This unique homemade bread with red lentils is a wonderful discovery for anyone who loves wholesome, nutritious baking. This loaf stands out with its deep, dark color—achieved by using fermented dark rye malt (a traditional Eastern European baking ingredient prized for its rich flavor and mahogany hue)—and a distinct texture from the addition of red lentil flour. The lentils not only boost the bread with plant-based protein, but also give the crumb a pleasant, hearty density. The warm, earthy aroma of pan-toasted caraway and coriander seeds instantly brings traditional artisan bakeries to mind. While this recipe is tailored for a bread machine to make the process effortless, you can easily mix the dough by hand and bake the loaf in a regular oven—I share the exact oven instructions at the end of the post.
Homemade rye bread made with lentil flour turns out deeply aromatic, nutritious, and wonderfully hearty.
Ingredients
- 150 g (5.3 oz) whole grain rye flour
- 100 g (3.5 oz) red lentil flour
- 300 g (10.6 oz) wheat bread flour
- 40 g (1.4 oz) fermented dark rye malt powder (or dark barley malt powder)
- 390 g (13.8 fl oz) water
- 20 g (1.5 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon each of caraway seeds and coriander seeds
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
How to Make Rye and Lentil Bread
Combine the fermented dark rye malt powder (a traditional Eastern European baking ingredient that gives dark rye breads like Borodinsky their rich color and earthy sweetness) and salt in a saucepan. I use sea salt in this recipe, as it is rich in trace minerals and makes a great alternative to regular table salt.
Fermented rye malt gives the bread its signature dark color and deep, earthy aroma.
Pour the water into the saucepan and bring to a boil. Let the brewed malt mixture cool down to room temperature. Stir in the honey and extra virgin olive oil, mixing until thoroughly combined.
Stir honey and olive oil into the cooled brewed malt until the liquid base is thoroughly combined.
Whisk together the whole grain rye flour, wheat bread flour, and red lentil flour in a separate bowl. You can easily make red lentil flour at home: simply pour dry red lentils into a clean coffee or spice grinder and blitz until fine. Wait a couple of minutes before opening the lid so you don’t cover your kitchen in a cloud of flour dust.
This recipe uses a hearty blend of whole rye, wheat, and homemade red lentil flours.
Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly until evenly combined.
Thoroughly mixing the dry ingredients ensures the dough rises evenly during baking.
Toss the caraway and coriander seeds into a dry cast-iron skillet and place over medium heat. Toast until a wisp of smoke appears and the seeds begin to pop and crackle. Toasting unlocks their essential oils, making the aroma much richer and more intense.
Lightly toasting the caraway and coriander seeds unlocks a much deeper, warmer aroma.
Crush the toasted coriander and caraway seeds in a mortar and pestle. Don’t grind them into a fine powder; just bruise them slightly to release their flavor. Add the crushed seeds to the dry ingredients and mix well to distribute the spices evenly throughout the flour.
Add the bruised spices to the flour blend. Avoid grinding them into a fine powder so you get pleasant bursts of flavor in the bread.
Transfer the dry flour mixture into the bread machine pan, then pour the cooled malt mixture on top.
Layer the dry and liquid ingredients in the baking pan, following the order recommended for your specific bread machine.
Lock the bread pan into the bread machine and add the instant yeast to the yeast dispenser. Select the Rye Bread program. The total cycle takes 3 hours and 30 minutes, which includes resting, kneading, proofing, and baking.
Once the baking cycle finishes, the rye bread will be thoroughly baked through with a classic dark crust.
Turn the finished rye and lentil bread out of the pan and place it onto a wire cooling rack. Cover it with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 3 to 4 hours before slicing.
The finished bread needs to rest for a few hours so the dense rye crumb can fully set and stabilize before slicing.
Homemade rye and lentil bread turns out so fragrant and flavorful on its own that you'll want to taste it while it's still warm, simply topped with a pat of butter or a drizzle of fresh honey. This hearty loaf is the ultimate companion to thick meat soups, or a fantastic base for filling morning open-faced sandwiches topped with avocado and lightly cured fish. To preserve its unique texture and moist crumb, store the bread wrapped in a linen towel or inside a wooden bread box—this keeps it soft for longer without losing its deep, malty flavor.
If you decide to bake this rye and lentil bread in the oven, whisk the instant yeast directly into the flour mixture, pour in the liquid ingredients, and mix the dough. Rye dough is naturally quite sticky and temperamental, so avoid over-kneading it. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2 hours, then gently punch it down and shape it into a round boule on a floured surface. Transfer the loaf into a cast-iron pan or Dutch oven, let it proof in a warm spot for another hour, and bake initially at 200°C (400°F), then reduce the heat to 180°C (350°F), misting the oven walls with water to create that signature crisp, bakery-style crust.
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