Easy Sourdough Discard Bread Recipe

Step 1

Make the dough: Mix the water, active-dry yeast, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Allow the mixture to bloom until it smells yeasty and looks bubbly.

Step 2

Fold in the sourdough discard, bread flour, all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour and salt until no traces of dry flour remain. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.

Step 3

Stretch and fold: After the rest period, complete 3 sets of stretch and folds in 15-minute intervals.

Step 4

To complete a stretch and fold, with the dough inside your bowl, pick up the side of the dough closest to you using your fingertips. Stretch the dough out as much as you can without it tearing and fold it over itself. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat 3 more times.

Step 5

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Set it in a warm place and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.

Step 6

First rise: Let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled in volume. The dough should double in volume and appear bubbly, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 7

Prep: Preheat the oven to 475 F with a Dutch oven inside.

Step 8

Shape: Coat a banneton with rice flour (see note*). Shape the dough into a boule or a batard.

Step 9

To shape your dough, turn the proofed dough on a clean work surface. Flatten the dough out into a rectangle. Fold the side closest to you towards the center and the top of the dough over the bottom flap. Fold the sides over each other

Step 10

Flip the dough and round it into a boule or roll it into a batard. Place the dough into a prepared banneton with the seam side up.

Step 11

Second rise: Cover the banneton with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until puffy and well risen, about 30 to 45 minutes.

Step 12

Score: Transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper with the seam-side down. Score the dough.

Step 13

Bake: Place the dough with the parchment paper inside the hot Dutch oven. Bake the dough covered for 25 minutes and uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 14

Enjoy: Transfer the baked loaf to a cooling rack. Let the bread cool for at least 2 hours before slicing.

Step 15

Store: This bread will store well for up to a week in an airtight container at room temperature.