With this easy Sourdough Starter Recipe, you can make delicious Sourdough Bread, Sourdough Pancakes, waffles, pizza, pretzels, and more right at home. It’s easier than you think, and with just two ingredients—water and flour—it’s inexpensive to make Sourdough Starter from scratch.

sourdough starter rising in a weck jar

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While you may have heard that making sourdough is a complex process that requires time, money, and an inherited starter—I’m here to tell you not to be intimidated. People have been doing this for thousands of years without fancy techniques or tools, and I’m going to teach you how to do it, too.

What is a Sourdough Starter?

It’s basically a fun at-home science experiment with a delicious result. Sourdough starter is wild yeast that is cultivated using water and flour and then used to make baked goods rise, like sourdough bread. It’s been around since before the Ancient Egyptians, and it was the only way to make leavened bread until active dried yeast became available in the 1800s.

While commercial yeast is faster to use since you don’t have to wait for the yeast to ferment, it won’t give you the great benefits of sourdough, the distinctive sour taste, or the same feeling of achievement!

Sourdough Starter Recipe Video

See Natasha create her own sourdough starter with just flour and water. With patience and consistency, it’s simple and fun. It’s so easy, so let’s start your sourdough journey now!

How to Make a Sourdough Starter

While the process sounds mysterious, it’s so simple. Watch our video tutorial to see our simple process in action. Ready? Let’s start growing some wild bacteria on our kitchen counter–err–let’s make sourdough starter!

The 3 Stages of Creating a Sourdough Starter

There are 3 basic steps to making your own sourdough starter. In this sourdough starter recipe, I don’t overcomplicate it because it’s truly a simple, forgiving process. 

  • Create – a medium for yeast and bacteria to thrive (water + yeast)
  • Grow – Strengthen and build up population of yeast and bacteria with regular feedings
  • Maintain a healthy starter with consistent daily feeding of flour 

How long does it take to create a sourdough starter?

This sourdough starter recipe takes about one week of consistent feeding to nourish and strengthen the yeast, but these are a few of the factors that can change how fast your starter grows, so patience is also important (but so worth it):

  • Room Temperature – 70 to 75˚F is ideal
  • Flour type – start with whole wheat or rye flour and use all-purpose for feeding
  • Water quality – use spring water, filtered or dechlorinated water
  • Feeding schedule – be consistent

Tools for Making a Sourdough Starter

It’s simple to make a sourdough starter with just two tools.

  • Clear Glass Jar – use a quart mason jar or 3/4 qt Weck Jar with loose-fitting lid. Thoroughly wash and rinse. A Weck Jar is my favorite because it weighs exactly 400 grams without the lid so the math is easy, and it has a loose-fitting lid which is important to prevent pressure build-up. You can also set a lid loosely over a mason jar.
  • Digital kitchen scale – you can make a starter without a scale (I’ve included cup measurements) but your process and later bread-making will be so much faster, easier, and more precise with a scale that measures in grams. It’s worth the small investment now.
Weck jars with matching lids

Pro Tip:

A rubber band or dry-erase marker makes it easier to track the starter’s starting point and feeding times. And a silicone spatula makes for the easiest cleanup.

Ingredients

There are only two ingredients for creating a sourdough starter: Flour and water. We use two different flours here, one to establish the starter and one to maintain it (see the explanation of flours above).

  • Whole Grain Rye Flour or Whole Wheat Flour – organic is best, but regular Rye or Wheat will work as well. These sturdy, less processed grains create a stronger starter more quickly, but you don’t have to continue to bake with these flours.
  • All-purpose flour – I prefer organic here as well and avoid bleached flour. After the wild yeast is established, this flour is used to maintain and feed the starter since is cheaper and what most people stock in their pantry
  • Water – use room temperature filtered water, spring bottled water or dechlorinated water is needed since chlorine hinders yeast growth. To dechlorinate your water – boil and cool tap water, or leave a jug of water on the counter for a day to dechlorinate. If your house is cooler, use lukewarm water (not more than 85˚F). Avoid cold water which will slow the growth.
bags of flour for making sourdough starter at home

What is the best flour to create a sourdough starter?

