beginner sourdough bread

<p>The perfect bread to get started baking sourdough bread at home. This crusty, crunchy, and absolutely delicious loaf of bread is perfect for any lunch or dinner table.</p>

Beginner's Sourdough Bread Recipe

bread flour

whole wheat flour

whole rye flour

water

salt

sourdough starter

Levain

(8:00 a.m.)In a small container, mix the following and keep at 77°F (25°C) for 5-6 hours.

Autolyse

(12:00 p.m)In a medium mixing bowl, add the following and mix until no dry bits remain. Cover the bowl and let rest for 1 hour.

Bulk Fermentation

Divide and Preshape

(5:10 p.m.)Lightly flour your work surface and scrape out your dough. Using your bench knife, divide the dough in half. Lightly shape each half into a round shape. Let the dough rest for 25 minutes, uncovered.

Shape

(5:35 p.m.)Shape the dough into a round (boule) or oval (batard)—place in proofing baskets.

Rest and Proof

(5:40 p.m. to 9:30 a.m. the next day)Cover proofing baskets with reusable plastic and seal shut. Let sit out on the counter for 20 minutes. Then, place both baskets into the refrigerator and proof overnight.

Bake

(Preheat oven at 8:30 a.m., bake at 9:30 a.m.)Preheat your oven with a combo cooker or Dutch oven inside to 450°F (230°C).

A truly simple sourdough recipe that is kneaded in your bread machine.  A great everyday bread for the sourdough lover.

Bread Machine Sourdough

bread flour (15.85 ounces

450 grams)

water (7.75 ounces

fed sourdough starter (5.65 ounces

sugar

Mix the bread flour, starter, sugar, and water in a large mixing bowl.  It will seem dryer than most sourdoughs, but don&#039;t add more water.  Use your hands to make sure everything is incorporated into a ball.  Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and let it rest on the counter.  (It helps to measure out the salt into a separate container on place it on top of the towel so you don&#039;t forget to add it later.)

Place the dough and salt into the bread machine bucket and select the dough cycle.  The machine will beep when the cycle ends, but let it rise another 2-3 hours in the machine, for a total rise time of 3-4 hours.  The dough should look noticeably puffier, but may not have quite doubled in size.

Prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper and sprinkling with cornmeal.  Take the dough out of the bread machine, and gently shape it into a round or oval loaf.  The dough will be slightly sticky, but dry not to use any flour when shaping it.  Place on the prepared baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray.

Place the covered loaf in the refrigerator to proof overnight.  Anywhere from 8-16 hours will be fine.

In the morning, preheat the oven to 450 degrees with two racks: one in the center, one in the lower middle.  Place an empty rimmed baking sheet on the lower rack while the oven is preheating.  Remove the loaf from the fridge and gently rub with flour.  Slash the loaf with a lame or sharp serrated knife.

When the oven has preheated, pour 1 cup of water onto the empty baking sheet to create steam.  Immediately place the loaf inside, close the door, and bake for 45 minutes.  Let cool on a wire rack for at least 4 hours before slicing. 7.  Store at room temperature, well wrapped, for up to three days,

You love sourdough but it's all sort of confusing and complicated?  Or your loaves just aren't turning out how you hoped?  This is the EASIEST way to make sourdough at home, without yeast, and without a big production.  And it's just as delicious as those crazy recipes.

Print out the recipe here: https://heartscontentfarmhouse.com/bread-machine-sourdough/

Recipe:

ingredients

3 cups bread flour (15.85 ounces/ 450 grams)
1 cup lukewarm water (7.75 ounces/ 220 grams)
3/4 cup fed sourdough starter (5.65 ounces/ 165 grams)
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 3/4 teaspoon salt
instructions

1.  Mix the bread flour, starter, sugar, and water in a large mixing bowl.  It will seem dryer than most sourdoughs, but don’t add more water.  Use your hands to make sure everything is incorporated into a ball.  Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and let it rest on the counter.  (It helps to measure out the salt into a separate container on place it on top of the towel so you don’t forget to add it later.)

2.  Place the dough and salt into the bread machine bucket and select the dough cycle.  The machine will beep when the cycle ends, but let it rise another 2-3 hours in the machine, for a total rise time of 3-4 hours.  The dough should look noticeably puffier, but may not have quite doubled in size.

