This Sourdough Bread Recipe makes the most incredible loaf of bread with a crunchy crust, airy crumb, an impressive oven rise and ‘ear’ using the right scoring technique. Discovering the art of baking sourdough bread has been such a gift for our family and I hope this video tutorial inspires you to dive in as well.
After making hundreds of loaves, I am confident this staple recipe has all the tips and techniques you’ll need to succeed whether it’s your first time or if you’re looking to refine your bread baking skills.
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Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe
Crusty sourdough bread is so beautiful, versatile, and crowd-pleasing. We love toasting a slice for breakfast with Honey Butter or Peach Preserves. It’s excellent for a BLT Sandwich for lunch, and paired with Soup Recipes. You can even cut it up for Homemade Croutons. With all these delicious possibilities, you can see why sourdough bread recipes have become so popular recently.
If you don’t already have a sourdough starter, you’ll be happy to know it only requires 2 ingredients to make one from scratch. See our tutorial on How to Make a Sourdough Starter.
Sourdough Bread Video
Watch Natasha make this easy sourdough bread recipe in just a few steps. Be sure to note the shaping and scoring techniques so your bread will look just as beautiful each time!
Why This Sourdough Bread Recipe Works
I love baking sourdough bread because it’s as fun as it is tasty. Here’s why we know you’ll love it as much as we do!
- Beginner-friendly – If you’re new to sourdough baking, or just looking for a great, basic sourdough bread recipe, this is it!
- Easy to double – this recipe makes 1 loaf of bread, but it’s easy to double which is what I do weekly (the bread freezes so well!)
- Flexible timing – The final fermentation step before baking includes a long rest in the fridge (also called cold proofing). This final step gives you a 8 to 48 hour window to bake, making it easy to bake on your schedule.
Ingredients
It’s amazing how simple the ingredient list is for this sourdough bread recipe since it has so much flavor and a nice chewy crumb.
- Flour – we prefer organic flour, but regular will work as well. Bread flour has a higher percentage of protein than all-purpose flour, giving the bread a chewy texture, but either flour will work. Lately, my favorite is to order King Arthur Organic Bread Flour, but have also had great results with Central Milling Company Artisan Bakers Craft flour and Bob’s Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour with great results.
- Rye, whole wheat, or whole grain flour (optional)– these give the bread more flavor. You can substitute this portion with bread flour.
- Fine Sea Salt – this ingredient is so important! It aids in fermentation, gives flavor and color, and gives a good oven spring (rise in the oven).
- Water – filtered, bottled or dechlorinated water is best and should be room temperature or lukewarm (85˚F). You may need to experiment with water quantities. This recipe was made in an Idaho kitchen which is in a dry climate. If you live in a high-humidity area, use less water.
- Active Sourdough Starter – this is a starter that has been fed within the last 6-12 hours, has more than doubled in size, and is bubbly. See my post on How to Make Sourdough Starter if you don’t already have a starter and How to Feed Sourdough Starter once it’s established.
- Rice Flour (optional) – for dusting the bread basket, or use bread flour.
How to Make Sourdough Bread
Timing Tip: The process of making sourdough is mostly hands-off rising time. To help you gauge – if you start with step 1 in the morning, say 10am, you should be ready to mix the dough by 2pm and in the fridge by 6-7pm for overnight cold fermentation.
Step 1: Feed your starter
For a single loaf, mix 50g of starter with 50g of bread flour and 50g of lukewarm water (up to 85 degrees) in a 3/4 qt jar or larger. Scrape the sides of the jar, loosely cover, and mark the height on the outside of the jar with a rubber band or dry-erase marker. Let sit at room temperature for 4-6 hours or until it has more than doubled in volume.
Step 2: Make the dough
In a large bowl, whisk the flours and salt until mixed. Add the water and active starter and stir using a wooden spoon then use your hands until thoroughly mixed. It will be a wet and sticky dough. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel.
Pro Tip:
A kitchen scale makes the process so much faster, more precise (measuring in grams), and less messy – no need to clean any measuring cups. You’ll love sourdough baking more if you have a digital kitchen scale.
