Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe

Discover the easiest sourdough recipe perfect for beginners! Learn how to make soft, tangy bread with simple steps and timed schedule so you can bake delicious sourdough today!

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$2.58 per recipe/$1.29 a loaf

Loaf of sourdough bread with spiral design and ovenspring and brown parchment paper in white Dutch oven.

If you’ve been wanting to try your hand at sourdough but feel intimidated, you’re in the right place!

I’ve been making sourdough bread for years, and after lots of trial and error (and plenty of gummy and under-proofed sourdough loaves), I finally found the best and easiest method for consistently delicious bread.

This recipe is simple, beginner-friendly, and produces a soft, tangy loaf that you’ll be proud to pull out of the oven. Let’s dive into the step-by-step process so you can start baking sourdough like a pro!

This recipe works because it:

Uses minimal ingredients. This recipe uses just a few simple ingredients, making it easy to prepare and follow, even for beginners. No need for fancy flours or complicated ingredients.
Incorporates a long, slow rise. By allowing the dough to rise slowly in the fridge, you’re enhancing the flavor and texture of the bread, giving it that signature tangy taste without the need for rushed fermentation.
Gives consistent results: After years of trial and error, this method has given me consistently delicious results, so you can be confident you’ll get a beautiful loaf with every bake!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Piece of sourdough bread showing crumb structure and air pockets.

Take out your sourdough starter from the fridge sometime in the afternoon. NOTE: This assumes you keep your starter in the fridge in between baking. If your starter lives on the counter, you can skip to the next step.

At 9:15 PM, feed 150 grams of starter with 150 grams hot (but not steaming) water and 150 grams flour (I use a large Mason jar for this part). Stir with a wooden spoon until combined and loosely cover with the lid. Leave the mixture on the counter overnight.

At 9:15 AM the next day, add 300 grams of the bubbly starter and 700 grams of hot (but not steaming) water in a non-metal bowl using a wooden spoon.

Once the water is murky, add 1000 grams of flour and 25 grams of salt. Mix until combined. NOTE: The dough will look very shaggy or “rough” at this stage. That’s OK!

Cover the bowl with a towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.

At 10:00 AM do one set of stretch and folds. This is where you pull one side of the dough up fold it across, spin the bowl a quarter turn and repeat until you’ve done the entire bowl of dough.

Cover the bowl with the towel again and do up to 3 more stretch and folds every 30 minutes.

Once you’re done with the stretch and folds, let the dough rest.

At 4:15 PM, turn the dough out on a floured surface and divide into two parts.

Shape the dough into boules by folding it over and then using a non-floured surface to create tension. You can see a video of this technique here.

Place the shaped boules into the bannetons and cover. Place in the fridge while your oven preheats OR overnight (I’ve been leaving them in overnight because I usually run out of time to bake them at night).

When you’re ready to bake your loaves, place your dutch oven in the oven and preheat it to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a baking sheet on the lower rack of the oven to keep the bottom of the loaves from burning.

Let the Dutch oven preheat at 500 degrees for 30 minutes.

After 20 minutes, turn the oven down to 450 degrees. Take one loaf out off the fridge and turn it onto a sheet of parchment paper. Score the bread and place it in the heated Dutch oven. Place the lid on and bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes.

After 25 minutes, remove the lid and bake for another 20-25 minutes until the loaf has developed a nice golden brown color.

Remove the loaf from the dutch oven and repeat the baking process with the other loaf.

Let your sourdough rest for at least an hour before cutting into it (this is why I prefer to proof the bread overnight so we can eat it with dinner the next day!).

Recipe Tips and Substitutions

Dutch oven with sourdough loaf on wood cutting board with pieces of bread nearby.

Before I share any tips, I want to say that this recipe works best for those who are already comfortable making sourdough, but maybe haven’t gotten the loaves they see online. If you haven’t ever made sourdough before, it may take a few times of trial and error before you get really beautiful loaves. Sourdough can be a steep learning curve, but once you get the method down, it’s really a simple process!

