Enjoy homemade sourdough bread with this simple recipe.

With a crispy crust and a soft, chewy interior, this simple sourdough bread is sure to become a family favorite. 

First time making sourdough?

This easy sourdough bread recipe is the perfect recipe to start with.

You'll need just 4 ingredients and a few basic kitchen tools (no stand mixer needed!) to make this artisan style loaf of bread. 

 

 

ARTISAN SOURDOUGH BREAD RECIPE (EASY LOAF FOR BEGINNERS!)

Over the last several months I have embraced sourdough. 

It all started when my husband asked me if I wanted a sourdough start from his friend's wife. 

I said sure.

Since then, I've been trying all sorts of sourdough recipes. My kids joke that I add it to everything. 

I make this bread at least twice a week. It's so nice to smell that fresh sourdough bread baking. 

And it's something that everyone likes!

I don't do overnight bulk fermentation (I don't have the time/patience for that), so the sourdough flavor isn't too strong.... it's just enough to enhance the bread. 

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INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR ARTISAN SOURDOUGH LOAF

 There's just four ingredients in this basic sourdough bread recipe.

• active sourdough starter
• bread flour
• salt
• water
  

I always use bread flour. However, if you don't have any, then all purpose flour will work too.

HELPFUL KITCHEN TOOLS 

I find it a bit funny how many tools we "need" to make sourdough bread.

This ancient form of baking bread has existed for centuries before many of the tools that we consider essential were invented. 

I try to keep it simple. There are a few tools on the list that are modern conveniences. But I try to stick with the basics.

• mixing bowl
• wooden spoon 
• banneton (or bowl)
• parchment paper
• lame
• dutch oven
• baking sheet
• kitchen scale
• mason jar (wide mouth is my preference, or a weck jar)

Banneton
This is a proofing basket. You can use a bowl if you don't have a banneton.

Parchment paper

Parchment paper is helpful in transferring the loaf from the proofing basket to the pan. Flip the banneton upside down over the parchment paper and allow the dough to fall out.

After scoring with the lame, it is easy to pick up the paper and place it inside the hot dutch oven. 

I purchased sourdough tools starter kit. It came with a silicone sling which I have found helpful in place of parchment.

Lame

A lame is a tool with a sharp razor like blade to score the bread. As the dough rises and cooks in the oven, it will expand.

Adding cuts to the loaf before baking allows this expansion to occur without the loaf bursting in random places. It helps achieve a beautiful loaf. 

Dutch Oven

There are many types of dutch ovens. If you have a cast iron dutch oven that you use for camping, it will work great to bake bread. One without legs is easier to get in and out of the oven.

Or if you can use an enameled dutch oven. Some are enamel on the outside only, and some are enamel inside and out. I prefer mine that is enamel on the outside and cast iron on the inside.



Kitchen Scale

A scale is definitely something our bread baking ancestors did not have. I think you can totally make sourdough without a scale! 

Baking bread is an art and a skill that comes with practice. The best way to develop such a skill would be to learn, in person, from someone.

Learning something like this over the internet, can present challenges. It's hard to portray the correct consistency of flour and water to add to your starter without physically stirring it yourself. This is where I find the scale comes in the most handy. 

I honestly don't use it to measure anything except the flour and water when I feed my starter. (And I'm sure I'll abandon it at some point.)

You won't find gram measurements for my recipes (except in the feeding the starter instructions). I am just not going to measure out grams when I can grab a measuring spoon or cup instead. 

Jar

I started off with a quart sized mason jar. A wide mouth jar makes stirring and pouring easy.

I have since purchased a Weck jar. I love the shape, it's just cute. However, it is totally a frivolous purchase. You can use any glass jar you have. 

Dough Hook

I have heard people rave about Danish dough hooks (also called a dough whisk) for awhile now. I finally got one. It is handy to use and mixes up the dough nicely. However, if I money was a concern, this would not be my first purchase. A wooden spoon works just as well.

Tip: Years ago, I saw this tip. Use the handle of the wooden spoon to stir the dough. I know, it sounds weird. But it works great, and is easier to clean up.

 

TIMELINE FOR SOURDOUGH ARTISAN BREAD

I prefer sourdough recipes that can be made in one day. To achieve this, I always feed my starter in the evening. In the morning it is active and ready to use. 

Keep in mind that this is a rough guideline. I've been testing this recipe in winter. So I imagine the rise times will decrease once the hot weather comes. 

8:00 PM  - Feed sourdough starter 8:00 AM - Mix dough together 8:30-10:00 AM - Do 3-4 sets of stretch and folds 
10:00 AM - 2:30 PM - First rise 2:30 PM - Shape loaf, place in banneton 2:30-5:00 PM - Second rise (preheat oven and dutch oven the last half hour) 5:00 PM - Bake

Keep reading for more details on each of these steps.

 

HOW TO MAKE EASY SOURDOUGH ARTISAN BREAD

Begin with the sourdough starter. I got my starter from a friend.

If you don't know anyone who does sourdough, then you can purchase dehydrated sourdough, rehydrate it and begin your sourdough journey.

FEED THE SOURDOUGH STARTER

The evening before you plan to bake, feed your starter. 

This is when the scale comes in most handy for me. I start with 25 grams of starter, 100 grams of water and 100 grams of bread flour. 

