My easy sourdough bread recipe is perfect for enjoying on its own or using for sandwiches! I’ll be walking you in detail through every step so you can learn how to make perfect sourdough like a pro. Recipe includes a how-to video!
The Best Sourdough Bread Recipe
My easy homemade sourdough bread is the only bread we eat in my household anymore. In fact, I make 2-3 loaves a week and keep a stockpile in my freezer at all times (handy for making sourdough homemade croutons and breadcrumbs)! And once you try it… well, I think you will, too.
That’s because there’s a lot to love about sourdough bread. First and foremost, it has a high nutritional value and none of the additives (no added sugar, either) you’ll find in most store-bought breads. It also tastes amazing: classic, hearty bread (that’s not overly sour) with a thick, crusty exterior and a soft, springy interior.
But what I think you’ll love most about my recipe is how wonderfully versatile it is. It’s ideal both for dipping in soup, serving as a side with a salad, or using as a sandwich; it also makes an awesome grilled cheese that pairs beautifully with my tomato soup!
Homemade Sourdough is Easier Than You Think!
Making sourdough bread at home is shockingly easy, especially if you use the sourdough starter I shared last week. It is time consuming and you must have patience, but the work itself is very approachable and I wanted to share a version that was easy to follow–perfect for beginners and advanced sourdough bakers alike.
There’s no kneading involved; instead, we’ll use the easy process of stretching and folding, which develops the gluten much like kneading would, but is better suited for higher hydration dough like sourdough. There’s also no mixer or fancy equipment needed with my recipe — you don’t even need a banneton or a Dutch oven, just a pair of bread pans!
Let’s get started (and after you try it, pat yourself on the back and leave me a comment to let me know how you like it!).
What You Need
- Sourdough starter. This can be homemade or store-bought. Obviously, I recommend making your own by using my sourdough starter recipe (this does take over a week to prepare, but it’s worth it!).
- Bread flour. I really recommend bread flour over all purpose for my sourdough bread recipe. Bread flour has a higher protein content and produces a better-crumbed sourdough bread, in my opinion. If you don’t have it, all-purpose is not as great but will be “fine”, but try it at least once with bread flour.
- Olive oil. A bit of olive oil helps make the bread perfectly chewy and soft. I also find it keeps my sourdough softer longer.
- Salt. Salt is critical for flavor (unsurprisingly) but it also plays some other important roles in sourdough bread. It helps balance the acidity from our starter, strengthens the gluten in the dough (important for shape and texture), and it even helps extend the shelf life of the bread by acting as a natural preservative. Don’t let anyone tell you it’s going to hinder your yeast, it won’t (or at least won’t to any noticeable degree and your sourdough will be worse off without it).
- Water. The water called for in my recipe will yield a sourdough loaf that is about 70% hydration. I love this hydration level; it produces a crumb that’s neither too dense nor too open, that’s not too sour but is still flavorful, and that is easy to shape and extremely versatile — we use it for everything from dipping in pot pie soup to eating sandwiches. Once you’re comfortable baking a bread at this hydration level, you can experiment with increasing the water if you’d like. More water usually yields a bread with a more open crumb, a more tangy flavor, and a crumb that’s less suitable for sandwiches but good for dipping.
I wrote this sourdough bread recipe with weights because I find it’s the easiest way to make it (just like with my macaron recipe); however, I have included cup measurements as well.
SAM’S TIP: While some people like to bake their sourdough bread in a dutch oven, I like to use a pair of bread pans. It doesn’t look as rustic this way, but it’s much more practical for my family to have a loaf of bread rather than a round of it. If you’re team Dutch oven, don’t worry–I provide instructions for how to make sourdough bread in a Dutch oven below.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Sourdough Bread
Make the Dough
The first 4 steps in my sourdough bread recipe are the “autolyse” period (or sometimes called an “inclusive autolyse” because we are incorporating all of our ingredients at this point). This step helps boost fermentation, improves the texture (more open crumb!) and flavor, and makes the dough easier to work with.