3.  Prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper and sprinkling with cornmeal.  Take the dough out of the bread machine, and gently shape it into a round or oval loaf.  The dough will be slightly sticky, but dry not to use any flour when shaping it.  Place on the prepared baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray.

4.  Place the covered loaf in the refrigerator to proof overnight.  Anywhere from 8-16 hours will be fine.

5.  In the morning, preheat the oven to 450 degrees with two racks: one in the center, one in the lower middle.  Place an empty rimmed baking sheet on the lower rack while the oven is preheating.  Remove the loaf from the fridge and gently rub with flour.  Slash the loaf with a lame or sharp serrated knife.

6.  When the oven has preheated, pour 1 cup of water onto the empty baking sheet to create steam.  Immediately place the loaf inside, close the door, and bake for 45 minutes.  Let cool on a wire rack for at least 4 hours before slicing.

7.  Store at room temperature, well wrapped, for up to three days,
notes

I use a 100% hydration sourdough starter (equal parts flour and water), if yours is dryer or wetter, you will need to slightly tweak the amount of water in the dough.

I have done this recipe both by weight and volume and the results were similar.

To make ahead, fully bake the loaf, allow it to cool completely, and freeze, well wrapped, for up to a month.


My bread machine: https://amzn.to/34doADh

Baking with sourdough, aka wild yeast, is fun and strangely addicting.  But it can be a lot trickier than working with regular yeast!  It is slow to rise, you need to rely on oven spring, and you need a healthy sourdough starter.  

But once you get started baking with sourdough, you will never stop!  From rustic sourdough rolls to artisan style rustic loaves, you can learn how to bake professional looking breads.  You can also sue your sourdough starter in quick breads, muffins, and even pancakes.  

Check out my playlist on sourdough baking, here: 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWnaVydmS673gzIHEe98hQ2dw2FyYLkYT

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Hi there and welcome to my channel, Heart’s Content Farmhouse.  I post one new country-style recipe every week with a step by step video.  

I am a home baker who wants to teach everyone how to bake their own bread, desserts, and other goodies.  Learning to bake changed my life and it’s a skill anyone can learn.  I want to guide you through your baking journey!

You will find the occasional non-baking recipe here as well, but everything is family friendly, from scratch, and delicious.  My recipes are tried and true, and they are tested multiple times. 

You can find a printable version of all my recipes, (as well as printables and other goodies) on my blog, heartscontentfarmhouse.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Heart’s Content Farmhouse is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.  As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualified purchases.

Easy Sourdough Bread with Your Bread Machine

An easy recipe for whole wheat sourdough bread that's light and flavorful (not heavy and dense). Made with 20% whole wheat flour. The dough can be made in advance and baked the following day. Fantastic for sandwiches, crostini, and morning toast with jam.

Light Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

bubbly, active sourdough starter (100% hydration)

fine sea salt

Whole whether doughs tend to rise faster than white doughs, especially in warm weather. To avoid over proofed dough, I like to start mixing in the afternoon (usually between 2-3 PM) when I know I&#8217;ll be home to stretch and fold the dough. Please adjust your rise times based on temperature. 

Baking Schedule

Combine the sourdough starter and water in a large bowl. Add the flour and salt. Mix with a fork and then finish by hand to fully incorporate the flour. It will feel very wet and sticky. Cover with a damp towel or wrap and let rest for 1 hour on your countertop, returning to the bowl after the first 30 minutes to work the dough into a rough ball. 

Make the Dough

After the dough has rested for 1 hour, do your first fold.

Gather a portion of the dough, stretch it upward, and fold it over toward the center of the bowl. Give the bowl a 1/4 turn and repeat 3 more times, stretch and folding the dough to come full circle around the bowl (4 folds =  1 set). If the dough still feels slack after the 1st set, do an additional 4 folds around the bowl to tighten the dough. 

For best results, do 4 sets total spaced 30 minutes apart resting the covered dough in a warm spot in between each set (see tip below). Notice how the dough will tighten after the 4th set. See video for technique.

When finished with the folds, cover the bowl and continue the bulk rise (untouched) at 75-78 F for about for 2-3 hours. The dough is ready when it has almost doubled in size. Wrap and chill the whole bowl overnight; the dough will continue to rise only slightly in the fridge when the dough is warm.

