Beginner sourdough recipes

Easy sourdough bread for beginners

This recipe is designed to help you bake your very first sourdough loaf with minimal fuss. Focus on the basics and enjoy the process of creating delicious bread from scratch. Don't worry if it's not perfect the first time; every loaf is a learning experience!

Ingredients

  • 100g active sourdough starter (fed and bubbly)
  • 350g warm water
  • 500g bread flour
  • 10g fine sea salt

Tools

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Dough scraper or spatula
  • Kitchen scale
  • Proofing basket (banneton) or a bowl lined with a floured kitchen towel
  • Dutch oven or baking stone
  • Sharp knife or lame for scoring

Instructions

  1. Mix the dough: In a large bowl, combine the active sourdough starter and warm water. Stir until the starter is mostly dissolved. Add the flour and salt. Mix with your hands or a dough scraper until no dry spots remain. It will be a shaggy dough. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
  2. Stretch and fold: Over the next 2-3 hours, perform a series of stretch and folds every 30 minutes. To do this, wet your hands, grab a portion of the dough, stretch it upwards, and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat until you have stretched all sides. Do this 3-4 times per session. This builds strength in the dough.
  3. Bulk fermentation: After the stretch and folds, cover the bowl and let the dough ferment at room temperature (around 70-75°F or 21-24°C) for 4-8 hours, or until it has increased in volume by about 30-50% and looks bubbly. The exact time will depend on your kitchen temperature.
  4. Shape the dough: Gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently shape it into a round or oval. Be careful not to deflate it too much. Place the shaped dough seam-side up into your floured proofing basket.
  5. Cold proof: Cover the proofing basket with a plastic bag or wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, or up to 24 hours. This slows down fermentation and develops flavor.
  6. Preheat your oven and Dutch oven: About an hour before baking, preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) with the Dutch oven inside.
  7. Bake the bread: Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven. Gently invert the cold dough into the hot Dutch oven. Score the top of the dough with a sharp knife or lame (a simple cross or a single slash is perfect for beginners). Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 30 minutes.
  8. Finish baking: Remove the lid from the Dutch oven and continue to bake for another 20-30 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden brown.
  9. Cool: Carefully remove the bread from the Dutch oven and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing (at least 2 hours). This is crucial for the crumb to set properly.

Best Sourdough Focaccia

Ingredients

  • 500g bread flour
  • 375g warm water
  • 100g active sourdough starter
  • 10g salt
  • 2–3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Optional toppings: rosemary, flaky salt, garlic, cherry tomatoes

Tools

  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Dough scraper or spatula
  • Kitchen scale
  • large rectangular Pan 9' by 13'

Instructions

  1. Mix the Dough: In a large bowl combine the water, sourdough starter, flour, and salt. Mix these ingredients until no dry flour remains, the dough will look sticky and rough. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
  2. Stretch and fold: Wet your hands and gently pull one side of the dough upward, then fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat 3–4 times. Cover and repeat this process every 30 minutes for about 2 hours. The dough should become smoother and stronger.
  3. First rise: After the last stretch and fold, cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 6-8 hours, or until doubled in size. 
  4. Prepare the Pan: Coat a 9x13-inch pan with olive oil. Transfer the dough into the pan and gently stretch it toward the edges. Cover and let rest for 1–2 hours.
  5. Add Toppings: Preheat the Oven to 425 degrees F. Drizzle the olive oil over the dough. use your fingers to press dimples into the surface. At this point you can add any desired topping such as, rosemary, flaky slat, garlic, and cherry tomatoes
  6. Bake: bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Let cool slightly before slicing

Beginner Tips

 

  • If the dough sticks to your hands, lightly wet them with water.
  • A bubbly and active starter helps the focaccia rise better.
  • Don’t worry if the dough looks messy at first, it smooths out during folding and fermentation.