Ukrainian Rye Bread (Simple Same-Day Bread)

This bread is a staple in my home. I bake it every single week, and if I ever forget—or if we run out—my family is genuinely upset. It’s the kind of bread everyone expects to see on the counter, sliced and ready, whether it’s for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

I grew up eating this same bread in Ukraine. We didn’t call it anything fancy—it was simply our everyday dark bread. Round, aromatic, hearty, and always present. When we moved to the United States, I didn’t realize how much I depended on it until it was suddenly missing. No store-bought loaf tasted the same, and nothing quite replaced it.

In a funny way, that’s exactly how my bread-baking journey began. I wasn’t trying to become a baker or experiment with techniques—I just missed this bread so much that I needed to learn how to make it myself. Over time, it became part of my weekly rhythm, and to this day, it’s the loaf I bake most often.

The best part? This round rye bread is super simple, can be made the same day, and is very forgiving. It can be made with an active sourdough starter or sourdough discard, which makes it perfect for everyday baking.

This round rye bread is the kind of recipe that fits naturally into everyday life—simple, reliable, and deeply comforting. Whether you make it with sourdough discard or an active starter, it’s a loaf you’ll come back to again and again.

About the Sourdough Starter (Important)

For this recipe, you’ll want to use a regular white (wheat) sourdough starter — not rye starter.
It can be freshly fed and active, or you can use sourdough discard.

If you don’t have a sourdough starter yet, you can find a full step-by-step guide on my website.
Click here to learn how to make a sourdough starter.

If you’re using sourdough discard, make sure:

• It’s no more than 1 week old
• There is no hooch (that dark liquid on top)
• It smells clean and mildly tangy, not sharp or unpleasant

Using discard makes this bread especially practical—it’s a great way to turn leftover starter into a flavorful, everyday loaf.

About the Rye Flour

I use dark rye flour for this recipe, which gives the bread its deep color and classic flavor.
My favorite is organic dark rye flour from Janie’s Mill, a local mill in Southern Illinois that produces beautiful, high-quality grains.

That said, this recipe is very flexible. You can absolutely use:

• Bob’s Red Mill rye flour
• Any dark or medium rye flour available at your grocery store
• Rye flour ordered online (Amazon or similar)

The key is using rye flour you enjoy working with—this bread is meant to be approachable, not complicated.

Same-Day Baking Schedule (How This Bread Fits Into a Day)

One of the reasons I bake this bread so often is because it fits easily into a regular day.

Morning

• Mix sourdough discard (or starter), rye flour and water
• Let the mixture ferment until doubled or tripled in volume

Midday

• Add the remaining ingredients
• Knead the dough until smooth

Afternoon

• Proof for about 3–4 hours, until nicely risen
• Shape into a round loaf (if you want cracks on top place it into a banetton seam side down)
• Proof until bigger about 45 min
• Flip it over onto a parchment paper

Bake

• Bake until deeply colored, aromatic, and fully set
• Cool completely before slicing

From start to finish, this is a simple, same-day bread that doesn’t require complicated timing or overnight fermentation.

Baking Method & Steam

For baking, I use a Baking Shell placed over the loaf and a baking steel underneath. This setup creates strong steam during the first 10 minutes of baking, which helps the bread rise well and develop a thin, beautiful crust.

If you don’t have this exact setup, you can still bake this bread successfully using your preferred method for adding steam in the oven.

Round Rye Bread (Same-Day, Discard-Friendly)

Yield: 1 round loaf
Total time: Same day (about 7–8 hours)

Preferment

• 120 g water
• 160 g sourdough discard or active white sourdough starter
• 130 g dark rye flour

Final dough

• 230 g water
• 10 g baking salt
• 30 g sugar
• 300 g bread flour
• 150 g dark rye flour

Method

• Mix 120 g water, 160 g sourdough discard, and 130 g dark rye flour by hand until fully combined
• Cover and let ferment at 28–30°C (82–86°F) for 3–4 hours, until doubled or even tripled in volume; the mixture should be very loose and airy
• Add 230 g water, 10 g salt, 30 g sugar, 300 g bread flour, and 150 g rye flour
• Knead until the dough comes together into a smooth ball and clears the sides of the bowl
• Round the dough, lightly oil the bowl to prevent sticking, place the dough inside, and cover
• Let rest for 3–4 hours, until the dough has increased to about 2 to 2½ times in volume
• Shape into a tight round loaf and place seam-side up into a floured banneton
• Proof for 30–40 minutes, until slightly puffed and visibly larger
• Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) with a baking steel inside
• Transfer the loaf onto parchment paper, slide onto the hot baking steel, and immediately cover with a cold baking shell
• Bake for 10 minutes at 500°F (260°C), then remove the baking shell
• Lower oven temperature to 450°F (230°C) and bake for 10 minutes
• Lower temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for an additional 20–25 minutes, until deeply colored and fully baked
• Remove from oven and let cool completely before slicing

FAQ

Q: Can I use a rye sourdough starter instead of white starter?
A: Absolutely! While I recommend a regular white starter for convenience, a rye starter works great if that’s what you have on hand. Just keep an eye on fermentation times, as they might vary a bit.

Q: What if I don’t have a baking shell or baking steel?
A: No worries! You can create steam by placing a pan of hot water on the oven floor or by misting the oven with water in the first few minutes of baking. It’s all about getting that initial burst of steam.

Q: Can I substitute different flours?
A: Yes, you can experiment a bit. If you want a lighter loaf, replace some rye flour with more bread flour. Just keep in mind the flavor and texture will change slightly.

Q: Can I use a Dutch oven instead of a baking shell?

A: Yes, absolutely. A Dutch oven works very well for this bread and can be used in place of a baking shell. Preheat the Dutch oven with the oven, transfer the loaf on parchment paper into the hot Dutch oven, cover with the lid, and bake covered for the first part of baking to trap steam. Then remove the lid and continue baking uncovered, just as you would when removing the baking shell.

This round rye bread is the kind of recipe that fits naturally into everyday life—simple, reliable, and deeply comforting. Whether you make it with sourdough discard or an active starter, it’s a loaf you’ll come back to again and again.

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