This simple sourdough bread recipe is ideal for inexperienced persons—no autolyse, no lamination folds, simply easy steps and scrumptious outcomes. Here’s the right sourdough bread I’ve been making each week!
Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe
Baking sourdough can appear type of intense. Between all the flamboyant phrases, particular gear, and lengthy timelines, it’s simple to really feel such as you want a baking diploma simply to get started. That’s precisely why I wished to share this simple sourdough recipe I exploit each week that my household loves!
Why This Sourdough Bread Recipe Works
I first started making sourdough bread in 2020 when Melissa from Bless This Mess despatched me some sourdough starter. Since then, I picked it again up once more and I’ve been baking sourdough for my household each week and promised I’d share how I do it. Truthfully, I held off for some time as a result of I’m not an expert baker—however this technique has been fully foolproof. It makes excellent sourdough bread each time, and it’s easy and newbie-pleasant:
- No Complicated Tools Needed: You don’t want a flowery proofing basket, dough whisk, or baking stone. An everyday bowl, towel, and Dutch oven work simply fantastic.
- Straightforward Timeline: There’s no complicated autolyse step or break up day course of. You combine the dough, give it some love with just a few stretch-and-folds, let it rise, form it, after which stick it within the fridge. Done.
- Cold Proof for Better Results (and Flexibility): Letting your dough rise in a single day within the fridge not solely improves taste and crumb—it additionally offers you extra management over your baking schedule. You can form at night time and bake within the morning, with out speeding.
- No Starter Guesswork: I stroll you thru how you can feed and time your starter so that you’re not guessing whether or not it’s prepared to make use of. That step alone can take the thriller out of sourdough for inexperienced persons.
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What You’ll Need
The Most Important Step
You don’t want knowledgeable expertise, just a bit time and persistence. The most vital step? Start with a robust, energetic sourdough starter. You could make this from scratch (plenty of recipes on-line) or buy it fresh and able to use (I linked 2 choices). Once you will have that, the remainder falls into place, and I’ll stroll you thru it, step-by-step.
How to Feed Your Starter (1:1:1 Ratio)
A robust, energetic starter is vital to nice sourdough bread! Feeding your starter is straightforward utilizing the 1:1:1 ratio—equal elements starter, flour, and water by weight. Since I bake 2 breads at a time, I feed it 100 grams of every. You can feed it different ratios, however it will rise the quickest. Feed it early within the morning, and it’s able to make dough within the night.
- Weigh your starter: Put 100g of starter in a clear jar and refrigerate use for discard recipes.
- To the jar add 100g heat filtered water and 100g natural all function flour (I exploit natural King Arthur flour, not bread bread flour).
- Mix nicely till clean and no dry flour stays.
- Cover loosely with cloth or perhaps a paper towel so it breathes and let it sit at room temperature in a heat spot till it doubles in measurement, appears to be like bubbly, and smells pleasantly tangy—often inside 4–6 hours if stored in a heat spot.
- You can scale up or down as wanted—simply hold the quantities equal. For instance, 50g starter + 50g flour + 50g water = 150g whole starter.
Sourdough Bread Ingredients
This Sourdough bread recipe is made with simply 4 components. Here’s what you’ll have to make it. See the recipe card beneath for precise measurements:
- Ripe bubbly energetic starter that has been fed and has doubled in measurement. If you don’t have a sourdough starter, this is the recipe I used, however it’s also possible to purchase it pre-made here which is less complicated and faster to get started.
- Warm filtered water
- Bread flour, or all function flour, I desire organic King Arthur Bread Flour
- Kosher salt or fantastic sea salt (I like to make use of pink Himalayan sea salt)
How To Make Sourdough Bread
Here’s the step-by-step directions for making this foolproof sourdough bread recipe. This will make one loaf of sourdough. Scale it up for a number of loaves. See printable instructions within the recipe card beneath.
1. Feed Your Starter:
Start the day earlier than in case your starter is within the fridge. I take mine out the night time earlier than and feed it. Then within the morning (round 6 a.m.), I discard and feed it once more utilizing a 1:1:1 ratio with heat filtered water. Once it doubles in measurement and appears good and bubbly, it’s prepared to make use of—often by early afternoon.
2. Make the Dough:
In a big bowl, combine collectively the energetic starter, heat water, and salt till nicely mixed. Add the flour and blend till you will have a shaggy, sticky dough, the dough will really feel sticky. Don’t fear if it appears to be like a bit tough at first! Cover the bowl with a moist towel and let it relaxation for half-hour at room temperature.