To begin and establish a starter, use wholegrain rye flour and whole wheat flour – preferably organic. I have created starters with both and they grew equally well. See a photo of the difference below. In rye flour, the germ and bran haven’t been processed away as in all-purpose refined flour, so it gives more food for the wild yeast to eat.

I have tested creating a starter with all-purpose flour and it took 3 times as long to show bubbling activity. All-purpose is best used to grow and maintain your starter but you should initially start with rye or whole wheat flour.

the difference between rye flour and whole wheat flour when making sourdough starter

How to Make a Sourdough Starter

It’s simple to make sourdough bread starter in just a few minutes each day. In most cases, you’ll be making bread in just a week!

Day 1: Make your Starter (Stage 1 – Create)

  • Stop! Before you do anything, record the weight of your jar on a kitchen scale in grams on the jar with a permanent marker.
  • Mix 100g (3/4 cup) Rye or whole wheat with 100g (1/2 cup) room temperature water into the glass jar. Once combined the mixture should be thick (rye flour is especially thick, like a sandy paste), but it will become thinner as the yeast breaks down the gluten. Scrape the sides of the jar.
  • Cover the jar with a loose-fitting lid at room temperature for 24 hours. Mark the height of your starter with a rubber band or dry-erase marker and record the date.

Pro Tip:

The ideal room temp for growing sourdough starter is 70-75 degrees. Don’t be tempted to put your starter in a warm oven to speed it up. I tried that, and it grew too fast and exhausted my yeast so it stopped growing and I had to start over. Allowing the yeast to grow and develop slowly in the environment it will be used in is best.

Day 2: Check your Starter

  • No Change – You probably won’t see anything changed. You may see some small bubbles, but leave it to rest for another 24 hours.
Sourdough Starter on day 2 in jar

Day 3: Visible Bubbles (Stage 2 – Grow) and First Feeding

  • Discard: Remove and throw away half of the starter (discard in the trash so it won’t clog your plumbing). You should have 100 grams or 1/2 cup remaining in the jar.
  • Feed: Add 100g (3/4c) ALL PURPOSE FLOUR and 100g (1/2c) room temperature water.
  • Mix the starter with the added flour/water until completely mixed. Use a silicone spatula to scrape down the sides, then loosely cover and rest for another 24 hours.
Day 3 sourdough starter in jar

Pro Tip:

If you don’t see visible bubbles it may be due to your environment, flour, or just plain luck. Discard and feed anyway to continue with the schedule. You may need to add a few extra days at the end to strengthen your starter, but that’s ok! Patience is key, so keep on the plan.

Day 4: Lots of bubbles

  • Discard all but 100g of the starter.
  • Feed: mix in 100g all-purpose flour and 100g room temperature water
  • Stir, scrape the sides, cover, and rest again

Pro Tip:

Some starters seem to slow down growth at this stage (called a false start) for seemingly no reason. This is normal, so just keep with the schedule.

Day 5: More bubbles and some growth

  • Discard all but 100g of the starter
  • Feed: Mix in 100g all-purpose flour and 100g room temperature water
  • Stir, scrape the sides, cover, and rest again

Day 6-7: Nearly doubling in size!

  • Discard all but 100g of the starter
  • Feed: Mix in 100g all-purpose flour and 100g room temperature water
  • Stir, scrape, cover, and rest until the starter has doubled in size. Continue this routine until the starter doubles in size in 4-6 hours, and then begins to recede after 12 hours. This means it’s probably ready to use!

Testing Sourdough Starter for Readiness

  • Growth Rate: The Starter grows to more than double in size within 4 to 6 hours and recedes after 12 hours.
  • Smell: The starter should smell good—like sourdough bread or like brewing yeast, have bubbles and a dome-shaped top
  • Floats: Drop a bit of starter into a bowl of water. If it floats, it’s ready to bake bread. Hooray!

Maintaining a Sourdough Starter (Stage 3: Maintain)

Once it passes the float test and your starter is established, you can feed it daily or weekly depending on how often you want to bake. See our detailed Tutorial on how to Feed and Maintain Sourdough Starter. You can even dry it out to take a months-long pause. This is great news because you can travel or pause without ruining your starter.

