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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188 Comments on “No-Knead Sourdough Bread Recipe”
This worked great. I did the workday timeline.
Can I substitute freshly milled hard white wheat for the AP in this no knead bread? Or would you recommend doing the whole wheat SD recipe instead?
Is there any point that this can be put in the fridge so I can bake when I really want to. I am assuming after the bulk fermentation?
But how. After shaping do you leave it out for a bit on the counter or right into the fridge and then for how long should it stay in the fridge for? And once you take it out of the fridge how long before baking it. Should you let it get back to room temp or can it go in the overnight cold? Just trying to be more flexible.
Thanks. Any tips are appreciated.
I have the same question. Can the dough be refrigerated before baking?
Yes! You can put it in the fridge during the bulk ferment stage or after shaping. Just be sure to let it come back to room temperature and finish proofing before moving on to the next step.
At the end of the bulk fermentation, my dough has a hard layer, almost crust-like, on it. Is this okay? Does this indicate something I’m not doing correctly?
I used my homemade kombucha to build the Levain, in the Ripe Starter, and feeding my starter instead of water each time. Wish it was my own idea but saw it online so wanted to try it. Your recipe worked beautifully with it!
Thank you so much for incredible job you do with this site. So much information is shared and recipes that are easy to follow.
Made with all purpose flour and spring water in a Pyrex Dutch Oven, came out very similar to the picture ,on this page, showing the inside of the bread. Instructions were easy to follow for both the starter and bread. Excellent results. Thank you!!
You’re welcome! Thank you for sharing!
This worked for me thanks. However, if no one has told you yet, this website is almost impossible to use because all the ads you have everywhere. It makes the screen unable to move or just blank white. I plan to copy down your recipe and never visit again because this is just so frustrating to try to view your recipe, I have tried on both a laptop and iPad with the same terrible results.
I had no issues. Very user friendly.
If you cut the recipe in half what temperature and how long should you bake it for?
You can use the same temperature but remove the lid after 25-30mins and check the color to see if it needs longer.
Bettie, you are the best! I began making my starter March 18, 2021, following your methods exactly. I named it Old 428. That’s the weigh in grams of the mason jar it’s been bubbling in.
Yesterday, April 8, I began baking. I used your beginners’ recipe. Your side note on preparing a new banneton basket was invaluable. I appreciate the timetables you provided so I could make the dough last night, let it bulk rise overnight and finish things up this morning.
I just pulled my first loaf of sourdough from the oven. Perfect! Wonderful! Marvelous! Thank you so much for your clear explanations every step of the way.
Hi! I just want to say, that as someone from the UK using your TikTok’s/website/YouTube, I wanna say a massive thank you for using grams (instead of cups) and incorporating the Celsius temperatures for everything. I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve found recipes that I’ve had to spend more time converting measurements, meanwhile unsure if it will achieve the same result! Your sourdough starter and recipes have been the most helpful (I’ve killed many a starter through confusion and misunderstanding, but I think this one could eventually turn into bread!) so thank you again, you’ve got such a knack for explaining things so well and taking absolutely everything into account.
I wanted to like this site but the excessive advertising makes it unusable.
Hello Betti, You mention 25g of starter, 25g of ww flour and 50g of ap flour in making the levain plus the H2o. Then you say to add 100g of starter to the
Hello Betti, You mention 25g of starter, 25g of ww flour and 50g of ap flour in making the levain plus the H2o. Then you say to add 100g of starter to the dough, the 100g of starter added to the dough is the same starter and flour mix from the levain, is that correct? Do I include the75g of water in the levain when figuring the hydration percentage of the whole bread? Thank you, Allen
Am I able to bake without using any oven safe pot or dutch oven?
Yes, you can. You can bake it on a piece of parchment on a sheet pan. You just won’t get the same rise as you would with a pot. It will still be delicious!
The Bread looks amazing!
I live in London UK and the room temperature is way less than 22c
My dough doesn’t rise even after many hours.
Any advice pls?
Keep your oven off but turn on the light inside and close the door. It helps keep it warmer inside the oven with the light on
Hi Bettie-
Thanks for all the detailed instructions and timeline suggestions. One question, after the bulk ferment my dough was puffy and matched your video; however, when I scraped it out of the bowl to knead, the dough was much more wet and sticky. Did I need to let it ferment longer? I had to knead in some flour just to pull and fold like you demonstrate in your video. Any suggestions?
I just made my first no knead sourdough boule. It looks fantastic! I’m going to need to get a banneton basket to fancy it up. I can’t wait to slice into it! Thank you for such good instructions, and an amazingly easy recipe to follow.
You’re welcome! Enjoy!
