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50% Rye Sourdough Bread Recipe

Want to make rye bread at home using your sourdough starter? This is a great homemade bread recipe to start! 

Using a mixture of 50% light or medium rye flour, 50% bread flour, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and sourdough starter, you can make a delicious and soft loaf that tastes great. If you’re wondering why I used half and half instead of 100% rye flour, I’ll get to that a little later. 

Before You Start: About Rye Flour 

If you’ve used rye flour in recipes before, you’ll have firsthand experience, but if you’re new to bread baking or new to using rye flour, there are a couple of points to consider. 

  1. The rye flour you use makes a difference: Just like with wheat flour, or any other grain/cereal for that matter, there are varying types depending on how it was milled/how the grain was processed. When the rye berries are harvested they have all three parts (the bran, germ and endosperm). If this is ground into flour (whole grain rye flour or pumpernickel) it offers more nutrition and flavor, while also making the crumb denser with a darker color. On the other hand, if the bran and germ layers are removed, it makes light or medium rye flour. This is often debated as being easier on digestion, but it also leads to a softer and less dense bread, which still offers great flavor.

*Store note: A lot of brands that sell rye bread don’t specify what type it is, so if it doesn’t say, it is most likely light or medium (especially if the color of the flour is light similar to an all-purpose flour). 

  1. Rye flour does not act like wheat flour: Traditionally, when most people start baking bread they start with wheat flour and slowly work out to other types of flours such as rye. Some people might think that using another type of flour will be interchangeable, however just like I stated above that depending on the rye flour you choose, it will lead to a denser crumb or not, this is very true for using rye vs. wheat flour. First, if you’re using a higher percentage of rye flour in your dough, it will take a little longer to ferment. Secondly, there isn’t as much gluten in rye flour, so if you have a higher percentage of rye flour, don’t expect it to rise like a traditional wheat loaf would. In fact, the more rye flour you use in your dough, the more I would recommend using a loaf tin as it may not have the strength to hold up on it’s own with more than 50% of rye flour. 

  1. Most commercial rye bread has a small percent of rye flour: If you ever see rye bread at the store with a soft crumb and a higher rise you can almost guarantee that it has less than 50% rye flour. If you’re a bit bread obsessed like myself, I would encourage you to look at your local grocery store bread aisle and the percentage of rye flour included in the ingredient list and/or leavening agents that help it out. You might be surprised how little rye flour is actually in the bread. 

Note: Did you know that with darker rye breads, some bakeries use cocoa powder to offer that dark color! 

Why Do You Use Only 50% Rye Flour?

After reading my explanation of the difference in flour above, this recipe uses 50% light or medium rye flour and 50% bread flour. I love the combination of flavor and texture these two flours provide.

Why Do You Add Olive Oil to the Bread?

I live in Spain where there is plenty of premium extra virgin olive oil around, however I know that isn’t the case for everyone. If you’re wondering about what it actually does for the crumb, taste and texture, or if it’s even necessary, my answer is that it gives it a nice and soft texture. 

I’ve tried making this bread with more olive oil than called for and omitting it altogether and I prefer a happy medium with the amount I added in the recipe below. Can you make it without? Yes, but the texture will be a little denser. 

Not to mention, it’s also a flavorful ingredient for homemade bread. The oil can also help to keep the bread moist for longer and can give it a more crusty texture. Some bakers also add olive oil to bread dough for its fruity and nutty flavor.

Can I Use Coconut Oil, Avocado Oil or Sunflower Seed Oil?

You can swap in a different type of oil, and some might even prefer to have a lighter taste of something like sunflower seed oil. But, I will always suggest using high-quality ingredients in your bread wherever possible for optimal results! This doesn’t mean you need to use organic, but I have found time and time again in the kitchen that the quality of the ingredients you use will almost ALWAYS produce a better quality product in terms of taste and keeping quality.

I’ve only tried this recipe with extra virgin olive oil, but I understand that can be quite expensive in areas that aren’t the Mediterranean! So, if you don’t have that available to you, try using another quality oil you do have and let me know in the comments how it went! 

