Recipe

Easy Sourdough Bread

A crusty, tangy sourdough loaf with a chewy crumb, made with a relaxed no-knead method and baked in a Dutch oven.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

A golden-brown sourdough boule with a crisp, blistered crust resting on parchment beside a Dutch oven on a warm kitchen counter

Sourdough bread sounds like a weekend-only hobby until you realize most of the work is just waiting. The dough does the heavy lifting while you live your life, and then you get paid in crackly crust, chewy interior, and that gentle tang that makes butter taste like it got an upgrade.

This is my go-to accessible sourdough loaf for home bakers who want great results without turning the kitchen into a lab. No stand mixer. No complicated steps. Just a strong starter, a Dutch oven, and a couple small tricks that keep the process low-drama.

A glass jar of active sourdough starter with bubbles on top sitting on a kitchen counter next to a wooden spoon and a small bowl of flour

Why It Works

Big flavor without extra ingredients: Fermentation builds tang and depth, so the loaf tastes like it took way more effort than it did.
Crisp crust, cozy crumb: The Dutch oven traps steam so you get that bakery-style crust and a tender, chewy interior.
Flexible timing: You can bake the same day or cold-proof overnight in the fridge to fit your schedule.
No-knead friendly: A few stretch-and-folds build strength without turning this into an arm workout.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

Day 1 and 2: Keep the loaf cut-side down on a cutting board, or wrap loosely in a clean kitchen towel. This keeps the crust from going soft.

After that: Slice it and freeze it. I like sliding slices into a freezer bag with parchment between a few of them so you can grab what you need.

Best reheat: Toast slices straight from frozen, or refresh a larger piece in a 350°F oven for 8 to 12 minutes.

Avoid: Refrigerating the loaf. The fridge usually stales bread faster than room temperature.

Common Questions

What is sourdough bread, exactly?

Sourdough is bread leavened with a starter, a culture of wild yeast and friendly bacteria. It rises more slowly than commercial yeast bread, which is where the flavor comes from.

How do I know my starter is ready to bake with?

A ready starter looks bubbly and lively and smells pleasantly tangy. The most reliable sign is behavior: after feeding, it should rise noticeably (often doubling) within 4 to 8 hours at warm room temperature. If it is sluggish, give it a couple daily feedings before baking.

What kind of starter is this recipe written for?

This recipe assumes a 100% hydration starter (fed with equal weights flour and water). If your starter is much thicker or thinner, your dough will feel different. Trust the dough and hold back a splash of water if it seems overly slack.

My dough is sticky. Did I mess it up?

Sticky is normal. Use wet hands for stretch-and-folds and a bench scraper for shaping. If the dough is soupy and will not hold any shape, your flour may be lower protein or your kitchen may be warm. Next time, reduce water by 20 to 30 grams and see how it behaves.

How do I get a more sour flavor?

For more tang, do a longer, cooler proof. The easiest move: refrigerate the shaped dough overnight (8 to 16 hours) before baking.

Do I need a Dutch oven?

It is the simplest way to trap steam for great crust. If you do not have one, bake on a preheated sheet pan or stone and add steam by placing a small metal pan on the bottom rack and carefully pouring in hot water when the bread goes in.

Why is my loaf gummy inside?

Usually one of three things: it was underproofed, underbaked, or sliced while still hot. Let it cool at least 1 hour, and make sure the crust is deep golden brown before pulling it. If you want a sure thing, check doneness with a thermometer. Aim for about 208 to 212°F in the center.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Kitchen scale (highly recommended)
Large mixing bowl
Dough whisk or sturdy spoon
Bench scraper (helpful, not required)
Proofing basket (banneton) or a bowl lined with a floured towel
Cast iron or enameled Dutch oven with lid (4 to 6 quart)
Parchment paper
Lame or sharp serrated knife for scoring
Cooling rack
Instant-read thermometer (optional, helpful for doneness)

I wanted to study culinary arts, but I ended up chasing the more practical route: get my hands messy, learn by doing, and build skills that actually translate to real kitchens. Sourdough fits that energy perfectly. It is part technique, part instinct, and it rewards you for paying attention.

The first time I nailed a loaf with a crust that actually crackled when it cooled, I just stood there like, okay, so this is what all the hype is about. Now it is my favorite kind of kitchen chaos: a bowl of flour and water that turns into something you want to tear into with your hands.