Step 3: Bulk Fermentation Stage
Rest the dough for a total of 4 hours, performing a stretch and fold routine after every hour. Stretch and fold: Wet your hands so the dough doesn’t stick. Stretch or pull up gently on one side of the dough without tearing it. Then fold it over itself, turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the stretch on the other 3 sides until all 4 sides are stretched. Cover and repeat each hour for 4 total stretches. It will be tougher to stretch towards the end as the dough develops.
Step 4: Shape the Loaf
After the 4th stretch and fold, lightly flour your work surface to shape the dough. Flour your hands, turn the dough out onto the surface, and gently stretch and shape the sourdough bread for your cooking pot.
- Shape a Round Loaf: stretch the dough from the top down onto the center. Turn a quarter turn and repeat until all the sides are folded in.
- Shape an Oval Loaf: Fold the sides of the dough alternating left and right from top to bottom. Then tightly roll the dough from the top to the bottom.
Step 5: Bench Rest
Let the dough rest for 20 minutes. First, turn the dough seam-side down. Then cover with a towel. After 20 minutes, if it seems to have loosened up too much, gently re-shape it using the same process as above.
Step 6: Tighten the Loaf
Flour your hands and cup the outsides of the dough. Then tuck the sides of the dough underneath. Slide the dough down the counter in a circular motion about 6 inches, using its slight stickiness to tighten the ball/oval. Don’t over-flour your surface and try not to tear the dough.
Pro Tip:
A banneton is a bread basket made to hold dough as it ferments. It should be shaped to match your pot (oval for oval baking dish, round for round baking dish). Before your first use, season the basket or liner by lightly spraying it with water, dust generously with flour (preferaby rice flour for a nicer crust and less sticking), let it fully dry then scrape out any excess with a spatula. Always let it fully dry after use and scrape out excess flour before storage.
Step 7: Cold Fermentation/Proofing
Flour the banneton proofing basket, or tea-towel-lined bowl generously. Place the dough inside seam-side up and cover with a towel. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 8 hours. It can stay refrigerated for up to 48 hours until you’re ready to bake the sourdough bread. It will rise slightly but won’t double.
Step 8: Preheat Oven & Pot
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees and set the pot inside to preheat at the same time. This may take 30 minutes or up to 60 minutes for some ovens. If using a combo cooker with low sides, cut a piece of parchment to cover the bottom. I recently discovered that using a bread sling prevents too much browning on the bottom and it’s easier to transfer in and out of the pot. If using a Dutch Oven with higher sides, lay a piece of parchment (or bread sling) on the counter. Put the Dutch oven/combo cooker into your oven to heat (without the parchment) at least 30 minutes before baking. Optional: Set a pizza stone on the bottom rack, if using (a pizza stone helps to keep the bottom of the bread from getting too dark).
Step 9: Score the Sourdough Bread
Remove the dough from the fridge. If using a combo cooker, place the parchment circle into the hot pan, and turn out the dough into the hot pot seam-side-down. If using a Dutch oven, turn the dough out on the parchment paper. Using the bread lame (A curved lame works best to get the distinctive ear) or a serrated knife, make a crescent shape cut from the base of one side of the dough to the base of the dough. Keep the blade at a 45-degree angle to the dough and cut 1/3 to 1/2″ deep (it’s ok to go over it a second time, just be confident).
Step 10: Bake the Bread
If using a Dutch oven, lift the parchment paper to place the dough (on the parchment) into the Dutch oven. Using hot mitts, cover the Dutch oven/combo cooker with the hot lid and place it into the oven. Reduce the heat to 450 degrees and bake for 20 minutes to allow the trapped steam to cook the crust of the bread. Then, remove the lid and bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer the finished sourdough bread to a cooling rack and cool completely before cutting.
What is the Best Cooking Pot for Sourdough?
You can use a variety of pots. Either a 5 1/2 qt cast iron Dutch Oven or cast iron combo cooker with lid are great options. My combo cooker is my favorite because the lower sides make it easier to score in the pot, but you can score the bread on the counter and transfer the dough ball into a dutch oven using parchment paper
Pro Tip:
Dust the banneton with rice flour for a prettier, crispier crust. My cousin Enna introduced me to this idea, and while it’s not necessary, it makes for a beautiful loaf. The extra flour just brushes away after it’s baked. See the bread flour on the left and the rice flour on the right in the photos, below.
