. The high-quality fiber found in whole-grain rye promotes heart health, fights diabetes and inflammation, and can help with weight loss. I’ve been making homemade rye bread for years now, and the recipe I am sharing with you today is my favorite everyday bread. It’s also a super easy one. We begin the rye bread recipe with a sponge starter or biga that rests overnight, adding amazing flavor to the bread. You can use a healthy and recently fed sourdough starter instead if you have some on hand. If you begin the sponge starter from scratch you will need to give it time to stand overnight or for at least for six hours. The trade-off in flavor is totally worth the time.
Why you will love this rye bread
Loaded with flavor. The rye flour and an overnight starter add tons of flavor to this bread, along with a sprinkling of caraway seeds. Amazing texture. The crust is lightly crispy and the crumb is wonderfully soft, making this the perfect sandwich bread. Simple recipe. This is a simple recipe that almost anyone can make (if you are a beginner baker be sure to stick rigorously to instructions– tweak only if you know what you are doing). Healthy bread. Rye is great for you, and the overnight fermented starter make this bread truly better for you. Versatile. You can bake this bread up in a loaf pan for your favorite sandwiches, or for toast. Or shape it into an oval or boule for a more artisan look (do it preferably in a bowl or banneton so it rises vertically). The bread is also perfect to serve with soups and stews.
Tips for success
Rye flour is low on gluten, so it needs some help, both with rising and with creating a loaf that is not dense and inedible. Combining bread flour with rye flour helps give the bread both structure and lightness. If you don’t have bread flour, you can use all-purpose flour. In that case, add a teaspoon of vital wheat gluten to the starter to help the bread rise. Adding maple syrup (or sugar) to the dough helps feed the yeast, allowing it to multiply. This in turn helps the rye bread rise better and adds lots of great flavor. The liquid portion of the rye bread dough includes a combination of plant milk and water. The milk creates a softer crumb. You can make the bread with just water, if you would rather. Add caraway seeds to the dough to give the rye bread an authentic flavor. If you don’t like the flavor, you can skip them. You can shape the dough into a loaf or you can make an artisan-style boule. In that case let the dough rise for the second time, after shaping into a round, in a banneton or in a bowl or Dutch oven and turn it out onto a lightly oiled baking sheet before baking. Brush the top of the loaf after forming it with a mixture of maple syrup and non-dairy milk for a rich, golden-brown color.
Ingredients
Instant yeast or active dry yeast. Either will work in this recipe. Maple syrup. You can use sugar instead. Flours: Rye flour and bread flour. You can use all purpose flour instead of bread flour but in that case add a teaspoon of vital wheat gluten when making the starter for a better rise. Extra virgin olive oil or any oil of your choice. Caraway seeds. These are optional but highly recommended. Non-dairy milk. I used oat milk.
How to make rye bread
Storage instructions
Refrigerate: Slice and store the bread in an airtight bag for up to a week. Freeze: The rye bread can be frozen, sliced or whole, in a freezer-saf bag for up to three months. Thaw and reheat in the oven or toaster before serving.
More delicious bread recipes
Recipe card
Check to get new recipe updates by email.
