I was intimidated to make my first loaf of sourdough bread. I’d heard others talk about flat and dense loaves—dough that never rose. It wasn’t until I read a sourdough book cover to cover and painted it with post-it notes, highlights, and dog-eared pages that I felt ready to put my newborn sourdough starter to work. I bought flour. I filtered water. I measured. I mixed and kneaded. I folded ever-so-gently while I held my bread until, hours later, I pulled my first sourdough from the oven.
I had my wife taste it. “Pretty good,” she said. “Yeah, pretty good bread.” Only later did she fess up that it was “actually just okay, to be honest.” But all-in-all the bread had a nice rise, a crunchy and well-colored crust, and it did taste great considering it was my first loaf of any kind of bread. And you know what? We ate the entire thing.
This Beginner’s Sourdough Bread post has several videos where I walk you through each step of the sourdough bread-making process. Be sure to see the end for a complete video walkthrough of me making this recipe!
As the new obsession set in, I started making fresh sourdough bread for every meal. There was something about the whole bread-making process that I found captivating. It was–and still is–exciting to mix such elemental ingredients and to see them produce beautiful, life-giving sustenance: it is modern-day alchemy. It’s such a simple thing, and yet it brought me so much joy to see my family and friends tear into a freshly baked loaf that I wanted to bake every day of every week.
This recipe will give you confidence as you take your first steps in baking sourdough bread from your home kitchen.
Starting to make your first loaf of sourdough bread can be daunting. That’s why I’ve put together this beginner’s sourdough bread tutorial and recipe—it will give you confidence as you take your first steps in baking sourdough bread from your home kitchen. This how-to guide starts with explaining baking terms and definitions so that we will have a common vocabulary once we get to the recipe.
And then, each step of the process has lots of information to ensure you understand what is happening and what to do. But, before we go on this beginner’s sourdough bread recipe, let’s first take a look at what sourdough bread is.
What is Sourdough Bread?
Sourdough is a specific type of bread created through a natural fermentation process involving suitable bacteria and wild yeasts in the environment (i.e., the air and even a baker’s hands) and, most importantly, on the grain itself. A sourdough starter culture is used to seed fermentation in new dough when making sourdough bread.
Generally speaking, bacteria are primarily responsible for producing organic acids (lactic acid and acetic acid) that contribute to sourdough bread’s flavor, texture, and storage qualities. The wild yeasts produce carbon dioxide gas and ethanol during fermentation. When this gas becomes trapped in the dough’s airtight gluten matrix, the dough begins to rise, resulting in a final loaf of bread with a light and airy texture.
All recipes on The Perfect Loaf are naturally leavened; in other words, you won’t find any commercial yeast or instant yeast here. There’s nothing inherently wrong with commercial yeast, but I prefer to make bread this way because of the wonderful flavor and texture, the health benefits like increased bioavailability of minerals and nutrients, increased keeping quality thanks to the acids generated during natural fermentation, and the fact that it requires so few ingredients (just three!) to make something so delicious.
For a high-level look at each step of the sourdough process, read through the Beginner’s Guide to Sourdough Bread →
Creating a Sourdough Starter
It all begins with a sourdough starter. Before we look at how to make sourdough bread, you need to create a healthy sourdough starter that shows consistent signs of fermentation each day. Creating a sourdough starter is easy: mix flour and water for a few days in succession, and eventually, thanks to the bacteria and wild yeasts on the grain, natural fermentation will begin.
If you’d like to look at how I feed my starter daily, look at my sourdough starter maintenance routine. In this guide, you will see the visual and aromatic cues to look for when your starter is ready for refreshment (feeding).
While waiting for your sourdough starter, let’s look at some terms bakers often use to discuss the various parts of the bread-making process.
Baker’s Terminology
Sourdough starter
A starter is a mixture of flour and water you allow to ferment naturally. You’ll refresh (feed) the starter indefinitely to keep the fermentation active and healthy, and you will wait for it to become fully ripe before you use any of it to make bread.
When you want to make bread, you take a small amount of your starter to create an off-shoot called a levain (see below). See my post on starter creation to read more about the starter and learn how to make one.
Levain (or leaven)
A levain is made by mixing a small off-shoot of your ripe starter with water and flour and allowing it to ferment before mixing it into a dough. You can always use your starter directly to make sourdough bread, but a levain is a small off-shoot that allows you to adjust the flour, hydration, and ripening schedule (which have implications on the bacteria and wild yeast balance).
Also, unlike your sourdough starter, which lives on as its own entity, the entirety of the levain goes into the dough and has the same fate as the bread itself: to be baked in the oven. See my post on what a levain is and how it’s different from a sourdough starter for more information.
Autolyse
Some recipes utilize a step called autolyse (“auto-lease”). It occurs at the beginning of bread baking and is a step in which only flour and water are mixed together and left to rest. The goal of autolyse is to initiate enzymatic activity in the dough to help draw out sugars from the flour. Additionally, it helps increase dough extensibility (the ability for the dough to stretch out without tearing).
In most cases, increased extensibility is good as it helps the dough expand and fill with gasses, resulting in a light and airy loaf. See my in-depth post on the autolyse technique for more information.
Bulk fermentation
The dough’s first rise is called bulk fermentation. After mixing the flour, salt, and levain into a dough, you put it all into a bowl or container, cover it, and let it rest. The dough will undergo a fermentation process during this critical step. Bacteria and yeast begin to generate organic acids and alcohols and leaven the dough, which will translate to flavor and rise in your final bread.
For more on this critical step in the bread-making process, see my in-depth guide to bulk fermentation.
Proofing
The proof is the dough’s final, or second, rise after the dough has been divided and shaped and lasts until the dough is finally baked in the oven. During this time, the dough continues to ferment, further strengthening and leavening it. I typically proof at a cold temperature in the refrigerator (also called “retarding”).
In my ultimate guide to proofing, I talk about how to spot when the dough is finished rising and ready to bake, plus a whole lot more.
Final Dough Temperature
The final dough temperature (FDT) is the dough’s temperature after mixing all ingredients. The dough’s temperature is important because it’s the main factor that affects fermentation strength: a warmer dough will ferment faster than a cooler dough.