Note that I do, quite intentionally, include salt in this first step. Some bakers argue that salt will inhibit the yeast growth and negatively impact the crumb. Not so! With the duration of this autolyse and the composition of this particular sourdough bread recipe adding salt at this stage does not make a difference. Leaving it out for this step only makes it more difficult to incorporate later and increases your likelihood of accidentally forgetting to add it altogether (which would be a shame!).
- Combine sourdough starter, water, and oil in a large bowl. Make sure your starter is active and bubbly before adding it.
- Add the bread flour and salt.
- Stir until mostly combined (your dough will still look shaggy). Do not over-mix!
- Cover and let sit at room temperature for one hour.
Stretching & Folding Your Sourdough
- Form your dough into a ball using your hands, the run your hands under cool water.
- Stretch the top of the dough up and over the bottom, then turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat. I demonstrate this in the video below if you need a better visual.
- Repeat the stretch and fold process a total of four times, then cover and place in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes.
- Let your dough rise until increased in size by 80%, repeating the stretch and fold process every 30 minutes.
Assembling
- Deflate and form your dough into a rectangular shape on a lightly floured surface.
- Lift the right side of the dough, fold it over to the center, then repeat with the left side (like folding a paper in thirds).
- Roll into a tight log starting with the short end of the rectangle, then tuck the ends under.
- Place in a greased bread pan, cover loosely, and place in the fridge to rest overnight.
SAM’S TIP: I recommend proofing your dough in the refrigerator overnight rather than baking right away (I also provide instructions for baking right away, though). Proofing overnight will help develop the flavor, help the bread rise better, and encourage more fermentation. That being said, I don’t like to let my dough sit in the fridge for longer than 48 hours (absolute max) before baking. Letting it sit too long can cause over-proofing and can compromise the final texture of your sourdough bread. I also don’t freeze my dough before baking, so I can’t advise on that.
Baking
- Let the dough rest at room temperature while your oven preheats.
- Score the bread about ¼″ deep down the center.
- Cover with another bread pan or an aluminum foil tent.
- Bake at 450F for 30 minutes, then remove the cover and bake for 20-23 minutes or until the bread reaches an internal temperature of 206F (97C).
- Let the bread cool in its pan for 15 minutes.
- Remove the bread from the pan (carefully, it’s still hot!) and place on a cooling rack. Don’t let it sit in the bread pan too long, or your sourdough bread could end up soggy from the steam that it releases in the pan that can’t escape. Once removing to a cooling rack, allow the bread cool completely (or at least almost completely) before slicing.
SAM’S TIP: Don’t cut into the bread while it’s still warm (I know, so hard, so tempting!). Doing this can make your loaf gummy and dense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sourdough is definitely one of the more nutritious types of bread. It’s prebiotic-rich, made by fermenting dough with wild yeast and bacteria (sounds not-so appetizing but in reality is delicious) and is more digestible than your standard white bread. It also has a lower glycemic index and less gluten than normal bread. If you’re going to be indulging in bread, this is arguably a better option than standard white bread.
While a traditional sourdough bread recipe is obviously not gluten free, sourdough bread is sometimes tolerated by people who are gluten sensitive (but not people with Celiac Disease). This is because some of the gluten is consumed during the fermentation process, which makes the bread more easily digestible.
Yes, of course! I wanted to share an easy sourdough bread recipe that can be made with basic kitchen equipment, but you can just as well use a Dutch oven. Follow the written recipe through the rolling and tucking step, then place the dough in a lightly floured banneton (I use my Kitchenaid mixer bowl lined with a lightly floured kitchen towel, because I don’t actually have a banneton). Cover and let rise overnight in the fridge.
The next day, carefully turn out your dough onto a large piece of parchment paper and carefully lower this into a 4.5qt Dutch oven (a larger one would work, but your bread will be flatter and will likely cook faster). Allow the dough to sit uncovered while the oven preheats, then score, cover with a lid, and follow recipe instructions for baking.
