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    You are here: Home / Breads / Sourdough Bread Recipe

    Sourdough Bread Recipe

    March 13, 2023 By Sam 8 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
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    collage of sourdough bread, top image is a close up of bread loaf with sliced, bottom image of bread slices photographed from above

    My simple 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!

    Sourdough bread loaf with a slice resting against it.

    The Best Sourdough Bread Recipe

    This 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! 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!

    Slices of homemade bread after being cut off a loaf.

    Homemade Bread 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.

    There’s no kneading involved; instead, we’ll use an easy process known as 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!

    I’m so excited to share this one with you (and I’ve been teasing it long enough on Instagram, haven’t I?!), so let’s get started.

    What You Need

    Overhead view of ingredients including olive oil, bread flour, sourdough starter, and more.

    My sourdough bread recipe has perfect flavor, especially considering there are so few ingredients. You will 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 this recipe. Bread flour has a higher protein content and produces a better-crumbed sourdough bread, in my opinion.
    • 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.
    • 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

    Collage of four photos showing sourdough starter being combined with flour and water to create a dough.
    1. Combine sourdough starter, water, and oil in a large bowl. Make sure your starter is active and bubbly before adding it.
    2. Add the bread flour and salt.
    3. Stir until mostly combined (your dough will still look shaggy). Do not over-mix!
    4. Cover and let sit at room temperature for one hour.

    Stretching & Folding

    Collage of four photos showing dough being lifted and folded while rising.
    1. Form your dough into a ball using your hands, the run your hands under cool water.
    2. 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.
    3. Repeat the stretch and fold process a total of four times, then cover and place in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes.
    4. Let your dough rise until increased in size by 80%, repeating the stretch and fold process every 30 minutes.

    Assembling

    Collage of four photos showing dough being folded and formed into a loaf being being placed in a bread pan.
    1. Deflate and form your dough into a rectangular shape on a lightly floured surface.
    2. 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).
    3. Roll into a tight log starting with the short end of the rectangle, then tuck the ends under.
    4. 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

    Collage of four photos showing bread dough being scored before covering and baking.
    1. Let the dough rest at room temperature while your oven preheats.
    2. Score the bread about ¼″ deep down the center.
    3. Cover with another bread pan or an aluminum foil tent.
    4. Bake at 450F for 30 minutes, then remove the cover and bake for 20-23 minutes or until the bread reaches 206-208F.
    Two photos showing a loaf of bread in its pan after baking before being removed to a cooling rack.
    1. Let the bread cool in its pan for 15 minutes.
    2. Remove the bread from the pan (carefully, it’s still hot!) and place on a cooling rack. Let the bread cool 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.

    Overhead view of a loaf of homemade bread in a bread pan on a cooling rack.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Is sourdough bread healthier than normal bread?

    Sourdough is definitely one of the more nutritious types of bread. It’s a prebiotic-rich food made by fermenting dough with wild yeast and bacteria (sounds gross 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.

    Is sourdough bread gluten free?

    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.

    How do I make this recipe in a Dutch oven?

    Follow my recipe through the rolling and tucking step, then place 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.

    Slices of sourdough bread on a wood cutting board.

    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, I hope you’ll always want to keep a loaf in your house, too! ❤️

    Enjoy!

    Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook

    Sourdough bread loaf with a slice resting against it.

    Sourdough Bread Recipe

    This 5-ingredient sourdough bread recipe is perfect for sandwiches. My recipe explains every step so you can learn how to make sourdough like a pro!
    Recipe includes a how-to video!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Bread
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 2 hours
    Cook Time: 50 minutes
    Rising Time: 16 hours
    Total Time: 18 hours 50 minutes
    Servings: 1 loaf
    Calories: 1820kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    • ⅔ cup (150 g) active starter bubbly, active, fed
    • 1 ⅓ cups (315 g) warm 90F water
    • 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

    • Mixing bowls
    • 2 loaf pans
    • Bench scraper (optional)
    • Bread lame (optional, or use sharp knife)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    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, 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

    Serving: 1loaf | Calories: 1820kcal | Carbohydrates: 364g | Protein: 59g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 4678mg | Potassium: 459mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 9IU | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 4mg

    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.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. CindyLou

      March 18, 2023 at 10:55 pm

      5 stars
      This is my new favorite bread recipe. I usually bake bread in a Dutch oven but I wanted to try a traditional sandwich loaf size and found your recipe. While it seemed to be a lot of folding, it was worth it (every 30 minutes until it increases in size by 80%. I ended up folding five times.) The dough had a nice texture. Popped it in the refrigerator overnight for 14 hours, then baked as recipe directed. Didn’t have an extra loaf pan the same size, so I tented the pan.
      The only changes I made were: decreased the olive oil a few grams and also decreased the salt slightly. The bread turned out beautifully, had a nice texture, and was so delicious. I can hardly stay away from it, lol!

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 20, 2023 at 9:17 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much! I really love the convenience of the loaf of bread for sandwiches. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Tara Fields

      March 17, 2023 at 8:02 pm

      I grind my own wheat – would that flour work?

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 20, 2023 at 9:32 pm

        Hi Tara! I believe that would be considered whole wheat flour and I haven’t developed the recipe with whole wheat flour. It’s typically a bit “thirstier” and may require some other alterations. If you do try it I would love to know hot it goes.

        Reply
    3. Alfred

      March 14, 2023 at 1:36 am

      5 stars
      Sounds like a great recipe.
      Just a side note: this is not 53% hydration. The hydration level is the ratio of water to flour, in this case 315 to 450 = 70%.

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 14, 2023 at 10:34 am

        Thank you, Alfred! I’ve updated that number 🙂

        Reply
    4. Karen

      March 13, 2023 at 5:08 pm

      5 stars
      Hi! I love that your ingredients for this recipe are basic water flour starter salt and olive oil. Most are enriched with butter and sugar or honey etc. I have a USA Pan Pullman Loaf Pan – 9 x 4 x 4 with a flat lid. Will your recipe ingredients need to be decreased to fit or will it work covered with lid or tented aluminum foil for best results?

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 13, 2023 at 9:31 pm

        Hi Karen! I would tent the pan. It will be pretty tall when it’s done baking. I hope you love it! 🙂

        Reply

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