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This is an easy sourdough bread recipe using your natural sourdough starter. This can be baked in a dutch oven or on a sheet pan for equally great results.
The smell of this bread baking will fill your house and give you warm, cozy feelings. Serve it with some good butter or a dipping sauce like garlic butter sauce or herbed olive oil.
Sourdough bread recipes tend to look intimidating and complicated. If you look at most sourdough bread recipes, they are long and have several steps to them. Additionally, for anyone that is new to baking sourdough, most recipes use unfamiliar terminology.
Truly, you don’t need to know the difference between a poolish, levain, mother, or sponge to make great sourdough bread. And you don’t need to take all the extra steps to be successful.
How to make this easy sourdough bread recipe:
A condensed version of all the steps can be broken down into five basic actions.
- Mix all the ingredients together and knead the dough.
- Let the dough rise.
- Shape the dough.
- Let the dough rise a second time.
- Bake the loaf of bread.
It is really that easy. The instructions in the recipe card are lengthier in order to give you more success but all you have to do is start. The more you bake bread, the more proficient you will get. You will even find yourself checking out long, complicated recipes. Bread making is an addicting hobby.
Do you need to knead the dough
Kneading dough helps form the gluten and gives the bread strength, structure, and better texture. With most bread recipes, in order to get the gluten to develop completely, you will have to knead the dough for 10 minutes or longer. However, another way that gluten is formed is to allow the enzymes in the flour to break down the proteins and develop the gluten. In other words, letting the dough sit for an extended period of time will naturally “knead” the bread.
Since natural wild yeast works slower than commercial yeast, the longer ferment time will do most of the kneading for you. As a result, this recipe does not require a long knead time. If you find it therapeutic then go ahead and knead the dough. But if you’re anxious to move on to your next chore then you only need to work the dough for a minute.
Is it necessary for the bread to rise twice?
Almost every yeast bread recipe instructs you to let the bread go through two rise sessions. Mix it, knead it and let it rise once. Then knock the air out, shape the loaf and let it rise a second time. If you’re new to bread making, you may want to skip that second rise and bake it right after the first rise.
If you really want to skip the second rise, you can. You will still have a reasonably decent loaf of bread. However, if you want exceptional sourdough bread, then yes, allow the bread to rise a second time. The second rise does all kinds of magic to the bread. It gives it a much nicer texture and allows more flavors to develop, giving it a rich and malty flavor.
Adding salt to yeast bread
If you have ever made yeast bread and forgotten the salt, you will understand when I say it will need to be relegated to the compost bin. Perhaps you could use it to make seasoned croutons. But, honestly, bread made without salt is quite bland and tasteless.
Most yeast bread recipes will instruct you to add the salt just before the second rise. The reason many recipes have you add salt later is that salt will kill the yeast. With that said, this recipe (as with most yeast bread recipes) is only 2 percent salt. Truthfully, that is not enough salt to kill your yeast. So go ahead and add the salt in the beginning. The bread will rise just fine.
Shaping the dough
Since natural sourdough takes longer to rise, it can lose its shape over time. By placing it in a proofing basket or bowl, it will hold its shape and prevent the dough from spreading out and becoming flat. You can also help the dough hold its shape better by creating a tightly formed ball of dough. If you cup your hands around the ball of dough then drag it toward you, the dough will start to tighten. Turn the ball of dough and repeat that step three to four times and you will see that the surface tension improves. Watch our video to see how we shape the bread to increase surface tension.
What to use to hold the shape of the dough
There are several things you can use to hold the shape of your bread while it proofs. If you don’t have a proofing basket, a colander or pyrex bowl works well.
Using a colander
If you use a colander, place a tea towel in it so the dough does not fall through the holes. Flour the towel very well to prevent the dough from sticking to the towel. Plain flour will absorb moisture over time so we recommend using a mixture of rice flour and all-purpose flour. Make a blend with equal amounts of flour for perfect results.
Using a Brotform
If you want to use a bread proofing basket like this Brotform, you will not only end up with a nicely shaped loaf but the basket will leave a lovely impression on the dough. It makes a beautiful loaf of bread. As with the tea towel, you will need to give it a generous dusting of flour. Make a 50/50 blend of rice flour and all-purpose flour. If you only use all-purpose flour to dust the Brotform, the dough will stick to the Brotform when you try to remove it.
Using a mixing bowl
You can even use a mixing bowl to hold the shape of your dough. Just find a bowl the size and shape that you would like your bread to be shaped. It does not need to be an oven-proof bowl because you will not bake the bread in the bowl. Give the bowl a generous spray of oil and plop the dough into the bowl.
