Everything You Want To Know About Rye Bread Vs. Sourdough

There are several types of bread recipes that you can enjoy for breakfast and lunch, but nothing stands out more than sourdough and rye bread. These rustic bread are equally delicious and can easily become a favorite to bake at home. But have you ever wondered about rye bread vs. sourdough, which is easier to prepare, and how they differentiate? Let us clarify what they have in common and what not!

There are multiple types of baked goods, but as artisan bread, few can compete with rye bread and sourdough. They have similar ingredients, but the preparation process is different; after all, sourdough has to undergo a fermentation step to get its distinct flavor.

In this article, we’ll elaborate more on these two types of bread, help you understand the differences, and pick the best option for your next artisan bread baking!

What Is Rye Bread?

Rye bread is a delicious bread made using rye flour, often combined with other flour, grains, and seeds. Some recipes even call for cocoa powder and Sugarcane molasses. 

The rye bread can be either dark or lighter in color. It depends on the flour you use. You can make it of 100% rye flour, but the result tends to be too dense. Therefore, it is commonly mixed with other types of flour. 

The rye flour is made from rye grains, a member of the wheat tribe, and is closely related to wheat. Both whole wheat bread and rye bread are baked with flour types with grains of cereal, but there are some differences.

• Rye bread is denser than other types of bread made using wheat flour. 
• Compared to white bread, rye bread has a stronger flavor, darker, and is high in fiber. 
• Besides this, it has a lower glycemic index than white bread and is generally seen as a healthy bread type. 

Some of the most common types of rye bread include:

Classis Rye Bread

The classic rye bread is a recipe that calls for rye flour in combination with another flour (to make it less dense). It is uncomplicated, and you use the classic way of baking bread (mixing, kneading, and allowing the dough to grow and then bake). This method includes using active dry yeast, or fresh yeast. The result is a loaf of bread that holds a lot of nutrition and has more taste than bread baked with solely wheat flour.

Multigrain Rye Bread

The multigrain rye bread features rye flour combined with some grains and seeds to help improve its consistency. The recipe is not much different from the classic one. The process for baking is the same, but you add flavor, more texture, and a great crust by mixing in seeds and grains.

Sourdough Rye Bread

We will get to sourdough bread in the next section, but we have included sourdough rye bread as one of the different bread types. The reason is that rye bread can be baked as sourdough bread using rye flour. Confusing? Well, let us clarify what sourdough bread is, and it will all make sense!

What Is Sourdough?

In simple terms, sourdough is a slow-fermented bread. It can be made using different types of flour, including rye as explained above. So let us first clarify what it is, then the difference between rye bread and sourdough bread. 

Sourdough is actually not a flour type but a bread baked using a particular method of preparing the dough. It is prepared by fermentation dough using yeast and Lactobacillaceae. This means it is baked with a natural leavening agent instead of commercial yeast.

When it comes to ingredients, it does not differ from the classic way to bake bread, but the process is different. And yes, it may require some practice. But that said, it is easy when you get the hang of it!

To make sourdough bread, it is all in the preparation. It begins with a fermentation process to create the natural leavening agent. This is done by mixing grain-based flour and water in typically a jar, and this mix is processed over time (what we call the sourdough starter). The lactic acid produced during the fermentation process imparts the bread its sour taste while improving its qualities. 

There are many different types of sourdough bread, and some of the more common ones are:

Classic Sourdough Bread

You can bake classic sourdough bread using a starter obtained from food fermentation retailers, or you can prepare it from scratch (much more fun and rewarding!). This recipe calls for simple basic ingredients of flour, water, a pinch of salt, and some olive oil. 

Sourdough Danish Rye Bread (RUGBRØD)

This tasty and dense dark bread is used as a base for the Danish Smørrebrød. This bread is a type of rye bread made with sourdough starter. The bread is often filled with goodness like sunflower, pumpkin, and flax seeds.

Other Sourdough Bread Variations

Apart from the Danish Rye Bread, the Birote Salado from Mexico started as a French baguette, but the sourdough fermentation process replaced the preparation process. The Amish-Friendship bread is prepared using sourdough starter, milk, and sugar.

There is almost no limit to the number of bread variations you can get from baking sourdough bread. You can boost the flavor of sourdough bread by adding dried nuts and fruits and fresh fruits and veggies.

Difference Between Rye Bread Vs. Sourdough

In this article, we have explained some differences between baking rye bread and sourdough bread. Both types have the same ingredients, but there is a difference in the preparation. You replace the commercial yeast with a sourdough starter to bake your sourdough bread. 

However, let us go deeper into the differences and the process for baking these types of bread.

The Preparation

Despite both types being loaves of bread, they are prepared differently. The preparation process plays a vital role in their flavors and health benefits. 

Preparing sourdough is more tricky as it requires an initial process to create the natural yeast (sourdough starter) that you will use to bake the bread. This process can take several hours or even weeks, but it is worth the wait. You combine equal amounts of flour and water in a jar and leave it in the fridge (normally over several weeks). Over time the mix establishes a strong colony of wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria. After a day or two, you will see that bubbles start to form. This is an indication that the yeast is getting ready. To keep the yeast active, you feed the mix with fresh flour and water until it again gets bubbly.

Baking rye bread does not require this process, but you use commercial yeast and mix this with the ingredients as part of the more classic baking.

Time Taken To Prepare The Loaves Of Bread

Another big difference between these two bread types is the total time it takes to bake rye and sourdough bread. Preparing rye bread is relatively straightforward, and the overall baking time is about 4 hours. Remember, you will have to give it time to double in size by letting it rest for about 90 minutes, and the second time you will have to leave it for up to 45 minutes. Therefore, if you have all the ingredients ready, you can enjoy your bread within a few hours.

