Beginner Sourdough Bread Recipe & Guide

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Equipment

Large Bowl (formixing and proofing dough)
Lid to cover the bowl or plastic wrap
Something to mix with mixingspoon (this is my favorite one to use), wooden spoon, dough whisk, or yourhands
Kitchen Scale (highly recommended for accuracy when measuring)
Dutch Oven or Bread Oven
Bread lame or sharp knife
Parchment paper
Cooling rack
Banneton (10+ inches) OR a bowl with a tea towel
Bench scraper (optional but helpful)
Bread Knife (optional but helpful)
Thermometer (optional but helpful)

Ingredients

75 grams Active Sourdough Starter at peak – at least doubled, bubbly, active CLICK HERE for instructions on creating a starter!
350 grams Filtered Water
500 grams Bread Flour this King Arthur Bread Flour is my favorite
10 grams Salt

Instructions

Mixing the dough:
a. Start by making sure your starter is at its peak. This means it has grown at least double in size and is bubbly and active.
Place your kitchen scale on your work surface and set it to measure in grams. Then place your large mixing bowl on the scale and zero it out so it reads 0 grams. This allows the scale to only measure what you add to the bowl.
b. Add the water, starter, and salt to the bowl. I prefer to add the water to the bowl, then the starter, and salt in that order - zeroing out the scale before each ingredient. (This way the starter doesn’t stick to the bowl.)
c. Now, it’s time to pre-mix! You want the starter to be combined with the water before adding the flour. Mix until there are minimal clumps of starter and everything is as incorporated as possible. The mixture will look a little frothy and bubbly – that’s what you want! I use a fork or dough whisk for this part (avoid using a normal whisk, it is hard to clean this mixture off). Once combined, zero out your scale again and add the bread flour.
d. Now, it’s time to really mix it all! It will start out pretty easy to mix but it will be tougher to mix as it comes together. You will need to use a strong wooden spoon, dough whisk, or I use this strong silicone spoon. Mix for 5-10 minutes until there is no dry flour in the bowl or on the dough.
The dough will look pretty crazy and messy – this is called a shaggy dough! The more thoroughly you mix now, the easier the process will be for you later. So, take your time and mix well!
Note: Try to remove as much of the dry flour from the sides of the bowl – this makes for easier cleanup later. I use my spoon or bowl scrapers to do this.
e. Cover the bowl and let rest for 1 hour.
Stretch & Folds:
After resting for an hour, it is time for the first stretch and fold.
Wet your hands and grab part of the edge of the dough. Stretch the dough upwards, without tearing the dough, and then fold it over the center of itself. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat. Complete two full rotations around the bowl for a total of 8 stretch and folds.
You will notice the dough will become more firm and smooth – that’s exactly what you want!
Repeat this process 2-4 more times:
- Every 30-40 minutes for warmer dough
- Every hour for cooler dough
The more stretch and folds you do, the more you strengthen the gluten – which helps the dough rise later.
Bulk Fermentation:
This stage can feel confusing at first, but it becomes easier with practice. During bulk fermentation, your dough will ferment and rise.
The time it takes to complete this process will vary due to the temperature of your dough and your home. It can take anywhere from 5-12 hours, but it could be more if you live in a colder environment.
Where I live (warm, humid environment) it typically takes my dough around 6-8 hours in the warm seasons and 10+ in the colder seasons. You will get the hang of this – you just need to learn what to look for!
Is My Dough Ready?
Dough is jiggly: Your dough will be very jiggly when you shake the bowl!
Dough has risen: The amount of rise will vary but it will have noticeably increased in size!
Dough has some bubbles: There will be bubbles along the bottom and if using a glass bowl you may see some all the way up to the top as well!
Dough is less sticky: When you touch the surface of the dough, it will be less sticky and will not transfer any dough onto your finger.
Dough edges: The dough will easily pull away from the sides of the bowl!
If you answered yes to all of these, move to the next step! If not, give the dough more time to bulk ferment.
Pre-Shaping:
After your dough has bulk fermented, prepare a spot on your counter and sprinkle the surface lightly with flour. Dump your dough onto the prepared workspace. Sprinkle the dough lightly with flour and then gather the dough into a tight ball. Let it rest for 20 minutes.
Final Shaping:
a. Once the dough has rested, sprinkle the counter with flour again if needed. Flip your dough over so the smooth side is down on the counter, and the seam side is facing up. You are going to shape this into a ball again, by taking a small portion of the edge of the dough and stretching it (without tearing) and pressing into the center. Continue that process all the way around the entire edge of the loaf. It can be tricky, but you can pinch it gently into the middle if needed. If there are any weird edges sticking out (and not making it a circle), tuck those into the center. You should have a tight ball with a seam in the center.
b. Pick up your dough and lightly dust your counter again with flour if needed. Flip your dough over again, so that the seam side is down and the smooth side is up. Start your push and pulls. Using gentle push-and-pull motions, push the dough away from you and pull it back toward you several times to further tighten the surface.
c. Prepare your banneton (or a clean bowl with a tea towel in it) and lightly sprinkle the inside with flour. Use your hands or a bench scraper to lift the dough off the counter and flip it upside down into the prepared banneton or bowl. The bottom (seam side) of the dough should now be facing up.
Optional: For extra tension, let the dough rest for 10–15 minutes, then repeat small folds toward the center, gently pinching together if needed.
Second Proof:
For this step, you have two options:
Counter proof: Cover and let rise for about 1.5 hours (adjust +/-30 minutes depending on temperature)
Cold proof: Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours and up to 2 days
If using a banneton, I wrap the entire thing in plastic wrap before placing in the fridge. If using a towel-lined bowl, simply fold the towel edges over the dough to cover.
Preheating the Oven:
When you are almost ready to bake, place your Dutch oven (with the lid on) into the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Allow the Dutch oven to heat for at least 30 minutes before baking your loaf.
Preparing to Bake:
Grab a sheet of parchment paper (I love these!) or cut a piece slightly larger than your Dutch oven. Place the piece of parchment on the counter and flip your dough onto the parchment.
Pro tip: Crumpling the parchment, before using, helps prevent harsh creases as the dough is baking and makes transferring the dough easier.
Scoring Your Loaf:
Grab your bread lame or a sharp knife. Make one long expansion cut, about ½ inch deep, from one side of the loaf to the other. You can do this right down the middle or slightly off-center. I often do two crossing expansion scores (like an X) for round loaves.
After that, you can get creative and add little designs! For those, don’t cut it quite as deep. I do not recommend doing more than two expansion scores. But do as many design elements as you want and make it your own! That’s the fun part!
Time to Bake!
Using oven mitts, carefully remove the preheated Dutch oven and place on the stove top. Then remove the Dutch oven lid. Using the parchment paper as a sling, lower the sourdough loaf into your preheated Dutch oven. Using oven mitts, place the lid back onto the Dutch oven and place it back in the oven.
Bake time: 20 minutes with the lid on + 20 minutes with the lid off
After it has baked, use oven mitts to remove the Dutch oven from the oven and place back on the stovetop. Then carefully remove the loaf by lifting two edges of the parchment paper. Carefully, slide the loaf onto a cooling rack.
Allow the loaf to cool for at least 1 hour, but I strongly recommend at least 2 hours to ensure the inside is completely cooled before cutting. I know it’s hard to wait! But the bread will be really gummy if not allowed to cool completely.

Notes

Storage tips: After enjoying your yummy creation, store in a bread bag on the counter for up to 3 days. Plastic bags are okay, but they create moisture in the bag and can make your loaf mushy. If you need bread bag recommendations – I use these! They’re great for gifting too!