Naturally, each component (levain, the flour, the water, and the ambient environment) has a temperature. While most of these are out of our control, we can easily adjust the water temperature, which enables us to change the FDT of the entire dough to meet whatever the recipe calls for.
I have a handy water temperature calculator you can use to quickly figure out what you need to warm or cool your mixing water to get the dough to the right temperature.
Or, so you don’t have to do any calculations, here’s a quick cheat sheet for this Beginner’s Sourdough bread recipe:
| If your kitchen temperature is | Warm or cool the mixing water to |
|---|---|
| 68°F (20°C) | 98°F (37°C) |
| 70°F (21°C) | 94°F (34°C) |
| 72°F (22°C) | 90°F (32°C) |
| 74°F (23°C) | 86°F (30°C) |
| 76°F (24°C) | 82°F (28°C) |
| 78°F (25°C) | 78°F (25°C) |
| 80°F (26°C) | 74°F (23°C) |
If your kitchen is outside of these temperatures, my guide on the importance of dough temperature in baking will walk you through calculating exactly what to warm (or cool) your mixing water to so your dough meets the FDT for any recipe.
Baker’s Percentages (Baker’s Math)
Baker’s math, or baker’s percentages, helps bakers adjust the actual quantity of the ingredients up or down, depending on how much bread they want to make. I write all the formulas on The Perfect Loaf in baker’s percentages, where all ingredient weights are a percentage of the total flour weight, which always adds up to 100%. Read through my introduction to baker’s percentages for a more in-depth explanation (including how to scale up and down a bread recipe).
TPL Members (the baking community here) have access to all the recipes here at The Perfect Loaf in spreadsheet form, making scaling up and down recipes as simple as changing a few numbers.
Baking Tools
There are a few necessary tools for baking your first loaf of this beginner’s sourdough bread. The following might look like a long list, but you probably already have many of these in your kitchen—There are a few tools necessary for baking this beginner’s sourdough bread. Note that one item is absolutely necessary: a kitchen scale. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, please consider buying one. Measuring flour with cups and scoops is entirely inaccurate!
- combo cooker like a Lodge 3qt. cast iron combo cooker or a Le Creuset Dutch oven that can withstand 500°F (260°C) in the oven and has a well-sealing lid
- large mixing bowl to mix your dough by hand
- two medium kitchen bowls to proof your dough
- two kitchen towels or a tea towel to line the proofing bowls
- bench knife to cut and shape the dough
- plastic or silicone bowl scraper
- kitchen scale that measures in grams
- instant-read thermometer
- white rice flour for dusting proofing bowl
- blade for scoring your dough (a “lame”), or a razor blade, sharp knife, or scissors
- fine-grain sea salt
- parchment paper
- pizza peel (or cutting board)
- heavy duty oven mitt
- the best bread knife for cutting your sourdough bread
You can find a full list of all the tools I use when baking on my baking tools page.
The Importance of Dough Temperature
When I first started baking, I didn’t quite grasp how important temperature is in the bread-making process. I always like to say: Treat temperature as an ingredient, just as flour, water, and salt are ingredients. What I mean by that, practically, is that if one day you mix with water that is 70°F (21°C) and then a week later mix with water that is 80°F (26°C), you will get drastically different outcomes.
Temperature determines the amount of fermentation activity you’ll see. Lower temperatures generally mean less activity; therefore, things will take longer. Higher temperatures generally mean more activity; therefore, things will take less time. Working with consistent temperatures will ensure consistency in your bread baking, and you’ll get the desired results in terms of flavor, rise, texture–well, everything.
Treat temperature as an ingredient, just as flour, water, and salt are ingredients.
If it’s cold where you’re baking, see my tips on how to bake sourdough bread in the winter. And conversely, if it’s warm where you are, see my post on how to bake in the summer. These guides will help ensure your loaves have the best flavor and volume.
Flour For Baking Bread
I used commonly available supermarket flour for this recipe: Bob’s Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour, Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Flour, and Bob’s Red Mill or Arrowhead Dark Rye Flour. These are great flour choices, but any of King Arthur’s offerings are equally suitable. I chose “bread flour” as it has a higher protein percentage than all-purpose flour, which helps bring significant strength to the dough so that less mixing and kneading is required–it also makes things a bit easier for your first loaf of bread.
As you’ll hear me mention throughout this site, I do like to use as little high-protein flour in my recipes as possible as I find it leads to a slightly chewier, gummy interior—or be sure to use it in the correct way.
Baking Schedule
This beginner’s sourdough bread is a two-day-long process where the bread is mixed and prepared on day one, cold-proofed (retarded) in the fridge overnight, then baked on day two.
I love the convenience of this type of schedule: most of the work is done on the first day, then the dough can be left in the fridge until the next day, when it can be baked in the morning, afternoon, or even the evening.
The baking schedule to the right shows you a high-level view of what step takes place and when.
Beginner’s Sourdough Bread Formula
Now we get to the formula for the beginner’s sourdough bread formula. I start every recipe with two tables: Vitals and Total Formula. The Vitals table gives you a high-level view of the contents of the dough, as well as how much the recipe makes (in this case, two loaves). The Total Formula table lists the ingredients needed for the entire recipe and their respective amounts.
Vitals
| Total Dough Weight | 1,800 grams |
| Pre-fermented Flour | 7.5% |
| Levain in final dough | 20.3% |
| Hydration | 72.0% |
| Yield | Two loaves |
Total Formula
| Weight | Ingredient | Baker’s Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 811g | Bob’s Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour | 80.0% |
| 152g | Bob’s Red Mill Stoneground Whole Wheat Flour | 15.0% |
| 51g | Bob’s Red Mill Dark Rye Flour | 5.0% |
| 730g | Water | 72.0% |
| 18g | Fine sea salt | 1.8% |
| 38g | Ripe sourdough starter, 100% hydration | 3.8% |
Beginner’s Sourdough Bread Method
1. Levain – 8:00 a.m.
| Weight | Ingredient | Baker’s Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 38g | Ripe sourdough starter (100% hydration) | 50.0% |
| 38g | Bob’s Red Mill Stoneground Whole Wheat | 50.0% |
| 38g | Bob’s Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour | 50.0% |
| 76g | Water | 100.0% |
Remember: the levain is an off-shoot of your continually maintained sourdough starter and is likewise composed of bacteria and yeasts. You make this levain well before you mix the dough, so it has time to ferment, and eventually, it’s added to the dough to seed fermentation.
