Sourdough Bread Recipe

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If you have your sourdough starter bubbling away and you are ready to make your first sourdough bread this is it. I have all the step by step photos and tips for you to make this sourdough bread recipe from starter.

sourdough bread loaf on a cooling rack


 

I have seen the light, friend. The sourdough light and I am never going back. And if you are making your first ever sourdough bread recipe, you too will see the light. 

Let me show you the way. 

Ok that’s a bit dramatic but seriously this is the best gosh darn sourdough bread recipe you will ever find. As soon as this bread is out of the oven, my fiance and I are fighting over it. We tear into the warm loaf as soon as we can. If there’s any left we slice and toast it. Slather some butter on it. Every crumb gets devoured. 

Let’s not waste another second.

What Is Sourdough? 

Sourdough is basically an ancient way of making bread. Sourdough doesn’t rely on commercial yeast, but on wild yeast. By simply combining flour and water, you create a live fermented culture from the wild yeast found on the grains of the wheat that the flour is made from. The more it is “fed”, meaning fresh flour and water, allows the wild yeast to multiply.

Because sourdough relies on wild yeast, the process can take much longer than commercial yeast bread recipes. But the complex flavor and texture is far superior of any other bread you will ever eat. 

Is Sourdough Bread Better For You?

Yes. 1000% yes. Sure at first glance, the nutrition label might look the same to conventional bread. But the long fermentation process is what has sourdough sailing past the conventional bread loaves by a mile for its health benefits. Plus it’s made with just a few simple ingredients compared to store-bought bread that has added chemicals and preservatives. 

Whole grains, in general, that bread is made with can contain lots of great minerals. But the body can have a hard time absorbing those minerals due to phytic acid that is present in grains. But the lactic acid created from the fermentation process helps to break down the phytic acid allow your body to be able to absorb more of those minerals than you would be able to with bread made from commercial yeast. 

Also, sourdough bread can be much more easily digested and enjoyed, especially those with a gluten sensitivity. The long fermentation process helps to already start the process of breaking down the gluten in the bread making it much easier to digest.

So more vitamins, minerals, and it’s easier to digest. Basically, sourdough is awesome. 

What Makes Sourdough Bread Sour?

So the thing that makes sourdough bread, well, sourdough, is its “sour” flavor. And although the bread relies on the wild yeast, the sourness doesn’t actually come from it. 

According to the Kitchn, The sour flavor is due from two kinds of good for you bacteria โ€” Lactobacillus and acetobacillus .  These bacteria grow alongside the wild yeast in the sourdough culture creating lactic and acetic acid, creating that sour flavor.

The amount of sour your bread will have in the end can depend on how you develop the culture, the age of the starter, the flours used – but ideally it will have a touch of sourness that plays well with the earthy, sweet, yeasty flavors of the rest of the bread.

How do I make a sourdough starter?

If you’re completely new to sourdough bread, then be sure to check out my tutorial on How To Make Sourdough Starter From Scratch.

You can also check out this video from Traditional Cooking School on how to make a sourdough starter. And you can also enroll in their complete Sourdough course – it will teach you EVERYTHING!!

sourdough bread loaf cut in half

Timeline For Making This Bread

This timeline, from Artisan Sourdough Bread Made Simple, is based on you making this bread on the weekend. But you can adjust the timeline based on when you want to make it. 

Now if you feed and maintain your sourdough starter at room temperature you can make this bread at the drop of a hat. If you’re a part-time sourdough bread baker, like me, then you will need to take your  starter out of the fridge a few days earlier to get it bubbly and active before you can use it in the bread. 

Thursday night: Remove Starter from Fridge and Feed

Friday: Feed twice (once in the morning, and one at night)

Saturday morning: Feed again

Saturday evening: Remove the amount of starter I need to make my dough. Feed my starter again, and pop back in the fridge until next week.

Sunday morning: Finish and bake my bread!

Start With An Active Starter

We want to start by making our dough. This is a no knead dough and it couldn’t be simpler to throw together. Basically stir and forget it. You want to make sure to start with an ACTIVE STARTER. 

How can you tell when your starter is ready?

I have two ways:

1. The Rubberband trick

Place a rubberband around your starter jar where the height of the starter starts when you feed it. And then when you see it’s doubled in size, it’s ready! Like so…

HEATHER’S TIP: Don’t have a rubberband? Use a sharpie! Mark the start of your starter on the outside of your jar. It will wash right away!

2. The Float Test

Still not sure? Take a spoonful (just be careful to not deflate the bubbles) and place in a bowl of water. Does it float? If it does, then you’re ready! If it doesn’t let the starter continue to bubble away before using it. 

Ingredients Needed

The best part about making sourdough bread is the simplicity of its ingredients! Seriously all you need is 3 more ingredients beyond your starter. 