Can Make This Bread Recipe The Day Before?

Yes, you can proof this recipe in the fridge instead of on the countertop. I would suggest in step 5 place the bread in the fridge, and take it out of the fridge in the morning to proof before baking. Make sure that the dough reaches the rim of the loaf tin or else it might be a bit under proofed. 

Sourdough Rye Bread Recipe Method 

Here are the baker’s percentages for this recipe. Use this dough percentage if you would like to increase or decrease the dough amount. 

Total Dough Yield: 1050g 

Levain Percentage in the Dough: 20% 

Total Hydration: 86.6% (This includes the hydration from the levain)

 

Recipe Total

550g flour (100%)

475g water (86.6%)

10g salt (1.8%)

15g extra virgin olive oil (2.7%)

Recipe Specifics

100%

Light or Medium Rye Flour

250g 

Bread Flour (11g protein content or more)

250g 

85%

Water 

425g 

20% 

Active Levain

100g 

2%

Fine salt

10g 

3%

Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

15g 

 

What You’ll Need For This Recipe 

Kitchen Scale: For consistent bread making, I suggest a kitchen scale for measuring by weight. 

Sourdough Starter: My recipes use sourdough starter rather than yeast for leavening. If you don’t have one, ask around because you most likely know someone who would be willing to give you some of theirs. You can also buy them online! 

Oil: I always use extra virgin olive oil. I prefer not to use vegetable oil or avocado oil, but if you’d like to try, please let me know how it goes!

Salt: I’ve tried this recipe with fine table salt and also coarse salt (sea salt or Kosher salt). My recommendation is fine table salt, but in a pinch coarse salt also works! 

Water: If you normally drink the tap water where you live, you can use it in your sourdough bread, however if you are hesitant, use bottled or filtered water!

Flours: light or medium rye flour, bread flour 

** if you’re not sure whether your flour is light or medium rye, use this photo to decide if it is closer in color to the whole grain variety on the right or the light on the left.

50 percent rye sourdough sandwich bread
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Soft 50% Rye Sourdough Bread

Using a mixture of 50% light or medium rye flour, 50% bread flour, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and sourdough starter, you can make a delicious and soft loaf that tastes great.
Author Stephanie K

Equipment

  • Kitchen Scale
  • Standard Loaf Tin (I use 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch but other similar sizes work)
  • Parchment Paper

Ingredients

For the Levain

  • 25 grams sourdough starter
  • 15 grams light or medium rye flour
  • 35 grams bread flour (11g protein content or more)
  • 50 grams water

For the Bread

  • 100 grams active levain (100% hydration)
  • 425 grams water
  • 15 grams extra virgin olive oil (plus a little extra)
  • 250 grams light or medium rye flour
  • 250 grams bread flour (11g or more of protein)
  • 10 grams salt

Instructions

  • Prepare the levain: Mix all of the levain ingredients together in bowl and transfer to a tall-sided glass or other container where you can track the upward growth easily. Make sure that the container is big enough to hold all of the starter at its maximum height (possibly double or triple the starting amount). Track the line where it started with a rubber band or a marker in order to see when it nearly doubles or doubles. The starter is active and ready to use when it looks bubbly and light. At around 23-25C/70-77F it usually takes mine about 4 hours to double, but watch your starter not the clock. **Temp note: if you've got colder temps (18-20C/60F), leave it somewhere warmer in the house (23-26C/70-75F).
  • Mix: Add the active levain to a large bowl and pour in the water and olive oil. Stir to combine and then pour in the flour and salt. Mix until everything is combined. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes, then with slightly wet hands, perform one very gentle stretch and fold to create a bit of tension in the dough. It’s ok if it tears slightly, it won’t be very elastic.
  • Bulk Fermentation: Cover and let your dough rest in the bowl until it has doubled in size. You can leave it in the bowl or transfer to a straight-sided container to track its growth. In my kitchen, at (23-25C/70-77F) it takes about 4 hours.
  • Loaf Tin: Prepare to proof your dough by lining a standard loaf tin with parchment paper (if it’s non-stick, I would just rub a bit of oil with the loaf pan at least). Then with a wet dough scraper or spatula, gently scrape your dough directly into the loaf tin. After, I wet the dough scraper or spatula again and press down until it fills out the tin. Lastly, I drizzle about 1 tbsp more olive oil over the top and spread it around evenly with my hands.
  • Proof: Cover with plastic wrap or place in a large plastic bag until it reaches the rim of the pan. In my kitchen, at (23-25C/70-77F) it takes about 2 ish hours.
    If you want, here you can let it proof overnight in the fridge and bake the next morning. Just remember to let it proof outside of the fridge until it reaches the rim of the pan before baking.
  • Bake: Preheat oven to 220C (435F). Remove the plastic covering and place in the oven and cook for 15 min, then lower to 190C (375F) and cook for 25-35 minutes until the internal temp reaches about 95-97C (190-200F).
  • Cool: Before cutting, make sure to let your bread cool for at least 30 minutes.

