This sourdough uses just four ingredients — bread flour, water, salt, and an active starter — and relies on a long cold proof overnight so most of the work happens while you sleep. The result is a loaf with a crackly crust, an open, chewy crumb, and real tang, all from your home oven. If you’ve been putting off making sourdough because it sounds complicated, this recipe is the honest place to start.
Before you start
Two things determine whether this loaf works. First, your starter has to be genuinely active — fed within the last 4 to 6 hours, visibly bubbly, and at or near its peak rise. A sluggish starter means a flat, dense loaf, and no technique fixes that. Second, the stretch-and-fold steps during the first two hours of bulk fermentation are not optional filler — they build the gluten structure that lets the dough hold its shape and trap gas. Four sets, roughly every 30 minutes, is all it takes. Skip them and the dough will spread rather than rise. Everything else in this recipe is forgiving; those two things are not.
Shopping notes
- Bread flour: All-purpose flour will work in a pinch, but bread flour has more protein (around 12–13%), which gives you a stronger gluten network and better oven spring. Unbleached is preferable — bleached flour can slightly inhibit fermentation.
- Water: If your tap water is heavily chlorinated, let it sit uncovered for 30 minutes before using, or use filtered water. Chlorine can slow or stall your starter.
- Sea salt: Fine-grain sea salt dissolves more evenly into the dough than coarse flakes. Kosher salt works too — just use the same weight rather than the same volume.
Make-ahead notes
The cold proof (12 to 16 hours in the fridge) is already built into this recipe, so the dough is designed to wait. You can push the cold proof to 18 hours if your schedule requires it — the flavor actually improves. Once baked, the loaf keeps well at room temperature, cut-side down on a board or loosely wrapped in a clean towel, for up to 2 days. Avoid plastic bags; they soften the crust fast. For longer storage, slice the cooled loaf and freeze the slices in a zip-lock bag for up to 2 months — toast them straight from frozen at 375°F for about 5 minutes and they come back well. Refrigerating a baked sourdough loaf is worth skipping — it stales faster in the fridge than on the counter.
If something goes sideways
- Dough is extremely sticky and won’t hold shape: This usually means the bulk fermentation went too long or the kitchen was too warm. The dough should feel airy and slightly domed but not soupy. Next time, reduce bulk fermentation time by 30 to 60 minutes if your kitchen is above 75°F.
- Loaf came out dense with no oven spring: The most common cause is an under-active starter. Test yours before baking: drop a small spoonful into water — if it floats, it’s ready. If it sinks, feed it again and wait.
- Crust is pale and soft instead of deep brown and crackly: The Dutch oven lid traps steam for the first part of baking, but the lid needs to come off for the last 15 to 20 minutes to let the crust color and crisp. If your oven runs cool, add 5 more minutes uncovered.
- Big gummy layer just under the crust: The loaf was cut too soon. Sourdough needs at least 1 hour to cool completely — the crumb is still setting as it cools. Cutting early traps steam inside and makes the interior gummy. An hour feels long, but it matters.
- Dough tore during final shaping instead of pulling tight: The pre-shape rest of 20 minutes is there to relax the gluten so the dough can be worked again. If it’s still fighting you, give it another 5 to 10 minutes uncovered on the counter before the final shape — skip the garnish of extra flour on top at this stage, not worth the extra mess on the crust.
Easy Sourdough Bread
Equipment
- Digital kitchen scale
- Mixing bowl
- Dutch oven with lid
- Bench scraper
- Lame or sharp knife
- Clean kitchen towel
Ingredients
- 3 ⅓ cups bread flour use unbleached, high-protein bread flour for the best gluten structure
- 1 ½ cups filtered water room temperature; avoid chlorinated tap water
- ¼ cup active sourdough starter fed and bubbly; use within 4-6 hours after feeding
- 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt fine grain for better incorporation
Instructions
- Mix the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 1/3 cups of bread flour and 1 1/2 cups of filtered water. Mix by hand until no dry spots remain. Let it rest for 30 minutes (autolyse) to develop flavor and start gluten development.
- Add Sourdough Starter and Salt: After the autolyse, add 1/4 cup active sourdough starter and 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt. Use a 'pinch and fold' technique or stretch and fold to integrate—ensure everything is well incorporated without breaking the dough structure.
- Bulk Fermentation: Cover the bowl with a damp towel and leave it at room temperature (70–75°F / 21–24°C) for 4 to 6 hours. During this time, complete 4 sets of stretch and folds about every 30 minutes during the first 2 hours.
- Shape and Rest: On a lightly floured surface, gently shape the dough into a round using a bench scraper. Rest the shaped dough for 20 minutes uncovered to relax the gluten before final shaping.
- Final Shape and Proof: Shape the dough tightly into a boule or batard and place seam-side up into a floured proofing basket or towel-lined bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 16 hours for cold retardation, which deepens the flavor and improves oven spring.
- Preheat the Oven: Place a Dutch oven with the lid inside your oven and preheat to 475°F / 245°C for 45 minutes before baking. This mimics a steam-injected bakery oven and gives a superior crust.
- Score and Bake: Carefully remove the Dutch oven, invert the dough into the pot, and score the surface with a lame. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and bake uncovered for another 25 minutes until deep golden and crisp.
- Cool Completely: Remove bread from the Dutch oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing. The interior finishes setting during this time.
Notes
- For a nutty twist, fold in a handful of toasted seeds (like sunflower or sesame) during the final stretch and fold stage.
- To reduce tanginess, shorten the final proofing time or use a younger sourdough starter.
- If new to sourdough, practice shaping dough with a lower hydration (less water) version until techniques improve.
- Use rice flour to prevent sticking in the proofing basket.
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my sourdough starter is ready to use?
Your starter is ready when it has roughly doubled in size, smells pleasantly tangy (not like nail polish remover), and passes the float test — drop a small spoonful into a glass of water and it should float. Use it within 4 to 6 hours of feeding, when it’s at or near its peak.
Can I use whole wheat flour instead of bread flour?
You can substitute up to 20% of the bread flour with whole wheat flour without major changes to the recipe. Going higher than that absorbs more water and can make the dough harder to handle — if you do, add an extra tablespoon or two of water to compensate.
Do I really need a Dutch oven?
A Dutch oven is the most reliable option for home bakers because it traps steam around the loaf during the first phase of baking, which is what creates the open crumb and crackly crust. If you don’t have one, you can bake on a preheated baking stone or heavy sheet pan and add steam by placing a pan of boiling water on the rack below — results are less consistent but workable.
What if I don’t have a proofing basket?
A medium mixing bowl lined with a clean, non-terry kitchen towel dusted generously with flour works fine. The towel keeps the dough from sticking and the bowl holds the shape during the cold proof.
Can I bake the loaf straight from the fridge, or does it need to come to room temperature first?
Bake it straight from the fridge — don’t let it warm up first. Cold dough scores more cleanly, holds its shape better going into the hot Dutch oven, and the temperature contrast actually helps oven spring.
My dough didn’t rise much during bulk fermentation. Should I still shape and refrigerate it?
If the dough has increased by less than 50% after 6 hours, give it more time at room temperature rather than moving it to the fridge. A dough that hasn’t fermented enough won’t improve overnight in the cold — it’ll just stay flat.
What to cook next
- Nurturing Wild Sourdough Starter
- Rustic Sourdough Focaccia with Rosemary and Sea Salt
- Authentic French Bread
- Authentic New York-Style Bagels Made Simple at Home
