No-Knead Sourdough Bread Recipe
This is my favorite no-knead sourdough bread recipe. It is an easy, beginner sourdough bread that requires very little effort or skill and it creates a beautiful crusty loaf!
No-Knead Sourdough Overview
- Skill Level: Intermediate
- Techniques Used: How to Make a Sourdough Starter
If you’ve been following along with my Sourdough for Beginners series then hopefully you have a brand new bubbly starter that you are ready to bake with! I am so excited for you to bake your first loaf. And if you do not yet have a starter to work with, start with my full guide about how to make a sourdough starter from scratch, then come back here to bake the bread!
I want to start out with my favorite no-knead sourdough bread recipe. The thing I love so much about sourdough bread baking is that it can be both extremely easy to make and can get more and more complex as you learn new techniques. But today, we are keeping it easy!
With this recipe you will learn the most basic process of making a sourdough loaf from start to finish. And this is going to be our base recipe in which we will build all of the more complex recipes off of!
What Makes this the Best Beginner Sourdough Bread?
- This sourdough loaf can be made completely from start to finish in 24 hours! This is actually very quick in sourdough world!
- This bread requires no-kneading and very little dough handling!
- You do not need to pre-heat your dutch oven as most sourdough recipes call for!
- You will see how you can make an amazing loaf with very little knowledge of bread baking!
- You will have a delicious loaf of sourdough to slather with butter in the end!
How do I Know When My Sourdough Starter is Ready to Put in Dough?
We are going to walk through the whole process of making this sourdough bread below including feeding the starter. But I think this is something that can get people really confused about how to finally bake with the starter once they have an active one.
A sourdough starter goes through various stages after it is fed. When you first feed it the starter will look dull and flat. Within the first few hours you should start seeing some rise and bubbles forming.
As time goes on the starter will rise more and will have a dome shape on top. When the starter is frothy and full of air this is the peak time to bake with it. To check if it is ready, gently drop a spoonful of the starter into a glass of water. If it floats, you are good to put it in your dough. You should have a several hour time frame when you starter is vigorous enough to leaven dough.
Eventually the dome will flatten out and you will notice that the starter looks like it is starting to sag a bit. At this point you need to use your starter immediately if you plan to bake with it. Eventually it will start falling and then it is past its peak to bake with.
Do I need to Preheat my Dutch Oven Before Baking My Sourdough Bread?
Chances are if you’ve read any sourdough or artisan style bread recipes you have noticed a trend of preheating the pot before baking. However, I sourdough baker that I follow on Instagram, Elaine Boddy, always bakes her loaves in cold pots and gets beautiful results!
So I have been testing this method recently and have had wonderful bakes with it! I see no benefit with this recipe specifically of preheating the pot. And as a bonus, you don’t have to worry about burning yourself when you try to get the loaf into the pot!
How to Make No-Knead Sourdough Bread
This process takes about 24 hours from the time you feed your starter until your bread comes out of the oven. Below I am giving you example timelines to help you plan for your bake.
Step 1: Feed Your Starter
About 24 hours before you want to bake your bread, you want to feed your starter. If this feeding doesn’t fit into your normal feeding schedule that is okay. You can either give your starter an extra feeding that day or make an offshoot of your starter by taking a portion of it out and feeding it separately.
Some people prefer to make an offshoot for all of their bakes and refer to this as their “leaven.” I prefer to make my feeding fit into my baking schedule by either delaying it a bit later than normal or adding an extra feeding.
Step 2: Mix Your Dough
Once your starter is bubbly and full of air you can mix your dough. You can check to see if it is ready by gently dropping a spoonful of starter into a glass of water. If it floats then it is ripe and ready to go. If it sinks, then you need to give it a bit more time. It is typically ready in the 8-12 hour range after feeding it, and should be ready for several hours.
Mix your ripe starter into your slightly warm water to distribute. Then add your flour on top followed by your salt. Now we mix! I like to start with a rubber spatula or a bowl scraper, and then use my hands to finish mixing. Mix until all of the flour is hydrated. Your dough will be pretty sticky, but stiff. This is the lowest hydration dough (least amount of water) that we will work with.
Step 3: Bulk Ferment Your Dough
Cover the dough with plastic wrap or I like to use a shower cap because I can keep reusing them! Now we are going to let it sit at room temperature to bulk ferment for 10-12 hours.
