Rye Bread Recipe
This rye bread recipe contains a mixture of rye flour and bread flour. The bread is firm, but also soft and moist. Delicious!!
Last Updated on October 24, 2025 – Originally posted on July 9, 2017
This bread recipe was tested with a Zojirushi BB-PAC20, the Home Bakery Virtuoso (learn more about the bread machines I own and recommend) at sea level. In my experience, bread recipes will work without adjustments until at least 3,700 feet. Here’s more about baking bread at high altitudes.
We really enjoy rye bread. This recipe makes bread that’s firm, but it’s also soft and moist.
Rye is a cereal grain that contains a good amount of fiber. The Man of The House doesn’t like whole wheat bread. However, rye bread is okay, more than okay, in his book. So rye bread is a good choice for us in terms of nutrition.
Vital Wheat Gluten
Note that this recipe calls for vital wheat gluten.
Gluten is a type of protein found in flour. It adds strength to the flour and allows the bread to rise.
While vital wheat gluten looks like flour, it’s not. Instead, it’s basically powdered gluten. It helps the bread rise.
In the past, I found vital wheat gluten in the Bob’s Red Mill area of my grocery store. Now it’s more difficult to find. Recently I’ve ordered vital wheat gluten online from Amazon.
I adore dark rye bread. This black rye bread recipe makes a hearty loaf that has a nice rye flavor. It’s great for corned beef sandwiches and it goes well with soup or stews.
Rye Bread Instructions
This is for a two-pound loaf using the basic/white or wheat cycle with medium crust.
Follow the instructions that came with your bread machine in terms of which ingredients to put in the bread machine first. With most machines, you add the liquids first.
Make sure you check on the dough after five or ten minutes of kneading. It should be a smooth, round ball. If it’s too dry add liquid a teaspoon at a time until it looks OK. If it looks too wet, add flour a tablespoon at a time until it looks OK.
Rye Bread Recipe for the Bread Machine
Again, this recipe is for a two-pound loaf of bread. You can use either the basic/white or the wheat cycle with medium crust.
1 1/3 Cups water
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 2/3 Cups bread flour
1 1/3 Cups dark rye flour
3 Tablespoons vital wheat gluten
3 Tablespoons brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
This makes a two pound loaf. Follow the instructions that came with your bread machine in terms of which ingredients to put in the bread machine first. (With my Zo I add the liquids first.)
I used the basic setting for this, however you could also use the wheat setting if you’d like.
Is this recipe adjusted for high altitude (+4900’) or is this sea level? Thanks!!
Great question! It was last made at sea level. I’ve added that information to the recipe now as well as a link to an article on how to adjust bread recipes so they work at higher altitudes.
no vital gluten where I live. What to use instead ?
I’ve heard of some people using xanthan gum or protein powder. However, I haven’t used those ingredients.
As an alternative, sour milk rye bread is a nice, light rye bread and doesn’t need vital wheat gluten.
can i mix in bread machine on dough setting and bake in pan in oven
I’ve never done that, but it should work fine.
I’ve done it several times with a whole wheat recipe, and it works well—but after the “dough” setting is complete I shape the loaf and give it a “final rise”, using our stove’s “bread proof” (95f) settubg,
Using the dough cycle, shaping the loaf by hand, and then giving it a final rise on your oven’s bread proof setting is a great technique, especially for whole wheat and rye. Thanks so much for sharing what’s working for you.
This is a great recipe using my Great River Organic Milling Stone Ground Dark Rye Flour. You can also use 100% of this flour to make the bread, just make sure to add 45 grams of Vital Wheat Gluten to it to make a nicely risen full bodied and flavored Rye bread.
I need to modify this recipe for a 1 lb. machine, can you help? Thanks.
Great question! I have an article that shows how to adjust recipes for differently sized machines.
Thank you so much for your recipes and information. I have Zo Virtuoso plus and wish I’d read your recommendations before choosing that model. Do you know what would happen if you used the artisan or European setting when making this rye bread? I like crustier and more dense bread than soft and fluffy. I’d like lots more recipes that make artisan type bread. Also, can you explain how to reduce the recipes from 2 to 1 1/2 pound loaf. Thank you.
Thanks so much for writing!
I’m not sure how the artisan or European settings would affect the bread. Let me know if you try it.
Here’s a page about converting bread machine recipes of different sizes.
Can you substitute cake flour for bread flour
No. The bread won’t rise and it won’t do well in a bread machine at all. For more information on this check out this article about flour.
My machine makes 1- 1 1/2 & 2 lB loaves. It won’t bake correctly if my loaf size setting is incorrect. This is either a 1 1/2 or 2 LB loaf, it appears by your ingredient measurements??…but I hate having to guess & waste ingredients. Thank you : )
Always feel free to ask questions. This makes a two pound loaf. I have it in bolded text in the start of the recipe instructions. Let me know if there’s another place you would have expected that information.
Are all of your bread recipes already adjusted for high altitude?
All of the recipes are developed for sea level. However I have an article on how to adjust recipes for high altitudes.