Rustic No-Knead Rye Bread with Sesame Crust

Name: Rustic No-Knead Rye Bread with Sesame Crust
Total time: 3 h 15 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Gifts from the Kitchen
Ingredients: 470 g Bread flour (or all-purpose strong flour (12% protein)); 20 g Rye flour; 8 g Caster sugar; 10 g Fine sea salt; 3 g Instant or active dry yeast; 375 ml Lukewarm water ((~100°F / 38°C)); 18 g White Sesame seeds; 9 g Black Sesame seeds

Bread · Gifts from the Kitchen · Vegan · Dairy-Free · Nut-Free · Egg-Free · Time: 3 hr 15 min · Servings: 12 · Difficulty: Medium

There’s something special about walking through a European city in the early morning, when the scent of freshly baked bread drifts out from neighbourhood bakeries. During my travels through Amsterdam and Germany, I found myself drawn to small artisan bakeries where shelves were lined with rustic loaves, many generously coated in seeds and baked until deeply golden. While every bakery had its own style, they all shared the same simple philosophy: great bread made with quality ingredients, time, and a little patience.

This Rustic No-Knead Rye & Sesame Bread is inspired by those memorable mornings. With its crisp sesame-crusted exterior, soft, airy crumb, and subtle earthy flavour from rye flour, it captures the comforting character of the breads I enjoyed while travelling through Europe.

What makes this loaf even more special is how approachable it is to bake at home. There's no kneading, no complicated techniques, and no hard-to-find ingredients—just a handful of everyday pantry staples and a slow rise that develops wonderful flavour while you get on with your day. Whether you're baking your very first loaf or have years of bread-making experience, this recipe is wonderfully forgiving and rewards patience with bakery-style results.

Fresh from the oven, it's delicious served warm with butter, alongside a hearty bowl of soup, or filled with your favourite sandwich ingredients. It also freezes beautifully, making it easy to enjoy homemade bread whenever the craving strikes and bringing a little taste of those European bakery mornings into your own kitchen.

Prefer a classic no-knead white bread? Try my No-Knead Artisan Bread recipe. It uses simple pantry staples, the same easy no-knead technique, and delivers a crisp crust with a light, airy crumb.

A Gift from the Kitchen

One of my favourite things about baking bread is being able to share it. A freshly baked loaf, wrapped simply in baking paper or tucked into a brown paper bag, always feels thoughtful without being elaborate. It has that welcoming neighbourhood bakery charm that's difficult to resist.

I love bringing this loaf when visiting friends or family, especially while it's still slightly warm from the oven. The toasted sesame crust and soft rye crumb make it feel just a little more special, even though it's made from simple everyday ingredients.

For an extra special homemade gift, pair it with my Sweet & Tart Black Plum Jam for a sweet option or my Fresh Basil Pesto with Grana Padano & Pecorino for something savoury. Together, they make a beautiful gift basket or an easy spread for brunch, aperitivo, or a relaxed afternoon with friends.

Whether served with butter, olive oil, homemade preserves, fresh pesto, a comforting bowl of soup, a cheese board, or simply enjoyed with a good cup of coffee, this rustic loaf is a reminder that some of the most meaningful gifts are the ones made by hand.

Baker's Tip

If you're new to baking no-knead bread, don't be surprised if the dough feels wetter and stickier than traditional bread doughs, especially with the addition of rye flour. That higher hydration is exactly what helps create the light, airy crumb that makes artisan-style bread so appealing, so resist the temptation to add too much extra flour.

For the best results, bake the loaf in a fully preheated Dutch oven or cast iron pot. During the first stage of baking, the enclosed pot traps steam released by the dough, allowing the loaf to expand fully before the crust begins to set. This creates excellent oven spring, a beautifully open crumb, and the deep golden sesame-crusted exterior that gives homemade artisan bread its distinctive character.

In other words, if your dough feels a little sticky, you're on the right track. With time, patience, and a hot Dutch oven, that soft dough transforms into a beautifully rustic loaf with a crisp crust, airy interior, and bakery-style finish.

Ingredients

470 g Bread flour (or all-purpose strong flour (12% protein))
20 g Rye flour
8 g Caster sugar
10 g Fine sea salt
3 g Instant or active dry yeast
375 ml Lukewarm water ((~100°F / 38°C))
18 g White Sesame seeds
9 g Black Sesame seeds

Directions

Mix the Dry Ingredients In a large bowl, whisk together the bread flour, rye flour, salt, sugar, and yeast.
Add Water & Mix Pour in the lukewarm water (~100°F / 38°C) and stir with a spoon until the dough comes together into a rough, sticky mass. No kneading required!
First Rise (2 Hours) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until it doubles in size.
Shape the Dough (3 Minutes) Lightly dust a banneton with flour. If you don't have one, line a medium-sized bowl with a clean kitchen towel and dust it generously with flour.Lightly flour your work surface and gently transfer the dough onto it. Fold it over itself a few times, stretching and folding the edges toward the centre. Shape it into a round ball, tucking the edges underneath to create surface tension. This process should take about 3 minutes.Coat the crust: Pour the white and black sesame seeds onto a plate and spread them into an even layer. Lightly dampen your hands with water, then gently pat the top and sides of the dough, taking care not to soak it. Carefully invert the dough onto the sesame seeds, rolling it gently until the top and sides are evenly coated. Transfer the dough, seam-side up, to the prepared banneton or towel-lined bowl.
Preheat the Oven & Dutch Oven After shaping the dough, place a Dutch oven (or any oven-safe pot with a lid) inside the oven and preheat to 450°F (230°C)
Second Rise (30 Minutes) Place the shaped dough in a floured proofing basket or a bowl lined with parchment paper. Cover and let it rise for another 30 minutes, until it puffs up.
Bake the Bread Carefully invert the proofed dough onto a sheet of parchment paper. Using a bread lame or sharp razor blade, score the top of the loaf with one confident slash, about 1 cm (½ inch) deep.Carefully lift the dough using the parchment paper and transfer it into the preheated Dutch oven. Quickly add 4–5 ice cubes between the parchment paper and the inside wall of the Dutch oven, making sure they do not sit on top of the dough. Immediately cover with the lid. Bake for 30 minutes at 450°F (230°C). Remove the lid, reduce the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C), and continue baking for 15–20 minutes, or until the crust is a deep golden brown.
Cool & Enjoy Let the bread cool completely before slicing—this helps the crumb set. Serve with butter or your favorite spreads.

Rustic No-Knead Rye Bread with Sesame Crust

A Gift from the Kitchen

Baker's Tip

Ingredients

Directions

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