How to Get the Best Oven Spring
Oven spring is the rise the dough gets when it’s in the oven, mostly occurring in the first 10 minutes. Here’s how this sourdough bread recipe creates the best rise:
- Covering the pot – A Dutch oven or combo cooker helps trap the steam to create a good rise.
- Bulk Fermentation and cold fermentation help to prevent over-proofing (exhausting the yeast), so the yeast has plenty of life left for a burst of activity as the oven heats the dough.
- Tightening the dough is a critical step in getting the best oven spring. You want the outside of your dough to be taught to trap the air bubbles but not to tear it.
- Scoring the bread is also important to help it open up and rise properly
- Salt helps the yeast slowly ferment, creating a better crumb with more big and small bubbles and better oven-rise
Do I need to “Slap and Fold?”
Some sourdough bread-makers will slap the dough against the counter and then fold it onto itself right after the dough comes together. This is called the ‘slap and fold’ and is supposed to tighten up the dough. I used to do it but found it to be unnecessary. It just makes you counter messy and the ‘stretch and fold’ during the bulk fermentation tightens up the dough without this extra step.
Can I Bake Right Away?
You can skip the slow fermentation in the refrigerator but your bread won’t have as much sourdough flavor. If you prefer to bake right away, you can cover and let it proof at room temperature for 1 to 2 1/2, depending on the room temperature, or until it is puffed but not doubled in size then score and bake as directed.
How to Serve Sourdough Bread
Sourdough bread is so versatile! Use it in place of sliced bread for sandwiches, or as a crusty bread with soups. Here are some of our favorite dishes to serve with sourdough bread.
- Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Beef Stew
- Tomato Soup
- Salami Cream Cheese Sandwich
- Chicken Melts
- Reuben Sandwich
Make-Ahead
Sourdough bread keeps well on the counter for up to a week wrapped in a bread bag, beeswax wrap, zip-top bag, or plastic wrap.
- To Refrigerate: This is not necessary, but if you do, be sure to wrap it in an airtight container so it won’t dry out
- Freezing: Wrap the boule (sourdough bread round) in foil. Then place in a freezer zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: Thaw on the counter
- Leftover Sourdough? You can use dry or stale sourdough bread to make the best Sourdough Croutons!
Our sourdough bread recipe is as easy as it is fun! You’ll love how this crusty, chewy bread looks like a work of art and tastes like one too. Share your creations with us in the comments and on social media. We’d love to hear how your baking went and see photos of your finished loaves.
If you need another sourdough project to get excited about, try our Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls or Sourdough Pizza Dough next!
More Homemade Bread Baking Recipes
Once you try baking this sourdough bread, you’ll be hooked on homemade bread! Try these delicious recipes.
- Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Crusty French Bread Recipe
- Wreath Bread Recipe
- Brioche Bread
- Irish Soda Bread
- Zucchini Bread
Sourdough Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 400 g bread flour, or all-purpose flour, plus more to dust
- 55 g rye flour*, or whole wheat or bread flour
- 10 g fine sea salt
- 345 g filtered water, or dechlorinated water or spring water, luke-warm up to 85˚F.*
- 100 g active sourdough starter
- Rice flour, optional for dusting the bread basket
Instructions
- Feed your sourdough starter 1 or 2 times before making your sourdough bread, depending on how healthy it is. For a single loaf, (using a kitchen scale to measure) mix 50g of starter with 50g of bread flour and 50g of lukewarm water. Cover with a loose fitting lid and let it rise at room temperature until more than doubled in size, about 4-6 hours.*
- Make the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together bread flour, rye, and salt. Add water and sourdough starter and stir together with a wooden spoon then use your hand to thoroughly mix together, pinch the dough as you mix to make sure it's very well combined. It will be a very sticky dough. Scrape down the bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let the dough rest at room temperature for 4 hours in a warm spot (bulk fermentation).
- Bulk Fermentation Stage: After every hour, do a round of “stretch and fold” – with wet hands to prevent sticking, gently lift up on one side of the dough and stretch it upwards (avoid tearing the dough), and then fold it over onto itself. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and continue to stretch and fold about 3 more times or until the dough resists pulling. Keep the bowl covered with a towel between your stretch and fold rounds. After 4 hours, you’ll stretch and fold the dough for the fourth and final time to tighten it up.