You can preheat your Dutch oven (as I do in my artisan bread recipe) to make it nice and hot before adding your dough if you’d like, but honestly I rarely do this step with this recipe.
I know that there are many sourdough bread recipes out there and so many different ways to make it, but this is my personal favorite version that I’ve carefully developed over the past year. I can’t wait to hear how you like it (let me know in the comments!), I hope you’ll always want to keep a loaf in your house, too! ❤️
Enjoy!
If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Sourdough Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup (150 g) active starter bubbly, active, fed
- 1 ⅓ cups (315 g) warm water 90F
- 1 ½ (18 g) Tablesoons olive oil
- 3 ⅔ cups (450 g) bread flour
- 2 teaspoons (13 g) table salt
- Oil for greasing pan
- Additional flour for dusting work-surface
Recommended Equipment
- Bread lame (optional, or use sharp knife)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine sourdough starter, water, and olive oil. Stir until combined.⅔ cup (150 g) active starter, 1 ⅓ cups (315 g) warm water, 1 ½ (18 g) Tablesoons olive oil
- Add bread flour and sprinkle salt overtop. Use your (clean) hands or a wooden spoon to stir together until dough is mostly combined. It will still be a bit shaggy and should not be cohesive (don’t over-mix) but no dry patches of flour should remain.3 ⅔ cups (450 g) bread flour, 2 teaspoons (13 g) table salt
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit undisturbed for one hour (this is the “autolyse” period).
Stretch & Fold
- Form dough into a ball with your hands.
- Run your hands under cool water (prevents sticking!) and grasp the top of the dough and stretch it over the bottom. Turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat. Turn 90 degrees and repeat again, then once more (four total stretch & folds).
- Allow dough to rest, covered, in a warm place for 30 minutes.
- Repeat step 2 above every 30 minutes as dough rises.
- Allow dough to rise (stretching and folding every 30 minutes as indicated) until dough has increased in size about 80% (how long this takes depends on the temperature of your kitchen, typically mine is ready within 4-6 hours).
Forming the Dough
- Lightly grease a 9×5 loaf pan (with olive oil or butter) .Oil for greasing pan
- When dough has risen sufficiently, turn it out onto a clean, lightly floured surface.Additional flour for dusting work-surface
- Use your hands to gently deflate the dough and pat it into a rectangular shape. Lift the right side of the dough and fold it into the center (almost as if you were closing a book). Then, lift the left side of the dough and fold it over the first fold (use a bench scraper if the dough is sticking to your counter).
- Starting with a skinny end, tightly roll the dough, as if you were rolling up a cinnamon roll. Tuck the ends under and carefully transfer to prepared bread pan. Don’t worry if the bread doesn’t fill the pan right now.
- Cover pan tightly with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to rest overnight/for 12-24 hours.
Baking
- Remove sourdough from the refrigerator and preheat oven to 450F. Let oven preheat and dough rest (covered or uncovered) for at least 30-35 minutes before proceeding.
- Once oven has preheated, uncover bread, make a clean slice (about ¼” deep) down the center with a sharp knife or bread lame (to score it) then cover with another 9×5 pan (if you don’t have a second pan, you may instead make a makeshift oven using aluminum foil; tent it as high as the bread pan is deep).
- Transfer to center rack of preheated oven. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes then remove the lid and continue to bake another 20-23 minutes/until golden brown and the center of bread reaches 206-208F (97C).
- Allow bread to cool in pan for 15 minutes before gently turning it out onto a cooling rack (careful, the pan will still be hot!) to cool for at least 1-2 hours (until it no longer feels warm) before cutting into it.
