Easy sourdough rye bread recipe - Sourdough&Olives (2024)

It’s about time I bake something with more rye, don’t you think? Most of the bread you find among the recipes on this blog contains mainly wheat flour.
For some strange reason, wheat flour seems to have a higher “status” than rye when it comes to baking. Besides, it is good for your health if you replace some wheat with rye
Despite that, bread baked with wheat flour seems to have a leading position on blogs (mine included), sourdough forums, and Facebook groups.
It’s weird because one of the most important reasons for baking with sourdough starter is that you get bread that tastes more.
I think you’ll agree with me when I say that sourdough rye bread tastes more than wheat. Still, most people seem to favor wheat bread.

Why is that?

One reason can be that it’s hard to bake bread with airy crumb if you bake with rye flour. Wheat flour is superior when it comes to that thanks to its high gluten content.
You also have to be more careful when kneading a dough with rye flour than with wheat flour. You can overwork it. Something that is quite hard with wheat dough.
Sometimes you don’t want bread that tastes too much, for example, if it is to be served to food.
Or perhaps some people just don’t like rye bread. What do I know?

Easy sourdough rye bread recipe - Sourdough&Olives (1)

I know one thing.

I like rye bread, and I think there are many of you who do the same.
So let’s start baking some great bread with a lot of rye.
When I say a lot, I don’t mean all rye. We will add some wheat flour, but only 40%. That gives you bread that is not so dense like bread baked only on rye tends to be.
If you don’t use your dough mixer, there’s no risk that you will overwork the dough. A few stretch and folds will be enough.

PREPARING THE DOUGH

As I mentioned earlier, I used both rye and wheat flour for this recipe.
The Protein content is 12.5% for the wheat flour and 8.5 for the rye.
The hydration is 75%. You may have to adjust that figure if you’re using stronger flour.
I’ve used my wheat starter (coaxed with some rye), but feel free to use a rye starter if that’s what you have available.
All ingredients were mixed, except the salt. After that I let the dough rest for an hour. I say rest and not autolyze. According to the hardcore sourdough aficionados, the starter is added after the autolyze. And I don’t want to mess with those guys.
After the rest, I added salt and performed the first stretch and fold.
I have described that process earlier in this recipe. Here you can also find an excellent video showing how to do.

Easy sourdough rye bread recipe - Sourdough&Olives (2)

BULK FERMENTATION

Try to find a warm place for the bulk fermentation, preferably 78ºF/25ºC. That can be tricky if you are living in the northern hemisphere at this time of year. I use to place the dough in the oven with the lamp lit. That works fine, but you have to be a bit careful. It can be too hot, so I use to open the lid now and then and check the temperature with a thermometer. I let the dough ferment for 4 hours.

FINAL RISE

The time required for the final rise depends on many factors. The surrounding temperature and the strength of the starter are just two of many. You can let it ferment at room temperature or in the refrigerator depending on taste and how much time you have. Fermentation in cold temperature takes longer of course, but it also gives more taste to the bread. The end result can be quite sour though, so if you don’t like that, you should consider letting the dough ferment at room temperature.
It’s almost impossible to give advice about the time required for the final rise. Therefore I have stopped doing that. Instead, I encourage my readers to observe and touch the dough. The finger poke test gives you a hint when it’s time to bake. I have described the test in an earlier recipe, and you can read about it here.

Easy sourdough rye bread recipe - Sourdough&Olives (3)

TIME TO BAKE

Preheat the oven to 480ºF / 250ºC. I have used a baking stone for the bread on the pictures, but you can also use a dutch oven with good result. If you don’t have any of those items, It’s OK to use an oven sheet.
Always score the loaf before baking. Otherwise, you may end up with some interesting but undesired forms on your bread.
Always use steam in your oven when baking bread. It doesn’t have to be anything advanced. An extra preheated oven sheet that you can pour some water on before you close the oven lid is OK. Steam prevents the surface from drying out and gives the crust a more pleasant color.
This bread needs about 35 minutes in the oven. You may have to lower the heat during the last 10-15 minutes.

Easy sourdough rye bread recipe - Sourdough&Olives (4)

This is not a fancy or spectacular bread. It’s just an ordinary, hearty sourdough rye bread. The kind of bread I want for breakfast. Like my best sourdough bread, It’s quite easy to bake. I just have to bake this more often.

Easy sourdough rye bread recipe - Sourdough&Olives (5)

Easy sourdough rye bread recipe - Sourdough&Olives (6)

Easy sourdough rye bread recipe

This recipe for a sourdough rye bread is quite simple. But it will give you bread with lots of taste and character from the rye.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 hrs

Cook Time 45 mins

Total Time 5 hrs 45 mins

Cuisine Bread

Servings 2 loaves

Ingredients

  • 300 gram sourdough starter 100% hydration
  • 600 gram water
  • 350 gram Wheat flour 11.5% protein content.
  • 500 gram whole rye flour 8.5% protein content.
  • 20 gram sea salt

Instructions

  • Mix all ingredients except the salt. Make sure that all flour is hydrated. Let the dough rest for an hour.

  • Add salt and perform one stretch and fold. Perform 3 sets of stretch and folds in total during bulk fermentation, spaced out by 30 minutes.

  • Let the dough rest for 4 hours at a temperature of 78ºF/25ºC.

  • Lightly flour your work surface and dump out the dough. Divide it into two pieces with your bench knife. Flatten the dough gently with your hands. Form each piece of dough to a bâtard There's a link to an excellent video showing how to form a bâtard in the recipe notes

  • Let the loaves rise until they pass the the finger poke test. The time required depends a lot on ambient temperature so don't look at the clock.

  • Preheat your oven to 480ºF / 250ºC with two oven plates. One to bake the bread on and one just below. If you have a baking stone or dutch oven, use them.

