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A loaf of freshly baked bread rests on a wooden board, with a red cloth in the background.

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.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Rise Time 6 hours
Course Bread, Breads
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 202 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup activated sourdough starter
  • 3 cups bread flour
  • 1-1½ cups warm water
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon cooking oil Optional. I use olive oil but any mild oil wil work. I pour it in the bowl where I place the dough to rise to avoid sticking.

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, combine 1 cup activated sourdough starter, 3 cups bread flour, 1 cup warm water and 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.
  • 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.
  • After the first rise, gently turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Shape it into a round loaf by folding the edges into the center and rotating.
  • One the dough has about doubled in size, remove from the bowl and place on parchment paper.
  • Place a 5 qt Dutch oven (or similar oven safe pot) in the oven and preheat the oven to 425℉.
  • While the Dutch oven is heating, pound the dough down. Shape it into a round loaf by folding the edges into the center and rotating. Then, cover it with a clean towel and let is rise again for 30-40 minutes.
  • When the dough has risen again, carefully remove the hot Dutch oven.
  • Lifting the dough by the parchment paper place the dough and paper in the Dutch oven. Cover the Dutch oven (make sure the top is oven safe).
  • Put the Dutch oven back in the oven.
  • Bake for for 30 minutes. Remove the top and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Notes

You can also use a sourdough starter to make homemade focaccia bread.
This bread goes great with butternut squash soup.

Nutrition

Calories: 202kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 6gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.4gTrans Fat: 0.003gSodium: 585mgPotassium: 47mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 1IUCalcium: 9mgIron: 0.4mg

Disclaimer

Please note that nutrient values, if included with the recipe, are estimates only. Variations can occur due to product availability/substitution and manner of food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of origin, preparation, freshness of ingredients, and other factors.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!