3. Stretch and Folds:
After half-hour, moist your hand and gently stretch and fold the dough by pulling one aspect up and folding it into the middle. Rotate the bowl and repeat this 4–5 instances till the dough begins to return collectively. Cover and let relaxation for an additional half-hour. Repeat this course of 3 extra instances (each half-hour). If you’re brief on time, two rounds will nonetheless give nice outcomes.
4. Bulk Fermentation (First Rise)
After your last fold, cowl the bowl and let the dough rise for six–7 hours at room temperature (longer in cooler temps). The dough is prepared when it has grown by 50–70%, has seen bubbles, and gently jiggles once you shake the bowl.
5. Pre-Shape:
Turn the dough out onto a clear, frivolously floured work floor. Gently form it right into a spherical by folding the sides into the middle, rotating the dough as you go. Let the dough relaxation uncovered for 15 to half-hour (that is known as a bench relaxation). Use your fingers to softly pull the dough towards you to create floor stress and a tighter spherical form.
6. Final Shaping:
Dust a proofing basket or medium mixing bowl (lined with a floured towel) generously with flour. You may spray the bowl with cooking spray and mud with flour as a substitute. Fold the dough into itself once more, rotating as you go, then place it clean aspect down into the bowl. Cover with a towel, bathe cap, or plastic wrap.
7. Cold Fermentation (Second Rise):
Refrigerate the dough in a single day, or for as much as 24 hours. This chilly proof improves each the flavour and texture—and it offers you a versatile baking schedule (extremely advocate). Want to bake the identical day? Let the dough relaxation at room temp for 1–2 hours till it appears to be like puffy.
8. Bake:
- Preheat your oven to 450°F. Some folks do that with their Dutch oven inside however I don’t as a result of my crust burns on the underside. Every oven is completely different.
- Cut a chunk of parchment to suit the scale of your pot. Gently flip the dough onto the parchment (I place the paper on a plate, invert the bowl on high, and flip fastidiously). Score the highest of the dough with a razor, lame, or sharp knife. I often do a easy “X,” however be happy to get artistic.
- Use the parchment to carry the dough into the Dutch oven. Cover and bake for half-hour.
- Then take away the lid, decrease the oven temp to 400°F, and bake for an additional 25–half-hour, till the crust is deep golden brown and sounds hole when tapped. Cool on a wire rack for at the least 1 hour earlier than slicing.
Variations
Once you grasp baking sourdough, mess around with completely different flours like complete wheat flour or complete grain flours.
After Baking: What to Do with Leftover Starter
If you’re not baking once more the following day:
- Keep 25g of your starter
- Feed it 50g flour + 50g water
- Let it sit out for 1–2 hours, then retailer within the fridge, lined
- If you are baking the following day, simply depart your newly fed starter at room temp in a single day and repeat the feeding cycle.
Ways To Enjoy Sourdough Bread
My favourite method to eat it’s when it’s contemporary out of the oven, nonetheless heat with a bit of butter – there’s nothing is best! Leftover bread we toast and make avocado toast, mushroom toast, breakfast BLT, grilled cheese sandwiches, tuna sandwiches… the probabilities are limitless!
Sourdough Discard Recipes Coming Soon!
Yield: 28 slices
Serving Size: 1 ounce
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Feed Your Starter: The day that you just’d prefer to make your dough, feed your starter. If it was within the fridge I take mine out the night time earlier than and feed it. Then within the morning earlier than I plan to make my dough or at the least just a few hours earlier than I discard and feed it once more. Your starter might be prepared to make use of when it’s at its doubled in measurement earlier than it begins to shrink again down in measurement.
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Make The Dough: To make your bread dough, add your energetic sourdough starter to a big mixing bowl with water and salt and blend with a spoon to mix nicely. Add the bread flour and blend collectively till a moist and sticky dough kinds and the components are full mixed. Cover the bowl with a moist kitchen towel, and let relaxation half-hour at room temperature.
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Stretches and Folds: After the dough has rested half-hour, use a moist hand to softly pull the nook of the dough close to the aspect of the bowl and push it down into the center of the bowl. Repeat this sequence, rotating around the bowl, till the dough begins to seem like bread dough and comes collectively in additional of a ball. This ought to take a couple of minute of going around the bowl 4 to five instances pulling and tucking into the middle. Let the dough relaxation, lined for half-hour. You will do that 3 extra instances each half-hour, overlaying after every time for a complete of two hours, if time permits. If you don’t have the time, you are able to do this twice, it is going to nonetheless end up simply fantastic.
