Deli-Style Keto "Rye" Bread
A dark, close-crumbed loaf flecked with caraway, the seed that gives deli rye its unmistakable flavor. Built on almond flour, flax and psyllium, it slices thin and stands up to a stacked pastrami or Reuben-style sandwich.
Nutrition per serving
1 slice (½ inch)- Net carbs
- 1.8g
- Calories
- 126kcal
- Protein
- 5.1g
- Fat
- 10g
- Total carbs
- 7 g
- Fiber
- 5.2 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Pumpernickel-style: Strong coffee in place of the water and extra cocoa make a nearly black, deeply savory loaf in the style of pumpernickel.
- Whisk the extra cocoa in with the dry ingredients and use boiling-hot coffee instead of water. The crust is very dark, so rely on the hollow sound and internal temperature rather than color.
Onion rye: Golden sautéed onion folded through the dough, like the onion rye at a New York deli. Lovely toasted with butter or under melted Swiss.
- Cook the onion in the extra olive oil over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, until soft and golden. Cool, then beat it into the dough after the boiling water.
- Bake 65–75 minutes, since the onion adds moisture.
Nut-free (sunflower seed): Sunflower seed flour replaces the almond flour for a nut-free loaf with an earthy, wholegrain-like flavor that suits rye.
- Use sunflower seed flour exactly as you would almond flour. Sunflower seeds can turn faintly green next to baking powder; the vinegar and the dark color of the loaf keep it from showing.
- Also add
- Also add
Estimated cost $7.91 for 14 servings ($0.56 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
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Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment (or line an 8½ × 4½-inch/21 × 11 cm loaf pan for square sandwich slices). Bring a kettle of water to a boil.
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In a large bowl, whisk the almond flour, flaxseed, psyllium, 2 teaspoons of the caraway, the cocoa, baking powder and salt until evenly colored, with no clumps of psyllium.
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Add the egg whites, olive oil and vinegar and beat with a hand mixer (or a sturdy spatula) for about 1 minute, until a thick paste forms.
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Pour in 1 cup of the boiling water and beat 30–45 seconds more. Let the dough stand 2 minutes; it firms into a soft, slightly sticky dough as the psyllium gels.
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With wet hands, shape the dough into an oval loaf about 9 inches (23 cm) long on the sheet (or press it into the loaf pan). Brush the top with water, sprinkle with the remaining caraway and press it in, then cut 3 shallow diagonal slashes with a wet knife.
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Bake 60–70 minutes, until the crust is dark and firm, the bottom sounds hollow when tapped and the center reads 200–205°F (93–96°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
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Cool completely on a rack — at least 2 hours — before slicing thinly with a serrated knife.
Tips for success
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Caraway is the flavor most people know as "rye"; rye flour itself is mild and far too starchy for keto. The spoonful of cocoa is only there for the classic deli color — you will not taste it. - Do not slice it warm: psyllium bread finishes setting as it cools and seems gummy if cut early.
- Build a Reuben-style sandwich with corned beef or pastrami, Swiss, sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing, then griddle it in butter.
Nice to have, not needed
- An instant-read thermometer is the surest doneness check — 200–205°F (93–96°C) in the center.
- A serrated bread knife gives thin, even deli slices.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 7 days in the fridge
- Freezes up to 3 months
Reheat: Toast slices, or griddle them in butter for hot sandwiches.
Prep tip: Slice the whole loaf before freezing so you can take out two slices at a time for a sandwich.
Refrigerate sliced in an airtight container up to 1 week, or freeze slices up to 3 months.
Variations
3 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosPumpernickel-style
FlavorStrong coffee in place of the water and extra cocoa make a nearly black, deeply savory loaf in the style of pumpernickel.
- boiling water → strong brewed coffee
- + 2 tbsp extra unsweetened cocoa powder
2 g net · 128 kcal · 5.2 g protein · 10 g fat · ≈$0.60 per serving (+0.2 g net carbs vs the original)
Onion rye
FlavorGolden sautéed onion folded through the dough, like the onion rye at a New York deli. Lovely toasted with butter or under melted Swiss.
- + ¾ medium onion
- + 1 tbsp extra olive oil
2.2 g net · 137 kcal · 5.1 g protein · 11 g fat · ≈$0.60 per serving (+0.4 g net carbs vs the original)
Nut-free (sunflower seed)
DietSunflower seed flour replaces the almond flour for a nut-free loaf with an earthy, wholegrain-like flavor that suits rye.
- blanched almond flour → sunflower seed flour
1.6 g net · 124 kcal · 5.1 g protein · 9.8 g fat · ≈$0.59 per serving (−0.2 g net carbs vs the original)
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