This homemade Sourdough Bread is crusty, tangy, chewy, and far better than anything you’ll find in a grocery store!
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Pin RecipeEasy Sourdough Bread Recipe
If you didn’t already know, sourdough bread is unique as it doesn’t use yeast to rise, unlike French bread or Yeast Dinner Rolls. Creating the sourdough starter is the first step in this recipe!
The process requires a bit of planning as it can take a few days, but it’s incredibly easy to do. Another option is to order a starter online or see if there’s a local bakery that sells them. Sometimes you can find a home baker willing to give some away in neighborhood groups, too!
When you finish, you will get tasty bread, and you’ll feel proud of yourself for accomplishing the task. And if you serve this sourdough bread at a party, get ready to impress everyone!
Pair your homemade sourdough with Tomato Bisque Soup. Or, use it to make Cheese and Veggie Sandwiches. When it starts getting stale, it’s amazing for making croutons or crostini for Tomato Bruschetta, too!
Sourdough Bread vs. Regular Bread
Sourdough bread and regular sandwich bread are not the same things. For starters, sourdough typically has a crispier exterior and is a lot chewier and slightly sour in flavor. This is because sourdough bread comes together with a sourdough starter, containing wild yeast or commercial yeast. It also requires a longer rising time.
Sourdough does not contain any added sugar. However, it does contain probiotics, which are good for gut health! As a result, many people consider it a. healthier bread option.
Ingredients for Sourdough Bread
To print: see recipe card below
For the Levain (Starter)
- Active sourdough starter – Use a homemade sourdough starter, or find one online.
- Unbleached bread flour – You can find this at most grocery stores, or you can order it online. You can also use all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour for sourdough. However, bread flour will help give it a chewier texture, because it has a higher gluten content.
- Water
For the Dough
- Water
- Sea salt
- Unbleached bread flour – Do not swap this out for all-purpose flour!
Directions for How to Make Sourdough Bread
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Prepare the Bread Batter
- Start the levain: Combine all of the ingredients in a large bow. Stir well, until a thick batter forms. Cover, and let this rest on the counter at room temperature overnight.
- Make salt water: In a small bowl, dissolve the salt in 50 grams of water.
- Start the sourdough bread: Add the remaining water to the levain (starter). Stir to dissolve the levain in the water. Stir in the flour to form a dough. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel, and let the dough rest at room temperature for 45 minutes.
- Knead: Add the salt water to the dough, and mix it in by hand. The dough will be loose and wet. Starting on one side of the dough and moving clockwise, grab the dough, and fold it over onto itself.
- Repeat: Continue to fold the dough over onto itself four more times. Then, let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Repeat the folding and resting process six more times.
- Rest: Cover the bowl of dough with a kitchen towel, and let it rest at room temperature for an hour.
- Form the Loaves: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Then, use a bench scraper to cut the dough in half, working gently to keep the dough from deflating. Shape each half into balls.
Rest and Knead
- Rest again: Cover the sourdough bread dough balls loosely with a kitchen towel, and let them rest for 30 minutes.
- Prepare: Place two clean kitchen towels in the bottom of two large bowls. Dust the towels heavily with flour, rubbing it in well.
- Knead again: Dust the tops of the dough balls with flour. Next, use a bench scraper to turn the dough over. The floured surface should be on the bottom, and the un-floured surface should be facing up.
- Fold again: Working clockwise, repeat the folding method, folding four times. Shape the dough into a round loaf as you do this. On the last fold, flip the dough so the floured surface is on top.
- Refrigerate: Dust the sourdough bread dough balls with flour, and place them into the prepared mixing bowls. Cover the bowls with plastic wrap, and let them chill in the fridge overnight.
- Prepare for baking: Place two covered Dutch ovens into your oven, and preheat it to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. When heated, carefully remove the Dutch ovens, and slide the dough into the pots, seam side down. Use a bread lame (or a sharp knife or razor blade) to score the top of the dough.
Bake the Sourdough Bread
- Bake: Replace the lids, and bake the sourdough bread loaves covered for 30 minutes. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, and bake for another 10 minutes, covered. After this, remove the lids, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, checking the progress to make sure the crust is beginning to form. Continue to bake the bread for 15 to 25 more minutes or until it is deep golden brown and crispy on the outside.