- Shape the Loaf: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface (cut it in half if you’ve doubled the dough for 2 loaves). With floured hands, gently stretch out the dough then shape the dough to match the shape of your banneton (bread basket) and pot.(*see notes below)
- Bench Rest: Turn the dough seam-side down, cover it with a towel, and let it ‘bench rest’ for 20 minutes.
- Tighten the Dough: If it loosens up too much during the bench rest and loses shape, gently re-shape it again to tighten the loaf. With floured hands, cup your hands around the sides of the dough and tuck the sides underneath. Pull the dough down the counter towards you in a circular motion to tighten up the shape.
- Cold Fermentation: Transfer the dough seam-side up into your floured banneton.* Cover with a tea towel and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 48 hours.
- Preheat the Oven: At least 30 minutes before baking, set the Dutch oven or combo cooker into your oven (set your pizza stone on the bottom rack if using*) and preheat the oven to 500 ̊F.
- Score your Bread: Turn the bread out into a parchment lined combo cooker or onto a sheet of parchment paper or bread sling if using a Dutch Oven. Using the bread lame, score the bread starting at the base on one side, (keeping at a 45-degree angle and making a 1/3 to 1/2" deep crescent shape) cut around the top of the bread, from one side to the other. If using a Dutch Oven use the parchment to transfer your dough into the pot.
- Bake: Using oven mitts, cover with the hot lid and put it into the oven. Immediately reduce heat to 450 ̊F, and bake for 20 minutes covered. Remove the lid and bake another 20-25 minutes uncovered or until it reaches your desired color.
Notes
Filed Under
Hello. I’m just getting started with starter. My question is, how do you share starter with someone? At what point I guess is what I’m asking.
HI Lisa, you can share it at any point. If I was multiplying it to share. When I feed it, Instead of throwing away the discard, I would start a new jar and feed both jars then gift one of them.
Natasha I am in the process of making this bread. I have made it many times before using other recipes but this is the first time for me to use your recipe. I have made many of your recipes and everyone of them turned out perfect. But I need a little advice from you on this recipe. When I test the dough by dropping a bit of it into water, it doesn’t pass the float test but it is doing everything else it is supposed to do. I am on day number 9 and each day i do the whole discard thing and it doubles in size each time within the 4 to 6 hours time frame but when I drop a dollop into water it just sinks. What should I do because I hate throwing all this flour away? Thanks for your help.
Hi Paul, it sounds like it’s working properly based on what you are describing and it should be ready for use. When you do the float test, make sure you are doing the test when it is active and bubbly and risen and it should float.
This recipe was my first go with baking sourdough. I have made it at least five times now and been successful with each attempt. I purchased some rye flour around the third loaf and was very pleased with how much flavor it added. I cannot emphasize enough how intimidated I was to try and bake sourdough. Now I do it at least once a week and often more. Thanks so much for your thorough instructions.
Hi Maggie! That makes me so happy to hear. Thank you for trusting the process and my recipe. So glad it worked out for you.
Hi Natasha, my dear old Dad kept sourdough for years and made many delicious creations , one of which were Chelsea Buns. Sorry i dont have the recipe but they were sticky and sweet and covered in nuts and fruit. I ‘m sure they would be a big hit. thanks for all you do!
Hi John! They sound great. Thanks for the suggestion.
I will be trying the recipe out once my starter is complete. I don’t have a banneton. Is this absolutely needed, or can I use something else?
Hi Jesica! If you don’t have a banneton, you can use a bowl lined with cloth, just ensure the bowl shape is the shape you want your loaf to be, be sure to generously flout it. You can try a loaf pan for a more structured shape. I hope that helps.
Hi Natasha, I love your recipes. Can I try this one with only whole wheat flour?
Hello! I’m happy to hear that you are enjoying my recipes.If you decide to use whole wheat, the loaf might turn out a bit more rustic, but it will still be delicious. Go ahead and give it a try and see how you like it!
I really enjoy this recipe, easy and delicious. I have one problem or question. I cannot get the bread to rise that much, I stretch it leave it in my house which Is set at 70, and I let it sit in the fridge over night. is there something I’m doing wrong?