Rye Bread Recipe Notes 

Do I need a bread tin?

Rye flour has a very low gluten content so if you are using any more than 50% rye flour in your dough and want to avoid a mess, I would suggest you use a bread tin! 

How long will this bread last?

In a sealed bag or container, the bread should last about 5ish days. However, if you don’t plan on eating it every day, I would suggest cutting half of the loaf into slices and freezing. That way you can take out one piece at a time when needed. Take a look at my blog on how to reheat frozen bread

Can I swap in another oil type?

If you don’t have access to extra virgin olive oil, yes you can swap in another oil type like avocado or sunflower seed oil. 

Can I leave out the oil?

Technically yes, but I would suggest adding it in because it adds a nice touch of flavor to the bread, a soft texture and also helps it to keep for longer.

Can I top with seeds?

Yes, I have made this before topping with pumpkin or pepitas seeds when I add on the olive oil before proofing to help them stick.

8 thoughts on “50% Rye Sourdough Bread Recipe

  1. I’m keen to try this recipe. ATM my starter is very stiff – I add approx 1:1 amounts of water and wholegrain flour each feed. I’ve noticed the wheat one gets slightly thinner each feed, and the rye one gets slightly thicker. So to maintain the stiffness I put slightly more wheat flour than water, and slightly less rye.
    Currently my starter is similar to a bread dough – the spoon stands up easily in it. How stiff or thin is the starter in this recipe?

    1. Hi Robyn,

      The starter mix I use for this recipe is at 100% hydration (equal parts water and flour) using 70% wheat bread flour and 30% rye flour. It’s similar to a thick pancake batter so it’s not too liquidy, but also not too stiff (the spoon wouldn’t stand up straight but probably lean toward the edge of the bowl/glass). If your starter is a little stiffer, but it is doubling in size and showing signs of activity with bubbles, feel free to try it in this recipe and let me know how it goes!

      Best!
      Stephanie

      1. Thanks for your reply.
        FYI, I use wholemeal rye in my starter, and it rises a lot and very quickly with large bubbles. The wholemeal wheat starter is a little slower and the bubbles are smaller. Both rise better than white flour.
        Both starters make delicious pancakes, which I eat daily. I don’t add any other ingredients, just butter to fry them and then my current favourite toppings are:
        1. cream cheese spread + grape pieces + sprinkled cinnamon and cocoa;
        2. butter + sliced rockmelon + sprinkled cinnamon and cocoa.
        I also recommend
        3. crunchy peanut butter + sliced or mashed banana + sweet spices;
        4. peanut butter + sliced cucumber.
        With delicious snacks like these, I have to make extra starter if I want bread, and slow down on the pancakes so the bread actually gets eaten 🙂

        1. All of those toppings sound fantastic!!
          It also sounds like you’re using those starters a lot and they are pretty active, so they should be fine for this bread!
          Thanks for sharing,
          Stephanie

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