Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe
Learn how to make easy homemade sourdough bread with a crisp, golden crust and soft, chewy crumb. This beginner-friendly sourdough recipe uses simple ingredients and an overnight cold proof for delicious bakery-style bread right at home.
Why This Recipe Works
This easy sourdough bread recipe is perfect for beginners because it uses a simple ingredient list and straightforward techniques. You do not need complicated equipment or advanced bread-making skills—just an active sourdough starter, bread flour, water, salt, and a little patience. The stretch-and-fold method helps build structure in the dough, while an overnight cold proof develops flavor and gives the finished loaf its beautiful crust and chewy texture.
Tips to Make This Recipe
- Use an active starter: Your sourdough starter should be recently fed, bubbly, and active before you begin mixing the dough.
- Weigh your ingredients: A kitchen scale provides much more consistent results than measuring flour by volume.
- Watch the dough, not just the clock: Fermentation can vary depending on room temperature and starter activity.
- Keep your hands wet: Wet hands make the sticky dough much easier to handle during the pincer and stretch-and-fold techniques.
- Do not rush the cold proof: Refrigerating the dough overnight helps develop flavor and improves the final texture.
- Preheat the Dutch oven: A fully heated Dutch oven creates the steam and high heat needed for a crisp crust and good oven spring.
- Use parchment paper: It makes transferring the dough into the hot Dutch oven much easier and safer.
- Let the bread cool: Sourdough continues to finish baking internally after it comes out of the oven, so wait at least 30 minutes before slicing.
Chef's Tip
The most important secret to successful sourdough bread is learning to recognize when your dough is ready rather than relying only on the timer. Your starter should be lively and bubbly, and the dough should become noticeably smoother, puffier, and almost doubled during bulk fermentation. Keep the dough around 75°F when possible, but remember that warmer or cooler conditions will change the fermentation time. For an especially crisp crust, make sure your Dutch oven is thoroughly preheated and transfer the cold dough directly from the refrigerator to the hot pot.
Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe
Ingredients
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Dough Formula (75% Hydration)
Recommended Kitchen Equipment
Tested tools that yield the best results for this recipe.
Kitchen measuring scale
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5–7 quart Dutch oven
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Dough whisk
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7-inch banneton basket
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Large mixing bowl
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Parchment paper
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Bread lame or scoring tool
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Clean kitchen towel
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Wire cooling rack
View on AmazonStep-by-Step Instructions
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1
Feed your sourdough starter about 3–4 hours before making the dough. Allow it to become active, bubbly, and visibly expanded before using it.
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Add the water and active sourdough starter to a large mixing bowl. Mix with a dough whisk or your hands until the starter is well distributed throughout the water.
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Add the bread flour and mix thoroughly until no large pockets of dry flour remain. The dough will look shaggy and feel sticky at this stage. That is completely normal.
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Add the sea salt to the dough. Wet your hands to prevent sticking, then use the pincer method by squeezing the dough between your thumb and forefinger. Fold the dough over itself and continue pinching until the salt is evenly incorporated.
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Cover the bowl with a lid, plate, or plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 20–30 minutes. This short resting period allows the flour to hydrate and makes the dough easier to work with.
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Gently pull one section of dough upward and fold it toward the center. Rotate the bowl about one-quarter turn and repeat at the 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock positions. Continue until you have completed a total of 8 folds. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
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After the 30-minute rest, repeat another round of stretch-and-folds. The dough should gradually become smoother, stronger, and more elastic.
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Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let the dough ferment at approximately 75°F for 1 1/2–2 hours, or until it has become noticeably puffy and is almost doubled in size. Fermentation time can vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen and the activity of your starter.
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Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into either a boule (round loaf) or batard (short oval loaf). Dust a 7-inch banneton basket generously with bread flour or brown rice flour. Place the shaped dough into the basket with the seam side facing up. Dust the top lightly with additional flour and cover with plastic wrap.
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Place the covered banneton in the refrigerator and allow the dough to cold-proof for 12–18 hours. This overnight fermentation develops deeper sourdough flavor while making the dough easier to score and transfer before baking.
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Place a 5–7 quart Dutch oven in your oven and preheat to 450°F for at least 30 minutes. A thoroughly preheated Dutch oven is important for achieving a crisp crust and strong oven spring.
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Remove the dough from the refrigerator and carefully turn it onto a sheet of parchment paper. Score the surface with a sharp bread lame or suitable scoring tool. Work quickly so the dough does not sit at room temperature for too long.
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Carefully transfer the parchment and dough into the preheated Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and bake at 450°F for 20 minutes. The covered Dutch oven traps steam, helping the loaf develop a beautiful crust while expanding in the oven.
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Remove the Dutch oven lid and continue baking for another 15–20 minutes, or until the sourdough develops a deep golden-brown crust.
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Carefully remove the loaf from the Dutch oven and transfer it to a wire rack. Allow it to cool for at least 30–60 minutes before slicing. Do not skip this step. The bread continues to cook internally as it cools, and slicing too early can result in a gummy crumb.
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📝 Baker's Notes & Crust Tips
📦 Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
For the best texture, allow the sourdough loaf to cool completely before storing or slicing. Store the bread in a linen bread bag, paper bag, or bread box at room temperature for up to 2–3 days. Avoid storing fresh sourdough in an airtight plastic bag because the crust can become soft. To make this recipe ahead, prepare and shape the dough, then refrigerate it for the 12–18 hour cold-proofing period and bake it the following day. You can also freeze a fully baked and completely cooled loaf for longer storage.
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour for sourdough? ▼
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✨ Final Thoughts & Serving Notes
Reader Reviews & Ratings
Tried this recipe? Leave a rating & review
Made this sourdough bread following the hydration formula and it was an absolute hit with my family! The scaling feature made it so easy to cook for 6 people instead of 4. Bookmarking this immediately!
Verified Reader • Sep 18, 2026