At a Glance
A moist, aromatic rye sourdough studded with toasted sunflower seeds. Uses a long bulk fermentation and seed soaking/toasting to avoid dryness and boost nuttiness. Techniques reflect traditional German Roggenbrot methods and modern steam-baking tips for a thick crust [1][2][4].
Not suitable if:
- • You've never baked sourdough before → start with a beginner recipe
- • You don't have an active rye starter → create a starter
🛒 Recommended Products
We recommend the following tools for this recipe:
Digital Kitchen Scale
Essential for accurate flour and water measurements
Banneton Proofing Basket
Shapes the loaf and creates a firm skin on the proofed dough
Dutch Oven
Retains steam for a thick, crackly crust
Dough Scraper
Makes handling sticky rye dough much easier
Bread Lame
For precise scoring to control oven expansion
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links are affiliate links.
Ingredients
Weigh all ingredients on a kitchen scale; rye tolerance for error is low and baker's percentages matter [1][5].
| Ingredient | Amount | % | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium rye flour (Type 1150) | 420g | 84% | Provides characteristic rye flavor |
| Bread flour | 80g | 16% | Adds structure to help the loaf hold shape |
| Water | 390g | 78% | Includes water used to soak seeds |
| Active rye starter (100% hydration) | 110g | 22% | Should be active and bubbly (8–12h after feeding) |
| Salt | 10g | 2% | |
| Sunflower seeds | 90g | 18% | Toast or pre-soak (see tips) to avoid dry crumb |
Schedule
Traditional (long bulk)
Develops flavor and digestibility with extended fermentation [5].
Fast (weekend)
Shorter bulk at warmer temp; risk of more pronounced sourness if rushed.
💡 Tips
- Dough rising too fast? → Move to the fridge to slow fermentation and protect structure [2][3].
- No time to bake? → Shaped dough can be retarded 24–48h in fridge without major quality loss [2].
Step by Step
Prepare seeds
Toast sunflower seeds in a tray for 8–10 minutes at 150°C/300°F for nuttiness, or soak them in 40–50g of the recipe water for 30–60 minutes to keep the crumb moist [1][2]. Drain or reserve soak water into total water used.
⏱ 10–60 minutes
Mix dough
Combine flours in a large mixing bowl. Add most of the water and autolyse 20–30 min to improve extensibility [3]. Add starter and salt; mix with a dough scraper until homogeneous. Rye dough is sticky; avoid aggressive kneading [1].
⏱ 10–20 minutes
Incorporate seeds
Fold in toasted or soaked sunflower seeds gently using wet hands or a scraper so seeds distribute without deflating dough [6].
⏱ 2–5 minutes
Bulk fermentation
Cover the bowl (plastic lid or container) and bulk ferment at 20–22°C until dough has increased ~40–60% and shows gas bubbles. For improved flavor and structure, slow bulk or a fridge retard is recommended [1][5].
⏱ 4–8 hours depending on temperature
Shape
Dust work surface with rye or rice flour and turn dough out using a dough scraper. Shape gently into an oblong; avoid degassing. Place seam-side up into a floured banneton.
⏱ 5 minutes
Final proof / retard
Proof at room temp until slightly risen (poke test) or retard in fridge 12–18 hours for flavor control and better oven spring [2][3].
⏱ 1–3 hours at room temp or 12–18 hours refrigerated
Bake
Preheat oven to 250°C/480°F with your Dutch oven inside for 30 minutes. Turn loaf onto parchment paper, score with a bread lame to control split, place in Dutch oven, and bake covered 15 minutes. Remove lid, reduce to 200°C/400°F and bake another 35–45 minutes until crust is deeply colored. Verify internal temp with an instant-read thermometer — 96–98°C / 205–208°F.
⏱ 50–60 minutes
Cool
Using oven mitts remove loaf and cool on a rack for at least 2 hours. Do not slice warm — rye crumb needs time to set or it will be gummy [4][5].
⏱ 2+ hours
Tips & Variations
Variations
Extra seeds
Add 50–70g additional sunflower seeds
→ More crunch and visual appeal; may require slightly more water
Honey-sweetened
Add 1 tbsp honey to the dough
→ Mellows sourness and speeds crust browning
100% rye version
Replace bread flour with rye flour
→ Denser crumb and stronger rye tang; use longer fermentation [5]
View recipe →Pro Tips
- 💡 If using dry seeds, toast them first for flavor; if using soaked seeds, fold them in after autolyse to preserve hydration [2].
- 💡 For a thicker, crackly crust bake with initial high heat and steam (covered Dutch oven) then reduce heat — this mimics traditional techniques for mega crust [2].
- 💡 Check starter maturity: weak starter yields flat loaves; use a vigorous levain for best oven spring [3].
- 💡 Use a serrated bread knife to slice the loaf once fully cooled.
Common Issues
Not going as planned? Common issues:
Storage
Bread box / paper bag
5-7 days
Store cut side down to retain moisture
Kitchen towel
3-4 days
Use linen for better breathability
Freezing
3 months
Slice before freezing and toast slices from frozen
⚠️ Don't store bread in the fridge — starch retrogradation causes faster staling [6].
Sources
-
[1]
Backen mit Spaß – Roggen-Sauerteigbrot mit Sonnenblumenkernen – Link
-
[2]
Feinschmeckerle – Roggensauerteig Brot mit Sonnenblumenkernen mit Mega Kruste – Link
-
[3]
Chefkoch (video) – Sauerteigbrot mit Sonnenblumenkernen – Link
-
[4]
Chefkoch / Marcel Paa – Sonnenblumenbrot – Link
-
[5]
Marcel Paa – Roggenvollkorn-Sauerteigbrot mit Sonnenblumenkernen – Link
-
[6]
The Perfect Loaf / Pinterest reference – 100% Hydration Sourdough Rye Bread with Sunflower Seeds – Link
-
[7]
Chefkoch collection – Seeded Sourdough Rye Bread recipes index – Link