This simple sourdough bread recipe is ideal for freshmen—no autolyse, no lamination folds, simply easy steps and scrumptious outcomes. Right here’s the proper sourdough bread I’ve been making each week!
Simple Sourdough Bread Recipe
Baking sourdough can appear form of intense. Between all the flowery phrases, particular tools, and lengthy timelines, it’s simple to really feel such as you want a baking diploma simply to get began. That’s precisely why I wished to share this simple sourdough recipe I exploit each week that my household loves!
Why This Sourdough Bread Recipe Works
I first began making sourdough bread in 2020 when Melissa from Bless This Mess despatched me some sourdough starter. Since then, I picked it again up once more and I’ve been baking sourdough for my household each week and promised I’d share how I do it. In truth, I held off for some time as a result of I’m not an expert baker—however this methodology has been fully foolproof. It makes excellent sourdough bread each time, and it’s easy and beginner-friendly:
- No Sophisticated Instruments Wanted: You don’t want a flowery proofing basket, dough whisk, or baking stone. An everyday bowl, towel, and Dutch oven work simply positive.
- Simple Timeline: There’s no complicated autolyse step or cut up day course of. You combine the dough, give it some love with just a few stretch-and-folds, let it rise, form it, after which stick it within the fridge. Performed.
- Chilly Proof for Higher Outcomes (and Flexibility): Letting your dough rise in a single day within the fridge not solely improves taste and crumb—it additionally offers you extra management over your baking schedule. You may form at evening and bake within the morning, with out speeding.
- No Starter Guesswork: I stroll you thru methods to feed and time your starter so that you’re not guessing whether or not it’s prepared to make use of. That step alone can take the thriller out of sourdough for freshmen.
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What You’ll Want
The Most Necessary Step
You don’t want knowledgeable abilities, just a bit time and endurance. Crucial step? Begin with a robust, lively sourdough starter. You may make this from scratch (a number of recipes on-line) or purchase it contemporary and able to use (I linked 2 choices). Upon getting that, the remaining falls into place, and I’ll stroll you thru it, step-by-step.
Methods to Feed Your Starter (1:1:1 Ratio)
A robust, lively starter is vital to nice sourdough bread! Feeding your starter is straightforward utilizing the 1:1:1 ratio—equal elements starter, flour, and water by weight. Since I bake 2 breads at a time, I feed it 100 grams of every. You may feed it different ratios, however it will rise the quickest. Feed it early within the morning, and it’s able to make dough within the night.
- Weigh your starter: Put 100g of starter in a clear jar and refrigerate use for discard recipes.
- To the jar add 100g heat filtered water and 100g natural all goal flour (I exploit natural King Arthur flour, not bread bread flour).
- Combine nicely till clean and no dry flour stays.
- Cowl loosely with material or perhaps a paper towel so it breathes and let it sit at room temperature in a heat spot till it doubles in dimension, appears bubbly, and smells pleasantly tangy—normally inside 4–6 hours if stored in a heat spot.
- You may scale up or down as wanted—simply maintain the quantities equal. For instance, 50g starter + 50g flour + 50g water = 150g whole starter.
Sourdough Bread Elements
This Sourdough bread recipe is made with simply 4 elements. Right here’s what you’ll have to make it. See the recipe card under for precise measurements:
- Ripe bubbly lively starter that has been fed and has doubled in dimension. In the event you don’t have a sourdough starter, that is the recipe I used, however you may as well purchase it pre-made right here which is less complicated and faster to get began.
- Heat filtered water
- Bread flour, or all goal flour, I desire natural King Arthur Bread Flour
- Kosher salt or positive sea salt (I like to make use of pink Himalayan sea salt)
How To Make Sourdough Bread
Right here’s the step-by-step directions for making this foolproof sourdough bread recipe. This may make one loaf of sourdough. Scale it up for a number of loaves. See printable instructions within the recipe card under.
1. Feed Your Starter:
Begin the day earlier than in case your starter is within the fridge. I take mine out the evening earlier than and feed it. Then within the morning (round 6 a.m.), I discard and feed it once more utilizing a 1:1:1 ratio with heat filtered water. As soon as it doubles in dimension and appears good and bubbly, it’s prepared to make use of—normally by early afternoon.
2. Make the Dough:
In a big bowl, combine collectively the lively starter, heat water, and salt till nicely mixed. Add the flour and blend till you will have a shaggy, sticky dough, the dough will really feel sticky. Don’t fear if it appears a bit tough at first! Cowl the bowl with a moist towel and let it relaxation for half-hour at room temperature.