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Rest (Bulk Fermentation): After the sequence of stretches, cowl the dough with a moist kitchen towel and a lid or plate so it doesn’t dry out and let it rise for six to 7 hours at room temperature, or as much as 8 to 9 hours in colder temps. This is called the majority rise. The dough is prepared when it has elevated by 50% to 70% quantity, jiggles once you shake the bowl and has some scattered bubbles seen on the perimeters and high.
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Pre-shape: Tip the bowl the other way up, permitting the dough to fall on a clear frivolously floured floor. Gently form it right into a spherical by folding the highest all the way down to the middle, rotate the dough; repeat till you’ve come full circle, when you have a bench scraper, tuck the sides of the dough into the middle and work across the edges to create stress.
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Bench Rest: Flip the ball dough over. Let it relaxation for half-hour. Using your fingers, gently pull the dough ball in direction of you, letting its grip on the counter pull it right into a tighter ball. Rotate the dough barely and repeat across the edges till you’ve got shaped a good ball.
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Shaping: Meanwhile, put together a bread proofing basket by dusting it very nicely with flour, or you should use a medium mixing bowl (about 8 inches throughout) and line it with a clear towel and mud it very nicely with flour. Alternatively, if you happen to don’t wish to use a kitchen towel you’ll be able to put together the blending bowl by generously spraying it with cooking spray after which flour very nicely. Going round in a circle, fold the highest all the way down to the middle, rotate the dough; repeat till you’ve come full circle. Place your dough ball, clean high down, into your put together basket or bowl, and canopy with a bathe cap, plastic wrap or towel.
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Cold Fermentation (second rise): Refrigerate in a single day or so long as 18 to 24 hours. If you wish to bake the identical day, let the dough relaxation for 1 to 2 hours, at room temperature, or till it is unfold out a bit and appears puffy. (Note: I desire the chilly proof technique and refrigerate this in a single day for a lighter and airier crumb.)
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Baking: Preheat the oven to 450° F. Cut a chunk of parchment paper to suit the scale of your Dutch oven.
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Gently flip your bread dough out onto a chunk of parchment paper (I prefer to put my parchment paper on high of a plate, put the paper and plate on high of my bread basket, and switch it over gently).
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Using the tip of a razor blade, exacto knife, a lame, or perhaps a sharp serrated knife, rating the highest of the dough nonetheless you would like – I often go along with a easy “X”. But be happy to get fancy. Use the corners of the parchment paper to fastidiously switch the dough into your dutch oven. Place the lid on the dutch oven.
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Place the dutch oven within the middle of the recent oven and bake 450°F for half-hour. Remove the lid, decrease the oven temp to 400°F and put the dutch oven again within the oven, uncovered, for an additional 20 to half-hour. The bread needs to be browned throughout and sound hole when tapped when it’s completed or reaches an inside temp of 205–210°F.
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Remove the pan from the oven, after which switch the bread to a wire rack and let it cool at the least 1 hour earlier than slicing and serving.
Last Step:
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Sourdough bread is greatest eaten the day of, although it is going to keep contemporary if lined room temperature as much as 3 days in an hermetic plastic bag or container. You may refrigerate it for at the least 1 week or wrap it tight and freeze it for as much as 3 months. To freeze, slice it after you let the loaf cool fully, then wrap it nicely in plastic wrap. Let it thaw at room temperature a couple of minutes when able to eat, then toast.
After I make my dough, to “refresh” my starter, I easy feed it. I’ll hold 25 grams of the leftover starter and blend it with 50 grams of water and 50 grams of flour by weight. If I’m baking tomorrow, I’ll simply depart it on the counter. If I’m not baking once more the following day, I’ll retailer it lined within the fridge till I’m able to bake once more.
My bread weighs about 28 oz utilizing 100 g starter. Nutritional information is predicated on that, for 1 ounce slices. Feel free to eat as a lot as you would like.
This recipe is tailored from Alexandra Cooks and Bless This Mess.
Serving: 1 ounce, Calories: 72 kcal, Carbohydrates: 15 g, Protein: 2.5 g, Sodium: 138 mg, Fiber: 0.5 g
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