How to Create Warm Spot for Bread Dough

Preheat your home oven to the lowest setting for 30- 45 seconds and then shut it off. Place the covered bowl of dough inside to bulk up. The temperature should be 75-78 F and no higher than 80 F. Use an oven thermometer (and common sense) to keep track of the temperature. Dough that is too warm will become wet, sticky, and a tricky to work with. Alternatively, use a proofing box.

Bulk Rise with Stretch and Folds

The following morning, make sure the dough has doubled in size. If not, give it more time to bulk up, if needed. This is important to build strength.

Line a small bowl with a cotton or linen cloth. Sprinkle with flour. You&#8217;re going to shape the dough twice to build extra strength.

Shape the Dough

Remove the cold dough onto a floured surface. Let rest for 10-15 minutes to take some of the chill off. Shape the dough into a loose ball using the envelope technique. Starting at the top of the dough, stretch and fold it over toward the center. Then stretch and fold the bottom of the dough toward the center. Repeat on the left side&#8230;and then the right side. Using a bench knife, scoop up the dough and flip it over so the smooth side is facing up. Cover and rest for 20-30 minutes. 

Preshape

After the dough has rested, flip it over again (the smooth side should be facing down now). Shape it again following the steps above. Flip it back over. With floured hands, gently cup the dough and pull it toward you in a circular motion to tighten its shape. Place the dough into the lined bowl, seam side up. Cover with the cloth overhang.

Final Shape

Rest in the warm spot you used earlier for 30 minutes to 1 hour. The dough is ready when it looks puffy and has risen slightly, but has not yet doubled in size. The dough should not be very cold prior to baking.

Preheat your oven to 450 towards the tail end of the second rise.

Cut a sheet of non-stick parchment paper to fit the size of your baking pot, leaving enough excess around the sides to remove the bread.

Second Rise

Place the parchment over the dough and invert the bowl to release. Sprinkle the dough with flour and gently rub the surface with your hands. Using the tip of a bread lame, small, serrated knife or a razor blade, make four shallow 4-inch long cuts at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o’clock around the dough. Use the parchment paper to transfer the dough to the baking pot. 

Score the Dough

Bake the dough on the center rack for 20 minutes, covered. Remove the lid, and continue to bake for 40 minutes and golden brown.

When finished, transfer to a wire rack. Cool for 1 hour before slicing, for best texture.

Bake the Dough

This is a great recipe as all of your recipes are!  Your book is my sourdough Bible!

Hi! Do you have to put it in the fridge, or could you leave it out longer on the counter and bake it that night? Thanks!

This was my very first sourdough bread.  The directions were just what I needed as I had so many questions.  Oh so good!!

Made this for the first time today and was blown away! I was sure that it wouldn't turn out because I hit a few snafus along the way... 1 - My dough seemed super, super wet early in the process so I used flour on my hands, instead of water to do the envelope folds, so I was a little nervous. 2 - My dough developed a little bit of a skin on it during the second day steps, so I kinda folded them in, but there were definite hard spots. Despite my issues, the bread was perfect! So so tasty, with a great texture. Thank you!

This was the first attempt at true sourdough bread that has ever worked for me. Thank you! 

Tweaks:
1. I do not have a dutch oven or any oven proof container with a lid so I baked mine in two bread loaf pans stacked on top of each other and wrapped in foil. Worked beautifully! 
2. I did not have whole wheat flour so instead of the 100g of whole wheat flour, I did a 80:20 mixture of rye flour to white flour instead. It worked and tastes great!

Hi, I would like to ask if I still have to use unbleached bread flour or can I use regular bread flour? Thank you.

Hi wonderful recipe . I ended up adding olives to one of the loaves during the first fold. I followed your sourdough add in recipes to add the olives in. Should I still rise for 2 hours then overnight in fridge ? I was guessing it was ok to continue to follow this recipe the same and just add in. Thanks so much I’ll let you know how it turns out

Thank you Emilie,
I'll keep at it and give it a go. Thank you for the time to reach back out :)

Hi! Could you give me the measurements to increase the whole wheat to 30% ? 
By the way, I’ve tried the recipe as is with great success :)

Hello. I often find great advice online, but shamefully I rarely take time to comment and leave feedback. 

On this occasion, however, I really felt compelled to say thanks and make a recommendation. 

I baked my first sourdough loaf today (well, started yesterday, finished today!) and followed your recipe 'to the letter'. The result, is nothing short of fantastic. 