  • Bubbly, active sourdough starter (50 g, about 1/4 cup) – you can get my step by step tutorial here on making a starter –> How To Make Sourdough Starter From Scratch, and don’t forget to watch the video from Traditional Cooking School
  • Bread Flour – (500 g, 4 cups + 2 Tbsp.)  I’ve made this with all-purpose flour and it turned out fine. Not quite the chewy texture that you get with bread flour. I prefer using bread flour if I can. 
  • Water – (350 g, about 1 1/3 cups + 2 tbsp.) You want to use warm water.
  • Salt – 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
glass jar of sourdough starter and a bag of bread flour

How To Make This Sourdough Bread Recipe From Starter

Once you have your starter ready you can make your dough. You want to start by measuring out your starter. You will need 50 g (about 1/4 cup). Be sure to stir down your starter in your jar before measuring. 

It’s recommended to not make your bread in metal bowl, such as aluminum or copper, as it can cause an off taste and kill the starter, but stainless steel is non-reactive. Or you can use plastic or glass. 

sourdough starter in a stainless steel bowl

Then you want to add the water and stir to dissolve and mix the starter into the water.

water and sourdough starter in a mixing bowl with a fork

Then add the flour and salt. Again bread flour is best to use if you can for the best chewy texture. Bread flour has a high protein content than regular all purpose flour, which means more gluten will form. Gluten is the protein that will give bread its chewy structure.

flour and salt in a bowl

You then need to stir the mixture together until it forms a shaggy dough. You will need to get in there with your hands at the end and mix the dough together to work in all the flour. 

The dough will be still shaggy at this point. Then the dough will need to rest for 30 minutes. This will give the gluten in the dough a chance to relax. 

bowl of shaggy sourdough

After 30 minutes, you want to then shape the dough into more of a smooth ball. 

And then you need to cover the bowl with a DAMP towel and let it rise overnight. Let me say that again, for the folks in the back…a DAMP towel!

I made the first mistake of not using a damp towel and found that my dough had dried out on top, and formed a crust not allowing my bread to rise like it should. So..damp, damp, damp. 

sourdough in a bowl

So now that we (us and the sourdough) had a good night’s rest. Now it’s time shape. You want to coax the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. And then bring up the edges to the middle. Basicallly, fold the outside in towards the center until you have come full circle. 

hand folding dough

Then flip the dough over and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

sourdough bread dough on a pastry mat

And while you’re waiting go ahead and line a bowl or banneton basket (traditional bread proofing basket) with a towel, or the linen liner the basket comes with, and dust with flour. And once the dough has rested, go ahead and place the dough in the bowl, seam side up. 

Ugh, swoon. Am I right? Don’t you just want to give it a hug? No? Just me? Mm, moving on….

sourdough bread dough in a towel lined bowl

Alright, yes you do have to cover the dough up again and let it rise. Again. Yes. Again. 

But just another 30 minutes to 1 hour. Once it’s puffy and risen slightly, but no doubled in size it’s time to bake…almost. 

We have to do one more thing. Slash that bread! Yes welcome to bread art. You want to turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper, dust the top with flour, and then using a bread lame make slashes into your bread. 

The lame will make clean, sharp cuts into the bread. Slashing the bread will give the bread a chance to expand let those gasses out that have built up in the bread. You can make a just a few simple cuts, or get as fancy as you want. 

sourdough bread dough on parchment with cuts made in the top, and a bread lame

Once you have had your fun. Now it’s time to bake! Yes we made it!!! 

Lift the parchment paper and place into a dutch oven.

sourdough bread loaf unbaked in a dutch oven

You will bake with the lid on for the first 20 minutes, and then remove the lid. And then bake for an additional 20-3o minutes. Mine only takes 20 minutes, but the cookbook suggests 30 minutes, but mine has always gotten too dark for my preference.

I mean. Oh, my word. How gorgeous is that bread?

baked sourdough bread loaf in a dutch oven

Recipe Tips

  • Make sure your starter is active before you start. Drop a small piece in a bowl of water to see if it floats. It it does, then it’s ready! If not, then it may need 1-2 more feedings. 
  • Use Bread Flour. Yes you can use all purpose flour, but bread flour gives the best texture. 
  • Use A Kitchen Scale. For best accuracy, it’s best that you weigh your ingredients and not rely on volume (measuring cups)
  • Damp Towel!! When you let the dough rise overnight, be sure to use a damp towel to cover it so it doesn’t dry out and not rise properly.
  • Use A Bread Lame. Yes you can try and use a sharp kitchen knife to make the cuts in the top of the bread but a bread lame is a great handy tool that makes clean cuts every single time. I love my bread lame!!

Sourdough Bread FAQ’s

Can I Use All Purpose Flour For Sourdough Bread?

You can, but again I recommend bread flour. But if you are using all purpose flour, I recommend using unbleached flour. Bleached flour has been treated with chemicals that can kill the starter.