During this time, our sourdough culture is going to keep feeding and will continue creating C02 gasses and lactic acids. This process is what gives our sourdough all of its delicious flavor and beautiful texture.
Step 4: Shape the Dough
Once the dough is puffy and full of air, we can shape it. Gently turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface without pressing the gas out of it. Start by pulling all 4 sides of the dough into the center and gently pressing to seal. Next, pull the dough all into the center, working your way around the dough, until you have a tight ball. Watch my No-Knead Sourdough video to see the shaping process in action!
Now turn the dough over so the seam side is down on an unfloured part of the counter, and cup your hands around it. Turn the dough and pull it towards you, using the counter to help you build some tension on the outside of the dough. Do this a few times until it is formed into a tight ball.
Step 5: Proof the Dough
If you have a banneton basket, dust it with rice flour to prepare it for your loaf to proof in. If you do not have a banneton basket, line a bowl with a lint free linen and dust that with rice flour. Rice flour is the best flour to use to prevent your dough from sticking.
Note: If this is your first time baking with your banneton basket, make sure you read my full banneton basket prep and care post before you use it!
Turn the dough into your prepared banneton or bowl with the seam side up. Cover it again with plastic wrap or a shower cap and let it proof for 3-4 hours at room temperature.
To check if your dough is proofed enough to bake, press in on the dough gently with your finger. If it springs back immediately, it needs to proof a little longer. If it fills in slowly, then you are ready to bake!
Step 6: Bake the Sourdough
We are going to bake this bread in a dutch oven that has not been preheated! Yep! It works really well! Just trust me. Most sourdough bread recipes call for preheating the oven, but you really don’t need to!
Gently tip the proofed dough out onto a piece of parchment paper and use a knife or a bread lame to score it. You can score it however you like, but I typically keep it simple with one slash right across the center.
Transfer the dough on the parchment paper into your dutch oven or into an oven safe pot and place the lid on. We’re going to bake the bread with the lid on for the first part of baking so that the steam gets trapped in. This will help the loaf rise more before the crust sets. At the end you can take the lid off and bake it a little longer to get more color on the crust.
Step 7: Cool the Bread!
You really want to let your bread cool completely before slicing into it. Slicing into warm bread will make it stale more quickly. You also will have much better flavor and texture if you let it cool completely.
How to Store Your Bread
I love this really comprehensive article about how to store, freeze, and refresh bread that my friend Laura wrote. It is worth the entire read as it is filled with so much information on the topic.
I store my bread on the counter uncovered for the first two days, and then I will store it in a bag or in the freezer sliced. A toaster is a great way to refresh bread that is frozen or has gone soft!
No-Knead Sourdough Timeline
It takes about 24 hours to make this bread from start to finish, which is actually pretty quick for a sourdough bread. And there is very, very little actual hands on time. You should also plan to start this process about 30 hours before you want to eat it, because you should let it cool for at least several hours. Here are a few sample timelines:
Weekday Bake
- 9:30 pm (day before bake): Feed Starter
- 7:30 am (next day): Mix Dough
- 5:30 pm: Shape Dough
- 8:30 pm: Bake
- Sourdough for breakfast the next day!
Weekend Bake:
- 1 pm (Saturday): Feed Starter
- 9 pm (Saturday): Mix Dough
- 9 am (Sunday): Shape Dough
- 12:00 pm (Sunday): Bake
- Sourdough for Sunday Dinner!
Easiest Sourdough Bread Recipe (No-Knead Sourdough)
This is the easiest sourdough bread recipe. It is a no-knead recipe that is very easy and forgiving. This is the perfect starter bread to bake for sourdough beginners.
Ingredients
Starter Build (Levain)
- 25 grams mature starter
- 25 grams whole wheat flour
- 50 grams unbleached all purpose flour
- 75 grams filtered water (90 F, 32 C)
For the Final Dough
- 100 grams ripe starter
- 300 grams filtered water (90 F, 32 C)
- 500 gr unbleached all purpose flour or bread flour (*see note for using whole wheat flour)
- 10 grams fine sea salt or kosher salt
- rice flour for dusting
Instructions
Note: This bulk fermentation times on this recipe are written for up to 72 F (22 C) room temperature. If your room is much warmer, you will need to reduce the times. See example timelines in the note section! It will also be very helpful if you read the recipe all the way through before starting.
- Feed Starter: About 24 hours before you want to bake your bread, feed 25 grams of starter with 25 grams of whole wheat flour, 50 grams of unbleached all purpose flour, and 75 grams of filtered water at 90 F (32 C).