Whilst no part of the process is particularly complex, there are lots if steps and plenty of potential 'banana skin' moments for the novice throughout. 

So, thank you, your recipe helped this beginner bake like an expert, and the video helped remove anxiety associated with traslating instruction into practice. 

Highly recommended. Thank you :)

Hi Emilie,
Thank you for your sourdough starter and light sourdough bread recipes.  I love the nutty note and the open crumb.   I'm still working on the oven spring (which I dont get always and It's my fan forced oven's issue). I have to do some work arounds like oven temperature and best vessel to cover the dough while baking to have a perfect loaf however, your recipe is the best and the easiest ive tried and I am thankful I've came  across your website and yes I will try Shannon's tip too.   Again, many thanks to you.

Hi - I have made this recipe a few times and it comes out great, except that the bottom of the loaf burns a bit. I have used the oven and also the grill (since it's too hot to use the oven). It's obviously harder to control the heat using the grill, but the same thing happened in the oven. Should I try a lower heat and bake longer?

This is currently my go to recipe. It’s a really nice tasty bread, the schedule is idea for my lifestyle, it’s super easy but yet covers all the bases for a good sourdough bread, stretch &amp; folds, overnight CR, etc.    Perfect loaf for seed additions, too.

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/fmsk1wQF.mp4

An easy recipe for whole wheat sourdough made with 20% whole wheat flour. 

The perfect bread to get started baking sourdough bread at home. This crusty, crunchy, and absolutely delicious loaf of bread is perfect for any lunch or dinner table.

stoneground whole wheat flour

whole grain rye flour

(8:00 a.m.)In a small container, mix the levain ingredients and keep at 74-76°F (23-24°C) for 5 to 6 hours.

(12:00 p.m)In a medium mixing bowl, mix the flour and 603 grams water (50 grams is reserved until the next step). Cover and let rest for 1 hour.

(1:00 p.m.)To the mixing bowl holding your dough, add the salt, ripe levain (from step 1), and reserved 50 grams water. Mix by hand until incorporated. Transfer your dough to a bulk fermentation container and cover.

(1:10 p.m. to 5:10 p.m.)Give the dough 3 sets of stretch and folds at 30-minute intervals, where the first set starts 30 minutes after the start of bulk fermentation.

(5:40 p.m. to 9:30 a.m. the next day)Cover proofing baskets with reusable plastic and seal shut. Let the dough sit out on the counter for 20 minutes. Then, place both baskets into the refrigerator and proof overnight.

(Preheat oven at 8:30 a.m., bake at 9:30 a.m.)Preheat your oven with a combo cooker or Dutch oven inside to 450°F (230°C). When the oven is preheated, remove your dough from the fridge, score it, and transfer to the preheated combo cooker. Place the cooker in the oven, cover with the lid, and bake for 20 minutes. After this time, remove the lid (you can keep it in the oven or remove it) and continue to bake for 30 minutes longer. When done, the internal temperature should be around 208°F (97°C). Let the loaves cool for 1 to 2 hours on a wire rack before slicing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrDy90gD710

This short video shows how I gently perform a set of stretch and folds with sourdough during bulk fermentation. This gentle approach is helpful when the dough is already showing strength and just needs a little more.

For an in-depth post on this topic, check out my How to Stretch and Fold Sourdough guide page:
https://www.theperfectloaf.com/guides/how-to-stretch-and-fold-sourdough/

How to stretch and fold sourdough gently

Preheat your home oven to the lowest setting for 30- 45 seconds and then shut it off. Place the covered bowl of dough inside to bulk up. The temperature should be 75-78 F and no higher than 80 F. Use an oven thermometer (and common sense) to keep track of the temperature. Dough that is too warm will become wet, sticky, and a tricky to work with. Alternatively, I highly recommend using a proofing box.

Line a small bowl (or proofing basket) with a cotton or linen cloth. Sprinkle with flour. You&#8217;re going to shape the dough twice to build extra strength.

Remove the cold dough onto a floured surface. Let rest for 10-15 minutes to take some of the chill off. Shape the dough into a loose ball using the envelope technique. Starting at the top of the dough, stretch and fold it over toward the center. Then stretch and fold the bottom of the dough toward the center. Repeat on the left side&#8230;and then the right side. Using a bench scraper, scoop up the dough and flip it over so the smooth side is facing up. Cover and rest for 20-30 minutes. 