That said, I’ve provided a lot of commentary in the recipe so that you should get a really good result on your first loaf.

If you do not have sourdough starter, you can ask family, friends or in your neighborhood. Or make your own here.

Make sure you don’t use all of your starter when making your bread or you will not have any to make loaves the next time! If you find that 300 grams takes all of your starter, you will need to start the process again at 9:15 PM.

There are several essentials when making sourdough:

Food scale
Dutch oven

Your bread will not be as successful without a food scale and Dutch oven (I am speaking from experience here!).

There are also some nice-to-haves

Bannetons and bread lame

Bannetons are nice, but definitely not necessary. You can use a:

Colander
Loaf tin
Or glass bowl

as a replacement for a banneton. A bread lame is also not necessary, but makes it easier to score the dough before baking.

I like to use my food scale to divide the dough before shaping so that each loaf is an even size.

The easiest way to cut sourdough is the cut the loaf in half right down the middle. Then place the exposed bread side down on the cutting board so just the crust is showing. Start on the end and use a sharpened bread knife to make the cuts. It will get tricky to not squish the bread when you get to the ends, but this technique results in fewer squished pieces!

Recipe Costs

Slices of sourdough bread on wood cutting board with butter in small white dish.

This recipe costs $2.58 to make which comes out to $1.29 a loaf! It’s cheaper than buying bread at the store, especially store-bought sourdough.

Sourdough starter – $10 (if you purchase it); $0.78 if you make one yourself
Flour – $1.28 (Buy this in bulk from Costco or Sam’s Club to save money!)
Salt – $0.52

Serve This With

Metal spatula rests on white baking dish with cut pieces of lasagna with melted mozzarella.

Spoon in bowl of soup with meatballs, noodles, potatoes, and carrots.

Sourdough bread goes so well with soups or saucy dishes because it’s crusty and can soak up lots of liquid without getting soggy. Here are some of our favorite pairings:

Here are additional ideas that are great uses of sourdough!

Avocado Toast: Top a slice of sourdough with mashed avocado, a sprinkle of salt, and red pepper flakes. Add a poached egg for extra protein.
Egg Sandwiches: Use sourdough slices to create a breakfast sandwich with scrambled eggs, cheese, and your favorite breakfast meat.
French Toast: Sourdough’s tangy flavor makes for an elevated French toast experience.
Tomato Soup: The tanginess of sourdough perfectly complements a creamy tomato soup.
Grilled Cheese: The crusty sourdough bread takes this classic sandwich to the next level. Pair with soup for the ultimate comfort meal.
Bruschetta: Toast sourdough slices and top with fresh tomatoes, basil, and olive oil for a simple appetizer or light lunch.
Garlic Bread: Brush sourdough with garlic butter, toast it, and serve as a snack or side dish.
Sourdough Pizza: Use sourdough slices as a base for mini pizzas with your favorite toppings.
Sourdough’s versatility makes it a great addition to almost any meal!

FAQs

Closeup shot of sourdough loaf with spiral design and oven spring on brown parchment paper.

How do I know when my starter is ready to use?

Your starter is ready when it’s bubbly, has doubled in size, and passes the “float test” (a small scoop floats in water). If you have a healthy starter and follow the directions in the recipe, your start will be ready to use at 9 AM even without testing it!

What’s the best flour to use?

Bread flour gives better structure and a chewier texture. If you only have all-purpose flour, the recipe will still work but may have a softer crumb.

How do I store sourdough bread?

I store my bread on a cake stand with a glass cloche. You can also store your bread in a paper bag or wrapped in a tea towel at room temperature. For longer storage, slice and freeze the bread, then toast slices as needed.

What if my dough doesn’t rise?

If your dough isn’t rising, your starter may not be active enough, or the environment may be too cold. Make sure your starter is bubbly and vibrant, and try proofing the dough in a warm spot, like a preheated oven to the lowest temperature and then the heat turned off!