LOOK at those perfect little air pockets. Just imagine how well the crumb on this Homemade Rye Bread bread will soak up a slathering of melty vegan butter. Mmmmmm. And don’t neglect your sweet tooth, she needs love too – this bread is sturdy enough for that heavy helping of your favorite jelly or jam. And for our savory friends, you can fancy up this bread in your favorite sandwich with a spread of Lemon Basil Hummus or nut-free vegan pesto.
Not to mention this bread is EASY. You don’t have to knead the dough, just mix and wait. Even shaping the loaf is child’s play (literally my 3 year old helps me with this). I promise, when you make this bread, you will wonder why you haven’t made homemade bread for years!
For more easy vegan bread recipes, try this Homemade Italian Bread or Easy No Knead Artisan Bread.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- EASY & No-Knead – This vegan rye bread recipe doesn’t require any special bread-making skills like kneading. If you can stir, you can make this bread!
- Simple ingredients – With just 7 basic ingredients, this rye bread is a healthier option than store-bought bread which may have lots of additives.
- Protein packed – This dairy-free bread boasts 5g of vegan protein per slice, while the average store-bought white bread has only 2g.
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour – All-purpose white flour or white bread flour works great for this recipe. You can also use whole wheat flour in place of the all-purpose, but be aware it may require adding a bit more water to the dough.
- Dark Rye Flour – Rye flour is responsible for the rich earthy flavor you’ll find in this bread.
- Seeds – Caraway seeds are often found in traditional rye bread, but you can also use hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or flax seeds (whole or ground). I would avoid using chia seeds as they absorb and retain moisture easily and can give the bread a chewy texture.
- Instant yeast – Instant or active dry yeast allows for shorter rise times with this bread.
- Water – You can actually replace the water with plant milk if desired, adding a bit more protein.
- Agave nectar – Swap with equal parts maple syrup or any sweetener, even brown sugar (make sure to select a vegan variety). The little bit of sugar helps to feed the yeast and speed up the rise times, as well as adds some flavor. If you are using a granulated sugar, make sure to dissolve it fully in the warm water before adding to the dough.
Helpful Equipment
In addition to measuring cups and spoons, the following equipment is helpful for this recipe:
- Large Mixing bowl
- Medium bowl
- 9″ x 5″ Loaf pan
- Parchment paper (optional)
- Kitchen towel or plastic wrap
- Dough whisk (optional)
How to Make
Mix the Dough
Start by adding all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl and mixing them until they are evenly dispersed. In a separate small bowl, add the warm water and agave and mix until the agave has all dissolved.
The water needs to be WARM but not hot. The warmth activates the yeast. Too cold and the yeast will not activate. Too hot and the yeast will die. Try for 100-110 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don’t have a thermometer, it should feel very warm to the touch, but not uncomfortable to hold your hand under.
With all ingredients in the bowl, mix with a spatula or your hands just until there are no longer any streaks of flour. This should take less than one minute. The dough will be fairly wet and shaggy, as pictured below (Step 1).
First Rise (Long Rise)
Once the dough is mixed, cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 3 hours.
You should place the bowl in a warm place in your kitchen (at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit). If your kitchen is colder than that, you could place the dough in your oven TURNED OFF, but with the light on, or inside your microwave.
Shape the Dough
After the first 3 hours, the dough will have at least doubled in size (Step 2). To shape it, first lightly coat the surface of the dough with olive oil or vegetable oil and punch the top of the dough directly down (Step 3). This will release many of the air bubbles created by the yeast activity and prevent large holes in the bread when it bakes.
Keeping the dough in the bowl, fold the dough onto itself a few times, pulling it away from the sides of the bowl, until it is roughly in an oblong loaf-like shape. The dough will still be quite sticky, but that is ok!
Second Rise (Short Rise)
Transfer the shaped dough to a parchment-lined or greased loaf pan (Step 4). Parchment paper makes it easier to remove the loaf from the pan immediately after baking.
Let the dough rise a second time for about 40 – 60 minutes. Covering the loaf is optional for this step. If you would like to cover it, do so with a piece of parchment paper or an oiled piece of plastic wrap so that it does not stick to the loaf as it rises.
Once the loaf has risen to about 1 inch above the loaf pan, it is ready to bake.
Time to Bake
Transfer the loaf to a preheated oven and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-40 minutes. The loaf is done when the top is evenly golden-brown.
Remove the loaf from the oven and from the loaf pan. Let it cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing. The bread should be soft and springy when pressed – that is how you know it is ready to be sliced. For best results, wait until the bread has reached room temperature before slicing with a sharp knife.
That’s it! Enjoy!