  • Score the loaves in your preferred pattern and place them in the oven. Pour some water on the plate below and bake each loaf in 35-45 minutes.

  • Let the breads cool on wire racks.

Notes

For those who prefer to use a stretch and fold technique instead of running the dough into a dough mixer, you may findthis videohelpful. You can also look at one of myprevious recipes.

Maurizio from The perfect loaf has made an excellent video showinghow to form a bâtard.

Keyword sourdough bread

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Easy sourdough rye bread recipe - Sourdough&Olives (2024)

FAQs

What kind of olives are good in sourdough bread? ›

Honestly any olive will work. But mu favorite is Kalamata Olives. Their tender, buttery flesh goes so well with the texture of the bread. I have made this recipe with black olives like Niçoise, green olives like Picholine and Castelvetrano.

What happens if you add olive oil to sourdough bread? ›

Yes - adding olive oil to sourdough bread will result in a softer crust and crumb. The oil as a lipid coats the flour and inhibits the gluten network resulting in a softer, tighter crumb and softer crust. This can be a desirable outcome if you do not like tough, chewy sourdough crusts.

What is the difference between sourdough and rye sourdough? ›

Wheat sourdough possesses creamy coconut notes from lactones, while rye is less creamy and more tropical banana and pineapple-like with an additional citrusy / orange aftertaste. Rye sourdough produces an extra buttery taste and roasted malty popcorn flavor, though t is poorer in spiciness notes in comparison to wheat.

How long does olive sourdough bread last? ›

Sourdough bread will keep well for up to 3-5 days at a moderate room temperature of 18-20°C or 64-68°F. The warmer and more humid the conditions become, the more chance the sourdough has of spoiling.

Why are Castelvetrano olives so good? ›

Their irresistible buttery flavor and meaty texture really make them stand out in the olive crowd. But not all Castelvetrano are created equal. In fact, many of the Castelvetrano you come across in grocery store olive bars, on restaurant cheese boards, and in fancy martinis, are imposters.

Is sourdough bread good for bowels? ›

Using some general guidelines in bread choices can help reduce your symptom flares. Sourdough bread is often better tolerated with IBS. The fermenting process that makes it rise helps break down some gluten and FODMAPS. If you are prone to constipation, ingredients like oats or ground flax may help.

What does honey do in sourdough? ›

Honey can be used as a natural sweetener when added to your sourdough. Some of the benefits to adding honey to sourdough are: reduce sour flavor in the bread. decrease time of bulk ferment.

What is a substitute for honey in sourdough bread? ›

Luckily, other sweeteners can be substituted. Most honeys have a light taste, so picking an alternate sweetener can change the recipe a lot. Some people use molasses, but we find it makes the bread taste salty and heavy. We prefer to use agave syrup, light Maple syrup, Steen's Ribbon Cane Syrup or Sorghum Syrup.

Can I add butter to sourdough bread? ›

Butter, technically a dough enrichment, tenderizes bread dough and limits gluten development, yielding a softer, more tender crumb and a richer flavor. The butter in this sourdough babka dough makes the interior tender—and delicious.

Which is healthier, sourdough bread or rye bread? ›

As long as they're made with whole grains and have limited or no added sugar, both rye bread and sourdough bread are healthy bread options. Sourdough bread may be even healthier than regular bread because the fermentation makes certain vitamins and minerals easier for our bodies to absorb.

Is rye sourdough anti inflammatory? ›

Refined grains, such as the grains found in white bread and white pasta, are known to increase inflammation across the whole body. Sourdough bread and rye bread are both good options for an anti-inflammatory diet.

What is the healthiest sourdough bread? ›

When choosing a sourdough loaf, look for ones that have whole wheat, spelt or rye, Rizzo adds. Some studies suggest that Einkhorn wheat, a type of "ancient grain," may offer more nutritional benefits. When comparing nutrition labels, try to opt for the one with fewer ingredients and less sodium and sugar.

Why should you not refrigerate sourdough bread? ›

The most important thing to know is that you should never store sourdough in your fridge. The inside of a fridge is a very harsh environment that's much too cold and dry to store bread in. Your sourdough will get hard and stale much faster in the fridge than if you leave it out.

Why do you put olive oil in sourdough bread? ›

By adding a little olive oil, this sourdough bread has a softer crust and so much flavor. The olive oil complements the typical sourdough flavor to produce a mellower bread with a beautifully even and moist crumb. Even though this is a high-hydration dough, it is not difficult to make and is very beginner-friendly!

Are bread bags good for sourdough? ›

Plastic Bread bags

Pros: Helps softer crusted sourdough breads like sandwich bread hold moisture in and not dry out as fast. Cons: You'll want your bread to cool completely before storing. Sometimes plastic can promote condensation if there is too much moisture in your bread.

What olive oil is best on bread? ›

This means that extra virgin olive oil is the best olive oil for dipping bread. Extra virgin olive oil is the freshest, least processed type of olive oil, which results in that grassy, peppery flavor that is a hallmark of olive oil.

What is the difference between queen olives and manzanilla olives? ›

We think of Spanish Manzanilla Olives as the martini olive workhorse, as they will almost always be available at your local grocery store even if Spanish Queens aren't. They have a similar taste to Queen olives but are smaller and a bit less firm. They have a slightly nutty flavor, which adds depth to the briny olive.

What type of olives are best to eat? ›

Divina Pitted Kalamata Olives

Divina's kalamata olives are fruity, salty and a touch acidic—just the right blend for including in a Greek salad, Mediterranean chicken dinner or a marinated olive appetizer. “I'd snack on these all day,” says content director Ellie Martin Cliffe. “They might be my favorite of the bunch!”

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