Notes
To bake the same day:
Follow recipe through step 4 under the “Forming the Dough” section. Immediately after transferring dough to pan, preheat oven to 450F (230C). Allow dough to rest uncovered while oven preheats, at least 30 minutes. Once oven is preheated, follow directions in recipe starting with step 2 under the “Baking” section. Note that bread will not be as flavorful or nutritious & texture will not be as great if it is not allowed to sit in the fridge overnight.Storing & Freezing
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. You may also freeze this bread. Freeze the whole loaf by wrapping tightly in plastic wrap and then wrapping in foil. When ready to thaw, keep covered completely and defrost at room temperature before unwrapping. We prefer to freeze pre-sliced: Cut bread into slices and storing in a plastic Ziploc bag (remove as much air as you can before freezing). If you struggle with freezer burn or plan to freeze the bread longer than a few weeks, you can individually wrap each slice in plastic wrap before closing in the plastic bag.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Nikki
This was my first time making sourdough into a sandwich bread style and this turned out so good even will all purpose flour! I’ll have to try bread flour next.
Great instructions and delicious results. Thank you!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for giving it a try, Nikki! Enjoy 😊
B.G.
OMG. The crust is a perfect combination or flaky, crispy, chewy goodness! The crumb is so soft. Beautiful flavor profile I attribute to the olive oil. Highly recommend you make this bread! All your recipes are amazing!
Bethaney
Hello Sam! I just started making sourdough bread, thank you for having such an easy recipe to follow! I have mine in the refrigerator now, ready to bake tomorrow. Thank you for all you do!!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Bethaney! 🙂
Madyson
I have made this bread several times and I love it. I have given away loaves to neighbors and friends and they also say it has a great taste!! I was wondering about making a blueberry lemon loaf anf was not sure if adding sugar or honey if it would change the bread. I know I can add the zest and berries during the stretch and folds and wasn’t sure about sugar!
Janet
My bread baked for 30
Min with another pan on top in 450 oven and then 20 min with top pan off. I think my oven is hotter than 450 and my loaf was quite dark.
I almost burnt it. Wondering if I could bake at a lower temp? Please advise.
Other than that the bread was delicious.
Sam
Hi Janet! If your oven is running hot you will definitely want to adjust the temperature. 🙂
Laura Rallios
I’m not new to sourdough baking…. my starter’s name is Lucy. 🙂 But my usual recipes are a little tedious to make (needing steam, and hour of oven preheating, etc.) This one was so easy, and the texture and flavor was amazing. I found my new sourdough bread recipe!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We are so happy our recipe was such a hit for you, Laura! Can’t wait to hear what you and Lucy make next 😉
Shannon Lawrence
Hi!
I tried this recipe turned out amazing! So thank you! I was wondering if I could add jalapeños and cheddar to this recipe.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Shannon! Yes, you can follow the instructions in our sourdough cheddar jalapeno bread recipe 😊
Deb Staples
Shannon,
Thanks for the step by step direction for sour dough bread. i followed and was very successful in making my first loaf. I actually made this is my kitchen in my semi started by growing my own starter. Thanks so much excited to learn more.
Shannon Lawrence
Thank you! Can’t wait to give it a try ♥️
Misty Jones
I’m a huge fan of sugar spun run. Sam basically taught me how to cook/bake.
I double or quadruple this recipie most weeks and it still isn’t enough bread for my family! One thing I was doing wrong was not waiting long enough for my starter to be ready after feeding but ever since I learned what I was doing wrong, I’ve been sucessful! Thanks Sam!
Sam
Thank you so much, Misty! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed everything so much! 🙂
Kathy Allard
I am planning to try this recipe and was wondering if a cast-iron bread pan will be okay and if so should I lessen the bake time?
Sam
Hi Kathy! A cast iron bread pan will work. I haven’t personally used one but I *think* potentially it could cook faster so I would probably check it a few minutes earlier. Let me know how it goes if you do try it. 🙂
Quintin
Really straightforward recipe! When it came time to shape, my dough was still quite sticky. Didn’t hold it’s shape much. I used Kind Arthur organic bread flour.
What could be the culprit? Overhydration or more flour when shaping? It’s in the fridge now, but hoping to improve for next time!