How to Store
- Room Temp: This bread will last at room temp for 3-5 days. If you are planning to store this bread at room temperature, make sure it cools completely (1-2 hours) before placing it into an airtight container or plastic bag. If it is not completely cooled, the vessel will collect moisture and quickly lead to mold.
- Freezer: Freeze individual slices separated by parchment paper for up to 3 months. Pop a slice into the toaster straight from the freezer for a delicious piece of toast.
More Tips
- Not Vegan? Replace the water with warm milk. Serve with butter or use to make a grilled cheese!
- Gluten-free? I have not made this recipe with gluten-free flour yet, but I suspect a gluten-free bread flour replacement would work.
FAQ
The short answer is – it depends! More often than not, commercially produced bread does contain milk or whey which are not vegan ingredients.
When made with 2 tbsp hemp seeds, it contains 5g of plant-based protein per slice. Different seeds (as well as replacing the water with plant milk) will affect the protein content of this bread.
Yes! You absolutely can make this bread without adding any sweetener. It will have a nuttier flavor, but will still be delicious. Note that you may need to allow the dough to rise slightly longer without the sugar in the agave to feed the yeast.
This rye dough is quite sticky and does not hold shape, so a traditional bread pan is recommended for baking.
You absolutely can if you want or need to be hands-off, but it isn’t necessary as there is no real kneading involved.
Homemade Rye Sandwich Bread
Equipment
- Parchment paper optional
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup dark rye flour
- 2-3 tbsp seeds: hemp, flax, caraway
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups warm water
- 2 tbsp agave syurp
Instructions
- Mix both flours, salt, yeast, and seeds into a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
- In a separate vessel, add the agave to the warm water and stir until fully dissolved. Pour into the dry ingredients.
- Mix until no streaks of flour remain. This should only take about 1 minute.
- Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and let rest on the kitchen counter for 3 hours.
- After the first rise, the dough will have at least doubled in size. Coat the top lightly in oil, and punch the air holes out of the dough (pictured above).
- Fold the dough onto itself a few times and form it into a rough loaf-shape.
- Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined (or oiled) loaf pan and let rest another 40-minutes to 1 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 375.
- Once the loaf has risen to about 1 inch above the sides of the loaf pan, bake for 30-40 minutes or until the top is evenly golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and carefully turn the loaf out of the loaf pan.
- Let cool on a cooling rack at least 30 minutes before slicing. If you are storing the loaf right away, let cool fully beforehand (1-2 hours).
- Enjoy!
Notes
- When mixing the dough the water needs to be WARM but not hot. The warmth activates the yeast. Too cold and the yeast will not activate. Too hot and the yeast will die. Try for 100-110 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Not Vegan? Replace the water with warm milk. Serve with butter or use to make a grilled cheese!
- Gluten-free? I have not made this recipe with gluten-free flour yet, but I suspect a gluten-free bread flour replacement would work.
Nutrition
Please note, while all ingredients used in this recipe have been verified to be vegan and free of applicable allergens at the time of recipe creation, different brands may differ in their ingredients or processing procedures and may change their ingredients at any time. For some recipes, I do include ingredients that are processed in a facility that processes other allergens. Please make sure to check the ingredients and processing procedures for your specific purchases to ensure they meet your dietary needs.
Last Updated on February 14, 2025
Simple and easy recipe !
I’ve made this a few times now and lately with some tweaks.
I substituted the 3 cups all purpose flour with 1 cup spelt flour and 2 cups bread flour, and replaced the water with milk.
Those 30 minutes waiting for the bread to cool off, aren’t 30 minutes !
Thank you for the recipe.
dom
Hi Dom! I’m so glad you are enjoying the recipe and have found ways to make it your own!! I agree, those 30 minutes of wait time feel like hours 😂, especially when the smell of fresh bread is filling the house!!
This bread is so easy and so delicious! Seriously, anyone can make this bread. I love having it toasted with some vegan butter, but it is also perfect for sandwiches!
Came out great 👍 I will be making it often
I’m so glad! Thank you for sharing!
YUM! This homemade bread is the best
homemade bread is such a trend right now. Im so going to try your recipe!
This recipe is so good. It’s simple and easy to follow but produces a delicious rye bread that you can be proud to say you made yourself!
Thanks so much! I’m so glad you like it!
This bread is so delicious and the recipe is easy to follow. I love Rye bread and now I can make it at home!
Wow! It looks so good! Thanks for sharing!
This homemade rye bread recipe sounds delicious. I love that it all comes together in just a few hours and the big bonus is that it doesn’t require any kneading!
Simple and easy!
Yum….. this recipe look delicious 🤤
Thanks so much!