3. Stretch and Folds:
After half-hour, moist your hand and gently stretch and fold the dough by pulling one aspect up and folding it into the middle. Rotate the bowl and repeat this 4–5 instances till the dough begins to return collectively. Cowl and let relaxation for an additional half-hour. Repeat this course of 3 extra instances (each half-hour). In the event you’re quick on time, two rounds will nonetheless give nice outcomes.
4. Bulk Fermentation (First Rise)
After your closing fold, cowl the bowl and let the dough rise for six–7 hours at room temperature (longer in cooler temps). The dough is prepared when it has grown by 50–70%, has seen bubbles, and gently jiggles once you shake the bowl.
5. Pre-Form:
Flip the dough out onto a clear, calmly floured work floor. Gently form it right into a spherical by folding the perimeters into the middle, rotating the dough as you go. Let the dough relaxation uncovered for 15 to half-hour (that is referred to as a bench relaxation). Use your arms to softly pull the dough towards you to create floor rigidity and a tighter spherical form.
6. Ultimate Shaping:
Mud a proofing basket or medium mixing bowl (lined with a floured towel) generously with flour. You can too spray the bowl with cooking spray and dirt with flour as a substitute. Fold the dough into itself once more, rotating as you go, then place it clean aspect down into the bowl. Cowl with a towel, bathe cap, or plastic wrap.
7. Chilly Fermentation (Second Rise):
Refrigerate the dough in a single day, or for as much as 24 hours. This chilly proof improves each the flavour and texture—and it offers you a versatile baking schedule (extremely advocate). Wish to bake the identical day? Let the dough relaxation at room temp for 1–2 hours till it appears puffy.
8. Bake:
- Preheat your oven to 450°F. Some folks do that with their Dutch oven inside however I don’t as a result of my crust burns on the underside. Each oven is totally different.
- Minimize a chunk of parchment to suit the scale of your pot. Gently flip the dough onto the parchment (I place the paper on a plate, invert the bowl on high, and flip fastidiously). Rating the highest of the dough with a razor, lame, or sharp knife. I normally do a easy “X,” however be at liberty to get artistic.
- Use the parchment to elevate the dough into the Dutch oven. Cowl and bake for half-hour.
- Then take away the lid, decrease the oven temp to 400°F, and bake for an additional 25–half-hour, till the crust is deep golden brown and sounds hole when tapped. Cool on a wire rack for a minimum of 1 hour earlier than slicing.
Variations
When you grasp baking sourdough, mess around with totally different flours like complete wheat flour or complete grain flours.
After Baking: What to Do with Leftover Starter
In the event you’re not baking once more the following day:
- Maintain 25g of your starter
- Feed it 50g flour + 50g water
- Let it sit out for 1–2 hours, then retailer within the fridge, lined
- In the event you are baking the following day, simply depart your newly fed starter at room temp in a single day and repeat the feeding cycle.
Methods To Get pleasure from Sourdough Bread
My favourite technique to eat it’s when it’s contemporary out of the oven, nonetheless heat with just a little butter – there’s nothing is healthier! Leftover bread we toast and make avocado toast, mushroom toast, breakfast BLT, grilled cheese sandwiches, tuna sandwiches… the probabilities are countless!
Sourdough Discard Recipes Coming Quickly!
Yield: 28 slices
Serving Dimension: 1 ounce
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Feed Your Starter: The day that you simply’d wish to make your dough, feed your starter. If it was within the fridge I take mine out the evening earlier than and feed it. Then within the morning earlier than I plan to make my dough or a minimum of just a few hours earlier than I discard and feed it once more. Your starter shall be prepared to make use of when it’s at its doubled in dimension earlier than it begins to shrink again down in dimension.
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Make The Dough: To make your bread dough, add your lively sourdough starter to a big mixing bowl with water and salt and blend with a spoon to mix nicely. Add the bread flour and blend collectively till a moist and sticky dough types and the elements are full mixed. Cowl the bowl with a moist kitchen towel, and let relaxation half-hour at room temperature.
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Stretches and Folds: After the dough has rested half-hour, use a moist hand to softly pull the nook of the dough close to the aspect of the bowl and push it down into the center of the bowl. Repeat this sequence, rotating around the bowl, till the dough begins to appear to be bread dough and comes collectively in additional of a ball. This could take a couple of minute of going around the bowl 4 to five instances pulling and tucking into the middle. Let the dough relaxation, lined for half-hour. You’ll do that 3 extra instances each half-hour, masking after every time for a complete of two hours, if time permits. In the event you don’t have the time, you are able to do this twice, it would nonetheless end up simply positive.