Mix the ingredients in the table above in a clean jar (I use the same sourdough starter jars) and leave it at warm room temperature, 74-76°F (23-24°C), for 5 to 6 hours. When it’s ready, it will be expanded, bubbly on top, inside, and at the sides, and have a slightly sour aroma. The photo below shows my levain before it goes into my dough mix.
2. Autolyse – 12:00 p.m.
| Weight | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 773g | Bob’s Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour |
| 114g | Bob’s Red Mill Stoneground Whole Wheat Flour |
| 51g | Bob’s Red Mill Dark Rye Flour |
| 603g | Water (this has 50g less than the overall formula, reserved for Mix step below) |
The desired dough temperature (DDT) for this dough is 78°F (25°C). As described in the temperature section above, we will try to get the dough to this temperature right at the end of mixing (which is also at the beginning of bulk fermentation).
Warm or cool the autolyse water so the mixed dough reaches the FDT for this recipe. Place the flour and the water called for in the table above in a large bowl. Use wet hands to mix until no dry bits remain; the dough will be shaggy and loose. Use a bowl scraper to scrape down the sides of the bowl, keeping all the dough in one area at the bottom. Cover the bowl and place it near your levain for 1 hour.
Note that the autolyse stage does not incorporate salt or the levain in any way since the autolyse is a long one hour. Adding the levain to the autolyse would mean fermentation would begin, which could end up overproofing the dough. Salt is rarely added to an autolyse because the salt would diminish enzymatic activity during this time, which is precisely why we are doing an autolyse. The autolyse and levain are two separate entities that will be mixed together later in the process.
3. Mix – 1:00 p.m.
| Weight | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 50g | Reserved water (this water was held back in the Autolyse step) |
| 18g | Fine sea salt |
| 190g | Ripe, 100% hydration levain (from Levain, above) |
Use your instant-read thermometer to take the dough’s temperature and compare it to the FDT for this recipe. If it is higher, use cold water for the reserved water; if it is lower, use warm water.
At this point, your autolyse is complete and your levain is ready—it’s time to mix and strengthen the dough. If the dough feels very wet and shaggy, do not use all of the reserved 50g of water; use only a splash to help incorporate the salt and levain. If the dough feels good to you, use all the reserved water.
To the autolyse, add the ingredients in the table above (salt, reserved water to help adjust dough hydration and consistency, and levain). I like to spread everything on top of the dough and use wet hands to pinch all the ingredients together. Transfer the dough to a container or thick-walled bowl for bulk fermentation.
Take the temperature of the dough to get your final dough temperature. If your FDT is below 78°F (25°C), next time use warmer water, and conversely, if it’s above 78°F (25°C), use cooler water. Cover the dough.
4. Bulk Fermentation – 1:10 p.m. to 5:10 p.m.
At 74-76°F (23-24°C) ambient temperature, bulk fermentation should go for about 4 hours. Perform 3 sets of stretches and folds during bulk fermentation, spaced out by 30 minutes.
Each set of stretches and folds consists of 4 folds: one each at the North, South, East, and West sides. Wet your hands with a little water to prevent sticking, and then lift one side (North) of the dough with two hands. Stretch the dough high enough so you can fold it completely over to the other side. Rotate the bowl 180° and do the other side (South). Finish the other two sides (East and West) to complete the set. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes, covered, between sets.
In the video below, you can see how I stretch and fold this dough during bulk fermentation.
After the third set of stretch and folds, let the dough rest for the remainder of bulk fermentation. During this time, fermentation aerates the dough (making it rise), continues to strengthen it, and further develops its flavor.
At the end of bulk fermentation, your dough should have risen by 20% to 50%. It should show some bubbles on the top and sides, and the edge of the dough where it meets the bowl should be slightly domed, which indicates strength. In the photo above, you can see all these signs. If you don’t see these signs, leave it for another 15 minutes in bulk fermentation and check again.
5. Divide and preshape – 5:15 p.m.
Lightly flour a work surface. Using a bowl scraper, gently scrape the dough onto the work surface and use your bench knife to divide the dough directly in half. Using your bench knife in your dominant hand, and the other hand wet (or floured, if you prefer) to reduce sticking, turn each half of the dough on the counter while lightly pulling the dough towards you. This gentle turning and pulling motion will develop tension on the dough’s top, forming a circle.
Preshaping bread dough is an often overlooked step, but it sets the stage for successful shaping later. See my guide to preshaping bread dough for more information.
Let the dough rest for 25 minutes, uncovered.
In the video below, you can see how I preshape this beginner’s sourdough bread dough:
6. Shape – 5:35 p.m.
If you’re new to shaping bread dough, check out my guide to shaping a boule (a round) in addition to the steps below.
Lightly flour the top of your dough rounds and the work surface. Working with one round at a time, flip the round so the floured top is now down on the floured work surface.
As seen in the image below, with lightly floured hands, grab the bottom of the round and stretch it lightly downward towards your body, and then up and over about 2/3 of the way to the top.
Then, grab the left and right sides of the dough and stretch them away from each other. Fold one side over toward the other and repeat with the other side.
Then, grab the top of the circle, stretch it away from your body, and then fold it down to the bottom of the dough. You’ll now have a tight package that resembles a letter.
Finally, flip or roll down the dough so the seams are all on the bottom. Using both hands, cup the top part of the round and drag the dough gently towards your body to create surface tension on the dough. The angle of your hands will gently press the dough’s bottom on the counter. This dragging helps create surface tension on the dough, which helps keep it in shape during proofing.
Let the dough rest on the bench for a few minutes to help the bottom seam seal.
In the video below, you can see how I shape bread dough into a boule shape.
Meanwhile, prepare your proofing baskets. Line two proofing baskets, kitchen bowls, or bannetons with clean kitchen towels. Dust lightly and evenly with plain white flour or white rice flour. Gently transfer each piece of shaped dough to a proofing basket, seam-side-up.