- Float Test: 8-10 hours after feeding your starter gently drop a spoonful of starter in a glass of water. If it floats then it is ready to mix your dough. If it doesn't float, give it a bit more time to get active.
- Mix Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine 100 grams of ripe starter with 300 grams of water at 90 F (32 C). Mix together until the starter is distributed in the water. Add 500 grams of unbleached all purpose flour or bread flour on top, followed by 10 grams of fine sea salt or kosher salt. Mix all of the ingredients together until the flour is completely saturated. I like to start with a rubber spatula or a bowl scraper, and then use my hands to finish mixing.
- Bulk Ferment: Cover the dough with plastic wrap, a shower cap, or a damp kitchen towel and let sit at room temperature (68-72 F, 20-22 C) for 10-12 hours until puffy and full of air. If your room is much warmer, reduce the bulk fermentation time by a few hours.
- Shape: (It is helpful to watch the video in post to see how to shape). Turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured work surface. Pull each of the 4 sides of the dough into the center, gently pressing to seal. Then go around again pulling all of the dough into a tight ball. Turn the dough over so the seam side is down and place on an unfloured part of the counter. Cup your hands around the dough and round and pull the dough toward you to tighten it up into a ball and to build some surface tension.
- Proof: Dust a 9" round banneton basket with rice flour. If you do not have a banneton basket, you can line a bowl with a lint free kitchen towel and dust that with rice flour. Turn the shaped loaf into the prepared banneton (or bowl) with the seam side up. Cover again and let proof for 3-4 hours at room temperature (68-74 F, 20-23 C).
- Prep Oven: At least an 45 minutes before baking your bread, preheat the oven to 450 F (230 C). You do not need to preheat your pot. I have tested this recipe with both a preheated and a cold pot, and it bakes just as nicely with a pot that has not been preheated.
- Score: To check if your loaf is done proofing and ready to bake, gently press a finger into the dough about 1/2" in. If the hole fills in immediately then it needs a bit more time to proof. If it fills in slowly, then you are ready to bake. Turn the loaf out onto a piece of parchment paper and use a bread lame or a sharp knife to score it however you like. I typically just make one big slash down the middle.
- Bake: Transfer the dough on the parchment paper into a dutch oven or oven safe pot that is at least 4 qts in size. Place the lid on top and place it on the center rack of the oven. Turn the temperature down to 425 F (220 C). And bake with the lid on for 40 minutes. Take the lid off and if you would like a bit more color on the crust, bake it for 5-15 more minutes with the lid off.
- Cool: Allow the bread to cool on a cooling rack for at the very least 1 hour before slicing it. Preferably let it cool for 4-12 hours for the best flavor, texture, and to prevent it from staling too quickly.
- Store: Keep the bread at room temperature completely uncovered for the first 24 hours. If you have sliced into the bread, place the bread cut side down on your cutting board. For day 2 & 3 I generally transfer it into a ziplock bag and refresh it by toasting it because the crust will get soft. After that, I slice it and store it in the freezer. Toast to refresh from frozen.
Notes
Example Timeline #1 (work day timeline):
- 9:30 pm (day before bake): Feed Starter
- 7:30 am: Mix Dough
- 5:30 pm: Shape Dough
- 8:30 pm: Bake
- Sourdough for breakfast the next day!
Example Timeline #2 (weekend timeline):
- 1 pm (Saturday): Feed Starter
- 9 pm (Saturday): Mix Dough
- 9 am (Sunday): Shape Dough
- 12:00 pm (Sunday): Bake
- Sourdough for Sunday Dinner!
*Using Whole Wheat Flour: Because this is a fairly low hydration and a no-knead dough, it really does work best with white flour. However, if you want to use some whole wheat flour I recommend replacing 100 grams of the white flour with 100 grams of whole wheat flour and increasing the water amount to 324 grams.
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190 Comments on “No-Knead Sourdough Bread Recipe”
So when measuring ingredients into jar do you just hit Tare in the scale after each addition of an ingredient?
Any suggestions on a good kitchen scale for sourdough?
Hi Stacey! Any kitchen scale will do really. I have always used a pretty inexpensive one and it has lasted me many years. Here is the one I have: https://amzn.to/2l2UFMQ
Thank you for such a detailed recipe. It is my first decent loaf. Thank you baker bettie for this opportunity.