  • Frequent baking: Store at room temperature. Begin daily discard and feeding schedule to keep the starter healthy and continue strengthening it (Discard all but 100g of the starter and Feed by mixing in 100g all-purpose flour and 100g room temperature water)
  • Less frequent baking: Store in the refrigerator. Once a week, discard and feed then let it rest at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours before refrigerating. If baking, remove the starter from the fridge and bring to room temperature overnight. Discard and feed. When the starter reaches its peak, remove the portion needed for the recipe, then feed and refrigerate.

Pro Tip:

Once your starter is mature, don’t throw away your sourdough discard. You can use it in recipes like Sourdough Pancakes, Sourdough Crackers, Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies, and many other sourdough discard recipes.

Homemade Sourdough starter recipe in a weck jar

Naming Your Sourdough Starter

Many people choose to name their sourdough starters. I loved my sister-in-law’s idea and copied it—Doughseph. After three years of making the dreamiest sourdough, he’s a part of the family.

Why Won’t my Sourdough Starter Rise?

It’s common to have a starter that isn’t ready by day 6 or 7. Keep feeding it for another week until you see it double and the texture is spongy and puffy with large and small bubbles. It should also smell sour and pleasant.

Sourdough is very forgiving so long as you don’t add hot water which kills the yeast. Just keep feeding it and discarding and it usually bounces back.

Natasha from Natashas Kitchen with jars of homemade sourdough in different growth stages

It’s easy to make sourdough bread at home using this simple sourdough starter recipe. Start today and you can enjoy a loaf of homemade bread in about a week!

More Bread Recipes

While your starter is growing, try these easy, beginner-friendly recipes to enjoy delicious bread made right at home.

Sourdough Starter Recipe (VIDEO)

4.99 from 61 votes
Bubbly sourdough bread starter recipe
It’s easy to make your own sourdough starter in just 6 to 7 days using just 2 ingredients – flour and water. My simple recipe is easy for beginners and advanced bakers alike. I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale and a 3/4 quart weck jar or a quart mason jar.
Rising Time: 7 days
Total Time: 7 days

Ingredients 

Servings: 7 days
  • 100 g Whole Grain Rye Flour or Whole Wheat Flour, preferably organic (100g = 3/4 cup)
  • 500 g All-purpose flour – preferably organic and avoiding bleached flour, used to maintain and feed the starter
  • 1 qt filtered water or spring water is even better*, room temperature

Instructions

Day 1 Make your Starter

  • Record the weight of your jar in grams before you add anything and label the jar with your starting date for easier tracking.
  • Add 100 grams (3/4 cup) whole wheat or rye flour and 100 grams (1/2 cup) water. Stir together thoroughly with a fork (it will be very thick), scrape down the sides with a spatula. Cover with a loose-fitting lid and let it rest at room temperature for 24 hours*. Put a rubber band around your jar to mark the growth of your starter. Label the jar with a date to track.

Day 2: No Changes Noted

  • Likely nothing is happening. You might see some tiny bubbles or it will look exactly the same. Let it rest for another 24 hours

Day 3 (stage 2) Visible Growth and Bubbles in Jar

  • Remove and discard half of the starter in the trash so it does not affect the plumbing. You should have 100 grams (1/2 cup) of starter left. Add 100 grams (3/4 cup) all-purpose flour and 100 grams (1/2 cup) room temp water. Stir thoroughly, scrape down the sides of the jar, cover loosely, and rest at room temperature for 24 hours

Day 4 (72 Hours into the process): See a lot of bubbles

  • Remove and discard all but 100 grams of starter. Add 100 grams (3/4 cup) all-purpose flour and 100 grams (1/2 cup) room-temperature water. Stir thoroughly, scrape down the sides of the jar, cover loosely, and rest 24 hours.
    Note: In a couple of my many tests, my starter seemed to slow down its growth on day 4 for no apparent reason. If that happens, just keep feeding it – it will turn back around.

Day 5: Visible growth and bubbles.

  • Remove and discard all but 100 grams of starter. Add 100 grams (3/4 cup) All-purpose flour and 100 grams (1/2 cup) room-temperature water. Stir thoroughly, scrape down the sides of the jar, cover loosely, and rest 24 hours.