You can also top this dough with sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pepitas, and much more—see my guide to topping bread dough for more ideas and instructions.
7. Rest and proof – 5:40 p.m. to 9:30 a.m. (next day)
To prevent your dough from drying out overnight, place your bowls containing your shaped dough into reusable plastic bags and seal. I usually puff up the plastic bag around the bowl by opening it wide and then quickly closing it.
Let the dough rest on the counter for 20 minutes. Then, retard (a baker’s term meaning place into a cold area to proof) in the refrigerator at 38°F (3°C) for 16 hours (overnight).
During this time, overall fermentation will slow (especially yeast activity), but bacterial activity will continue at a reduced rate, resulting in a more complex flavor and, ultimately, deeper crust coloring.
8. Bake – Next morning: preheat oven at 8:30 a.m., bake at 9:30 a.m.
Now, it’s time to bake your sourdough bread. It’s not a difficult step, but there are some things to know. The oven needs steam for the best crust and tallest rise. I like to use a Dutch oven or combo cooker, which is very easy. These pots trap the steam released from the dough and provide the right environment for it to rise optimally.
See my full guide to baking sourdough bread for tips on scoring your dough, pots, and steaming.
Place an oven rack in the bottom third of the oven with no rack above it. Put your combo cooker or Dutch oven on the oven rack, and preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C) for at least 30 minutes. If you’re using a combo cooker, place the shallow side face up on one side and the heavier, deep side face down on the other.
When your oven is preheated, remove one of the proofing baskets from the fridge, uncover it, and place a piece of parchment paper over it. Place a pizza peel, cutting board, or inverted baking sheet on top of the parchment and, using both hands, flip everything over. Gently remove the basket; your dough should rest on the parchment.
Using a razor blade, sharp knife, or baker’s lame, score the dough at a 90° angle between the blade and the dough. I chose to make a “box” pattern. If using scissors, snip the dough a few times at a very shallow angle between the scissors and the dough, forming a set of ridges down the dough’s center.
While wearing your heavy-duty oven mitt, and with caution, pull out your shallow side of the combo cooker and place it on a heat-safe rack or stovetop. Slide the dough into the combo cooker or Dutch oven. Place it back into the oven and cover the shallow side with the deep side, or put the lid on the Dutch oven. This sealed environment helps trap the moisture (escaping steam) from your dough to steam the loaf exterior as it bakes, which encourages maximal rise and a crunchy, shiny crust.
Bake for 20 minutes. Vent the oven of steam: use your oven mitt to very carefully remove the top of the combo cooker or Dutch oven. Leave the large side of the combo cooker in the oven to the side. Close the oven door and bake for 30 minutes more. When done, the loaf should have an internal temperature of around 208°F (97°C), and the crust should be a deep mahogany color and crackle/crunch when squeezed.
Use your oven mitt to transfer the bread to a wire rack carefully. Cool for 1 to 2 hours before slicing into your beginner’s sourdough bread. For the second loaf, preheat the combo cooker or Dutch oven for 15 minutes and repeat.
Follow my guide to storing bread to keep your loaves fresh for as long as possible.
Once you get the hang of this beginner’s sourdough bread process and formula, you can endlessly modify it with add-ins like walnuts, cranberries, seeds, and a host of other ingredients bound only by your imagination. But the most important thing is to bake and have fun. Remember that sometimes bread doesn’t come out as you intended–but stick with it, and you’ll be rewarded time and time again.
And of course, buon appetito!
Watch me make this Beginner’s Sourdough Bread from start to finish
In my YouTube video below, you can see how I make my Beginner’s Sourdough Bread, from creating the levain to slicing the final loaves.
Beginner’s Sourdough Bread Recipe
- Prep Time: 23 hours
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 24 hours
- Yield: 2 loaves
- Category: Main course
- Cuisine: American
Description
The perfect bread to get started baking sourdough bread at home. This crusty, crunchy, and absolutely delicious loaf of bread is perfect for any lunch or dinner table.
Ingredients
Levain
- 38 grams stoneground whole wheat flour
- 38 grams bread flour
- 76 grams water
- 38 grams ripe sourdough starter
Main dough
- 773 grams bread flour
- 114 grams whole wheat flour
- 51 grams whole grain rye flour
- 653 grams water
- 18 grams fine sea salt
Instructions
- Levain (8:00 a.m.)
In a small container, mix the levain ingredients and keep at 74-76°F (23-24°C) for 5 to 6 hours. - Autolyse (12:00 p.m)
In a medium mixing bowl, mix the flour and 603 grams of water (reserve 50 grams until the next step). Cover and let rest for 1 hour. - Mix (1:00 p.m.)
To the mixing bowl holding your dough, add the salt, ripe levain (from step 1), and reserved 50 grams water. Mix by hand or with a dough whisk until incorporated. Transfer your dough to a bulk fermentation container and cover. - Bulk Fermentation (1:10 p.m. to 5:10 p.m.)
Give the dough 3 sets of stretch and folds at 30-minute intervals, where the first set starts 30 minutes after the start of bulk fermentation. - Divide and Preshape (5:10 p.m.)
Lightly flour your work surface and scrape out your dough. Using your bench knife, divide the dough in half. Lightly shape each half into a round shape. Let the dough rest for 25 minutes, uncovered. - Shape (5:35 p.m.)
Shape the dough into a round (boule) or oval (batard)—place in proofing baskets. - Rest and Proof (5:40 p.m. to 9:30 a.m. the next day)
Cover proofing baskets with reusable plastic and seal shut. Let the dough sit out on the counter for 20 minutes. Then, place both baskets into the refrigerator and proof overnight. - Bake (Preheat oven at 8:30 a.m., bake at 9:30 a.m.)
Preheat your oven with a combo cooker or Dutch oven inside to 450°F (230°C). When the oven is preheated, remove your dough from the fridge, score it, and transfer to the preheated combo cooker. Place the cooker in the oven, cover with the lid, and bake for 20 minutes. After this time, remove the lid (you can keep it in the oven or remove it) and continue to bake for 30 minutes longer. When done, the internal temperature should be around 208°F (97°C). Let the loaves cool for 1 to 2 hours on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
While the recipe calls for 16 hours of total proof time, you could extend this time and bake the loaves in the morning, afternoon, or even the evening on day two. Leave the proofing dough in the fridge until ready to bake.