Yes, that is what I do Jo!
Thanks so much. Am baking right now
You don’t mention where you get your starter? Do you buy it? Or have you a recipe you can share?
This looks YUMMY!!! I’m drooling, I just can’t wait to try this at home.
Thank you so much for sharing this awestruck recipe.
Keep sharing:)
Let me know if you do try it and how it goes!
Hi, I have the same issue that my dough appears to be way to moist after bulk fermenting. It just does not hold any shape. Keen to understand why this happens!
I was wondering if I could get the measurements in cups and ounces, teaspoons and tablespoons so I could have a good place or idea where to start my measuring amounts. Thank you so much for all the info.
Dwana,
When I first found this site I used volume measurements but quickly realized a kitchen scale is the only way to go. Betty knows best 🙂
The results are much better and more consistent. It truly is worth every penny!
In a pinch here is what I would use for a conversion:
flour – 120g / cup (personal opinion – sift flour before measuring)
water – 236g / cup
table salt – 5.6g / tsp
But again – a scale is the best!
Happy baking.
Hi Nathan! So glad you are converted to measuring by weight! It really is the best way to go!
Hi Dwana! I highly recommend investing in a sale if you are interested in bread baking! It truly makes the process so much easier and they are very affordable! That said it’s really hard to tell you in volume how much sourdough starter to use, because it really depends on how active yours is and how many bubbles there are. I would go for about 1/2 cup active starter in the dough. Then add to that 1 1/4 cup water, 4 cups plus 1 TBSP flour, and 2 tsp fine sea salt. Hope that helps!
Hello! I have made this twice and come across an issue after the bulk ferment. I am able to shape it (although it does seem a bit too hydrated still at this point and is difficult to work work) – but when I proof it is doubles in about two hours time. At this point I prep the oven and attempt to take it back out to score but it is so runny for lack of a better word. It spreads and does not hold its shape. To save the dough, I ended up putting the dough (no longer shaped nicely) along with the parchment paper in the dutch oven to rest while the oven is pre-heating. I am using the recommended ingredients and using a kitchen scale to measure, and took extra care to make sure I am measuring out correctly the second time. Any ideas why my dough is so wet? Thank you!
Have the same problem as many others here but there isn’t a response. . . “Everything seems right for me until shaping. It’s sticky and wet and very hard to work with. Then, it never rises when I proof it in my banneton. It’s a sticky, gooey mess. I always end up with flat bread, I cannot figure it out as it doubles and has loads of bubbles after 12 hours of bulk fermentation. What is going wrong here? . . . . .This has happened so many times. Please help.
Two suggestions I’ve found: 1) You may need to reduce your water slightly because of the humidity in the air and your flour. 2) It may have gone too long in the bulk fermentation stage. Some sourdough experts suggest aiming for more like a 50% increase in volume rather than letting it double. Mine takes MUCH less than 12 hours! You might try using a clear vessel with measurement markings (like a glass batter bowl) or straight sides (so you can better tell how much it’s increased) and marking the starting point with a dry erase marker. Good luck to you!
I just started making sourdough a few weeks ago; my starter is going strong and my bread is turning out good, but now I would like to add some mix-ins such as raisins and nuts. I’ve viewed some sites on the web and youtube and there doesn’t seem to be a consensus as to when in the proofing process is the right time to do this. Have you had any experience with mix-ins?
On my first ever attempt to make a sourdough bread, I mixed all ingredients and the dough was sticky, not firm. I let it proof over night. It rose beautifully, but was very bUbbly and damp. Is is ok to add flour until the dough is firmer and then kneading before moving on? What about proofing again? Thanks.
Karen
I e had this problems so many times and am really bothered there is no reply.
Hi there, I get literally 100’s of questions a day. I try my best to answer them all, but am unfortunately not able to get to every single one.
Sourdough bread dough is going to be more sticky than most other bread doughs. It takes some time and practice to get used to working with it. However, if it is over fermented it will be even more sticky and impossible to work with. If your dough feels like it has no structure, then it is likely over fermented which can happen if your house is very warm. If that is the case, reduce your bulk fermentation time. If your dough is not over fermented but you are just struggling with the natural stickiness of this dough, pull back on the water amount by 25 grams next time you make it. Once you get used to shaping it you can increase from there.
Could this be baked in a loaf pan?
I’ve been baking it in a ceramic baking pan for about a month, and it works great. I’m going to try a metal one today, so I’ll try to remember to report back.