Hi Jacob! There are several reasons this could happen, gluten development, baking time/temp, shaping technique, the type of pot/pan used, even your climate such as elevation/humidity can affect how much is rises. It needs strong gluten development to hold its structure. If this is the cause, you can perform a few extra stretches/folds within that 4hrs. Make sure your oven is fully preheated before you bake, and if your pot/pan is too large, using something smaller to keep it tighter. I hope that helps at least get you started.
Hi Natasha!
I was wondering can I use a baking sheet if I don’t have a pizza stone?
Hithere! A baking sheet will still work just fine if you don’t have a pizza stone. Hope you love it!
My sourdough bread came out a little gummy/chewy. Where did I go wrong or what should I do ?
Hi Ray, did you cut into the bread before it had a chance to cool? If bread is sliced while its warm, it will be dense and gummy inside.
I’ve used this recipe a lot and I love it, I was just wondering how my bread will be affected if i leave it in the fridge for more than 48 hours?
Hello Ella! It can be left in the fridge for up to 48 hours, for the dough to develop good flavor and structure. But take note that the dough might require less final proofing since it’s already spent time fermenting in the fridge.
My starter has never doubled in size. It appears that I am using the same flours as you & RO water. I did a float test on my starter and it appears to be healthy. What can I possibly be doing wrong? Any suggestions?
Hi Brenda, I would keep feeding it and ensuring no steps were missed in the process. Your water temperature is good and your starter is in a warm spot.
I’ve always wanted to make sourdough bread, but was very intimidated by it. I followed your instructions for the starter and bread to a T. I just finished the bake and it looks exactly like yours!! I wish I could post a pic because it looks magnificent. Now I’m just waiting for it to cool so my husband and I can try it. If it tastes as good as it looks, I can then say, “NAILED IT!”
I am making your sourdough bread recipe and won’t be able to finish the last stretch and fold for a couple of hours . Is there something I could do so I can finish when I return.
Hi Lana, that has happened to me plenty of times. I think I’ve gone for longer than that. Just stretch and fold when you get back to it. No problem!
I love this recipe! I’ve tried several sourdough bread recipes and they all add so many extra instructions and seems so labor intensive and difficult. This recipe was so easy to follow and felt more fun somehow–but wow. The result was BETTER! I’m definitely using this recipe from now on since it feels easier and way less stressful, but the result is beautiful and tasty! Thanks for making sourdough fun!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for such easy instructions!
I am new to SD and followed your starter instructions successfully, although I worried for 6 days! Lol
I have baked two wonderful loaves so far.
Your recipes are very well explained, and I have made many of them.
Thank you again for making my SD journey successful!
So happy for you, Maureen! Thank you for trying my recipe!
I really enjoyed this recipe but I found that the dough was so loose and sticky. Do I need to use less water if so what do you recommend? I live in a dry climate so I thought the water content would be fine.
Hello! Thanks for your feedback. You can try to use a wet hand technique when handling the dough by dipping your hands in water (rather than flour) will help you manage the sticky dough without adding extra flour, which could affect the texture.
My bread is not shaping properly, very soft, doesn’t tighten. Any suggestions?
Hi Ashley! What type of flour are you using? It’s likely due to not having enough gluten development. I would do some extra stretch and folds within those 4 hours. Maybe try every 30-45mins.
I love this recipe as the base for all my sourdough boules. I’d love to add in flavors, like chocolate chips, or cheddar and jalepeno, etc. At which stage should I add those in?
Hi Tara! I haven’t tested any add in’s but based on my research it’s mentioned to add them during the bulk fermentation.
Very easy to incorporate add ins. I add them in the third stretch and fold. Takes the bread to a whole new level
I like to make it but I need the recipe in a cup not using a scale. If you please
Hi, check out the recipe card where you can click a button to switch between metric and US measurements in cups. I hope you love the Sourdough Bread Recipe!
My started is just about ready to try!!! I’m so excited! Can this bread be made in a loaf pan for sandwich bread?
I haven’t tested this recipe in a loaf pan. There would be some adjustments that you have to make if you will try that.
Success my first time ever! I am amazed. Your recipe gave my bread a nice crisp “ear” and a beautiful open springy crumb. I love your videos, they are super helpful.
That’s so great, Natalie! Isn’t that the best feeling? I’m so glad you loved it!