Beginner’s Sourdough Bread Frequently Asked Questions
Why is sourdough bread good for you?
Sourdough, and its lengthy natural fermentation process, can help break down the gluten in grain, which helps aid in the body’s digestion. Additionally, fermentation helps “unlock” the nutrition inherent in the grain, allowing for better absorption.
Is sourdough bread sour?
Sourdough isn’t super sour in the traditional sense—it’s not sour like taking a bit of a lemon. But it does have tanginess which is the byproduct of lactic acid fermentation. Sourdough bread will have more sourness than one made with 100% commercial yeast due to the acids created by natural fermentation.
How can I make sourdough bread more sour?
To increase the sour flavor of this sourdough bread, add more whole grains (both to your sourdough starter and the dough itself), keep the dough warm (78°F/25°C or warmer), and lengthen the total fermentation time by keeping the dough in the fridge to proof even longer than the 16 hours specified in the recipe—24 hours is a good starting point.
How can I get a more open crumb with my bread?
First, focus on your sourdough starter to get a more open crumb for this sourdough bread: it should be refreshed (fed) often, kept warm, and used when ripe. Next, strengthen the dough sufficiently during mixing and bulk fermentation by using stretches and folds. Finally, your dough must be fully proofed so that when you press a finger into the dough, it slowly springs back about halfway (if it springs back quickly, let it proof longer; if the finger indentation stays, bake immediately).
What’s Next?
After baking this beginner’s sourdough bread, check out my Baking Guides for more in-depth discussions on all parts of the sourdough bread-making process. If you’re looking to add mix-ins to your bread, have a look at my walnut cranberry sourdough bread—it’s one of the most popular recipes here at The Perfect Loaf—and for good reason! Or, have a look at my Simple Weekday Sourdough Bread for a way to squeeze sourdough bread baking into a busy workday.
Finally, now that you have your sourdough starter bubbling away on your counter check out my sourdough starter discard recipes for ideas on how to use leftovers!
3,324 Comments
When removing the baskets from the refrigerator in the morning, should the dough have risen or grown in size?
You won’t see a lot of rise when the dough is proofed in the fridge overnight — it’s cold! If you feel like the dough is under proofed, let it sit out of the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking to give it more room temp time which will push fermentation farther.
Hi Maurizio! I cut the dough recipe in half but used the full levain as you wrote above. 184 g of it and now my dough is really wet. Did i just mess everything up??
Just stick with it. Shape the dough a little extra tight and things should work out fine!
I doubled my second batch after the first went so well. But I don’t have room in the fridge for 4 bowls, Is there another way to keep them in the fridge
overnight and then shape them?
You could bake two tonight after they are shaped and left out for 2-3 hours to finish proofing, and then bake two tomorrow after proofing in the fridge. Just one option!
Maurizio,
I just baked my first loaves…yay! But they have little shape and are very dense…Boo Also the flavor seems too “wheaty” for me. I’m ready to make adjustments but I’m not sure what to try next. Thanks in advance for your detailed information.
Awesome, Mary! It could be that your loaves were underproofed. There are a few indicators your dough could be under: explosive rise in the oven, dense interior with potentially scattered large holes, and gummy texture to the interior. Finally, it’s possible the bottom of the loaf might be slightly bowed upward (like the letter “U” — the top will kind of dome).
Make sure to build your levain from a starter that’s strong and mature (meaning it’s risen to it’s peak height before you take some to use). From there, bulk fermentation is very important! Make sure your bulk fermentation goes sufficiently far, you want the dough to look smooth, it should have risen considerably, and have bubbles here and there. If you tug on the dough a bit it should offer resistance to your tugging, it’ll feel stronger.
Above all, give the dough the time it needs! If it’s cooler in your kitchen, things might take longer than my timeline here.
Let me know how the next attempt goes and wishing you good health.
Thanks so much…feeding starter now. I think I’ll try again in a couple of days to give my starter time to strengthen.
Hi Maurizio..!!!
Thanks for this blogpost :)) new to you ws and sourdough baking, but think your posts will be of great help.
If I would like to make just one loaf of bread should I then half the amount of leaving I make/ use as well?
Thanks in advance for your reply..!!
Emine, you’re very welcome! Yes, just halve all the ingredients and you’re good to go 🙂
hi again!
i don’t have a combo cooker or a dutch oven. i just baked my first loaf of french bread today using a cast iron skillet and another smaller skillet below it with ice cubes to create steam. would this method work for baking this bread as well? thanks!
Yes, that will work well — the key is the ensure the oven has sufficient steam to promote a nice crust and a little more rise. Those ice cubes should work!
Thanks for this website. During the bulk fermentation, how long after I make the dough do I start the 3 sets of stretch-and-fold? Do I do the first set as soon as I mix the dough? Or should I wait 30 min? Cheers.
Emily — wait 30 minutes after the start of bulk fermentation, then do your first fold. Subsequent folds should happen every 30 minutes thereafter. Happy baking!
Given COVID-19 related flour shortages, I can’t get my hands on any rye flour. Would it be ok to substitute that with whole wheat flour or all purpose / bread flour?
Yes, that’ll work just fine!
Hi Maurizio,
I’m using this recipe now for a while, trying to make it better each time. Just one question;
After the bulk fermentation while doing the pre-shaping, the dough is very sticky. It even sticks to my bench knife making it diffucult to shape. I followed your steps, 4 hours bulk fermentation in around 25*C invironment. Dough has risen, lots of big bubble pockets on top and domed edges. I even use less water (75% of total dough).
Is your dough after bulk also sticky or am I doing something wrong? Something I need to change?
Your help is much appreciated!
Darryl, your dough will always be sticky to some degree! But if it’s excessive, you could try reducing the hydration further or giving it more strength through kneading and/or sets of stretch and folds. By the time you preshape and shape the dough should feel like it wants to hold itself together, not fall apart easily or spread readily. If it’s not like that, it could likely use a bit more strength, try adding another set or two of strong folds during bulk fermentation.