Report back on metal loaf pan:
It worked pretty well and tasted great, but didn’t rise as much as the ceramic loaf pan (I took pictures to share, but the comment field here won’t let me!)
Thanks for the feedback! Good to know!
Thank you for this recipe. Very easy to follow. One question: the paper got completely stuck to the bread. In some part I was not able to peel it off. Why this happened and how can I prevent from happening again?
Hi Maggie, I recently learned that not all parchment paper is created equal. I have never had this happen, but it can happen with some brands. You can dust the bottom of the loaf with cornmeal or rice flour before turning it out onto the parchment to help with sticking!
I mixed it up last night & baked it this afternoon
Very good!!! If you can read & watch videos, anyone can bake bread. It was excellent.
I am not sure what went wrong. After mixing and leaving it to proof for another 12 hours I was so happy to see that it has risen twice the volume. But when I tipped it out to shape, I found the dough was very sticky and was having difficulty to fold and shape it. Tried sprinkling some flour on the counter and on the dough, without any success. After a few stretches I put it back into the bowl and try to proof it again and see what happens. Did I over proof it?
Yes, probably. Go by volume rather than time, and aim for UP TO double. Some sourdough experts say a 50% increase is better to shoot for, but definitely no more than double.
Help! My bread tastes amazing but it is flat! What am I doing wrong?
Why do you need to preheat your oven 45 minutes before you want to bake?
Hoping that my comment gets answered as all of the related comments have been ignored 🙁
First and foremost, it’s seeming like 8-10 hours is WAY too much time to feed. My starter has reached it’s peak in half the time and starts falling even after 6 hours, could be the weather. I have a 3 week old starter now.
Everything seems right for me until shaping. Like many others, my dough looks absolutely nothing like yours. It’s sticky and wet and very hard to work with. Then, it never rises when I go to proof it in my banneton. I always end up with flat bread, I cannot figure it out as it doubles and has loads of bubbles after 12 hours of bulk fermentation. What is going wrong here? Would really love some help.
I believe this recipe is proofing way too long at room temp and thats why so many doughs are failing! Simply they are overproofed! When this happens the yeast die and wont leaven the bread and the gluten has started to degrade leaving a wet mess! Try first proof in fridge! Long colder proof equals better flavor and yeast feed more slowly allowing more rising power! After shaping proof until 1.5 times size, 2-4 hours depending on temperature! Join sourdough bakers group on facebook for lots of great tips! Hope this helps!
Followed the recipe to a T. Used the grams for measurements. Followed step by step and watched the video 3 times.
After the 12-14 hour proof the dough had risen but when I dump it out to shape it is deflated and a goopy mess. I cannot even pick it up – let alone shape it.
Any idea on where I went wrong? Can I save this dough I have?
Baker Bettie can say this better, but it’s the pincher grasp she mentions in the recipe and the video when the final dough is mixed. Just mixing it with a spatula is not enough to get the gluten to the binding stuff it needs to do for the dough to be managed.
Hi Nicole, if your dough deflates when you take it out, it’s overproofed. Depending on room temp, starter activity, etc, it may go much more quickly than Bettie’s does. Go by volume rather than time, and aim for UP TO doubled. (Some suggest that 50% increase works better.) You may want to proof it in a clear batter bowl with measuring marks or a straight sided container to get a better idea of volume. I mark the starting point with a dry erase marker. Good luck!
I don’t have a Dutch oven. Will it still work and what can I use instead?
I use a casserole dish, and it works great.
I actually found that my dutch oven made a thicker bottom crust than I like.
Really, anything oven safe with a lid should work (one of my casseroles doesn’t have a lid, so I’ve even used a pot lid when necessary).
My dough is hard and hasn’t doubled! What have I done wrong. Followed the recipe exactly!
Is your starter very new? Possible it isn’t strong enough yet. Possible your room was too cool. It’s hard to know without being there with you. There are many factors!
Hoping that my comment gets answered as all of the related comments have been ignored
First and foremost, it’s seeming like 8-10 hours is WAY too much time to feed. My starter has reached it’s peak in half the time and starts falling even after 6 hours, could be the weather. I have a 3 week old starter now.
Everything seems right for me until shaping. Like many others, my dough looks absolutely nothing like yours. It’s sticky and wet and very hard to work with. Then, it never rises when I go to proof it in my banneton. I always end up with flat bread, I cannot figure it out as it doubles and has loads of bubbles after 12 hours of bulk fermentation. What is going wrong here? Would really love some help.