Day 6-7: Your starter may double or more

  • Remove and discard all but 100 grams of starter. Add 100 grams (3/4 cup) All-purpose flour and 100 grams (1/2 cup) room-temperature water. Stir thoroughly, scrape down the sides of the jar, cover loosely, and rest until more than doubled in volume.

Testing Your Starter

  • When your starter is ready, it should peak between 4-6 hours and start to recede after 12 hours. It should smell sour and pleasant, drop a dollop of your starter into a bowl of water. If it floats, it’s healthy enough to use in recipes. If your starter isn’t ready by day 7, continue feeding it following this schedule. It may take a bit longer depending on many factors—such as the flour use and the environment.

How to Maintain your starter

  • For frequent bakers: store at room temperature. Discard and feed every 24 hours. To use the starter, feed and wait for the starter to reach its peak, 4-6 hours then remove the portion needed for the recipe.
  • For casual bakers (weekly): store in the fridge. Once a week, discard and feed the starter, then let it rest at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours before returning it to the fridge. If baking, remove the starter from the fridge and bring to room temperature overnight. Discard and feed. When the starter reaches its peak, remove the portion needed for the recipe, then feed and refrigerate.

Notes

  • Temperature is key: The room temperature will affect how quickly the starter develops. The ideal growing temperature is 68-75 degrees. a cold kitchen may take longer. For colder kitchens, consider storing in a warmer location or start with lukewarm 85˚F water.
  • Use non-chlorinated water: Chlorine can hinder the growth of yeast and bacteria. Use filtered water or spring water for best results. To dechlorinate your water, you can boil and cool or set your water into a vessel and leave it on the counter for 1 day to naturally dechlorinate and come to room temperature.
  • Consistency: try to feed your starter consistently at the same time each day.
  • Patience is essential: Starters can vary in how quickly they develop, so don’t worry if yours takes a little longer. Don’t try to speed it along in too warm of an environment or you can exhaust your yeast.
Course: Bread, How to
Cuisine: American
Keyword: sourdough starter, sourdough starter recipe
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook
4.99 from 61 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Anson Tam
    June 5, 2025

    Hi Natasha, I fed my starter yesterday and it had a lot bubbles on top. You told me to do feed it once a day everyday. I have found when I do that, my starter starts to deflate again. So, when my starter has bubbles on top, can I do the discard and feed again each day (morning and maybe in the afternoon)?

    If you see lots of bubbles but no doubling, should I try feeding every 12 hours for a few days to strengthen it?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      June 5, 2025

      You can try to feed it with whole wheat or rye flour instead of all purpose flour to help give it a boost and strengthen it. Do this for a day or two. You do not need to feed it every 12hrs.

      Reply

      • Anson Tam
        June 5, 2025

        Hi Natasha. Should I restart my sourdough starter again? I feel like it’s not doubling in size after a few days. When I feed my starter, can I feed it tonight (Thursday) at 8:05pm? I already feed it this morning with just 100 g of starter + 100 g of all-purpose flour + 100 g of water. Or, do I feed my starter tomorrow morning (Friday) at 8:05am and tomorrow night at 8:05pm with half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour (50 g each of whole wheat flour and 50 g all-purpose flour)? Or, should I feed it tomorrow (Friday) and the day after (Saturday) with equal parts whole wheat and all-purpose flour?

        If I feed it with equal parts of whole wheat and all-purpose flour each day (Friday and Saturday) and it doubles in size within 4-6 hours on Sunday let’s say, do I still feed it with 50 g of starter + 50 g of all-purpose flour + 50 g of water and ix it together and then let it rest for 4-6 hours?

        Reply

        • Natasha
          June 5, 2025

          Hi Anson, if it’s showing a rise but not doubling, there’s no need to start over. If it’s not doubling yet, you can switch to feeding twice a day with some whole what mixed in to give the yeast a boost. I would continue feeding daily at the same time each day.

