A quick reference for baking sourdough with grains other than white wheat. For the full detail on each one, read baking sourdough with different grains.
The 60-second version
- Start at 20%. Replace a fifth of the white flour in a recipe you already know.
- Wholemeal and rye want more water (+5–15%). Spelt, einkorn and emmer want less (−5–15%).
- Wholegrain ferments faster. Check an hour early.
- A tighter crumb is correct, not a failure.
- One starter does all of it. No need for a separate culture per grain.
Quick reference
| Grain | Start at | Water | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal wheat | 20–30% | +5–10% | Faster ferment, tighter crumb |
| Dark rye | 20–30% | +10–15% | Sticky, not elastic. Do not over-handle |
| Light rye | 10–20% | +5% | Ferments quickly |
| Spelt | 20–30% | −5% | Collapses if over-fermented |
| Khorasan | 20–30% | baseline | The easy one to start with |
| Einkorn | 10–20% | −10–15% | Slack and sticky. Expect dense |
| Emmer / farro | 15–25% | −5% | Weak structure |
| Durum / semolina | 10–20% | −5% | Golden crumb, superb crust |
| Buckwheat | 10–20% | +5% | Strong flavour, dominates fast |
| Oats | 10–20% | +10% | Soak first for best results |
| Maize / polenta | 10–15% | +5% | Crunch and colour |
A note on gluten. Spelt, einkorn, emmer, khorasan and durum are all wheat and contain gluten. Rye and barley contain gluten. Buckwheat, rice, sorghum, teff, millet, maize, quinoa and amaranth are naturally free from it; oats usually are but are often milled alongside wheat.
Five blends worth making
| Blend | What you get |
|---|---|
| 80% white + 20% wholemeal | The everyday upgrade |
| 85% white + 15% dark rye | Deeper, tangier, keeps better |
| 70% white + 30% spelt | Sweet and nutty |
| 80% white + 20% khorasan | Golden and buttery |
| 60% white + 30% wholemeal + 10% rye | A proper country loaf |
Start with a strong culture
Every grain here works with one starter. Buy a live sourdough starter and begin with the rye loaf.
See also the flour guide, the olive oil guide and the wine guide.