Love this recipe, have had so much success! Question though – I’ve seen some recipes that it is put in the fridge for a couple hours. First, what is the benefit of this, second, can I do this with your recipe? For sake of timing, I think it would be convenient for me to stick in the fridge for a bit sometimes. Thanks!
I have stuck this in the fridge a couple of times for that very reason, and it worked out fine.
I was so excited today because I followed your recipe exactly. After scoring and baking the required time, my bread did not rise to the extent that the pictures show. Curious as to what I might be doing wrong.
I don’t see any measurements for this receipe. Have no idea much to use of anything including the starter?
Hi Jay, the full recipe is at the bottom of the post in a recipe card formatted in a way that is easy to follow!
Hi Bettie,
I noticed the hydration level is only 64%, I read other recipe they are about 70%. As I prefer moister inside, would you advise to add water to 70% for this recipe or it would be too wet to form a nice bread? Thank you.
Hi there! The no-knead is a lower hydration so it can be nicely shaped without doing a lot of work the build the gluten structure. If you want a more moist bread, you can follow one of the other recipes but you will need to do some stretch and folds.
What do you recommend for the “done” internal temperature?
200F is what I suggest. However, if you got a really deep nice golden brown on the bread, you will definitely be there. It almost always gets there way before the crust is done.
why do some recipes use olive oil and what does it do to the bread
Oil, or any fat, added to bread just makes it more tender! Gives it less of a chewy texture.
This recipe turned out perfect and was a great first ever sourdough loaf! Thank you!
I haven’t been able to find rice flour in the store. Is there something else I can use or can I make my own?
Have you tried blending dry rice? Depending on your blender, that might work. You want it fine like flour. And check the health food section in your store.
This was my question too! Can I sub ap flour for rice flour?
You can use all purpose flour, but it will stick more. You’ll be amazed at the difference rice flour makes! Apparently there’s no gluten in it, so it doesn’t get sticky when it gets wet.
Hi Bettie I’m making my first sourdough loaf
and yours doesn’t look a wet and sticky as mine
I’m getting loads of dough sticking to my hands
at every stage . Also can I use my bread maker
dough setting to make bread?
Thanks in advance
Hi…can you “retard” the loaf overnight after the proof in the banneton? Let it sit at room temperature for an hour before baking? Thanks!
This recipe has been the best that we’ve made over the course of years of sourdough baking. I just have a question. I made a double batch of dough. I have a large enough dutch oven to bake it in one giant loaf, but do you know how I adjust the baking time?
Thank you! I made this today and it was my first attempt at sourdough bread with my 18 day old starter which I also have to thank you for! Between the recipe and the video I felt strong and confident. I did make one adjustment to the timetable. I used the weekend bake (started on Friday cause hey work from home COVID stuff). The timetable said to feed the starter at 1pm and mix at 9pm. I have watched my starter and it seems to double or more at six hours and start to fall by 8 hours so I made my levain at 3pm and still did the mix at 9pm cause I really liked the way the rest of the schedule set up. It seemed to work great.
I am not sure how to make the weekday timetable work if my starter/levain falls by the 8 hour mark. Any suggestions or further clarification would be appreciated.
Hi Robin, if you keep your starter cooler, it will take longer. You can start with ice water and/or put an ice pack on top of it… Good luck!
Editing question: in the video you say to bulk ferment for 12 – 14 hours, but in the written recipe it’s 10 – 12.
I’ve been more or less ignoring the times and just looking at how much it’s rise (which has worked pretty well), but I thought you might want to know about the inconsistency.
I’ve made your recipe many times and it’s delicious and simple to make. I wanted to try and make sourdough bread in a loaf pan so it would be easier to use for sandwiches. Is it possible to use this same recipe and what would be the process of baking it in a a loaf pan?
Loaf pan inside of Dutch oven? What does it do to the baking time?
Would love your thoughts/recommendations!
I see a lot of videos that mix the flour and water first and let it sit for 30 minutes. Is there any advantage to doing that?
Yes! It’s called the Autolyse method. Take a look at my video explaining the process: https://bakerbettie.com/autolyse-method/
allow the options for ingredients to ounces and cups. I don’t do grams, etc.
Hi Nancy, it’s far better to use weight for sourdough since your starter’s volume (cups, fluid oz) will vary greatly through its life cycle. You can get a scale for $10 or less, and it’s really the most essential tool for sourdough.
