Recipe

Flavorful Sourdough Bread Recipe

A fresh, vibrant sourdough loaf with a crackly crust, open crumb, and a bright lemon herb finish that makes every slice taste alive.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

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Sourdough can get a little too serious on the internet. Timelines, charts, spreadsheets, moon phases. I love a good nerdy moment, but I also love bread that actually gets baked, sliced, and eaten while it is still warm enough to fog up the butter.

This is my go-to fresh and vibrant sourdough. It is a classic country loaf at heart, but we build in brightness with lemon zest, a whisper of garlic, and fresh herbs folded into the dough. The result is cozy carbs with crisp edges, plus that “wait, what is that amazing flavor?” moment mid-bite.

Ingredients stay accessible, instructions stay clear, and if your loaf comes out a little more rustic than Instagram, congratulations. You made real bread.

Why It Works

Big flavor without weird ingredients: Lemon zest and herbs wake up the natural tang, and a tiny bit of garlic makes it feel savory without turning it into garlic bread.
Better crust and crumb: A hot Dutch oven traps steam so you get a glossy, blistered crust and a tender, open interior.
Flexible timing: The overnight cold proof builds flavor and makes this fit real life. Mix today, bake tomorrow.
Beginner-friendly structure: A straightforward bulk ferment and a few coil folds give you strength without overhandling.

Pairs Well With

Tomato basil soup
Whipped ricotta with honey and flaky salt
Lemony chickpea salad
Roast chicken with pan juices

Storage Tips

Day 1 and 2: Keep the loaf cut-side down on a cutting board, or in a paper bag. This keeps the crust from going soft.

After that: Slice the rest and freeze. Sourdough freezes like a champ.

Freeze: Slice, then store in a freezer bag with parchment between a few slices if you want easy grab and toast access. Good for 2 to 3 months.
Reheat slices: Toast straight from frozen.
Re-crisp a whole loaf: Mist lightly with water and bake at 375°F for 10 to 15 minutes.

Bonus use: Slightly stale slices become elite croutons or a quick panzanella. Stale bread is not failure. It is future salad.

Common Questions

Do I have to use fresh herbs?

Fresh is my favorite here for that “vibrant” vibe, but dried works. Use about 1 tablespoon dried total in place of the fresh herbs, and add it during the mix so it hydrates.

My starter is bubbly but not doubling. Can I bake anyway?

You can, but the loaf may come out tighter and a bit dense. For best lift, use starter that reliably rises to peak in 4 to 6 hours after feeding at room temperature. If your kitchen is cool, it might just need more time.

What starter hydration is assumed here?

This recipe assumes a 100% hydration starter (equal parts flour and water by weight). With that assumption, the effective hydration is about 73%, even though the base water is 350g. If you use a much stiffer or more liquid starter, you may need to adjust the water a little for the same dough feel.

Can I make this without a Dutch oven?

Yes. Bake on a preheated pizza stone or steel, and add steam by placing a sturdy metal pan on the bottom rack and pouring in about 1 cup of boiling water right when the bread goes in. Be careful with the steam, and do not use glass (thermal shock is real).

Why add lemon zest?

Zest gives aroma, not sourness. It plays really nicely with sourdough tang and makes the loaf taste brighter, especially when toasted.

My dough feels slack and sticky. Did I mess up?

Probably not. This dough is moderately hydrated. Stickiness usually improves after the first and second folds. Keep your hands lightly wet for folds and trust the process. If it is still soup after a few hours, your flour may be low protein or your kitchen very warm, so shorten bulk ferment next time.

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
Bench scraper
Banneton or towel-lined bowl
Lame or sharp razor for scoring
5 to 7 quart Dutch oven with lid (or stone plus steam pan)
Parchment paper
Instant-read thermometer (optional but helpful)

I started baking sourdough because I wanted the kind of loaf that makes a kitchen smell like you have your life together. Spoiler: I did not. My first few loaves were a little wild, a little flat, and still somehow disappeared slice by slice because warm bread is undefeated.

This version is the one I make when I want a loaf that feels alive. The lemon and herbs do that. It is the bread I cut into “just to check the crumb” and then suddenly half of it is gone, topped with olive oil, flaky salt, and whatever dinner is pretending it is going to be.

Flavorful Sourdough Bread Recipe

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 14 to 18 hours

Servings 1 loaf (about 10 to 12 slices)

Ingredients

500g bread flour (or 450g bread flour plus 50g whole wheat flour)
350g water, room temperature (see hydration note)
100g active sourdough starter (fed and at peak, ideally 100% hydration)
10g fine sea salt
Zest of 1 lemon (use a microplane, avoid the white pith)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (parsley, chives, dill, or a mix)
1 small garlic clove, finely grated (optional but excellent)
1 teaspoon olive oil (optional, helps tenderness and browning)
Rice flour for dusting the banneton (or more bread flour)

Notes: This recipe assumes a 100% hydration starter. With 350g added water plus the water in the starter, the effective hydration is about 73%. If your flour is very thirsty, you may be able to push the added water to 365g. If you are newer to sourdough, stick with 350g for easier handling.

Herb note: Dill can be bold. If you are unsure, start with 1 tablespoon and add more next bake.

Instructions

Mix the dough (and take a breath). In a large bowl, whisk together 350g water and 100g active starter until cloudy. Add 500g flour and mix until no dry spots remain. Cover and rest 30 minutes. This short rest helps the flour hydrate and gets gluten formation going.
Add salt and flavor. Sprinkle in 10g salt. Add lemon zest, herbs, garlic (if using), and olive oil (if using). Pinch and fold the dough until it feels smoother and everything is evenly distributed, about 1 to 2 minutes. Cover and rest 20 minutes.
Bulk ferment with folds. Over the next 2 to 3 hours, perform 3 to 4 sets of stretch and folds or coil folds, spaced about 30 minutes apart. Keep the dough covered between folds. Then let it continue rising until it looks puffy and aerated, with bubbles along the sides, and has risen about 40% to 70% total. Aim closer to 40% to 50% if your kitchen is warm or your starter is very strong, and closer to 60% to 70% if your kitchen is cool or fermentation is moving slowly. Total bulk time is often 4 to 6 hours at 72°F to 75°F, but use the dough cues first and the clock second.
Pre-shape. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter. Gently shape into a round. Let it rest, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes.
Final shape. Shape into a tight boule or batard. Transfer seam-side up into a rice flour dusted banneton or towel-lined bowl.
Cold proof overnight. Cover and refrigerate 8 to 14 hours. This is where flavor gets deeper and the dough gets easier to score.
Preheat. Place a Dutch oven with lid in the oven and preheat to 475°F for 45 minutes.
Score and bake, covered. Cut parchment, turn the dough out onto it, dust off excess flour, and score. Carefully lower into the hot Dutch oven, cover, and bake 20 minutes.
Bake, uncovered to crisp. Reduce heat to 450°F, remove lid, and bake 20 to 25 minutes more until deeply golden. If you want to be precise, aim for an internal temp of 208°F to 212°F.
Cool before slicing (I know). Cool on a rack for at least 1 hour. Cutting too early can make the crumb gummy. Use the time to set out butter and act like you are not staring at it.

Nutrition information is estimated.

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