Beginner’s Sourdough Bread Recipe
Let’s Bake Sourdough! (Once You’re Ready to Get Your Hands Messy)
I still remember my first loaf of sourdough — it was about as round as a football, and almost as dry (sorry, Mum, if you’re reading this). But now? Well, I may still get flour everywhere, but my bread actually tastes like it’s from a bakery, at least according to my kids (their standards do run a bit low when it comes to carbs, but still). If you’re new to sourdough, don’t stress! It’s honestly more forgiving than people make it out to be, once you accept a few sticky hands and odd-looking dough along the way. Plus, there’s something rather magical about seeing a blob of flour and water turn into your actual breakfast. Anyway, enough waffle — let’s get stuck in.
Why You’ll Genuinely Love Making This Bread
I make this recipe whenever I want the house to smell like a Parisian bakery — or when I’ve got a friend coming round who thinks I’m fancier than I am. My family absolutely demolishes this bread, usually still warm (sometimes even before I officially declare it done). There’s just something about the chewiness and that slightly tangy flavor — though I’ll admit, there’ve been mornings where I wish I’d started it the night before instead of faffing around after work. (If I had a penny for every time I forgot the dough during its bulk rise…well, I’d have a lot of pennies and some over-proofed bread.)
What You’ll Need (And What You Can Swap In If Needed)
- 3 1/4 cups (400g) bread flour (sometimes I use plain flour — it works, just a bit less springy. My gran used to insist on Brand X, but I’ve never noticed much difference, to be honest)
- 1 cup (240g) active sourdough starter (if yours is a bit sluggish, just feed it and wait)
- 1 1/4 cups (300g) lukewarm water (the kind that feels like a tepid bath, not a hot tub)
- 2 teaspoons salt (table salt or sea salt is fine, so long as it’s not the gigantic flakes)
Optional: If you’re feeling wild, toss in a handful of seeds (sunflower, pumpkin) or swap out a quarter of the flour for whole wheat. Be warned, the dough can be a bit stickier with whole wheat — nothing a good dusting of flour can’t fix.
How I Get It Done: Step By Step (Kind Of)
- Mix Your Dough: In a big bowl, combine the flour, water, and starter. I just use a wooden spoon to start, then use my hands because it’s honestly more fun (and the kids always want to get involved). It’ll be a shaggy mess — that’s perfect.
- Add Salt: Scatter the salt over and mix it in. I’ve forgotten this step before, don’t recommend it unless you like bland bread. Give it a good mix by hand until it’s mostly brought together.
- Rest Time: Cover the bowl with a slightly-damp tea towel and leave it alone for about 30 minutes. Go have a cuppa or tend to that email you’ve been ignoring.
- Stretch and Fold (But Not Too Much): Every 30 minutes or so for the next two hours (so 3 or 4 times), grab the edge of the dough and stretch it up and over, quarter-turning the bowl each time. It gets a bit bouncy — this is where I usually sneak a little prod, just because it’s so blobby. Don’t worry if it looks weird — it always does for me at this stage.
- Bulk Fermentation: After the last fold, cover it back up and let it rise till it’s about doubled — usually 4 to 6 hours. Warm kitchens do the trick faster. My dough sometimes looks lazy, so I let it go a bit longer if it still seems sleepy.
- Shape the Loaf: Gently tip the dough onto a floured surface — don’t punch it down like regular yeast bread, just wrangle it into a ball or an oval. I do this with both hands, sometimes it sticks, that’s normal. Pop it seam side up into a floured bowl (or a proving basket if you’re posh).
- Final Rise: Cover and let it puff up again for 1 to 2 hours. Or stick it in the fridge overnight if you want a more assertive flavor — I do this when I can plan ahead (which is rare).
- Bake That Loaf: Heat your oven to 230°C (450°F). Place a Dutch oven or heavy pot inside to heat up too. When the oven’s ready, tip the dough onto a bit of parchment, score the top (I just use a serrated knife, nothing fancy), and gently pop it into the pot. Lid on.
- Bake and Unleash the Smells: Bake with the lid on for 20 minutes, then off for another 20–25, until the top is deep golden. And if the bottom sounds hollow when you tap it, you’re good.
Random (Actually Useful) Notes From My Kitchen
- If your starter is looking more like wallpaper paste than bubbly, feed it and try again tomorrow. Trust me.
