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–+ servings
A sliced loaf of artisan sourdough bread on a cutting board.

Easy Sourdough Bread

This is the sourdough loaf you’ve been searching for. Simple, dependable, and built on solid baker’s ratios, it delivers a beautifully risen loaf with incredible flavor every time. If you’re ready for a recipe that actually works, this is the one to save and bake on repeat!
5 from 7 votes
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Prep Time 3 hours
Cook Time 45 minutes
fermentation 12 hours
Total Time 15 hours 45 minutes
Course Appetizer, brunch, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings
Calories 150 kcal

Equipment

  • Mixing bowl
  • scale
  • banneton
  • dutch oven

Ingredients
  

  • 475 grams bread Flour or substitute all-purpose, whole wheat or fresh milled (see note below)
  • 350 grams water 105-110℉
  • 100 grams sourdough starter active
  • 11 grams salt non-iodized

Instructions
 

Make the dough

  1. Make the autolyse: In a warmed large mixing bowl, combine 1 ½ scant cups of lukewarm water and 475 grams of all-purpose flour. Use your hands or a Swedish whisk to stir the mixture together. It will be sticky and messy, this is okay! Try to form it into a ball as best as possible. Cover the dough bowl with a tea towel and set a timer for one hour. This jump-starts gluten development and makes the dough easier to work with later.
  2. Make the dough: Using a kitchen scale, add 100 grams of active sourdough starter and 11 grams of salt to the autolyse. Time to get those hands messy! Fold in the starter and salt by pulling and pushing the dough towards the center, covering and pulling the starter throughout the mixture. A word of caution: do not overwork the dough. Dough should start feeling slightly smoother, but very sticky. I usually try to accomplish this step in less than ten kneading repetitions. Cover with a tea towel and set a timer for thirty minutes.
  3. Stretch and fold #1 (strengthen the dough) - With wet hands, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over itself. Give the dough a quarter turn and repeat 3 more times. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
  4. Stretch and fold #2, 3 & 4 - Repeat the series of folds again every thirty minutes until 4 cycles have been completed. Cover and let the dough rise at room temperature 1-4 hours for bulk ferment. 
    Bulk ferment is done when:
    - Dough has risen by 50-70%
    - Surface looks smoother and slightly domed
    - A gentle poke springs back slowly (not instantly)
    Tip: If your kitchen is cooler than 72°F, bulk may take longer. Be patient, temperature is the boss!

Proof, Ferment & Bake

  1. Rest, proof & ferment: After the last stretch & fold, place the dough ball on the counter top and gently pull it towards you. Do this several times from each direction, adding tension and a round dome shape to the loaf. It should feel like a smooth, tight loaf with a bit of bounce. Let the loaf sit on the counter for ten minutes before transferring to a floured proofing basket.
  2. Final proof (2 options!) - Place the dough seam-side up in a generously floured proofing basket or towel-lined bowl.
    Method 1 - Same-day baking: Proof for 45-90 minutes in a warm spot.
    Method 2 - Cold proof (recommended): rest 20-30 minutes at room temp, then refrigerate over night.
    You are ready to bake when the dough jiggles like set Jell-O when you shake the basket. If you do the poke test, press your thumb into the dough and it should slowly spring back, but leave a slight dent.
  3. Preheat the oven - Place your dutch oven (both pieces) into the oven. Preheat to 500°F for at least 45-60 minutes. A hot oven and hot Dutch oven will give you the springiest loaf! When you're ready to bake, reduce heat to 450°F.
  4. Preheat the oven - Place your dutch oven (both pieces) into the oven. Preheat to 500°F for at least 45-60 minutes. A hot oven and hot Dutch oven will give you the springiest loaf! When you're ready to bake, reduce heat to 450°F.
    Bake 35 minutes covered (lid on).
    Remove lid, bake another 10-15 minutes.
    It's done baking when the crust is a deep golden brown, and the internal temperature hits 195-200°F. It will also sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Notes

Recipe Notes
  • If the dough spreads out flat → it was underproofed or too warm/hydrated.
  • If it rips weird when scoring → the dough was overproofed.
  • If oven spring is weak → try a longer preheat and stronger shaping next time.
*Flour Substitutions
You can totally switch up the flour in this recipe — use all-purpose for that classic soft, fluffy loaf, or work in some fresh-milled whole grain flour for extra flavor and nutrition. Just keep in mind that whole grain flours (especially fresh milled!) are extra thirsty, so you may need a tiny splash more to keep the dough soft and stretchy.
If your dough feels stiff, add a bit more water… if it’s sticky, let it rest a few minutes and it’ll usually sort itself out. Hydration is flexible — trust your hands and you’ll do great.
  1. Whole wheat flour: Replace up to 50% of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour to boost nutritional content of the bread. The texture will be more dense and you will notice less air bubbles.
  2. Fresh milled flour: My sweet spot for a gorgeous and perfectly textured loaf is about 25% whole wheat or fresh-milled flour to 75% bread flour — anything more than that and you’ll start to notice a tighter crumb and a loaf that doesn’t rise quite as high. You can absolutely use 100% fresh milled, just know your loaf will be very rustic and dense. You will also need to watch it closely during proofing and bulk fermentation as it will behave differently.
  3. Rye flour: Replace up to 20% of the bread flour with rye flour to add a distinct flavor and create a denser, chewier texture.

Nutrition

Calories: 150kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 5gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 358mgPotassium: 40mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 1IUCalcium: 7mgIron: 0.4mg
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