Ahhh sourdough 😌 let’s do it. Here’s a simple, reliable homemade sourdough bread recipe—no fancy gear, just patience and good vibes.
🥖 Homemade Sourdough Bread (Beginner-Friendly)
Ingredients
- 100 g active sourdough starter (bubbly & recently fed)
- 375 g warm water
- 500 g bread flour (or strong all-purpose)
- 10 g salt (about 2 tsp)
1️⃣ Mix (5 minutes)
In a large bowl:
- Mix starter + water until cloudy.
- Add flour and salt.
- Stir until no dry flour remains (it’ll be shaggy and sticky).
Cover and rest 30 minutes (this helps gluten form).
2️⃣ Stretch & Fold (2 hours total)
Every 30 minutes, do this (4 rounds total):
- Grab one side of the dough, stretch up, fold over.
- Rotate bowl, repeat 4 times.
Cover between rounds. The dough should become smoother and stretchy.
3️⃣ Bulk Fermentation (3–5 hours)
- Let dough rise at room temp until it’s ~50% bigger, puffy, and jiggly.
- Don’t rush this—fermentation = flavor.
4️⃣ Shape
- Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface.
- Gently shape into a round or oval.
- Let rest 20 minutes, then tighten shape.
Place seam-side up in a floured bowl or towel-lined colander.
5️⃣ Cold Proof (Best Flavor)
Cover and refrigerate 8–16 hours (overnight = 🔥).
6️⃣ Bake
Preheat oven to 475°F / 245°C with a Dutch oven inside.
- Transfer dough to parchment.
- Score the top with a sharp knife.
- Carefully place into hot Dutch oven.
Bake:
- 25 minutes covered
- 20–25 minutes uncovered until deep golden brown
7️⃣ Cool (the hardest part)
Let cool at least 1 hour before slicing. The inside is still cooking!
🧠 Pro Tips
- Starter floats in water = ready to bake.
- If dough feels dense → ferment longer.
- Dark crust = better flavor.
- Sounds hollow when tapped = done.
If you want:
- 🍞 more sour flavor
- 🌾 whole wheat version
- 🥖 no-Dutch-oven method
- ⏱️ same-day sourdough
Just tell me 👀