As you bake more and more you’ll also start to get the hang of dealing with sticky/wet dough.
I hope this helps and happy baking!
Thanks for the tips! I know the dough will always be sticky, but just didn’t expect this sticky haha. I’ll try to do more kneading and stretch and folds next time. During bulk, do you cover your dough? At the moment I cover it with a linnen towel then place it in the oven with de door cracked open. Also when doing the finger test, this has to be done after the dough is out of the fridge before baking correct?
Thanks for the beautiful website!
Yes, I always keep the dough covered except after preshaping when it’s resting on the counter. The finger test (poke test) helps determine when the dough is ready for baking, but it’s not a foolproof test, it can mislead in some cases. However, poking in general is good, it gives you a tactile sense for the level of fermentation in the dough and can help you asses when it’s ready. You’re very welcome and happy baking, Darryl!
hi Maurizio!
quick questions about the beginners sourdough recipe. I don’t have access to any whole wheat flour. How should I adjust the recipe? I have unbleached all purpose flour, unbleached bread flour, dark rye flour, as well as typical bleached all purpose flour. Will I still be able to make the bread? Also, if i want to half the recipe and make 1 loaf, you said to half all the parts in the dough mix but keep the levain mix the same. should i still use 184g of levain if i’m making just 1 loaf or should i half the amount of mature levain? Thanks so much and i hope you and are family are safe at home!
That’s just fine, Jessica. I’d use all unbleached all-purpose flour at 95% with 5% rye as described in the formula (so sub out the whole wheat for all-purpose). This will turn out great! If you want to make half and are trying to conserve flour (as we all are right now!) just halve everything, even the levain build. It’ll turn out great.
Hope that helps and wishing you good health.
Do you mean replace the bread flour with all-purpose as well? I’m trying to do the same thing with no whole wheat 🙂
Thanks!
Yes, you could use 95% all purpose with 5% rye if that’s what you have. Just know that all purpose typically is not as “strong” as bread flour, and it might need another set or two of stretch and folds during bulk fermentation.
thank you! i’ll use the same amount of bread flour and rye but just use all purpose instead of wheat flour!
Hello. I just discovered your website and its such a great resource! One question. When this recipe calls for mature starter, when exactly is that? Say i feed my starter twice daily, morning and evening, and follow your schedule with making this levain at 8 am. If i fed my starter at 7pm the night before, is it then mature that morning? Or is it to long after the feeding? Hope you understand my question.
Hey Terje! When I say “mature” or “ripe” I mean when it’s at its peak height in its jar — when you’d normally give it a refreshment (feeding). Check out my starter maintenance routine for more info (with pictures) on how to maintain your starter!
Thanks for your quick reply and clarification! I Actually found that article after i asked my question so that cleared it up:)
I’ve been trying to make my Bread a lot more sour. I have tried to proof the dough in my refrigerator for 24 hours (~5 C), but it still isn’t sour enough. Do you have any recommendations? If I used more leaven, then how would I adjust this recipe? Would I need to shorten the bulk fermentation with a long proof in my refrigerator (24 hours at ~5 C)? Thanks for all the tips.
A few recommendations:
First, you want to use your starter, and levain, when it’s very ripe. If it rises up to a certain height, let it sit there for a bit before you use it. If it starts to fall that’s ok too, just try to use it after it falls. That mature, ripe starter/levain has much more acidity than if used when it’s more on the “younger” side. Just be weary that your dough fermentation rate might be a bit faster than previous, keep an eye on it during bulk fermentation and divide the dough when it looks ready.
Additionally, you could try using some more rye flour in your final dough mix. Just know that the more rye you include the more dense your loaf will be as rye does have the same gas-trapping capabilities as traditional wheat. It’s up to you on the percentage, but even 5-10% plays a big role. If you didn’t add rye, be sure to add it. Whole wheat would also work well.
Thanks Maurizio. You gave me some great ideas to experiment with!
Hey Maurizio, having a background in engineering this is the perfect guide for me, I love the attention to detail so thank you. I’m making my first loaf today and I’ve just started bulk fermentation but I decided to do half the recipe (for 1 loaf) and halved the dough recipe but kept the leaven as it is above as you instructed. But now that I’ve added the whole leaven recipe to half the dough recipe my mixture is a lot more liquid that yours in the picture which made the first set of folds tricky. Is this normal when only doing one loaf?
Thanks in advance!
Grant
Hey Grant! Glad my site has helped. I think a little engineering precision definitely helps (to an extent!). If halving the recipe you definitely only want to add half of the leaven to the dough, but it’s ok if you added it all, you’ll just have to adjust. You can try to keep the dough at cooler room temp (70-72°F) but keep an eye on it during bulk, it’ll likely be ready to divide sooner! Maybe 2.5-3 hours. Then do a preshape, rest, shape and straight into the fridge (don’t let it sit out before the fridge if it’s very gassy and well risen). As with many things in baking bread, it’ll be fine just adjust and be flexible!
Let me know how it goes and happy baking.
Thank you so much for this website! Can I use a glass Dutch oven instead of iron? Also I am trying to make do with flour I have. Can I use all purpose and einkorn flour? That is what I am making my starter with (although I think I am on day 7 of my starter and it is struggling). Thank you!!
You’re welcome, Katelyn! I’ve never personally used a glass pot to bake bread in but I would be hesitant because there’s quite a lot of water in the oven and I would hate for it to crack. If you don’t have a cast iron pot you can always use a baking stone (or baking steel) with an inverted roasting pan or oven safe bowl on top to trap steam.
And yes, all purpose and einkorn flour will work very well. I have recipes here for many different types of flour!
Hi Maurizio! So I decided to come to this recipe after a long break from sourdough since I was only ever getting a gummy, off-tasting product and wanted to improve my regular French bread skills incase that would help my sourdough loaves. Well, apparantely I still have a lot to learn because my crumb remains gummy as ever. I don’t understand; I removed the loaf at the correct internal temperature and I sliced it upon after 4 hours of cooling. I mean, it looks fine on the outside! (https://imgur.com/a/cLHUEvF) I’ve never experienced this gumminess with any of my non-sourdough breads but have yet to make a sourdough loaf that doesn’t have this problem. Any tips?