Once your bread has risen a second time you will tip it out of the bowl or basket and into a Dutch oven. If you don’t have a Dutch oven, you can tip it directly onto a baking sheet. You will get a nicer crust if you use a Dutch oven but you will still have great bread if you don’t use one.
More Sourdough Recipes
There are so many wonderful things to do with sourdough discard! Every time you refresh your starter, instead of throwing away the leftover unfed starter, you can put it to use in all kinds of delicious sourdough recipes.
- Sourdough Ricotta Pancakes
- Wild Yeast Sourdough Starter Recipe
- Sourdough Scones (with Discard)
- Sourdough Stuffing
- 17 Tantalizing Sourdough Recipes
Some other Bread Recipes you might like:
Watch our Video:
Check out our video and see how to make this easy sourdough bread recipe:
John 6:35 Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty’.
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Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe
If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup active sourdough starter, (160 grams)
- 1 ⅓ cups warm water, (314 grams)
- 4 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, (510 grams)
- 2 teaspoons salt, (12 grams)
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in the bowl and stir until it is a chunky, loosely combined dough.
- Dump the dough onto a work surface and knead the dough with your hands until the dough is smooth. (Essentially, you are massaging the dough by stretching and pushing. This will help develop the gluten.) At this stage, it will be wet and sticky. Don’t add more flour or your finished bread will be dense and heavy. The dough will stick to your hands and feel messy but if you get your hands wet it won't stick as easily.
- Place the dough into an oiled bowl. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a towel and let it sit at room temperature for 3 to 6 hours (see notes) or in the refrigerator overnight. (A longer proof time in the fridge will give the bread a more tangy, sourdough flavor.)
- Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knock the air out of it then form it into a round ball. (See notes)
- Place the ball of dough into a proofing basket or any container that is the shape that you want your bread to be shaped. (See notes)
- Let the dough rise again a second time for 3 to 6 hours** at room temperature until doubled in size. (Or you could let it rise in the fridge overnight for 12 to 15 hours-see notes).
- Pre-heat the oven to 450°F. If you want to preheat your Dutch oven, place it in the oven for at least 30 minutes to heat up with the oven. It's an optional step but will give the bread some extra 'spring' (see notes).
- When the oven is hot, tip the loaf of bread into a dutch oven or onto a baking sheet. Make a slash in the loaf with a sharp knife. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. If you are using a Dutch oven, remove the lid after 20 minutes.
Video
Notes
- The amount of time needed for your bread to rise will vary depending on the temperature and humidity. You can slow the rise by placing it in the refrigerator and speed the rise by placing it in a warm room or a dehydrator. A slower fermentation time will help develop more complex flavors.
- You will have more accurate measurements (and better results) if you weigh your ingredients with a scale.
- When you knead and shape your dough, try not to add any flour to your countertop. Adding additional flour will create a denser and heavier bread. You can prevent the dough from sticking to your hands by getting your hands wet.
- If you use a Brotform proofing basket or a tea towel in a bowl to shape your dough, give the basket or tea towel a very generous dusting of flour. Regular flour will absorb too much of the moisture and make the dough stick to the brotform. We recommend making a 50/50 blend of rice flour and all-purpose flour to dust your Brotform or tea towel.
- A Dutch oven works very nicely to form a crusty bread but if you don’t have one you can just bake the bread directly on a baking sheet or even on a hot pizza stone.
- If you let the dough ferment in the fridge, you may not see a significant rise. If the dough does not rise enough while in the fridge, let it sit out at room temperature to rise further before placing it in the oven.
Tips for baking in a Dutch Oven:
- Use parchment paper or spray the Dutch Oven with non-stick spray for easy removal.
- For an extra burst of steam and a slightly higher rise, preheat the Dutch Oven for 30 minutes before placing the bread inside. Use caution when you transfer the dough to the hot Dutch oven as it is easy to burn yourself.
- After the bread bakes for 30 minutes, remove the lid from the Dutch Oven and bake it the rest of the way without the lid.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I made this last week and turned out so well so that I am making again this morning:) It was very crunchy and very delicious with out sugar! I’m testing by using bread machine from Japan so that I can avoid stickiness on my hand, lol.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the comment.
I made the starter from your site. Used it with this recipe. The dough was wet as compare to the video. I am using Gold Medal AP Flour. Checked with the Baker Percentage: which is about 61% (water), it is suppose to be wetter compare to the video?
If you use a 100% hydration sourdough starter, the bread in this recipe will have a 66% hydration. There are a lot of factors that will change the hydration and feel of bread dough but this recipe will work well if the hydration gets adjusted up or down. Extra hydration will make the dough more difficult to work with, but the bread will be lighter and fluffier. Less hydration will make the dough easier to work with but it will result in a denser, heavier loaf of bread.