After the dough has rested, flip it over again (the smooth side should be facing down now). Shape it again following the steps above. Flip it back over. With floured hands, gently cup the dough and pull it toward you in a circular motion to tighten its shape. Place the dough into the lined bowl or proofing basket seam side up. Cover with the cloth overhang.

Place the parchment over the dough and invert the bowl to release. Sprinkle the dough with flour and gently rub the surface with your hands. Using the tip of a bread lame, small, serrated knife or a razor blade, make four shallow 4-inch long cuts at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o’clock around the dough. Use the parchment paper to transfer the dough to a Dutch oven (or another oven safe pot with lid).

I’ve tried about 10 recipes for sourdough so far and this will now be my go to. Letting it ferment slowly in the fridge added additional flavor as well as the perfect addition of wheat flour. I use 100g starter however and a bit less water.

I started the bread maki g process this morning .  I doubled the recipe. The first 2 hour bulk rise will be finished at 1:45 this afternoon. Can I still put it in the frig this afternoon until tomorrow morning or do I need to complete the bulk rise and bake today?
Thank you!

Favorite recipe so far, so happy with the outcome of the bread!

Hi Emilie,

I made this last weekend using 375 g of water and it turned out great. If I increase to 150g of starter will that give a quicker bulk rise? If I do use 150 g of starter, would I need to change any of the other variables such as amount of water, time in the 450 F oven?

Steve

Thank you! I enjoy your site. I appreciate your helpful tips.
I recommended your site to several friends and family. 😊

Love this recipe so much. I’m a beginner to bread, but from the get-go your recipe’s bread has turned out perfect for us every time. 

A small question I have - what do you mean by a “lightly oiled wrap” to cover the dough before chilling? I’ve been using a plastic bag which is working but would like to follow your direction! 

Thanks so much for the great recipe and helpful video.

i used olive oil on cling wrap &amp; it turned out great :)

The most amazing wheat sourdough! I only wish I could bake multiples to keep in the deepfreeze for quick use. It rose beautifully &amp; made the perfect loaf. You're my new fav! I wish I could show you a picture!

Excellent recipe- thanks for posting, and for adding so much detail to the notes!
I had excellent outcomes with reduced batch sizes of the same proportions. 
Also I let my dough rest in much warmer setting for longer times at rest for my first batch- about 82-85 deg. As the author notes it will be a wetter stickier batch which is difficult to shape- but turned out extremely fluffy and flavor was amazing. The accident turned out to be my family’s favorite bread ever. 
Also- it’s a good idea to train your starter with the stone ground whole wheat you use in the recipe.

This bread is amazing!! I made it yesterday and turned out great. I live in a very small apartment so I don’t have a proper oven (I just have a toaster oven). In case anyone else is in a similar boat, I baked it in a loaf pan, did the first 20 min with a small tray of water next to the pan to create steam, then I removed the water tray and baked for the remaining 40 min. Absolute perfection, and bonus points that my boyfriend loved it too! Thanks

I get a little nervous because it doesn't hold much shape until chilled overnight. I did 2 shapes in the morning and now putting bannetons in fridge to ferment longer. Will bake tomorrow.  I like the sour flavor.

LOVE this recipe!! I’ve made two loaves just the past few days. Can you double this to make a larger boule?

I've made this recipe at least a dozen times. It has always produced a decent loaf of bread for me. After the first few time using 375 g of water I reduced water to 360 g, which was easier for me to work with. My baking schedule is to prepare the dough in the morning using starter that had been fed after the last loaf and put immediately into the refrigerator. I put the starter jar in a pan of hot tap water for about 30 minutes, give it a float test, which it will pass if stored in the refrigerator no more than about 15 days. I bulk rise during the day and bake in the evening. 

Last Saturday prepared the dough in the morning and started the bulk rise at 9:30 am. At 2:30 pm, about halfway through the bulk rise, I had a family emergency out of town. I put the dough in the refrigerator, packed a suitcase and left. I returned late Wednesday evening and Thursday morning I removed the dough from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. It was obviously over-proofed. I did the usual 2nd rise steps and put the loaf into a cold DO and put on a pre-heated lid. I baked at the usual time and temperature and noticed not much oven spring when the lid was removed after 20 minutes. When the full hour was done the loaf was not as high as usual but it had a decent crumb and was, as you would expect, quite sour. This is a very forgiving recipe, Emilie. Thanks for all your tips and videos.

