Swiss Onion Rye Batard #BreadBakers

Delicious, hearty rye bread stuffed with sweet onions and Swiss cheese.  This recipe makes one large Batard or two smaller loaves.

Welcome to the March 2025 edition of Bread Bakers......

Camilla of Culinary Cam is hosting this month and decided to have a contest....Pumpernickel vs Rye.  Which do you prefer?

• Connie's Swedish Rye by Culinary Cam
• Marbled Rye Bread by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• New York Jewish Deli Rye by A Messy Kitchen
• Norwegian Crispbread aka Knekkebrød by Food Lust People Love
• Pumpernickel Rolls by Sneha's Recipe
• Swiss Onion Rye Batard by A Day in the Life on the Farm

One of my favorite breads is onion rye.  I love using it for sandwiches and it is amazing toasted with orange marmalade.  I usually buy this bread from bakeries, but when Cam issued this challenge I decided to see if I could make a loaf for myself.

I found a recipe at the King Arthur website that incorporated not only the onions that I love but also bits of Swiss cheese.  Doesn't that sound amazing?  It was!!!

The recipe cautioned to wait for a full day before cutting and serving this loaf or it could be gummy, as is sometimes the case with breads made with rye flour.  You can see the moistness from the cheese that oozed out of the slits I had cut.

I served this bread when hosting a Mardi Gras Dinner.  It was scrumptious with just a touch of sweetness from the onion.  I cut up half the loaf to serve with dinner and used the other half a couple of days later to make Grilled Gruyere and Caramelized Onion Sandwiches.  OH MY YUM!!!

This bread does take some time, mostly hands off, so plan accordingly.  It is well worth the effort.

Yield: 24 servings (1 loaf)

Author: Wendy Klik

Swiss Onion Rye Batard

Delicious, hearty rye bread stuffed with sweet onions and Swiss cheese.

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 25 MinInactive time: 28 HourTotal time: 28 H & 45 M

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 c. bread flour
• 1 1/4 c. rye flour
• 1 1/2 t. salt
• 1 1/2 t. active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 c. lukewarm water
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 c. small dice Swiss cheese

Instructions

1. Place both flours, salt, yeast, and water in large bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the dough hook. Turn mixer to low and mix until combined. Increase speed to medium and knead until smooth and shiny, about 10 minutes.
2. Remove the dough from the bowl to a lightly floured surface and form into a ball. Spray the bowl with cooking spray and return the dough to the bowl, seam side down. Cover with a damp towel and let rise for a couple of hours until risen by a third.
3. While dough is rising, saute the onion in the olive oil until softened and golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a 12" square.
5. Sprinkle the onion and cheese over the dough and then fold 1/3 of the dough into the center. Fold a second 1/3 of the dough over the first. Shape into a large loaf, place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat, cover with a damp towel and let rise until doubled in size, an hour or more.
6. Cut slices on top of the dough, spritz with water, and place in a 400* oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350* and bake for another 10 minutes or until the loaf has an internal temperature of 190*.
7. Remove to a bread rack and allow to sit for 24 hours before slicing and serving.

Notes

Adapted from a recipe found at King Arthur.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

96

Fat (grams)

2 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

1 g

Carbs (grams)

15 g

Fiber (grams)

1 g

Net carbs

14 g

Sugar (grams)

0 g

Protein (grams)

4 g

Sodium (milligrams)

155 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

4 mg

Similar Recipes

Danish Rye Bread

Swedish Dark Rye Bread

Copy-Cat Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread

Property of A Day in the Life on the Farm