Easy guide for sourdough bread/starter?
I've seen so many friends start baking fresh sourdough bread, and I want to make some too. I am so overwhelmed by the process and don't even know where to start. Is there an easy sourdough recipe for a beginner like me? Do I have to get a sourdough starter somewhere or can I make my own?
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Here is my tried-and-true sourdough recipe:
1. Mix 500g flour, 350g water, 100g active starter, and 10g salt. Combine until no dry spots remain, then let rest for 30 minutes.
2. Perform stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes for 2 hours. Cover and let rise until doubled (4-6 hours).
3. Shape into a boule, place in a floured basket, and refrigerate overnight.
4. Bake at 450°F (230°C) in a preheated Dutch oven for 20 minutes covered, then 25 minutes uncovered for a golden crust.
Enjoy your delicious, homemade sourdough! 🍞
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1. Mix 500g flour, 350g water, 100g active starter, and 10g salt. Combine until no dry spots remain, then let rest for 30 minutes.
2. Perform stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes for 2 hours. Cover and let rise until doubled (4-6 hours).
3. Shape into a boule, place in a floured basket, and refrigerate overnight.
4. Bake at 450°F (230°C) in a preheated Dutch oven for 20 minutes covered, then 25 minutes uncovered for a golden crust.
Enjoy your delicious, homemade sourdough! 🍞
Reader Comments
Here's the recipe I always use and it hasn't failed me yet :)
You will need:
- 150g/5.35 oz active sourdough starter
- 250g/8.8 oz warm (~25-30 degrees C) water
- 25g/.9 oz extra virgin olive oil
- 500g/17.65 oz bread flour (NOT all purpose flour)
- 10 g/.4 oz salt
- ground cornmeal, extra flour, OR parchment paper
How to make it:
1. Add your starter, water, salt, and olive oil to a large bowl and stir with a fork or spoon. Slowly start adding the flour, continuing to mix with the fork until the dough thickens up. Mix with your hands until all the flour has been added and everything is well-incorporated. The dough should be dry and shaggy now. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cloth. Let the whole thing sit for about an hour. This is called the autolysing process. After the hour is up, use your hands to form the dough into a rough ball. Don't overwork the dough.
2. Lightly oil some plastic wrap with the olive oil, then lay it over the bowl. Put the bowl in a warm place at about 25C/75 F. Let the dough rise until it's about doubled in size. It'll get easier to know when your dough is done rising the more you bake it, but the timing will depend on how hot your dough/ingredients are, how humid and hot your environment is, and the time of year. The hotter and more humid the environment and ingredients, the faster the dough will rise, and vice versa. Check in on your dough after a couple of hours to see how it's coming. It could take anywhere from 2 to 10+ hours to rise.
3. Flour your work station and take the dough out of the bowl and lay it on the flour to keep it from sticking. (It helps to flour your hands too to keep them from sticking to the dough.) Use a bench knife to fold the dough over onto itself in small sections, basically wrapping the dough up. Once you've wrapped it up lengthwise, fold it over on itself width-ways to form a ball that's lightly floured on all sides.
4. Coat a dutch oven with cornmeal or flour, or place parchment paper on the bottom. Add the dough for a second rise and cover the pot. Let it sit for about a half-hour to an hour. It should get a little puffier.
5. Preheat the oven to 230C/450F.
6. Take a sharp knife and make a shallow slash a few inches long in the top of the dough.
7. Put the lid back on the dutch oven and put it in the oven. Reduce the temp to 200C/400F, bake for 20 minutes, then remove the lid.
8. Let the bread continue to bake 40 minutes, or until it's a nice golden brown color. Remove from oven and let cool for about an hour before cutting. Enjoy!
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You will need:
- 150g/5.35 oz active sourdough starter
- 250g/8.8 oz warm (~25-30 degrees C) water
- 25g/.9 oz extra virgin olive oil
- 500g/17.65 oz bread flour (NOT all purpose flour)
- 10 g/.4 oz salt
- ground cornmeal, extra flour, OR parchment paper
How to make it:
1. Add your starter, water, salt, and olive oil to a large bowl and stir with a fork or spoon. Slowly start adding the flour, continuing to mix with the fork until the dough thickens up. Mix with your hands until all the flour has been added and everything is well-incorporated. The dough should be dry and shaggy now. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cloth. Let the whole thing sit for about an hour. This is called the autolysing process. After the hour is up, use your hands to form the dough into a rough ball. Don't overwork the dough.
2. Lightly oil some plastic wrap with the olive oil, then lay it over the bowl. Put the bowl in a warm place at about 25C/75 F. Let the dough rise until it's about doubled in size. It'll get easier to know when your dough is done rising the more you bake it, but the timing will depend on how hot your dough/ingredients are, how humid and hot your environment is, and the time of year. The hotter and more humid the environment and ingredients, the faster the dough will rise, and vice versa. Check in on your dough after a couple of hours to see how it's coming. It could take anywhere from 2 to 10+ hours to rise.
3. Flour your work station and take the dough out of the bowl and lay it on the flour to keep it from sticking. (It helps to flour your hands too to keep them from sticking to the dough.) Use a bench knife to fold the dough over onto itself in small sections, basically wrapping the dough up. Once you've wrapped it up lengthwise, fold it over on itself width-ways to form a ball that's lightly floured on all sides.
4. Coat a dutch oven with cornmeal or flour, or place parchment paper on the bottom. Add the dough for a second rise and cover the pot. Let it sit for about a half-hour to an hour. It should get a little puffier.
5. Preheat the oven to 230C/450F.
6. Take a sharp knife and make a shallow slash a few inches long in the top of the dough.
7. Put the lid back on the dutch oven and put it in the oven. Reduce the temp to 200C/400F, bake for 20 minutes, then remove the lid.