          Reply

  • Natashas Kitchen
    June 4, 2025

    Hi Anson, that is correct, if it’s still not doubling after 4-6 hours, let it rest, discard any access (if any), and then feed it again in 24-hours and try the 4-6 hour. Regarding the second half of your question, if you fed your starter and it has risen within thet 4-6 hour time frame and doubled in size, you can now start the next step in the process. I hope that helps.

    Reply

  • Anson Tam
    June 3, 2025

    Hi Natasha, I’m a little confused about the feed for my starter that I have to do before I can make the sourdough bread. For your recipe for starter, it says on day 6-7 to feed the starter and let it rest for 4-6 hours. If my starter doubles in size on day 12, do I let it rest for 4-6 hours and then mix it with 50 g of starter + 50 g of bread flour + 50 g of water and let it rest for 4-6 hours again?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      June 4, 2025

      Hi Anson. If your starter is doubling in 4-6hrs after feeding, that’s a good sign and your starter is active and ready to use for baking.
      If it’s been fed within 4-6hrs and it’s doubled in size, you do not need to feed it again since it’s active and ready to bake with. Just remove the amount needed for the Sourdough Bread Recipe (which is 100g of active starter). If you do not use it while it’s at peak within the 4-6hrs of feeding, then it will start to deflate and it won’t work as well to bake bread with and you’ll need to feed it again. You can just remove 50g starter, mix with 50g flour and 50g water and let it sit for 4-6hr until it’s active and at peak again, then proceed with the recipe as instructed.

      Reply

  • Mili
    June 3, 2025

    Mine was really runny, did I do something wrong?? T-T (I just made it today, so it was supposed to be hard to mix, right??) (I still have five starts because I’m pretty sure I messed something up, and not that the recipe is bad)

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      June 3, 2025

      Hi Mili. Was it runny initially when you first mixed it on day one? If so, I would check to make sure your food scale is properly working. Using a food scale is the most precise way to measure. Environment/climate could also play a role, if you live in a warm and humid area it will be more hydrated and ferment faster. It should be like a thicker pancake batter consistency when you feed it.
      If your starter continues to be runny, you can try feeding with a little less water but early on, it’s not abnormal for it to be thinner or inconsistent. Keep feeding on a regular schedule, and it should thicken as it matures.
      Also- ideal temperature is 70-75 degrees so if your room is warmer than this, it may ferment too fast and require more frequent feedings, feeding with more flour and less water, or need to be moved to a cooler spot.

      Reply

  • Anson
    June 2, 2025

    Hi Natasha, I’m on day 5 and I fed my sourdough starter this morning at 8:05am. On your sourdough recipe, day 6-7, I’m supposed to do my final feed and let it rest for 4-6 hours. If my starter haven’t doubled in size on day 6 or day 7, do I do keep feeding it until it doubles in volume (discard and feed) and let it rise for 24 hours? Then, when my starter doubles in size on day 9-10, I let it rest for 4-6 hours?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      June 2, 2025

      Hi Anson. The 4-6hr rest is when your starter it ready to use for bread. If your starter is not doubling in size consistently, it’s not ready. Just keep discarding and feeding it every day. Once it consistently doubles in size after feedings, it’s ready for baking bread.

      Reply

  • Ginger Jarnagin
    May 31, 2025

    What do you do with your discard every day?
    Thanks

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      May 31, 2025

      Toss it in the trash (not sink, it will clog your drains). Once your stater is established, you can use the discard in recipes such pancakes/waffles, cookies, and others. My favorite has been using it for my Sourdough Discard Crackers Recipe

      Reply

  • Angela
    May 31, 2025

    I’m on day 4 and I just realized that I’ve been doing it wrong. I’ve been discarding 100 g and then adding 100 g of flour and water. Do I need to start all over again? Or can I just begin discarding all but 100g and doing the rest of the process right?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      May 31, 2025

      Hi Angela! You shouldn’t need to start over. It’s pretty forgiving so it should bounce back just fine, it might take a few extra days.

      Reply

  • Anson Tam
    May 28, 2025

    Natasha, my sourdough starter hasn’t have any bubbles since I fed it last night at 10:50pm. I fed it last night at 10:50pm on day 4 (100 g of starter + 100 g of unbleached all-purpose flour + 100 g of water) and it hasn’t doubled in size. Is that normal on day 4? What should I do when this happens? I put it in the oven with the oven light on.