- The dough always feels too sticky at first. Just flour your hands lightly and soldier on.
- That overnight fridge rise? Changes the game if you like extra tangy bread. I think it tastes better the next day, though it doesn’t always last that long here.
Variations I’ve Tried (Some Better Than Others)
- Swapping a cup of bread flour for rye. Made it denser and a bit earthy — great for cheese toasties, not so much for peanut butter.
- Chucking in dried cranberries and walnuts was a winner at Christmas. Kids liked it less, but the adults swooned.
- Once I tried adding grated carrot (I dunno what I was thinking), but it came out kinda soggy. Won’t be doing that again soon!
- If you don’t have a Dutch oven, I’ve used a regular baking tray and chucked a baking dish of water on the bottom shelf for steam. Works, just not as crusty.
Equipment I Use (And How to Fake It If You’re Short)
- Mixing bowl (big enough for dough to balloon up; I’ve used a stockpot in a pinch)
- Wooden spoon or, honestly, just your hands
- A proving basket (I only got one last year — before that, a colander with a tea towel did the job)
- Dutch oven or heavy lidded pot (see above for the tray and steam hack)
- Parchment paper (or well-oiled foil if you’re out)
How I (Try to) Store It
If, on the off chance there’s bread left, I wrap mine in a clean tea towel and stick it in the bread bin. It’s good for a couple of days, though it does get chewier. Toasts up brilliantly, though. Freezing’s fine — just slice first for easy toast. Though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day!
Serving Suggestions (aka The Best Ways to Enjoy Your Triumph)
For me, thick slices slathered in butter while it’s still warm is unbeatable. My youngest likes hers with honey. At weekends, we do open-faced sandwiches — a bit Scandi, if I’m honest — sometimes with smoked salmon and dill (feels posh, even if I skip the dill). Oh, and don’t get me started on sourdough as the base for eggs in the morning. Perfection.
Things I Learned the Hard Way (Pro Tips, Sort Of)
- Don’t try and rush the bulk rise — I got impatient and baked early once. Flat as a pancake, and about as chewy.
- If your knife isn’t sharp for scoring, just give up and use scissors or a razor blade. I tried using a butter knife and let’s just say, it wasn’t pretty.
- Honestly, keeping the starter fed and happy is more work than the bread itself. Sometimes I forget for a few days. It forgives a lot, but if it’s pink or smells off, bin it. Not worth the risk.
FAQ (Because People Have Actually Asked Me These!)
Q: I don’t have a starter — can I use instant yeast?
A: You can, but then it isn’t really sourdough — it’ll still taste nice, just not as complex. You can start a new starter (takes about a week) or ask a mate for some — I’ve given mine to half my street by now.
Q: Why does my bread always come out heavy?
A: Likely under-proofed, or too much flour if you got nervous with the stickiness. It’s sticky, always. Use wet hands instead of extra flour, works wonders, actually.
Q: Can I use whole wheat flour?
A: Definitely! The dough’ll be a tad denser, so maybe cut it half and half the first go. I prefer the flavor, though the kids call it ‘brown bread’ and are less enthusiastic, ha!
Q: What if I don’t have a Dutch oven?
A: Like I said above, just bake on a tray with a hot dish of water for some steam. Crust won’t be as dramatic, but it’ll still be fab.
Q: Do I have to wait until it’s cool to slice?
A: You’re supposed to, but I rarely do. Just know it might be a bit doughy if you cut it hot, but who’s resisting fresh bread?
One last thing — if you’re starting out and your first loaf ends up a tad wonky, no worries. It’s just bread, and as my neighbor Jean always says, butter covers a multitude of sins.
Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups (410g) bread flour
- 1 1/4 cups (300g) water, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) active sourdough starter
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for greasing)
- Cornmeal or flour for dusting
Instructions
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1In a large bowl, mix the bread flour and water until just combined. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
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2Add the sourdough starter and salt to the dough. Mix until fully incorporated and dough is sticky.
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3Perform 4 sets of stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes, covering the dough in between. Total rest time is 2 hours.
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4Shape the dough into a ball and place it seam-side up in a floured proofing basket or bowl. Let it rise at room temperature for 4-6 hours, or until doubled in size.
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5Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Turn out the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, score the top, and bake for 40 minutes until golden brown and crusty.
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6Cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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