How to Make a Rye Sourdough Loaf

By
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.
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Updated on 09/21/22
Rye sourdough bread recipe

The Spruce Eats / Elaine Lemm

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 50 mins
Proving Time: 14 hrs
Total: 15 hrs 5 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
212 Calories
1g Fat
44g Carbs
7g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 212
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 365mg 16%
Total Carbohydrate 44g 16%
Dietary Fiber 4g 15%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 14mg 1%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 141mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Sourdough is such a popular bread, and like all sourdoughs, you will need a sourdough starter, which takes a little time and some patience. Believe us, it is worth the effort for the dense, slightly chewy bread with its pleasant "sour" taste.

Most sourdough is made with white flour, but this rye sourdough bread recipe includes a mixture of both rye and white flour. Using rye flour creates a denser texture than plain, though using all rye may be too strong for most pallets; a mixture of white flour and rye flour will give a more pleasant bread in both taste and texture.

The popular trend for making (and eating) sourdough bread is not looking likely to wane any time soon, thanks to celebrity bakers like Paul Hollywood.

Before you begin, make sure you have your starter ready and vigorous. This may require feeding for a few days if it has been dormant, so plan accordingly.

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces bread flour

  • 8 ounces rye flour

  • 1/3 ounce kosher salt

  • 10 ounces sourdough starter

  • 1 cup warm water

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. 

  2. Place both bread and rye flours into a large baking bowl along with salt and then mix. Make a large well in the center and add dough starter. Using a fork, draw the flour into the center and mix lightly. Then, mix the starter, flour, and water a little at a time together to create a sticky dough.

  3. Either knead bread in a mixer with a dough hook or tip dough onto a lightly floured worktop and knead until you have a smooth, elastic dough. If the dough is dry, add more water, if it's too wet, you will need to sprinkle with a little flour. Knead for about 10 minutes in the machine or 12 to 15 minutes by hand.

  4. Once the dough is ready, lightly oil a mixing bowl with a little olive oil. Tip dough into the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and put the bowl in a cool (not cold!) and draft-free place. Let sit for up to 6 hours or until the dough has doubled in size. If you want, let sit overnight.

  5. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knock out the air from the bread. Lightly knead dough for a few minutes, then roll dough into a ball, dust lightly with flour, and place into either a floured banneton or a mixing bowl lined with a floured tea towel. Cover bowl or banneton with plastic and place in a cool place and leave to rise slowly for 8 hours.

  6. Preheat oven to 425 F. Place an ovenproof bowl half-filled with boiling water on the lowest shelf of oven. The steam given off helps to create a lovely crust for your loaf.

  7. Line a baking sheet with lightly oiled greaseproof paper. Tip loaf from banneton or bowl onto the sheet (do not worry if you lose a little air from the loaf as you do this, it will come back in the oven). Place tray and loaf in the middle of oven. Cook for 30 minutes, then lower temperature to 400 F and cook for a further 20 minutes or until loaf is golden brown. The crust should be crisp, and bread should sound hollow when tapped on.

  8. Place loaf on a cooling rack and leave to cool completely before eating.

Tip

Sourdough bread makes great toast or croutons, even if it's a week old.

Sourdough Starter

If you have a starter ready and working, use it in this recipe as directed. No starter? Don't worry. Two days before you want to make your bread, place 4 tablespoons rye flour and 3 tablespoons warm milk into a jug or a glass jar. Mix and leave uncovered for 48 hours in a warm (but not hot) place, stirring once or twice along the way. After this time, it should be bubbling nicely and is ready to use.

How to Store and Freeze

  • The sourdough will keep for up to a week. Do not place it in any plastic as this will soften the crust. Instead, pop the loaf into a paper bag or a bread bin.
  • To freeze sourdough bread: Cool loaf completely. Freeze in loaf or slice into even slices, and place in a freezer-safe zip-close bag. Make sure to remove as much air as possible from the bag. It can stay frozen for up to three months.

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