I started my sourdough journey almost 3 years ago &amp; this is my go to recipe! I’ve made it countless times. I add olive oil to the mix which adds to the crumb &amp; taste. Thanks for the easy to follow recipe (I’ve memorized it!)

I've made lots of bread but have never seen this technique for folding and tightening the dough.  That explains a lot of flat loaves! The instructions were perfect and ready l easy to follow and the bread was delicious with just the right crunch in the crust.

What if I don’t have a bread basket for final proof?

This recipe with all the tips is amazing! Thank you so much, I didn't change a thing. I will say you need to trust in the process! My sour dough loaf looks so pretty and smells DELICIOUS!

BEST BREAD EVER!! I for months have had nothing but failed loaves, followed this recipe to a T and got my first PERFECT loaf! It wasn’t gummy, it had nice airy crumb, crunchy and chewy the best of all worlds! Thank you for such a great recipe and step by step instructions! 🤌🏼😍

This is my go-to recipe. I bake 2-3 times a week. I always come back to this after trying something new. It never disappoints.

I love this recipe so easy! I add in 25 grams of molasses and it’s perfect! I’ve not timed it well and ran out of time left it out all night in my cool (65 degrees??) kitchen and it works out fine! I do the double shape and leave it out for a second rise much longer more like 3 hours. I typically do a longer second rise then suggested and this 400/100 mix of flours has just the perfect texture.  I have your sourdough cookbook (currently loaned out to my mom!!) and ever recipe is the 💣
I’ve always wanted to go to your restaurant in the city… someday we’ll get there!  Appreciate you ❣️

This recipe is fool proof! I want to double the recipe, could you advise how long to bake it for please and at what temperature?

Anxious to try this recipe! 
One question..do you preheat the Dutch oven or does the proofed dough go into a cold Dutch oven into a preheated oven @ 450..?
Thanks,   Dave

I have had excellent results with both the beginner sourdough loaf and the light whole wheat loaf.
Why is the whole wheat loaf baked at a higher temperature that the beginners' white loaf and why is there no oil in the whole wheat loaf?

I just made my first light whole wheat sourdough loaf and it turned out awesome! Her instructions were clear and simple to follow.

Amazing recipe! Saving this one fore sure. I soaked some chia, flax, and pumpkin seeds and added them during my third stretch and fold. Made the perfect seeded multigrain, thank you so much!

Is it ok to leave the dough in the fridge for ~2hrs instead of over night?

This was a wonderful recipe...a bit different from my base sourdough recipe...but it made a  gorgeous loaf. Great look and taste...but not heavy on the whole wheat.  A keeper!  I've been baking bread for years but I still appreciated the precise, easy to follow directions and pictures too!

This recipe is wonderful! The flavor and texture are both perfect, and the crispiness of the crust was LOVELY! But, I have a dilemma. I find it very hard to score the relaxed nature of warm dough after it's second rise, and the final shape is affected as well because the dough continues to spread rather than spring. Should I reduce the amount of water in the recipe, or retard the dough (a second time) in the fridge for 30 min to an hour before scoring &amp; putting it in a dutch oven and baking as directed? Another recipe I've had success with followed the final shaping with an overnight retard, then flip dough, score, and bake immediately. That method was the easiest to score and had much taller oven spring, but the crust was much thicker than desired, even when using a proofing bag. Would like to find a blend of both recipes if you think that would work?

A sourdough bread perfect for beginners. This delicious recipe has a soft chewy crumb and crusty exterior. All you need is a few ingredients, some time, and patience.

Beginners Sourdough Bread

all-purpose flour (3 1/2 cups)

starter (active and bubbly (1/2 cup))

water (1 1/3 cups)

salt (2 teaspoons)

Feed a sourdough starter 4-12 hours before starting the dough, ensuring it is active and bubbly.

Combine warm water, active starter, salt, and flour with a wooden spoon or even just your hands in a large mixing bowl.

Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and allow to rest for 30 minutes for the water to hydrate the flour.

Grab the edge of the dough and pull up stretching it out as you pull upwards. This may be difficult and you may need to kind of bounce the dough to get it to stretch. Place dough that is in your hands back into the center. Turn the bowl about a quarter turn and complete another stretch and fold. Repeat two more times. This is considered one round.