Hello Maurizio and company! I have a question about the starter used in the levain – at what stage of life should the starter be at to be added to the levain? I have kept my starter in the fridge for the past couple days so can I add it straight to the levain or does it have to be revived to some extent? To be more specific, do I need to feed my starter and get it active again before it is ready to be used in the levain or can it be used right away?
Thank you so much,
Natalie
Hey, Natalie! I like to give mine at least two feedings before using it to make a levain. Check out my storing a sourdough starter (in the fridge) post for how I go about that 🙂 Happy baking!
Amazing website Maurizio, the same beautiful pictures as your Instagram account (your babka looked amazing). I usually bake break with Baker’s Yeast and I’ve went through most of the recipes on the Dutch blog, so I was looking for a new source of inspiration, and I found it!
This is the first recipe I made, the bread turned out pretty great! I do have a question about baking in a gas oven: I struggle to get both good color and good crust. Do you have any suggestions? I could add a couple baking stones to the top of my oven to better retain heat there.
Thanks, AJ! If you’re baking in a Dutch oven that should provide all the steam your dough needs during the first 20 minutes or so of the bake (which is critical to achieve a non-dull crust). Aside from plenty of steam in the oven, your flour also plays a big role here: if your flour has a little diastatic malt in it (as many “bread” flours here in the USA do) that will add some color in the end. If you’re looking for a thicker crust you could try lowering the baking temperature but baking for longer, this might help.
I hope that helps!
Hi Muairizio,
Very excited to bake bread for the first time, what a perfect project for social distancing – your website is so beautiful and is keeping me and my husband entertained at this time 🙂 I am just trying to maintain my starter at this point, following your pointers, and adjusting the temperature of the water/ increasing the amount of starter, as it was a little sluggish, its amazing to watch/ smell and adjust, thank you!
From reading the above, I am a little worried that I won’t be able to make a sourdough loaf now, as my oven only goes up to 230 🙁 Do you think there is anything I can do? I am reluctant to invest in a proofing basket and bench knife etc, before knowing if it is even possible in this scenario. Any help would be really appreciated!!!
I hope you and your family are keeping well.
Aisling
His degrees are Fahrenheit, any chance you’re using a Celsius-based oven?
I have a celucius-based oven yes indeed. Thank you but I am referring to his celucius-based conversions, which reach up to 260 degrees at certain points 🙁
You’re welcome Aisling and thank you for the kind words! That’s ok if your oven only goes up to 230°C, use that temp where I call for 260°C and then adjust as necessary. I’d likely keep the oven at 230°C the whole bake and not turn it down unless you see the bread coloring too fast before it’s fully baked through (the interior temp of the loaf should be between 93-99°C or so). Hope that helps and happy baking!
Thank you so much, that really helps, you’re very kind 🙏
Ciao Maurizio,
I followed your guide and my bread turned out very yummy, well caramelized crust, airy and very slightly sour crumbs. Perfect flavor to me.
But the dough seemed not to have enough strength; in the Dutch oven it became a little flat. It rised well during cooking but with flat vertical sides, instead of a well shaped dome.
What do you think I did wrong?
I kneaded it by hand, maybe needed more work and more folding?
Thank you!
Hey, Valeria! Hard to say without more info, but it does sound like the bread maybe lacked strength going into the oven. You could try adding a little kneading before bulk fermentation or add in another set or two of stretch and folds. Additionally, be sure you’re giving the dough a tight enough shape: it has to hold its shape well overnight and into the oven! So overall, yes, more strength to the dough (through folds and shaping). Let me know how it goes!
Maurizio thank you so much for taking the time to answering my question. I will definitely try again and let you know, after I finish experimenting with a sourdough bread with Italian semola di grano duro (I am from Sicily, where that flour is so commonly used and loved).
And experimenting further I want to share with you that I grafted my starter (revived and strenghen thanks to your excellent technical explanations) with my kombucha yeast and bacteria from my scoby.
Don’t know if you know what I am talking about, just wanted to share some mad home-baker experiment you could be interested in.
Btw, you webite is absolutely lovely. I appreciate the nerd-ish passionate content and, as a web designer, I love the design.
Keep up the awesome work and thank you!
That’s super interesting! I had a SCOBY going here for quite a while, would be fun to play with the two 🙂 Thank you for the kind words, I really appreciate that! I’m a fan of a clean, concise design. I hope all is well and happy baking!
Ciao Maurizio,
I tried again. More kneading (machine this time) and more folding did a very good job! Windmill flour sourdough bread
The only problem I think is the flour. Would like your opinion about this.
I used a Dutch windmill flour (blended with a 1/5 of 170w Italian white flour). It seemed like this flour does not handle very well this amount of hydration. Crumbs is rich in flavor, good amount of air cells inside, but a bit like sticky. I observed how with this same flour my starter needs more time to mature. Could it be a bit “weak” and would need to be blended more with stronger flours or reduce the hydration? Thank you!!
This is my first attempt at making both starter and sour-dough bread. This recipe is the bomb! I have never tasted anything SO good. Not patting myself on the back, it has everything to do with the guidance and great ingredients. All from a family run mill. Made my levain in the morning. Going to do it in the evening tomorrow. Then its time for another batch Saturday. Thanks for the inspiration to try this Maurizio!
Thanks for that feedback, Doug! Really happy to hear this and I’m jealous you have access to a local mill, that’s great. I hope your bread turned out wonderful and happy baking!
Hi Maurizio, question. You say on this page that “typically you make the levain the night before you plan to mix your dough” but this recipe and timeline start at 8 am. How would the timeline go if you made your Levain the night before? Can the Levain go more than 5-6 hours before mixing into the next step? Also, I made this recipe with my “stiff starter” hoping for the best, and my loaf did turn out ok. Could you make any recommendations for adjustments to this recipe for a stiff starter?
Leslie, sorry for the confusion there (I’ll update the post). I actually do both, sometimes I’ll do an overnight levain and sometimes I’ll do a same day one — usually a same day as in this recipe. If I want to do an overnight levain I’ll drop the mature starter percentage used to maybe 5-10% (depending on temperature and flour used), this way the levain takes much longer to mature and it’ll last overnight. If you think about it, it’s similar to your starter in that way (if you’re doing ~12 hour starter refreshments).