- Cool: Remove the bread from the Dutch ovens, and let the loaves cool completely on a wire rack.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy a slice of this sourdough bread with homemade lemon curd, strawberry rhubarb jam, strawberry raspberry jam, or pumpkin butter!
Freshly baked sourdough bread is also delicious as a side for your favorite soup, stew, or chili, allowing you to soak up any extra juice left on your plate or in your bowl.
Of course, nothing quite beats a hearty sandwich filling between two slices of warm sourdough bread – perfect for Leftover Turkey Sandwich, Chick-Fil-A Chicken Salad Sandwich, or Scrambled Egg Sandwich.
How to Store Homemade Sourdough Bread
Serve this bread fresh for the best taste and texture! If needed, it will keep fresh for 2-3 days when covered and stored in a cool, dry place.
To store a loaf of homemade sourdough longer, wrap it tightly in plastic and freeze it for up to 1 month. Let it thaw completely before slicing.
Quick Tip
If you have a kitchen scale, use it for this recipe! A scale is far superior to measuring with cups and tablespoons. As a result, you’re likely to have better success from the first time you learn how to make sourdough bread!
Sourdough Bread
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Rubber spatula
- Bench Scraper
- Dutch Ovens
- Wire Rack
Ingredients
Levain
- 15 grams active sourdough starter (2 tablespoons)
- 75 grams unbleached bread flour (¼ cup + 3 tablespoons)
- 75 grams water (⅓ cup)
Dough
- 525 grams water (2¼ cups)
- 1 Tablespoon sea salt
- 725 grams unbleached bread flour (5¾ cups)
Instructions
- For the levain, combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir well until fully mixed and it forms a thick batter. Cover lightly and let rest at room temperature overnight.15 grams active sourdough starter (2 tablespoons), 75 grams unbleached bread flour (¼ cup + 3 tablespoons), 75 grams water (⅓ cup)
- In a small bowl, dissolve the salt in 50g (4 tbsp) of water, stirring occasionally.
- Add the remaining water to the levain and stir with a spatula to dissolve the levain into the water. Add the flour and stir with the spatula to form the dough. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let rest at room temperature for 45 minutes.525 grams water (2¼ cups), 725 grams unbleached bread flour (5¾ cups), 1 Tablespoon sea salt
- Add the salt water to the dough and mix it in by hand. The dough will still be very loose and wet.
- Fold the dough. Starting on one side of the dough and moving clockwise, grab the dough and fold it over onto itself. Repeat 4 times. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes and then repeat the folding and resting process 6 more times.
- With the folds complete, cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let rest at room temperature for one hour.
- On a lightly floured work surface, turn the dough out and, using a bench scraper, cut the dough in half. Be sure to work gently so as to not deflate the dough too much.
- Gently shape the dough halves into balls using the bench scraper and your hands. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes before the final shaping.
- Place two clean kitchen towels in the bottom of two medium sized mixing bowls and dust heavily with flour, rubbing it in to make sure they are fully covered.
- Dust the tops of the dough balls with flour and, using your bench scraper, turn the dough over so the floured surface is on the bottom and the un-floured surface is facing up. Working clockwise, repeat the folding method from Step 5, folding 4 times. On the last fold, flip the ball over so the floured surface is facing up.
- Dust the dough generously with flour and place them into the towel-lined mixing bowls. Cover the bowls with plastic wrap and let them rest in the refrigerator overnight.
- Place two Dutch ovens (with the lids on) into your oven and heat it to 500F. When heated, carefully remove the Dutch ovens and slide the dough into the pots, seam side down.
- Using a lame (or very sharp knife or razor blade,) score the dough. Replace the lids and bake covered for 30 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 425F and bake for another 10 minutes, covered.
- Remove the lids and bake for 25-30 minutes, checking the progress to make sure the crust is beginning to form.
- Continue to bake the bread for 15-25 more minutes or until the bread is deep golden brown and crispy.
- Remove and let cool completely on a wire rack.
Nutrition
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