Can I Use A Knife To Make Cuts In The Bread?

You can, but it needs to be very sharp. Otherwise it may just tear. So if you don’t have a bread lame (yet!) then use a very sharp knife.ย 

What If I Don’t Have A Banneton?

A banneton, or proofing basket, is great. It can make some fun lines on the outside of the bread. But as you can see, I got started without one. I simply used a towel lined bowl and dusted the towel with flour.ย 

Do I need to bake this bread in a Dutch oven?

You don’t have to. I know folks who have had good luck baking in a cast iron.

Can I Leave The Bread To Proof In The Refrigerator For More Than One Day?

You can leave the dough in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, but once it’s shaped I only let it proof overnight.

Why Didnโ€™t My Sourdough Focaccia Rise?

  1. Starter Wasn’t Ready: This could be because your sourdough starter wasnโ€™t quite bubbly and active enough. Be sure to do the โ€œfloat testโ€ before you begin.
  2. Cold Kitchen: Another culprit could be a cold kitchen! If your kitchen is cold the bread will take longer to rise. Ideally, your kitchen should be around 70ยฐF.
  3. Overproofed: Another reason I found as I continue on this sourdough journey, is you overproofed your dough. If you overproof then there will be nothing left for it to do, and you will get no rise. So when you place the risen dough in the pan, make sure to not let the dough rise for more than 2 hours. The only exception is if your kitchen is super cold and it’s still not puffy. 

Storing Bread

Sourdough bread will actually last longer than storebought bread at room temperature because of the long fermentation process. The bread will be fine at room temperature for 4 to 5 days. Once the bread has cooled completely (you can let the bread sit out for a full day before wrapping to allow to cool) then store in a sealable plastic bag or bread box.ย 

Whatever you do, don’t cut into the bread until it’s cooled which can affect the texture and make it dry out faster. 

You can also freeze any leftover bread for 3 to 6 months. I always just store mine in a sealable plastic bag.

Sourdough Recipes:

Tools To Make This Sourdough Bread 

You can check out My Favorite Sourdough Bread Tools and Resources.

Sourdough Bread

This everyday sourdough bread recipe is to die for! Use bread flour for best texture!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Resting Time: 9 hours
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 16 slices (1 loaf)
Calories: 116kcal

Ingredients

  • 50 g (1/4 cup) bubbly, active starter
  • 350 g (1 1/3 cup + 2 Tbs.) warm water
  • 500 g (4 cups + 2 Tbs.) bread flour
  • 9 g (1 1/2 tsp.) salt

Instructions

  • Make The Dough. Whisk the starter and water in a large bowl. Add the flour and salt. Squish everything together with your hands until all of the flour is absorbed. Cover with a damp towel and rest for 30 minutes.
  • Shape The Dough. After the dough has rested, work the dough in the bowl into a rough ball. To do this, grab a portion of the dough and fold it over, pressing your fingertips into the center. Repeat, working with your way around the dough until it begins to tighten, about 15 seconds. 
  • Bulk Rise. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let rise overnight at room temperature. This will take about 8 to 10 hours (at 70oF, 21oC). The dough is ready when it no longer looks dense and has doubled in size. 
  • Shape. After the bulk rise, remove dough from bowl and place onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into a round. Start at the top and fold the dough toward the center. Turn the dough slightly and fold over the next section of dough. Repeat until you have come full circle. Flip the dough over and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile line an 8-inch bowl with a towel and dust with flour. With floured hands, gently cup the dough and pull it toward you in a circular motion to tighten its shape. Using a bench scraper, place the dough into the bowl, seam side up.
  • Second Rise. Cover the bowl and let rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour. The dough is ready when it looks puffy, and has risen slightly but has not yet doubled in size. Nearing the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 400oF.
  • Score. Place the parchment over the dough and invert the bowl to release. Sprinkle the dough with flour and gently rub the surface with your hands. Using a bread lame, or the tip of sharp knife score the dough. I keep it simple and do 4 cuts, but you can get creative! Use the parchment paper transfer the dough to your dutch oven. 
  • Bake. Bake the dough on the center rack, in a preheated 400oF oven,  for 20 minutes, covered. Remove the lid and continue to bake for 20-30 minutes. Optional: Remove from oven, and remove the loaf from the pot and bake the crust for an additional 10 minutes to crisp the crust. (My crust is always dark at this point, so I skip this step). Transfer to a wire rack. Cool for 1 hour before slicing. 