8. Let the bread continue to bake 40 minutes, or until it's a nice golden brown color. Remove from oven and let cool for about an hour before cutting. Enjoy!
Thank you for this recipe! How do you make your own starter though? What even is a sourdough starter? Is this something I can just make myself at home?
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Here are my tips for starting and maintaining a sourdough starter:
1. Start Simple: Mix equal parts flour and water (e.g., 1/2 cup each) in a clean jar. Use unbleached flour for best results. Cover loosely and let it sit at room temperature.
2. Feed Regularly: Discard half and feed with fresh flour and water every 12-24 hours. Look for bubbles and a slightly tangy smell—this means it’s alive!
3. Be Patient: It can take 5-7 days for your starter to be strong enough for baking. Don’t rush it—good things take time.
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1. Start Simple: Mix equal parts flour and water (e.g., 1/2 cup each) in a clean jar. Use unbleached flour for best results. Cover loosely and let it sit at room temperature.
2. Feed Regularly: Discard half and feed with fresh flour and water every 12-24 hours. Look for bubbles and a slightly tangy smell—this means it’s alive!
3. Be Patient: It can take 5-7 days for your starter to be strong enough for baking. Don’t rush it—good things take time.
If you have friends that are making sourdough bread already, ask them! They probably have some extra starter that you can use. Otherwise making your own just takes about a week with some flour and water! This is how I made mine!
1. Mix 1/2 cup (60 g) of whole wheat flour with 1/4 cup (60 ml) of water in a large jar.
2. Cover the jar and keep it in a warm spot on your counter.
3. Check your starter the next day for bubbles, and give it a good stir.
4. Once a day, throw out about half your starter and "feed" it another 1/2 cup (60 g) of flour with 1/4 cup (60 ml) of water.
5. When your sourdough starter is really bubbly and doubles in size when you feed it, then you can use it to make bread!
Sourdough starter is kind of like yeast, so it helps your bread rise when you're baking. Hope this helps!
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1. Mix 1/2 cup (60 g) of whole wheat flour with 1/4 cup (60 ml) of water in a large jar.
2. Cover the jar and keep it in a warm spot on your counter.
3. Check your starter the next day for bubbles, and give it a good stir.
4. Once a day, throw out about half your starter and "feed" it another 1/2 cup (60 g) of flour with 1/4 cup (60 ml) of water.
5. When your sourdough starter is really bubbly and doubles in size when you feed it, then you can use it to make bread!
Sourdough starter is kind of like yeast, so it helps your bread rise when you're baking. Hope this helps!
Readers Like You Love These Quizzes
There are a few ways to tell when your sourdough bread is fully baked:
Internal Temperature – The most reliable method is using a digital thermometer. Insert it into the center of the loaf; it should read 205–210°F (96–99°C).
Hollow Sound – Tap the bottom of the loaf. If it sounds hollow, it's likely done. If it sounds dense or dull, it may need more time.
Crust Color – A well-baked sourdough should have a deep golden-brown to dark brown crust. If it's too pale, bake it longer.
Firmness & Structure – The loaf should feel light for its size and should not feel too soft or doughy when pressed.
Cooling Test – If you’re unsure, let it cool for at least an hour. If the inside feels sticky or gummy when sliced, it needs more time in the oven.
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Internal Temperature – The most reliable method is using a digital thermometer. Insert it into the center of the loaf; it should read 205–210°F (96–99°C).
Hollow Sound – Tap the bottom of the loaf. If it sounds hollow, it's likely done. If it sounds dense or dull, it may need more time.
Crust Color – A well-baked sourdough should have a deep golden-brown to dark brown crust. If it's too pale, bake it longer.
Firmness & Structure – The loaf should feel light for its size and should not feel too soft or doughy when pressed.
Cooling Test – If you’re unsure, let it cool for at least an hour. If the inside feels sticky or gummy when sliced, it needs more time in the oven.
You should keep your sourdough starter in a clean jar at room temperature if you plan to use it daily, or in the refrigerator if using it less frequently.
Taking Care of Your Starter:
At Room Temperature: Feed it once a day by discarding half and adding equal parts flour and water.
In the Refrigerator: Feed it once a week using the same method. Let it sit at room temperature for a few hours after feeding before returning it to the fridge.
Always use a loose lid to allow airflow, and if you see liquid ("hooch") on top, just stir it in or pour it off before feeding.
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Taking Care of Your Starter:
At Room Temperature: Feed it once a day by discarding half and adding equal parts flour and water.
In the Refrigerator: Feed it once a week using the same method. Let it sit at room temperature for a few hours after feeding before returning it to the fridge.
Always use a loose lid to allow airflow, and if you see liquid ("hooch") on top, just stir it in or pour it off before feeding.
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Reader Tips from How to Make Sourdough Bread
Be sure to discard a portion of your sourdough starter each time you feed it so it doesn't grow too much. You can even give the extra to a friend to use for their own sourdough starter.
If you notice a fuzzy texture on your sourdough starter, throw it away because it's been contaminated with mold.
Reader Tips from How to Make Bread from Scratch
You can mix other ingredients, like cheese, spices, nuts, and berries, into the bread for a tasty, flavorful version of the recipe. We add crushed walnuts and olives to ours and it's delicious!
You could make sourdough with canola oil, butter, safflower oil...lots of variations! We typically make our sourdough with olive oil because of the antioxidants, and it always tastes great.
Reader Tips from How to Fix Dough That Won't Rise
Make sure to preheat the oven at least 5 minutes before you need it so it's hot enough when you put the dough in! A lot of bread gets ruined in a cold start oven.
If your dough doesn't rise, don't chuck it. Failed bread dough can be recycled into batters, pastries, and other baked products without entirely wasting it.
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