I started this bread last night and put it in the fridge to rise overnight. When I checked it this morning (10hrs later), it had not risen at all. I now have it in the oven, which I warmed slightly at the lowest setting, in hopes that it will rise in there. Is there anything I can do at this point to salvage? Do you know why it might not have risen at all in the fridge? I followed the recipe and the instructions exactly, except I added a very small additional amount of water, as my dough was a little dry and shaggy at first. I put it in a large glass bowl with a silicone lid in my fridge- which is 34 degrees (too cold??) I used my starter when it was almost back down to its base level but not quite. Would love some feedback. Thanks!
34 degrees is too cold for your dough to have any significant activity. If you try this again and the dough does not rise in the fridge, set it out at room temperature until you see it rise. Sometimes it can take several hours at room temperature if it was in an extra cold fridge. The bread won’t have time to rise enough now that you put it in a hot oven. You will get better results if you use the starter when it reaches peak activity next time as well, although the temperature of the dough has a bigger impact.
@Dahn Boquist, thank you for your reply. I didn’t actually put it in a hot oven- I just warmed my oven a bit (I turned it on the lowest setting- 170 degrees F- for 4 minutes and then shut it off) and then allowed the dough to rise in the warm oven. It took a bit to start rising but it did eventually rise! After about 5 hours, I kneaded it and then allowed it to rise another 3 hours and then baked it in a Dutch oven- it turned out beautifully, although a bit dense- great flavor, crunchy outside, soft inside!
Next time I’ll let it rise on the counter instead!!
I’m glad it turned out. Great to hear. Thanks for the comment.
Twice I attempted this recipe with the worst success ever . Followed all instructions but it was like trying to need yogurt. The second attempt I tried less water still the same . I make lots of bread and have been successful at other sourdough recipes. Sorry this didn’t work for a waste of time and effort . Good others had success must be a flour thing . US flour is quite different to Euro .
Sorry, you didn’t have any luck. I don’t know if it could be the flour but there is a difference between the US and European flour.
This bread turned out excellent. I used 50% hydration starter. I did 6 stretch and folds over 3-4 hours and put it overnight in fridge. After it came up to room temp, I baked it in a Dutch oven at 450. Good sourdough flavor and great oven spring. Thanks so much.
Glad you liked it. Thanks for the comment.
I had to read this crappy article to get a recipe that is blocked cool
I don’t have this content blocked. Can you send me a screenshot so I can help resolve the issue?
This is my second attempt at using this recipe… the dough is very, very dry, more than a yeast bread. I thought I mis-measured so I tried it again and same result.
This recipe was made with 100% hydration sourdough starter. If your sourdough starter isn’t at 100% hydration it will make a big difference in the hydration of the final dough. Since there are so many variables in baking bread it is much easier to go by the feel of the dough. You can adjust the liquid if the dough feels too dry or if you use a lot of flour during your kneading process. One of the key’s to baking bread is being flexible. Using a different type of flour, using a starter with less hydration, using extra flour to knead, and many more factors will affect the final outcome of bread. If the dough doesn’t feel right then go ahead and adjust the flour and liquid during the kneading process.
Do I need to leave the liner in the basket when bread is rising?
You certainly can, it is a matter of personal preference really. Without the liner, you will see more of the design from the basket left on the bread. The liner will give the bread a smoother surface. Also, some people find that the liner helps the bread release from the basket easier.
When preheating the Dutch oven does the lid go on the DO to get preheated or to keep the in?
Thank you for sharing.
Also, you mention using rice flour but just as a nonstick agent, right?
I’ve read some other recipes suggesting using rice flour in the recipe. I have never seen rice flour.
Thanks again.
Yes, I preheat the lid on my Dutch oven as well. Make sure your Dutch oven can withstand the high temperatures and put it in the oven before you turn the oven on. That way you don’t shock it with an immediate high temperature. The rice flour is used just for a non-stick agent in the brotform. It is the best thing I have found to prevent the dough from sticking to the brotform. If you can’t find rice flour then you can make your own by grinding rice in a spice grinder or blender. The rice flour is optional but really does help the shaped dough release from the mold.
HI there. I”ve made two loaves thus far using your tutorial. I just inherited a Kitchenaid and wondered how long to mix with the hook? I’ve never used one before. BTW my first loaf was amazing, the second I overproofed. Fingers crossed on this third one.
Thanks for the comment Gena. Kitchenaid says that you only need to knead dough for 2 minutes with their mixer. I will let the mixer need for 2 minutes then let the dough rest for 5 to 10 minutes before checking it. The rest time makes a big difference in the texture of the dough but if it doesn’t look smooth enough then let the mixer knead the dough for another 2 minutes. I don’t like to let the mixer knead dough for longer than 2-minute intervals because the motor starts to get warm.
Also…. keep it on the number 2 setting while you knead.