Bread, rye

Rye bread has a dense, chewy crumb and a distinctive tangy, slightly sour flavor, especially in darker varieties made with caraway seeds, which is why it is the traditional base for a Reuben sandwich, pastrami on rye, or open-faced Scandinavian smorrebrod topped with pickled herring or cured salmon. Its firmer texture holds up well to hearty fillings and toasting without falling apart, and it pairs naturally with strong flavors like mustard, sauerkraut, smoked fish, and aged cheese that would overwhelm a milder white bread.

A standard ounce slice (28 g) provides 259 calories, 8.5 g of protein and 5.8 g of fiber, giving rye bread 21% DV of fiber and 17% DV of protein per slice, both solid figures for a bread. Choose a loaf with a tight, moist-looking crumb and check the ingredient list if you want a denser, more traditional style versus a lighter sandwich rye. Store it at room temperature in a sealed bag for a few days, or freeze sliced loaves so individual slices can be toasted straight from the freezer; rye's lower gluten content means it stales a bit faster than wheat bread, so freezing extends its usable life considerably. A quick toast straight from frozen usually restores most of the texture, which is why many households keep a sliced rye loaf in the freezer rather than the bread box.