    I still fed the same way, but this morning there were bubbles on top and after that the bubbles died down. Is that normal?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      May 29, 2025

      Hi Anson, that is normal for it to slow down around day 3-4, just keep going. I would avoid putting it in a warm oven so you don’t exhaust the yeast as it develops.

      Reply

  • Anson Tam
    May 27, 2025

    Natasha, my sourdough starter is not feeding today. I fed it last night at 10:50pm on day 3 (100 g of starter + 100 g of unbleached all-purpose flour + 100 g of water) and it hasn’t doubled in size. Is that normal on day 3?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      May 27, 2025

      HI Anson, If it’s a new starter, it is common for it to slow down on day 3 or 4 – that has happened to me. Just keep feeding it regularly and keep it at room temperature. Also, make sure your water is at room temp. Read through my post above from start to finish since it includes all of the common troubleshooting tips and advice for a sourdough starter and will help answer all of your questions and ensure success.

      Reply

      • Anson Tam
        May 27, 2025

        Natasha, there is liquid on top of my sourdough starter on day 3. In your post, you say this: If you notice a dark liquid on the top (like in the picture below), don’t worry—that’s called hooch, the byproduct of fermentation. It means your starter is hungry. Pour it off or stir it in, discard half and feed. I didn’t do anything to do. When I feed it on day 4, can I stir in before I feed it? It is normal for liquid to form on day 3?

        Reply

        • NatashasKitchen.com
          May 28, 2025

          Yes, it’s normal. You can stir it before feeding.

          Reply

      • Anson Tam
        May 27, 2025

        Hi Natasha, I fed my sourdough starter on day 3 at 10:50pm and this morning I saw there was some liquid on top of my starter. Is it normal if this happens? Should I stir it before I feed it on day 4 at 10:50pm and still continue to feed it anyways?

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          May 28, 2025

          Hi Anson, Liquid on top usually indicates it’s hungry and ready for another feed. Are you keeping it in a warm spot? It could be your climate. Ideal temperature is 70-75 degrees, but if it’s humid or warmer, it may need to be moved somewhere cooler or fed more frequently. You could also try feeding with cooler water.

          Reply

          • Anson Tam
            May 28, 2025

            Hi Natasha, I put my sourdough starter on a quarter table near my window of the front of my house instead of my counter because it the counter was a bit cold. Should I put on the quarter table or inside the oven with the oven light on? Which one is the best one?

          • Natashas Kitchen
            May 28, 2025

            Hi Anson, that would depend on the temperature and its consistency where your table is. You can try both to see which works better for you. I’ve left it on the counter before and I’ve used an oven light, depends what you have time for and what the ambient temperature is. I wish I could be more helpful without being there.

  • Anson Tam
    May 26, 2025

    Hi Natasha, last Saturday, I made my sourdough starter at 10:35 on day 1 and let it rest for another 24 hours at the same time. Today on day 3, I fed my starter at 10:50pm. From now on (from day 4-7, should I feed my starter at 10:50pm or at 10:35pm? You say to make sure the time that I feed each day is consistent.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      May 27, 2025

      Hi Anson. Having a 30–60 minute window is fine. What matters most is feeding it around the same general time each day so it builds a rhythm.

      Reply

  • Anson Tam
    May 26, 2025

    Hi Natasha, on Day 7, my final feed is at 4:35 AM and I’m going to let it rise and double in size for 4-6 hours till around 10:35 AM. Once it has risen, can I put my starter in the fridge till Sunday afternoon? I’m planning to use it to make sourdough bread on Sunday.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 26, 2025

      Hi Anson, you can put it in the fridge, yes, but you will need to feed it and allow it to double in size again before starting your shape and the other steps.

      Reply

  • Anson Tam
    May 24, 2025

    Hi Natasha, my starter is not doing anything on day 2. If it still doesn’t do anything do I still feed it at 11:12pm on Saturday night on day 3?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      May 24, 2025

      Yes, continue as instructed and feed on schedule. It’s normal for it to not have much activity at this point. It will strengthen with time and consistent feedings.