Sam
Hi Quintin! It actually sounds like things went very well. Did you see mine in the video? The pan will help it keep shape when it bakes. 🙂
Quintin
I just watched your video! Great stuff. I still think my dough was wetter (comparing visually) than yours when shaping into a roll. It’s possible I should have used a bit more flour, but mine tried to relax after rolling and didn’t retain it’s shape too well like yours does in the video.
On a separate note, I did 4 stretch & folds over the course of two hours (30 min apart) and then it took about 4 additional hours to rise the full 80%. Can’t say I saw too much rise during the S&F process. Does that sound right? Too long?
Sam
Hi Quintin! You may have needed a little bit more flour in the dough. You should see some rise occurring during the stretch and fold process.
Rosanna T Oxhorn
Same problem both times I tried this recipe. I weigh my ingredients and used a mature starter. It was so wet I could not shape it.
Sam
Hi Rosanna! Did you watch the video? You won’t shape it like a traditional loaf of bread. It’s supposed to be a bit on the looser side. It will hold shape due to the pan. 🙂
Rosanna T Oxhorn
I am confused. Do we do the stretch and folds throughout the whole rising process every 30 minutes before we refrigerate? Or do we only do 4 stretch and folds? And how do you know the dough is 80% risen and ready for the refrigerator? Are there any other indicators? Made this recipe and it is sitting on the counter waiting to cool down. Looks gorgeous! Can’t wait to cut into it.
Sam
Hi Rosanna! You will want to do the stretch and fold process as it sits in the bowl and works on rising. I don’t really have a good indicator for what 80% risen looks like you just need to know what it looked like when it started and make your best guess. 🙂
Amber
I haven’t actually made this recipe (yet) but I cannot express how much I appreciate the way you write your instructions. I get so frustrated scrolling between ingredients/measurement and instructions on a phone. Having the measurements WITH the instructions is so helpful.
Sam
I hope you love it, Amber! 🙂
Valerie Sorensen
I haven’t attempted sourdough in years! I was recently gifted some starter from Germany, and have now caught the baking bug! Thank you for an amazing recipe! So easy to follow, and it yields a delicious loaf! The flavor is amazing, and the texture couldn’t be better! I folded in some kalamata olives, and fresh rosemary, and everyone is raving about it!
I’m going to attempt a nut and seed version next. As a chef (not a baker) I appreciate your excellent instructions, as your recipe surely did not disappoint!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
That sounds amazing, Valerie! We are so happy our recipe has been a success for you 🥰
Jake
Turned out fantastic! I’ve been dabbling in sour dough for a couple years and this is the best one I’ve made. It takes a while but was totally worth the effort.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy our recipe was a winner for you, Jake! Enjoy 😊
Laura
I’m excited to try this recipe! For ones I usually make, I preheat my dutch oven for half an hour then pull it out, drop the loaf in, and put it right back in the oven. it seems to help give it a quicker rise. I’m just wondering if there’s a reason why that might not work for this recipe? Or is it just a matter of preference?
Casey @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Laura! Doing it that way can work, it really is a matter of preference. If you preheat your dutch oven the bread may need a little less bake time.🙂
Connie
I just made this recipe and so happy it’s my 1st successful sourdough loaf. Tastes so good just the right level of sour. I like the bread pan loaf method rather than the round loaf for daily use.
I am new to sourdough and failed the 1st time with this recipe, but 2nd attempt much better results. I live in Chicago area and it always seems my dough is always requiring more flour then the recipe calls. Your video was a HUGE help for me to understand what the dough should look like at each stage. Thanks for sharing and know I will be using this recipe for my weekly loaf.
Helen
Best sourdough bread recipe and easy to make!
Sherrie Jenkins
I made this the other day and it was just heavenly! follow recipe exactly..I used a loaf pan with another tenting it.
id like to incorporate some whole wheat floral into my loaf next time..is there anything I would need to do different? would water amou t be the same if adding a percentage of whole wheat to the total flour weight ?
Sam
Hi Sherrie! Whole wheat flour can be a bit thirstier so you may need less. I’m glad you enjoy it so much! 🙂