Notes

  • Adapted From Clever Carrot
  • Make sure your starter is active before you start. Drop a small piece in a bowl of water to see if it floats. It it does, then it’s ready! If not, then it may need 1-2 more feedings.ย 
  • Use Bread Flour. Yes you can use all purpose flour, but bread flour gives the best texture.ย 
  • Use A Kitchen Scale. For best accuracy, it’s best that you weigh your ingredients and not rely on volume (measuring cups)
  • Damp Towel!! When you let the dough rise overnight, be sure to use a damp towel to cover it so it doesn’t dry out and not rise properly.
  • Use A Bread Lame. Yes you can try and use a sharp kitchen knife to make the cuts in the top of the bread but a bread lame is a great handy tool that makes clean cuts every single time. I love my bread lame!!
  • Bread Timeline: Thursday night: Remove Starter from Fridge and Feed
    Friday: Feed twice (once in the morning, and one at night)
    Saturday morning: Feed again
    Saturday evening: Remove the amount of starter I need to make my dough. Feed my starter again, and pop back in the fridge until next week.
    Sunday morning: Finish and bake my bread!

Nutrition

Calories: 116kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 220mg | Potassium: 31mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @BostonGirlBakes or tag #BostonGirlBakes!


 

17 Comments

  1. Hello, I wanted to try this recipe, but had a question. I have seen other recipes that say preheat the pan in the oven for an hour. Do you do this step?

    1. Yes you can preheat the dutch oven in your oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour if you would like!

  2. BluJean55 says:

    5 stars
    Just made this recipe and it is delicious!
    I did a longer fermentation with 3 stretch and folds. I used my starter from Breadtopia. I was very surprised with the amount of oven spring achieved with this recipe.
    Thank you

    1. So glad you loved the recipe as much as we did!!!

  3. During the “Shape” process — you say to “line an 8-inch bowl with a towel and dust with flour”.

    Instead of doing that, can I use spray a bowl with Pam Cooking Spray and place the dough in that?

    1. Hi Randy, with sourdough it’s recommended to put in a towel lined bowl or banneton basket dusted with flour (I prefer rice flour) – I haven’t tried with cooking spray and can’t say for sure if that would work or not. If you give it a try let me know!

  4. Rose Rairie says:

    5 stars
    Over the last couple of years I have been baking sourdough bread on and off. A couple weeks ago I thought I would give it another try. I have watched video after video, read blog after blog. I had a lot of successful loaves but every now and then one that wasn’t so great but still edible. I think I’m the biggest critic because everyone in the family loves the bread. When I came across this one I thought it’s so simple I’m going to give it a try. I made this exactly like the recipe except after the 10 hour rise, I shaped it and placed it in a loaf pan and placed in the refrigerator overnight. This morning I took it out and let it sit at room temp for about 90 minutes. I baked per the instructions. It is PERFECT. I would love to send a pic but there’s just a couple slices left to it. The crust, the crumb, the color and the taste – DELICIOUS. This is going to be my main sourdough recipe from now on! Thanks!!!

    1. Aw I love hearing this!!! Iโ€™m so glad it worked out for you and you had success!

  5. 5 stars
    Hi it works!!! Do you have any similar but with added flavours eg walnut or olive?
    Thank you

    1. Oh I’m so glad!!! I don’t have any on the blog yet – but have made variations myself at home. After 30 minutes of mixing the dough together I’ll work in my mix-ins, from walnuts, raisins, cinnamon to jalapenos/cheddar, herbs like rosemary, or olives and parmesan ๐Ÿ™‚ YUM!!

  6. 5 stars
    I would give this 10 stars if possible! So simple. So amazing. Our 14 year old loves this so much heโ€™s actually making it by himself as I type!!!

  7. 5 stars
    This is seriously the BEST and it was really easy to follow and make. Iโ€™m new to the sour dough starter craze but Iโ€™m so excited I finally got on board. Anyone can make this. I was surprised at how soft the loaf turned out. Itโ€™s delicious inside with the most perfect crust. I canโ€™t stop eating it!! Thank you and I canโ€™t wait to try your other yummy recipes!!
    Joanna

    1. Thank you Joanna! I love hearing comments like this! And I’m so glad you loved the recipe and found it easy to make. Glad you have joined the sourdough crazy ๐Ÿ™‚ Its a blast!!

  8. Tried this yesterday…I think my dough was too wet. I measured everything using a kitchen scale, so not sure where I went wrong. Just took the bread out of the oven and the parchment totally stuck to the bottom of the loaf and I can’t peel it off!

    1. Hi Karin! I’m sorry to hear you had trouble with the recipe. It could be you let the dough rise for too long – I find if I overproof mine then it’s too sticky and slack to work with it. Next time, don’t let your dough rise for as long and see if that makes a difference! You could also try adding in some stretches and folds in to the dough to help develop the gluten and make it a stronger dough. Sourdough is a learning curve for sure – but one that is worth it!!

  9. Melinda Kramer says:

    This approach looks awesome and Iโ€™d love to try it but I donโ€™t see any info on baking temperature so not sure how to use this recipe successfully. Thx

    1. Oh thank you Melinda! I’ll be sure to fix that ASAP!

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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