Easiest Sourdough Bread

Here’s a simple and easy sourdough bread recipe to get you started:

Ingredients

For the Starter:

• 1/2 cup (120g) sourdough starter (fed and bubbly)
• 1 cup (240ml) water (room temperature)
• 1 1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour

For the Dough:

• All of the starter from above
• 3 1/4 cups (390g) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups (300ml) water (room temperature)
• 2 tsp (12g) salt

Instructions

Make the Starter

1. Mix Starter Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the sourdough starter, water, and flour. Stir until well combined.
2. Let it Rise: Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Let it sit at room temperature for 4-12 hours, until it becomes bubbly and has doubled in size.

Make the Dough

3. Mix Dough Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine all the starter, flour, and water. Stir with a spoon or your hands until it forms a shaggy dough.
4. Autolyse: Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. This helps hydrate the flour and makes it easier to knead.
5. Add Salt: Sprinkle the salt over the dough and mix it in with your hands, gently folding and stretching the dough to incorporate the salt evenly.
6. Knead: Knead the dough for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Alternatively, use the stretch and fold method: grab one side of the dough, stretch it, and fold it over the rest of the dough. Rotate the bowl and repeat for about 4-6 turns every 30 minutes, for a total of 2 hours.

Bulk Fermentation

7. First Rise: Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 4-6 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
8. Shape the Dough: Gently turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Shape it into a round or oval loaf by folding the edges towards the center and then flipping it over. Tuck the edges underneath to create surface tension on the top.

Final Proof

9. Second Rise: Place the shaped dough into a floured proofing basket or a bowl lined with a floured cloth. Cover and let it rise for another 1-2 hours at room temperature, or overnight in the refrigerator.

Bake the Bread

10. Preheat Oven: Place a Dutch oven with its lid inside your oven and preheat to 450°F (230°C) for at least 30 minutes.
11. Score the Dough: Carefully turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper. Using a sharp knife or a razor blade, make a few slashes on the top of the dough.
12. Bake: Carefully transfer the dough (with the parchment paper) into the preheated Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and bake for 20 minutes.
13. Uncover and Bake: Remove the lid and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until the bread is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
14. Cool: Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Enjoy your homemade sourdough bread!