Stir until the flour, water and starter combine. Then put on the lid and let it sit overnight.

I didn't get a before picture of my starter, but it started out about half as full as it is pictured above. 

An active sourdough starter will form air pockets. You can see them on the side of the jar. The top will look slightly bubbly.

MIX THE DOUGH

 

Pour the sourdough starter into a large bowl. I use all but about 25 grams of the active starter.

I don't really measure. I just make sure to leave enough sourdough in the jar to make my next batch of bread.


 

Add the 3 1/4 - 3 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups water and 1/2 Tbsp salt. 

Note: I use warm water when making sourdough. Warm environments will help the sourdough rise more quickly. (It's still a slow process compared to commercial yeast.)


 

Mix to form a shaggy dough. 

Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.

 PERFORM STRETCH AND FOLDS

Next perform a set of stretch and folds. This is a method used to develop the gluten. If you skip this step, your bread will be ok. But it won't be great.

So how do you do stretch and folds? 

First wet your hands. (I'm using just one hand because my other hand is holding the camera, but normally I use both hands for this.)

Grab the dough from the top part of the bowl. Pull the dough up, and then fold it down toward the bottom of the bowl.

Turn the bowl a quarter turn, then repeat the process. 

Turn the bowl two more times, repeating the stretch and folds on all four sides. 

Then cover the dough and let the dough rest for 20-30 minutes. 

Perform 3-4 sets of stretch and folds over the next hour and a half to two hours.

The time commitments of my day usually determine how many stretch and folds I do. Once this step is done, you don't need to be home for a several hours.

 

BULK FERMENATION

After the stretch and folds are complete, cover the dough and let the dough rise for about 4 hours.

This is the bulk rise or fermentation process. Basically the wild yeast in the dough eats the sugars in the flour, releasing gasses which cause the dough to rise.

The longer the rise time the more potent the sourdough flavor. (This is why some recipes have a cold proof, where you put the dough in the fridge for a day or two.)

I prefer a mild sourdough flavor. That's one reason why same day recipes are my go to. 


 

The temperature of your kitchen plays a factor in rise time. Finding a warm place to put the dough will speed up the process. I have placed it near my fireplace before. A sunny window or on top of a warm oven are good places too. 

I am curious to see how summertime will affect the rise time. 

Another thing that affect how quickly your dough will rise is altitude. My mom lives in the mountains. Her friend, from the mid-west came to visit. She couldn't believe how quickly the dough rises in the Rocky Mountains.

All this to say, don't go by a clock, it's just a rough estimate. Watch the dough. When it has doubled in size, it's time to move on to the next step. 

FORMING A SOURDOUGH LOAF

Next it's time to form your loaf. I don't really have a picture of this step - it's too hard to capture because I use both my hands for this process.

Here's what I do.

Sprinkle a little bit of flour on a clean work surface. Dump the dough out of the bowl. With floured hands, flatten the dough. 

Then fold the dough from the top to the middle, the bottom to the middle. Then fold each side to the middle. 

Then flip the dough over. Cup your hands and rotate the dough while bringing it slightly towards you. Continue doing this to create surface tension on the top of the dough. 

 

Once a nice ball has formed, place dough in a floured banneton with the nicely formed side face down into the bowl.

Cover with a clean dishtowel and let sit in a warm place for 2-3 hours. 

 

When it's ready the risen dough should fill the bowl and create a dome about an inch above the top of the bowl.

During the last 30 minutes of rising, place your dutch oven in the oven. Preheat to 450.

 

SCORING AND BAKING THE LOAF

Flip the banneton upside down over a silicone sling (or a piece of parchment paper).

 

Slice the dough with a lame, razor blade or sharp knife. This will allow the steam to escape and not burst in an unseemly way. 

 Carefully place the dough inside the preheated dutch oven. Use the silicone sling, or the parchment paper to lift the dough and place it right in the dutch oven with the loaf. 

 

Pro Tip: Place a cookie sheet on the lower rack below the dutch oven. Believe me you want to do this. If you don't, then the bottom crust of your bread will be extra done and hard to slice and hard to eat.

Cover with the lid and bake for 20 minutes.

 

Remove the lid and bake for 15-20 more minutes until golden brown.

15 minutes is how long it takes for my oven. 

 

Remove the bread from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack. 

 

They say it's best to let it cool completely before cutting.

However, no one (especially my husband) can ever wait. They like the warm bread with the crispy crust.

It is harder to cut, and the loaf often get's a bit smashed trying to cut it. But who can resist warm bread?!

I pretty much had to ban my family from this loaf so I could get pictures :)

STORING AND/OR FREEZING SOURDOUGH BREAD

It is best to cool completely before storing. I place it in a plastic bag to store. For best results, eat within 3-4 days. 

If you won't be able to eat it all, you can freeze it.

Freeze the whole loaf, half the loaf, or freeze slices. It will last about 3 months in the freezer. Simply thaw before eating.

MORE BREAD RECIPES

I will be sharing more sourdough recipes. Until then, here are some of my favorite bread recipes using yeast.

• Potato Rolls
• Garlic Parmesan Bread Twists
• Homemade Bread Bowls
• Grandma's Dinner Rolls
• Homemade Wheat Bread

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