Thirty minutes later, complete another round of stretch and folds. Cover and allow the dough to rest another 30 minutes.

Complete one last stretch and fold round.

Cover with a lid, damp towel, or plastic wrap. Let the dough bulk ferment in a warm place until it has doubled in size. This could be anywhere from 6-12 hours (or longer) depending on the temperature of your kitchen, maturity of your starter, etc. Be careful not to let it over ferment.

Stretch And Fold

Place the dough on a clean work surface that has been lightly dusted with flour. Fold the dough onto itself and roll up. Then shape into a ball by gently spinning it toward you.

Optional - Let the dough sit out for 15-20 minutes uncovered. This prevents the dough from sticking to the tea towel during the overnight rise.

Turn over and shape. I do this by folding the two sides over to meet in the middle, pinch together and then repeat on the other two sides. This creates surface tension which helps give it more oven spring (a good rise).

Transfer to a floured banneton or bowl with a floured tea towel (typically floured with rice flour, this is not necessary and all-purpose will work just fine) seam side up.

Cover with plastic or place in a plastic bag and tie the ends. Let the dough rest for 12-15 hours in the refrigerator. You can also let the bread rise at room temperature for 3-4 hours. I like using the longer rise time in the refrigerator because it is easier to score and feel like the oven spring is better.

Preheat a dutch oven to 500 degrees for 1 hour.

Remove dough from the fridge right before baking. Place dough on a piece of parchment paper.

Dust with flour, if desired, and score with lame or razor blade. I like to do one large score (called an expansion score) and then a cute design for the other score.

Carefully, transfer the piece of parchment paper with the dough into the hot dutch oven. Careful not to burn your fingers.

Place the lid back on and place the dutch oven into the hot oven. Bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the lid with oven mitts, turn the oven temperature down to 475, and bake an additional 15-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Ugh this comment is for the everyday sourdough discard recipe by the way!

Used my bread machine on the dough setting and it turned out perfectly mixed, kneaded and proofed. After the cycle is finished I continued with the rest of the recipe (even proofed my bread on my screened in porch to get a really great second rise in our crazy heat!) Hands on time is probably a total of 10 minutes. This is a great way to use up alot of discard! Such a great recipe!

So good, once I got my starter strong enough...this recipe is my go to to this day. I strayed and tried a few other options but...came righhht back. Thank you!

First time making true sourdough! It was a crazy day in my kitchen so I know I missed a lot of the timing on folding and stretching…I did the overnight refrigerator rise and it came out fabulous! I was hosting a big grad party so I doubled the recipe, only had one Dutch oven so I baked one in it and the other on a stoneware baking sheet. I added water in the oven for steam. The bread came out perfectly. My foodie son called it “next level sourdough”. It is a very forgiving recipe and quite easy once you get past the initial shock at all the steps! Thank you!

You're directions are very clear! Thank you for the details. I am encouraged to be a life time bread baker! The making of the bread is as satisfying as the partaking and gifting others to partake!

Oops.  After my last stretch and fold I proceeded to fold the dough and roll into a ball.  I'm going to let it bulk ferment on the counter top now.  Hopefully I didn't ruin my loaf.  This will be my third time making a loaf (and following your recipe!) My first loaf was great, second was a bit chewy.  I think my starter wasn't active enough so kept it out for a couple days feeding it and even did a dry feed that really seemed to help.  I'm not giving up! Quickly learning sourdough can be lots of trial and error.

Perfectly soft in the middle and just the right amount of crunch on the outside. I’ve always been intimidated by baking sourdough and this recipe is super easy!!

Sourdough newbie here and this recipe was super easy to follow and execute. My bread came out so amazing that people didn’t believe it was my first one. In the process of baking my second now!

Love this recipe and have given everyone I know a loaf. Any way to cut the loaf in half and make two breads? I'm pregnant and the sourdough is my ick, my poor husband is struggling to get through the loaves alone

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Top 6 beginner sourdough bread recipes from across the web

The most viewed beginner sourdough bread recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Beginner's Sourdough Bread Recipe

Bread Machine Sourdough

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Beginner's Sourdough Bread Recipe

Light Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

Beginners Sourdough Bread

The most viewed beginner sourdough bread recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine