Making sourdough bread at home is a rewarding process that results in delicious, tangy loaves made with just three primary ingredients: flour, water, and salt. Here’s a comprehensive guide to baking sourdough bread from scratch, including how to make your own sourdough starter.

Why Bake Sourdough Bread at Home?

  • Healthier Option: Naturally leavened, easier to digest, and often tolerated better by people sensitive to commercial yeast.
  • Richer Flavor: Developed through long fermentation.
  • No Additives: Whole ingredients—no preservatives or chemicals.

Ingredients for Homemade Sourdough Bread

  • 600g bread flour (or a mix of whole wheat and white)
  • 400g water (room temperature)
  • 100g active sourdough starter (at its peak, bubbly and doubled)
  • 12g salt (about 2 tsp)

What is a Sourdough Starter?

A sourdough starter is a natural culture of flour and water that captures wild yeast and beneficial bacteria from your environment. This starter is what causes your bread to rise without commercial yeast.

Learn how to make your own sourdough starter in this step-by-step guide from King Arthur Baking.
Briefly, combine equal parts (in weight) flour and water in a jar, stir daily, and feed (add more flour and water) until bubbly—usually about 5-7 days.

Equipment You’ll Need

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Dough scraper
  • Banneton or bowl lined with a towel
  • Dutch oven with lid or heavy oven-safe pot
  • Parchment paper

Step-by-Step Sourdough Bread Recipe

1. Feed Your Starter (Day Before or Morning Of)

Ensure your sourdough starter is active. Feed it 4-8 hours before making your dough.

2. Mix the Dough (Autolyse)

  • In a large bowl, mix 600g flour, 400g water, and 100g starter.
  • Stir until just combined, cover, and let rest for 30–45 minutes.

3. Add Salt

  • Sprinkle 12g salt over the dough.
  • Mix well (you may add a splash of water to help).

4. Bulk Fermentation and Stretch & Fold

  • Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 4–6 hours.
  • During the first 2-3 hours, perform a “stretch and fold” every 30 minutes: Grab a portion of the dough, stretch upwards, and fold over the center. Repeat on all sides.

5. Shape the Dough

  • Turn dough onto a floured surface.
  • Pre-shape loosely into a ball, let rest 20 minutes.
  • Final shape into a tight ball.

6. Second Rise (Proof)

  • Place shaped dough into a floured banneton or towel-lined bowl.
  • Cover and let proof for 2–4 hours at room temperature or refrigerate overnight for deeper flavor and easier scoring.

7. Preheat Oven

  • Place Dutch oven inside and preheat to 450°F (230°C).

8. Score and Bake

  • Turn dough onto parchment paper, score the top with a sharp blade.
  • Transfer to hot Dutch oven, cover, and bake with lid for 20 minutes.
  • Remove lid and bake another 20–25 minutes until golden brown.
  • Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Sourdough Tips for Beginners

  • Hydration: Sticky dough is normal; don’t add too much flour.
  • Timing: Fermentation is flexible—use cooler temps to slow, warmer to hurry up.
  • Storage: Once cooled, store bread in a paper bag or wrapped in a clean towel.

For troubleshooting, more recipes, and starter care, check out leading sourdough resources below.

References

  1. King Arthur Baking: Sourdough Bread Recipe
  2. The Perfect Loaf: Beginner’s Sourdough Bread
  3. Serious Eats: How to Make Sourdough Bread
  4. Wikipedia: Sourdough
  5. Kitchn: How To Make Your Own Sourdough Starter

Ready to bake? Enjoy the art and science of homemade sourdough bread!