German Sourdough Bread Recipe (With Rye)
This is my go-to sourdough bread recipe using a combination of wheat and rye flour. It’s a German bread recipe just like from a German bakery, except better. Perfectly crusty on the outside and airy on the inside, making this loaf is beginner-friendly with easy-to-follow steps. Adding sautéed onions is taking it to the next level!Also try out my potato sourdough rye bread - I'm in love with the garlic version listed in the recipe notes!Do you need some help baking with sourdough? Download my free sourdough tips sheet here.
Servings: 1 loaf
Calories: 2426kcal
Equipment
- 1 proofing basket batard (long loaf) I went through many of these Brotform proofing baskets, and I love these baskets by the Frieling brand
- 1 proofing basket boule (round loaf) use either a batard or a boule shape
- 1 set of mixing bowls These mixing bowls are great. They include measurements on the inside, are heavy-duty, and have a rubber bottom, so nothing slides around when mixing.
- 1 dough tools This set of dough tools is super nice to have for removing sticky dough easily from bowls, cleaning your counter and cutting dough. I use mine all the time!
- 1 bread slicer Every household in Germany has one. I love that this slicer does not rely on electricity, has rubber feet to attach, so it won't wiggle, and you can adjust the thickness of the slices. This would also make a great gift for those lovely bakers in your life.
- 1 Kitchen Scale Please weigh your ingredients. It makes everything easier and your results better!
- 1 Dutch Oven I love this durable and beautiful Dutch oven that's by a Zwilling partner brand. Baking in a Dutch oven gives you reliable results without having to add steam to your oven (view instructions in the notes section below).
Ingredients
Preferment (made 10 to 12 hours before mixing final dough)
- 4 grams salt
- 195 grams water Luke warm, I use filtered water.
- 90 grams dark rye flour I also buy rye flour in bulk because I bake so much. Make sure it's 100% whole grain.
- 100 grams all-purpose flour white wheat flour
- 40 grams sourdough starter either rye or wheat
Sponge (made 30 minutes before mixing final dough)
- 200 grams water Luke warm, I use filtered water.
- 260 grams all-purpose flour white wheat flour
Main Dough (do NOT premix, just combine ingredients with 2 pre-doughs)
- 70 grams water Luke warm, I use filtered water.
- 9 grams salt
- 175 grams dark rye flour I also buy rye flour in bulk because I bake so much. Make sure it's 100% whole grain.
- 3 grams active dry yeast ½ pouch. I keep mine in the fridge, so it lasts longer.
Zwiebelbrot (onion bread)
- 1 yellow onion large
- 14 grams butter
Instructions
Make Preferment
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine all preferment ingredients using a rubber spatula or a spoon. Cover air-tight and let rest at room temperature for 10 to 12 hours.4 grams salt, 195 grams water, 90 grams dark rye flour, 100 grams all-purpose flour, 40 grams sourdough starter
Make Sponge
- In a small bowl, combine ingredients by hand until you have a smooth dough. Cover airtight and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.200 grams water, 260 grams all-purpose flour
- If adding onion, trim, peel and slice the onion and cook on medium-low heat with the butter for about 10 to 15 minutes or until browned.1 yellow onion, 14 grams butter
Make Main Dough
- DO NOT combine the ingredients for the main dough, instead just add them to the 2 pre-doughs (optionally add cooked onion now).70 grams water, 9 grams salt, 175 grams dark rye flour, 3 grams active dry yeast
- Knead by hand or using the dough hook of a mixer until you have a homogenous, barely sticky dough and all ingredients are worked in (about 5 minutes).
- Cover airtight and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour. The dough should have increased by about half of its size.
- Shape the dough into either a round or a long shape, depending on the shape of your basket (I personally prefer the longer shape usually because I like smaller, more even slices). You can watch my video to help you understand the shaping process. Generally speaking, you will fold the top of your dough over to the bottom, then press down. Repeat from all sides and work all 'flaps' into the middle.
- Prep a proofing basket (Brotform) with white flour (I don't use the liner), then add the shaped loaf seam side down. Cover with a linen towel or the liner of the basket, and let proof (final rise period) at room temperature for 45 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 250° Celsius (480° Fahrenheit) and add a casserole dish filled with hot water to the bottom of your oven.
- Prep a baking sheet with parchment paper, then flip your dough onto it. Check to make sure there is still plenty of water in your casserole dish. Transfer quickly to the hot, steamy oven and bake for a total of 60 minutes (reduce the temperature to 220° C/ 430° F 10 minutes into baking).
Video
Notes
Dutch Oven Baking Notes:
Want to bake your German sourdough bread in a Dutch Oven instead, then follow these baking instructions:- Do not add the dish filled with water to create steam in your oven. When adding the lid to your Dutch Oven, the moisture in the loaf will steam itself.
- Preheat your Dutch Oven with the lid on.
- Remove the lid, place the dough onto parchment paper in the Dutch oven and score the top of the loaf. Replace the lid. Bake for 10 minutes at 250° Celsius (480° Fahrenheit), then reduce the temperature to 220° C/ 430° F and bake for 40 more minutes. Remove the lid of the Dutch Oven and bake your loaf for another 10 minutes. This will help to brown the surface.
Onion Version:
To make the Zwiebelbrot version, cook the onion in ½ tablespoon of butter over medium to medium-low heat while stirring occasionally and until most of the moisture is cooked out. The onion should be a golden brown color. This should take about 10 minutes. If the onion is still too wet, this may change the dough consistency.Scoring:
You can optionally score the loaf to direct where it's going to crack open during baking, but this is actually not necessary!Nutrition
Calories: 2426kcal | Carbohydrates: 494g | Protein: 70g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 5171mg | Potassium: 1570mg | Fiber: 44g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 352IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 164mg | Iron: 24mg