On the other hand, preparing sourdough can take a full day; due to the fermentation process that can last for hours. Remember, you will use the flour’s bacteria to ferment the starter and water. So baking sourdough bread can be started the evening before, and you can consider the end-to-end baking process to take about 10 hours. This includes the preparation of the sourdough starter.

Presence Of Bacteria And Yeast 

Now we are getting more into the detail of the fermentation process because it is one of the key differences between these two types of bread. Both breads use yeast, but they are as you know by now, prepared differently. You can buy commercial yeast or create your own natural yeast (Sourdough Starter).

The entire process of preparing sourdough includes wild microorganisms that help with the fermentation process that gives this bread its unique flavor. The bacteria help ferment the starch that the yeast cannot metabolize. The acidic condition and the bacteria help break the protein, creating a denser dough and weak gluten.

On the other hand, when baking rye bread, you will need to add commercial yeast to help it rise. It converts sugar to carbon dioxide, which helps aerate and lift the dough. The yeast also conditions and mellows the gluten in the dough, making it easy to absorb and hold the gas being produced evenly. 

Therefore, when it comes to the usage of bacteria, the winner is sourdough, as the entire process depends on some wild microorganisms.

Key Ingredients

Even though both loaves of bread can use the same ingredients, there are differences worth highlighting. 

As the name suggests, rye bread is prepared using rye flour, giving it its dark or light color. While you can easily prepare rye bread with 100% rye flour, they tend to be heavy and dense. Therefore, we always mix rye flour with bread flour to create a lighter loaf with a perfect gluten structure. Mixing different types of flour and grains, create a lighter bread with a softer texture and taste.

On the other hand, you can prepare sourdough using any grain-based flour; you can even use rye flour. Flours prepared from wheat, einkorn, spelt, rye, and even rice can help you create delicious sourdough bread. 

Remember, the key to making a perfect sourdough is in the fermentation process, not necessarily the type of flour you choose to use to prepare your bread.

Nutrition Level

Last but not least, we want to mention the nutrition level. Whether you prepare your sourdough or get one from the store, this bread has several health benefits, but homemade sourdoughs can be more nutritious. After all, you control the ingredients you include and can add whole-grain flour to improve its nutrition profile.

Other than high fiber levels, rye has a unique nutrient profile, but in most cases, it will depend on the ingredients you choose to use for your bread. But rye flour on its own is highly nutritious. 

Here is the nutritional content of a slice of both loaves of bread: (source)

Nutrient	Rye Bread	Sourdough
Calorie	83 grams	84 grams
Protein	2.7 grams	3 grams
Carbs	15.5 grams	16 grams
Fat	1.1 grams	0.75 grams
Fiber	1.9 grams	1 grams
Iron	5% of DV	7% of DV
Folate	8.8% of DV	10% of DV

How To Bake Rye Bread

Rye bread is baked using flour prepared from rye grain, and you can boost the flavor by adding cocoa powder and molasses. You can even add caraway seeds to create a distinctive flavor. 

The preparation process of rye bread is relatively easy; in fact, it’s the typical method for preparing and baking the dough. In short, these are the steps:

1. Prepare the dough by mixing molasses, yeast, and rye flour. 
2. Place the dough in a bowl while turning it around for it to be coated with oil, and then cover it with a damp cloth before letting it rise.
3. After it has doubled in size, you can divide it and then shape the loaves.
4. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let them rise for about 45 minutes until double-sized again.
5. Heat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit before baking your bread. Finally, you can bake it for about 30 minutes; remember, your bread should sound hollow when ready and be crusty and golden brown.

How To Bake Sourdough

Preparing sourdough is quite different and it can take several hours to get the right dough. As mentioned, the first step in baking sourdough bread is creating the sourdough starter. 

In summary, these are the steps to bake sourdough bread using a starter:

1. Prepare the starter – Prepare the Sourdough starter by mixing water and yeast into a jar. This mix transforms into a ferment, and it is ready to use when it becomes bubbly and doubles in size. This is typically done a day before you will bake the bread.
2. Take the amount of the starter you need for your recipe, leave the rest in the jar and keep it alive for your next bread baking.
3. Prepare the dough by mixing the starter, olive oil, water, the bread flour of your choice, and some salt.
4. Place the dough in a bowl covered with plastic or reusable wrap, and let it rest for about 30 minutes to an hour.
5. Work the dough into a ball and leave it for a second round of resting at room temperature until it has doubled in size. This can take anything from 3-12 hours!
6. Divide and shape the dough into a loaf. Place the shaped dough in a prepared bread basket or bowl.
7. Rise again for 1-2 hours
8. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for about 30 mins!
9. Enjoy!

Retardation

Some bakers prefer refrigerating the loaves before baking them. The process of refrigerating the dough is known as retardation, and it can help slow down the proofing process while developing rich flavored bread.

Final Verdict

Despite having different preparation processes and, in some cases, ingredients, sourdough, and rye bread are two delicious loaves of bread. There are differences in the baking process, the sourdough requires more preparation, and we would even say some training is needed before mastering the baking of this bread. But that is the beauty of it. You can start by baking the classic sourdough bread, and as you master it, add more ingredients and flavors to it. Adjusting and creating your best recipe! 

Baking a tasty rye bread is a favorite at our home, and it is easy to do compared to sourdough. And you will always have a delicious loaf of bread to enjoy for breakfast, lunch, or even as an addition to dinner!

For us, there is no winner among the two, both are favorites for our bread-loving family!