A stiff starter would be just fine to make the levain for this bread. There will be a small hydration difference there, but it won’t be a big deal in the end. If you’re actually making a stiff levain though, you definitely want to adjust for the missing water in the levain and add a little more to the dough if it feels like it can take it. Additionally, I’d likely extend the autolyse time another 15-30 minutes or so.
I hope that helps let me know if anything is still unclear. Happy baking, Leslie!
Thanks Maurizio! Sorry for one more question. So if you do the Levain the night before is there a way to be able to bake the bread the next day instead of proofing for 16 hours overnight? Thanks again!
Yes, instead of proofing the dough in the fridge overnight leave it out on the counter (covered) to finish proofing. At typical room temperatures, that might be somewhere between 2-4 hours. It’s ready for the oven when it’s well risen and a poke with a finger slowly springs back, not quite filling in the indentation.
Hey Maurizio!
I have made this recipe twice now , but both times the bread turned out a tiny bit more sour than what i would call a perfect sourdough. The crumb was amazing and the consistency of the bread was spot on and they looked beautiful , I would just like them to be a little bit less sour.
Do you have any suggestion what i should do differently to achieve that , the next time?
Thank you so much !
Hey, Emese! A few tips: First, try timing your starter use right when it reaches its peak height. The same goes for when you make your levain for a particular bake: use it when it’s just mature, or a little before. Additionally, you could try reducing the cold proof time of the dough, even just a few hours will help reduce the sourness in the end loaf. Of course your dough still needs to be fully proofed, but a little adjustment might go a long way in reducing sourness.
Finally, if you’re making your levain with all whole grain flour, try mixing in some white flour to keep it more mild and less acidic. This might not be necessary but it might work for you in helping to reduce the acidity in your dough.
You could also try reducing the time the dough is in the fridge during its final proof. Even a few hours might make a different.
Finally, try removing all of the rye flour in this recipe.
Let me know how that goes and happy baking!
Thank you so much!! I will try your tips next time!!
Hi Maurizio!
I made my first sourdough batch yesterday after following your guide on making a starter from scratch. My starter has off and on smelled sour but the last few days it has not been particularly sour smelling, really just smells more like bread. I made my sourdough and the bread didn’t have that sourdough taste really at all. Do you have any recommendations? I have been feeding my starter twice a day, keeping it in a jar in the oven with the light on to keep it in a warm place, and doing the 50g of starter, 50g rye flour, 50g all-purpose and 100g water refresh. Should I let it go longer to develop more of a sour taste and smell? I fed it once yesterday and didn’t feed it again until this morning – about 22 hours between the feedings, and it still didn’t smell sour.
Thanks!
Great to hear that, Christine! Keep with the feeding schedule and your starter could being to mature a bit, get a little stronger and develop such that it might add more flavor into your baked bread. But here’s a few tips to encourage more sourness:
First, you want to use your starter, and levain, when it’s very ripe. If it rises up to a certain height, let it sit there for a bit before you use it. If it starts to fall that’s ok too, just try to use it not too long after it falls. That mature, ripe starter/levain has much more acidity than if used when it’s more on the “younger” side. Just be weary that your dough fermentation rate might be a bit faster than previous, keep an eye on it during bulk fermentation and divide the dough when it looks ready.
Also, if you didn’t use rye in the last bake, do include it. Rye, even in small percentages, has quite an impact on the final flavor (in a good way).
Finally, if you can try to push the cold proof in the fridge. There’s a limit of course, but if you could go even a few more hours you should notice more sourness.
Let me know if that helps and happy baking!
Hi! If I don’t have dark rye flour, would it be possible to substitute it for whole wheat or all purpose? Thank you so much!
Yes, absolutely; I’d go with whole wheat!
Hi Maurizio,
Do you put the dough straight into the oven from the fridge or do you let it come up to room temperature first? I just baked a loaf that didn’t rise as much as I would’ve liked and I thought maybe the cold/stiff dough from the fridge may have had something to do with it?
Thanks for maintaining this blog, I love your recipes and photos! 🙂
Nancy — that’s right, directly from fridge to oven. The only reason I might let the dough sit out is if I felt it was still underproofed and would need more time. However, if your dough was under, it would likely have risen more, not less. You could try cutting that rest period after shaping before placing it into the fridge. See how that goes! I hope that helps and happy baking.
Hi Maurizio,
My pre-shaped rounds are also flatter than I think they should be before going into the oven. When I take them out of the fridge and gently flip upside-down onto my peel, they sort of flatten out instead of keeping that bubbly round shape. I know that a myriad of factors can be at play here, but what would you say most common issue for novice bakers is here?
And just to clarify, it is okay to leave the other round in the fridge while the first loaf bakes? Thank you! I recommend your website to everyone I know following the bread path.
Yes, keep one in the fridge while you bake the other.
It could be that they were not shaped tightly enough — they need to be shaped with enough tension so they sort of hold their shape on the counter before you place them into the basket. If the dough is under-strengthened they will spread when turned out to bake.
If you did shape them very tight, then the other thing is they could be over proofed. See how they spring up in the oven: if they spring up nice and tall then it’s likely a shaping issue. If they are very flat with lots and lots of holes inside it’s likely they might have over proofed (but this isn’t super common with this recipe!).
Thank you so much for a quick reply. I learn SO much from the comments on your pages, so every reply is much appreciated. The loaf rose nicely and looks to my liking so I think you are right: not over-proofed.
Lastly (for now), do you have a link to a recipe using only wheat/rye/spelt flours? Looking to make a loaf without white flour, but I know that with different flours comes great responsibility! My understanding of hydration levels and how to modify them based on flour used is LOW, so pointing me towards a beginner understanding of a more ancient grain recipe would be so appreciated.
You’re welcome, Anna (nice to chat with you on Instagram as well). Yes, I have a few options for loaves with those flours, I’d first start with my whole grain spelt pan loaf which is 100% spelt. It’s a wonderful bread!