Sourdough Bread Recipe
This sourdough bread recipe is simple, reliable, and perfect for beginners who want to bake a golden, crusty loaf at home. With just four basic ingredients flour, water, salt, and an active sourdough starter you’ll create bread that’s crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Find more healthy and tasty Sourdough Bread Recipe ideas here.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (60 g) ripe, bubbly, and active sourdough starter
- 1⅓ cups plus 2 tablespoons (340 g) water
- 1½ teaspoons (10 g) salt
- 3⅔ cups (500 g) bread flour or all-purpose flour
Directions
- Feed your sourdough starter: Make sure it’s active and bubbly before starting. If it hasn’t been fed, mix 5–10 g of old starter with 50 g flour and 50 g water and let it rise for 10–12 hours at 76–78°F.
- Mix the dough: In a large bowl, combine sourdough starter, water, salt, and flour. Mix until all ingredients come together into a shaggy dough.
- First rise (bulk fermentation): Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place (around 76°F) for 10–12 hours until it doubles in size.
- Shape the dough: Once doubled, gently shape the dough into a round ball using damp hands or a bench scraper. Place it on parchment paper.
- Second rise (proofing): Cover the dough and let it rest for 1–2 hours until slightly puffed up.
- Preheat and bake: Place a Dutch oven in your oven and preheat to 500°F for 20 minutes. Score the dough with a knife, then carefully place it (with parchment paper) into the Dutch oven.
- Bake covered: Reduce oven temperature to 450°F and bake for 25 minutes with the lid on.
- Bake uncovered: Remove the lid and bake for another 20 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
- Cool and serve: Transfer the bread to a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely before slicing.
Preparation Details
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Fermentation Time: 12 hours
- Total Time: 12 hours 55 minutes
- Servings: 12 slices
- Yield: 1 loaf