      Reply

  • Robbin
    May 24, 2025

    I would love to make this bread, but I was wondering if you have tested it with gluten free ingredients?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      May 24, 2025

      Hi Robbin! I’m sorry, I have not.

      Reply

  • Anson Tam
    May 21, 2025

    Hi Natasha, I have a question for you. I’m confused with this. 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.*

    Does this mean I do this once my starter is ready on Day 7? Why do I need to mix 50 g of starter with 50g of bread flour and 50g of lukewarm water and then once it is double in size to add 100 g of starter when I making the bread?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      May 22, 2025

      Hi Anson! You need to wait until your starter is active and established before using it to make your bread. It takes at least one week but sometimes it can take a few more days.

      Reply

  • Lauren
    May 17, 2025

    Are you supposed to feed it the same time every day? And how do you map it out so I can bake on weekends to keep track of the 4-6 hour rise after it’s ready?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 17, 2025

      Hi Lauren, it is best to keep it as consistent as possible when your started is just starting out, some days I’m sure your schedule will require you to feed it a little sooner or later, but once you build up a strong starter it will be easier to use. Once baking, I like to use my Sourdough Bread Recipe, I have more tips there for you, but I like to time mine based on what time I want it ready by that day.

      Reply

  • Cathleen Hanna
    May 16, 2025

    I have a clear liquid layer on the top of my jar. It’s day seven and my starter smells sour but doesn’t rise anymore.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      May 16, 2025

      Hi Cathleen. The liquid is hooch, it means it’s hungry and ready for a feed. Just keep going, sometimes it can take a few extra days to establish. You can feed with whole wheat or rye flour for a few feedings to give it a boost. Be consistent and on schedule with feedings. Use de-chlorinated water, such as filtered or spring water and make sure your room temperature is 70-75 degrees. If it’s too warm, it will ferment faster and run out of food so you’ll need to feed it more frequently. If it’s too cold, it will stall.

      Reply

      • Cathleen Hanna
        May 16, 2025

        Thank you. I did start with whole wheat again. Today the hooch disappeared and it’s starting to rise again! 1/4”. I really want this to work.
        By the way, I love all your recipes! Everything turns out.

        Reply

  • Sara Koontz
    May 5, 2025

    I have tried multiple starters and yours is the only one that works for me. Thank you so much for the best sourdough starter recipe. And also, all of your recipes work for me. You are my go to for everything. Thank you Natasha. You make me feel like I can bake and make anything!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      May 5, 2025

      I’m so happy to hear that, Sara! Thank you so much for your kind words.

      Reply

  • Karina
    May 1, 2025

    Hi, what if it grew twice in size the next day, I still do nothing and wait one more day?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 3, 2025

      Hi Karina, it sounds like your starter is growing nice and strong, that’s so great! You can still feed it the next day to ensure its strong enough to bake with, but follow the tips in the post, if that all looks good, you can bake with it.

      Reply

  • Rhonda W
    May 1, 2025

    I have a question.
    I would ask that you indulge me please.

    in the first 7 days you trash a portion of the development. I get why and understand that may not be a good source for a recipe but, would you mind telling me why…..I really hate throwing away food….I have friends with a variety of pets who enjoy discard items like out of date milk or peelings or scraps..etc…trashing it eeeeee……
    question…can anything be done with that other than the trash can?

    like baking it up for the pigs or goats or ???

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      May 1, 2025

      Hi Rhonda! To be honest, I’m not sure. You may try doing some research online regarding this.

      Reply

  • Robin Kahwaty
    April 29, 2025

    Hi
    I just peaked, floated and now trying to make your sourdough recipe. Do I put the starter in the refrigerator today or do I feed it in the morning and then put it in refrigerator. If you feed it in the morning do you let it sit out on the counter for a while before you put it in the refrigerator? Thank you

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      April 29, 2025

      Hi Robin! If you plan to use it for bread here in the next day, you don’t need to refrigerate it. Just discard and feed and then use it when it’s at peak to make your sourdough loaf.
      Once you refrigerate your starter, when you feed it, let it sit out at room temperature for a few hours before refrigerating it again. This allows enough time for it to “wake up” and begin fermentation before storing it in the refrigerator.

      Reply

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