Easy Sourdough Bread

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 12 hours 10 minutes

Servings 1 loaf (about 10 slices)

Ingredients

100 g active sourdough starter (fed and bubbly, ideally 100% hydration)
350 g warm water (about 80 to 90°F, see note)
500 g bread flour (or unbleached all-purpose, see note)
10 g fine sea salt (about 1 3/4 to 2 teaspoons, varies by brand)
Rice flour or extra bread flour, for dusting

Optional but tasty: 1 teaspoon honey (slightly softer crumb) or 1 tablespoon olive oil (a little tenderness, less crackly crust).

Hydration note: With a 100% hydration starter, this dough lands around 80% hydration. It bakes up beautiful, but it can feel wet if you are new or using all-purpose flour. If you want a lower-drama dough, start with 320 to 330 g water and add the rest only if the dough can handle it.

Measured bread flour in a bowl with a small dish of salt and a jar of bubbly sourdough starter on a kitchen counter with warm light

Instructions

Mix the dough. In a large bowl, stir together 100 g starter and 350 g warm water (or start with 320 to 330 g if you want a firmer dough) until mostly dissolved. Add 500 g flour and mix until no dry bits remain. Let it sit for 20 minutes. This short rest helps the flour absorb water so the dough feels less sticky.
Add salt. Sprinkle in 10 g salt. Pinch and fold the dough to work it in, about 1 to 2 minutes. The dough will feel tighter after the salt goes in.
Build strength with stretch-and-folds. Over the next 2 hours, do 3 sets of stretch-and-folds, about every 30 to 45 minutes. To do one set: wet your hand, grab one edge of dough, stretch it up, fold it over. Rotate the bowl and repeat 4 times. After the last set, the dough should look smoother and hold its shape more.
Bulk ferment. Cover and let the dough rise at room temperature until it looks puffier and shows bubbles on the surface, typically 4 to 6 hours depending on your kitchen and starter strength. You are looking for noticeable expansion, rounded edges along the bowl, and a dough that looks a little jiggly when you gently shake the bowl.
Pre-shape. Lightly flour the counter. Tip out the dough and gently shape it into a round using a bench scraper or your hands. Let it rest 15 minutes uncovered.
Final shape (simple boule). Shape into a tighter round: flip it seam-side up, gently stretch the edges toward the center like a package, then flip seam-side down and drag it toward you to create surface tension. This is not fussy shaping, just enough structure to help it rise tall.
Proof. Dust a banneton or towel-lined bowl with rice flour (this helps prevent sticking). Place dough seam-side up. Cover and proof either:
- Room temp: 1 to 2 hours, until slightly puffy. If you press a floured finger into the dough, it should spring back slowly and leave a small dent.
- Cold proof: Refrigerate 8 to 16 hours for better flavor and easier scoring
Preheat the oven and Dutch oven. Place your Dutch oven (with lid) in the oven and preheat to 475°F for at least 30 minutes. Hot pot equals better oven spring.
Score and bake covered. Cut a piece of parchment. Flip the dough onto it so it is seam-side down. Score a deep slash (about 1/4 to 1/2 inch). Carefully lower into the hot Dutch oven, cover, and bake 25 minutes.
Bake uncovered. Remove the lid, lower oven to 450°F, and bake 15 to 20 minutes more until deep golden brown with a crisp crust. If you like extra color, give it the full time. Optional doneness check: the center should read about 208 to 212°F.
Cool before slicing. Move to a rack and cool at least 1 hour. I know it is torture, but slicing too early can make the crumb gummy.

Flour note: Bread flour gives a chewier crumb and more height. All-purpose works too, but start by holding back 20 to 30 g water if your dough tends to get slack.

Timing note: The fermentation time is the real variable here. Your kitchen temperature and starter strength will always have the final say.

Nutrition information is estimated.

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Easy Sourdough Bread

Why It Works

Pairs Well With

Recommended

Same-Day Sourdough Bread

Rye Sourdough Bread

Outdoor Boys Bread

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

Storage Tips

Common Questions

What is sourdough bread, exactly?

How do I know my starter is ready to bake with?

What kind of starter is this recipe written for?

My dough is sticky. Did I mess it up?

How do I get a more sour flavor?

Do I need a Dutch oven?

Why is my loaf gummy inside?

Easy Sourdough Bread

Ingredients

Instructions