Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe

Making sourdough bread at home is a rewarding experience that yields delicious results. With just a few simple ingredients and some patience, you can create a crusty, flavorful loaf right in your own kitchen. This recipe uses a sourdough starter, bread flour, water and salt to produce a classic sourdough bread with a tangy flavor and chewy texture.

The process involves mixing the ingredients, allowing the dough to rise and baking it in a preheated Dutch oven. You’ll need to plan ahead, as the dough requires time to develop its flavor and structure. The Dutch oven method creates a steam environment that helps achieve a crispy crust and soft interior.

This recipe is perfect for both beginners and experienced bakers. You’ll learn how to work with sourdough starter and develop your bread-making skills. The end result is a homemade loaf that rivals those from artisanal bakeries, with a fraction of the cost and the satisfaction of having made it yourself.

Preparing the Sourdough Bread

Creating delicious sourdough bread requires careful preparation of your starter, mixing ingredients precisely and allowing adequate time for rising and shaping. Follow these steps to achieve a flavorful, perfectly textured loaf.

Activating the Starter

Begin by ensuring your sourdough starter is active and bubbly. Feed it with equal parts flour and water 4-8 hours before you plan to bake. Look for a doubling in size and a frothy texture, which indicates it’s ready to use.

To test if your starter is active enough, place a small amount in water. If it floats, it’s ready for baking. If not, give it more time to ferment or another feeding.

Measure out 1 cup of the activated starter for your recipe. Return any remaining starter to the refrigerator for future use.

Ingredients Overview

Step-by-Step Instructions

In a large bowl, combine:

• 1 cup activated sourdough starter
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1-1½ cups warm water
• 2 teaspoons salt

Start with 1 cup of water and add more as needed to achieve a shaggy dough. Mix until no dry flour remains.

Knead the dough for about 10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes in a stand mixer on low speed. The dough will be sticky but should start to become smooth and elastic. We usually do this step using our Ankarsrum mixer.

First Rise

Lightly oil a clean bowl with 1 teaspoon of cooking oil. Place the dough in the bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap.

Let the dough rise in a warm spot for 4-6 hours, or until it has roughly doubled in size. The exact time will depend on the temperature and humidity of your kitchen.

During this rise, you can perform stretch and folds every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours to develop the gluten structure.

Shaping and Second Rise

After the first rise, turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pound it down. Shape it into a round loaf by folding the edges into the center and rotating.

Place the shaped dough on a piece of parchment paper. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise for another 30-40 minutes.

While the dough is rising, preheat your oven to 425 F with a Dutch oven inside. This ensures a hot baking surface for a crispy crust.

Place your oven rack in the middle position for optimal heat circulation. If your oven has hot spots, rotate the Dutch oven halfway through baking.

When the dough has risen for the second time, carefully transfer it to the hot Dutch oven using the parchment paper. Score the top with a sharp knife to allow for expansion during baking.

Baking in Dutch Oven

Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven using thick oven mitts. Lift the dough by the parchment paper and place it into the heated pot.

Cover the Dutch oven with its lid. This traps steam from the bread, creating a moist environment for initial baking.

Return the covered Dutch oven to the preheated oven. Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on. This allows the bread to rise and develop its structure without browning too quickly.

Final Bake and Cooling

After 30 minutes, remove the Dutch oven lid. This exposes the bread to direct heat, promoting browning and crust formation.

Bake for an additional 15 minutes uncovered. Watch closely during this stage to prevent over-browning. The bread is done when it’s golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

Carefully remove the bread from the Dutch oven using the parchment paper. Transfer to a wire rack for cooling. Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing to let the crumb set and flavors develop.

You can also use a sourdough starter to make homemade focaccia bread.

This bread goes great with butternut squash soup.

Don’t want to deal with a starter?

Even though I think this article does a great job explaining how to start and use a sourdough starter, sometimes you just don’t want to deal with the care and feeding of a sourdough starter. If that describes you, then you’ll want to check out this recipe for making sourdough bread in the Crock Pot using Greek yogurt and no starter.