Dear Bettie….
I already prepare the levian, feed it las night. But then I forgot to mix the dough thi morning. I just realized it this afternoon. The levian already fall again. I test the starter, it falls.
What should I do?
Thanks.
Hi Prita, feed your starter again.
I’m getting ready to shape my dough, right now, so I know you won’t be able to answer my question in tome. I don’t have any rice flour, and I don’t have a banneton. I’m going to put a clean dish towel in a bowl, and dusted it well with AP flour, and I hope that will be enough to keep it from sticking. I have a Dutch oven just like yours, only mine is blue. I’m excited because this is the first time I’ve made my sourdough bread without any yeast at all.
WOW! I just pulled my first loaf made from this recipe out of the oven. It turned out perfect!!!
If I could attach a photo, I would. And to think, I used discard that have been sitting in the refrigerator for at least a month (getting added to each week) for my starter.
Thank you for the great recipe!
Awesome!
Hi Bettie, thank you for your expert and profesional presentations. Can you demonstrate using gluten free flour for sour dough bread? I am getting a very active starter with gluten free flour but so far my bread has been heavy and gummy in the Center (not cooked). If I toast it it tastes ok, not great, just ok. I have tried three different recipes. I am going to try your recipe for no-knead sour dough bread next. Thanks for any suggestions or help you can provide me.
Ok, I tried this recipe with my very active gluten free flour starter, however the bread makes a better doorstop than something edible. Please help me find a good recipe for gluten free sour dough. Desperate!
If you were going to add sundried tomatoes, olives and garlic to this loaf – when would you suggest adding them?
Easier to follow if the measurements were in ounces and cups…for those of us bakers who do it the old fashion way…thanks
Since my timing has been way off to use my starter I would like some more information on how to use an off shoot. What are the quantities? How soon would it be ready to use? Any other pertinent info would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Morgan
I made this bread and it turned out very dense and kind of sticky. I don’t think my starter is very strong. My starter is 5 weeks old and I’ve been feeding it every day. It does double in size but it takes at least 12 hours to do so. Is there some what to strengthen it? Thank you for any advice.
Hello Bettie! I just baked my first loaf of sourdough bread. Your starter videos were perfect and your encouragement to not give up on the starter was very wise. It was over 10 days of feeding to get “Steve” active. He seemed so dry I gave him 5 more grams of water and he took off. I prepared to bake my first loaf using this recipe so well explained everything went exactly as you said, although I was concerned because of all the comments I read with struggling bakers. My starter never floated in water, but impatiently I went ahead and made the loaf anyway. The loaf is perfect and tastes fantastic. I hope it was not beginners luck! Thanks you so much for your well explained instructions and calm manner.
Underproofed the first the first try, overproofed my current loaf. Ha hopefully the third time will be the charm. Flavor and texture were great! Thanks for the instructions.
Let me know how it goes, I’m sure you’ll get it right! Sourdough always takes practice.
Hi! I love this recipe. I’d like to adapt it to make pumpkin sourdough bread, do you have a recommendation for how to do this? I found one recipe that said to replace 150ml of water with 150g of canned pumpkin. Looking for your recommendation. Thank you!
Can I add 50-75 grams of seeds to the dough? If I do, do I need to soak them first?
Yes you can! You do not need to soak them first.
I have trouble with the parchment paper sticking to the cooked bread, am I doing something wrong?
Are you letting the bread cool completely before taking it off the parchment?
I LOVE this recipe….may I ask a question….what is the reason for using All Purpose Four in this recipe rather than, strong, Bread Flour? Thank you for your amazing detail !
Hi. For the levain, can I just use bread flour instead of whole wheat flour & AP flour?
After watching a couple of videos about homemade sourdough with very complicated instructions, I stumbled on this one and it seemed much more approachable for my first time working with a starter. I followed the receipt exactly and my bread turned out wonderfully. I’ve since made two more loaves, experimenting a bit with timing and feeding ratios, and each has been a success. Thank you Baker Bettie for such informative and easy to follow instructions!
You’re welcome!
I have made this several times, it is delicious! However, I’m having a hard time getting it to brown. I’m baking covered at 425 for 40 minutes and uncovered for up to 20 minutes and still not browning much. Any advice?
Hmm I suggest spritzing the top of the loaf with a bit of water before baking. That should encourage browning on top.