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Relaxation (Bulk Fermentation): After the sequence of stretches, cowl the dough with a moist kitchen towel and a lid or plate so it doesn’t dry out and let it rise for six to 7 hours at room temperature, or as much as 8 to 9 hours in colder temps. This is called the majority rise. The dough is prepared when it has elevated by 50% to 70% quantity, jiggles once you shake the bowl and has some scattered bubbles seen on the perimeters and high.
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Pre-shape: Tip the bowl the other way up, permitting the dough to fall on a clear calmly floured floor. Gently form it right into a spherical by folding the highest all the way down to the middle, rotate the dough; repeat till you’ve come full circle, you probably have a bench scraper, tuck the perimeters of the dough into the middle and work across the edges to create rigidity.
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Bench Relaxation: Flip the ball dough over. Let it relaxation for half-hour. Utilizing your arms, gently pull the dough ball in direction of you, letting its grip on the counter pull it right into a tighter ball. Rotate the dough barely and repeat across the edges till you’ve got shaped a good ball.
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Shaping: In the meantime, put together a bread proofing basket by dusting it very nicely with flour, or you need to use a medium mixing bowl (about 8 inches throughout) and line it with a clear towel and dirt it very nicely with flour. Alternatively, in case you don’t need to use a kitchen towel you’ll be able to put together the blending bowl by generously spraying it with cooking spray after which flour very nicely. Going round in a circle, fold the highest all the way down to the middle, rotate the dough; repeat till you’ve come full circle. Place your dough ball, clean high down, into your put together basket or bowl, and canopy with a bathe cap, plastic wrap or towel.
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Chilly Fermentation (second rise): Refrigerate in a single day or so long as 18 to 24 hours. If you wish to bake the identical day, let the dough relaxation for 1 to 2 hours, at room temperature, or till it is unfold out a bit and appears puffy. (Word: I desire the chilly proof methodology and refrigerate this in a single day for a lighter and airier crumb.)
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Baking: Preheat the oven to 450° F. Minimize a chunk of parchment paper to suit the scale of your Dutch oven.
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Gently flip your bread dough out onto a chunk of parchment paper (I wish to put my parchment paper on high of a plate, put the paper and plate on high of my bread basket, and switch it over gently).
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Utilizing the tip of a razor blade, exacto knife, a lame, or perhaps a sharp serrated knife, rating the highest of the dough nonetheless you want – I normally go together with a easy “X”. However be at liberty to get fancy. Use the corners of the parchment paper to fastidiously switch the dough into your dutch oven. Place the lid on the dutch oven.
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Place the dutch oven within the middle of the recent oven and bake 450°F for half-hour. Take away the lid, decrease the oven temp to 400°F and put the dutch oven again within the oven, uncovered, for an additional 20 to half-hour. The bread needs to be browned throughout and sound hole when tapped when it’s carried out or reaches an inner temp of 205–210°F.
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Take away the pan from the oven, after which switch the bread to a wire rack and let it cool a minimum of 1 hour earlier than slicing and serving.
Final Step:
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Sourdough bread is finest eaten the day of, although it would keep contemporary if lined room temperature as much as 3 days in an hermetic plastic bag or container. You can too refrigerate it for a minimum of 1 week or wrap it tight and freeze it for as much as 3 months. To freeze, slice it after you let the loaf cool fully, then wrap it nicely in plastic wrap. Let it thaw at room temperature a couple of minutes when able to eat, then toast.
After I make my dough, to “refresh” my starter, I easy feed it. I’ll maintain 25 grams of the leftover starter and blend it with 50 grams of water and 50 grams of flour by weight. If I’m baking tomorrow, I’ll simply depart it on the counter. If I’m not baking once more the following day, I’ll retailer it lined within the fridge till I’m able to bake once more.
My bread weighs about 28 oz utilizing 100 g starter. Dietary data relies on that, for 1 ounce slices. Be at liberty to eat as a lot as you want.
This recipe is customized from Alexandra Cooks and Bless This Mess.
Serving: 1 ounce, Energy: 72 kcal, Carbohydrates: 15 g, Protein: 2.5 g, Sodium: 138 mg, Fiber: 0.5 g