Hi Baker Bettie
I’m new to this journey of making sourdough starter and bread. You mentioned using rice flour in basket. Could you use almond flour if I don’t have rice flour?
Sent from my iPad
Yes, you can. You can also use cornmeal or semolina.
Hi! I want to do the workday timeline, but won’t be able to bake at 8:30. Can I put it in the refrigerator at 5:30 pm after sharing and bake at 10:30pm?
After the bulk fermentation, my dough was still very sticky. I noticed in the video that your dough also appeared sticky, but you seemed to be able to manage it better. My dough was sticking to the table even with the surface lightly floured. I had trouble getting it into a ball because it was so sticky and it seemed to want to spread out, so I added a bit of flour while working with it. Is this ok?
I had previously tried a friend’s sourdough recipe numerous times and failed miserably every time. My bread came out of the oven as a thin pancake. That recipe said to do the proofing in the fridge. Does the proofing in the fridge matter? Can I keep it out instead? I’m hoping your recipe works otherwise I may give upon sourdough.
The bread came out very short even though I used a Dutch oven. This happened with the other recipe too. The loaf is so short and compact that it looks like a pancake. I don’t think I shoulda be a sourdough baker.
So I have made this before and it worked but it’s been awhile. I used bread flour this time (I am bulk fermenting right now) but had a hard time getting all the flour hydrated – would I need to use more water with bread flour than all purpose flour. If yes how much extra should be added.
Also I’m at ten hours on my bulk ferment (my starter was bubbly and doubled when I mixed the dough) but it has not grown at all. It might be colder than I realized in the house so I just put in the oven with the oven light on for and hour or so but is it okay to bake off if not much rise?
It seems that “STEP 1: FEED YOUR STARTER” in the written directions above the recipe actually means “Make your levain”, which requires ripe starter, fed the night before. I’m finding this confusing. If I feed my starter before bed, *then* wake up and mix the levain (as the recipe says), then there is a step missing in the recipe.
Am I misunderstanding this?
Or does it mean that you feed an UNRIPE starter the night before by building a levain with it, thus activating the starter and ad creating the levain at the same time, combining both steps in one?
Thanks for clarifying!
Hi Meg, levain is just the word for the part of the starter that goes into your dough. There are two main approaches to this. My approach is to feed your starter and then to just pull from that jar to put in the dough. So I feed enough that there is a bit left over to feed the next day and keep my starter going. This is what step 1 is instructing you to do. I find this approach much less confusing for most people than the other approach. The other main approach is to take your active starter and then make an off-shoot levain, all of which goes into the dough. And the starter is maintained separately. I find this causes a lot of confusion for people. You need active starter to go into your dough, meaning starter that has been fed and is very bubbly and has not fallen from its peak yet. My instruction is giving you a guideline of when you want to feed your starter and how much to feed it so you have the amount needed for your dough and you will have some left over to feed next time. This video might help you understand better: https://youtu.be/lsZDOWss3eE
So this is my second week making this. And a few questions.
I used bread flour the first week and while my starter was ripe and ready to go I got no rise in my dough. I could see bubbles in the dough and it was airy but no rise. When I mixed the dough I thought it was a bit dry and sticky as well. This week I used 50/50 AP and bread flour. So far same exact results. If bread flour absorbs more water in general do I need to adjust the amount of water being used. I did bake the first bread and actually got decent oven spring and an amazing ear. The taste of the bread was pretty tangy but we like that.
So my questions are is the dough supposed to double in size or at least rise some and if using bread flour does the amount of water need to be increased and if yes by how much do you suggest. Thanks.
what if you only use loaf pans how much to use
Hi,
Call me stupid but could you please convert the this into cups?
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
Sorry but when i look up the conversion i am getting different amounts and i want to make sure.
I am really enjoying your channel and look forward to watching more from you 🙂
Hi Maggie, do you have a kitchen scale? Weight is a much more accurate way of measuring than by volume. I highly suggest it!
I have followed this recipe a TON of times. My bread always tastes great but I never get the crust like you picture and after almost 2 years of sourdough baking I NEVER get an ear on my loaf….it does rise some but why won’t it ever really rise up no matter how carefully I shape it?
Are you using a knife or bread lame to score it? If not, try it! That should help to create an ear.
This has become my go-to recipe/process for baking my sourdough. It works so well with my work schedule.
Question: Can you autolyse the flour and water with this process? Would it make a difference?
Thank you! I’m hoping to take one of your workshops someday since I’m not far in Indiana. 🙂
Hello Bettie,
I am new to sourdough bread backing and was a little concerned if it would turn out. So far I baked two loaves in a Dutch oven and they turned out very well. Your instructions were ease to follow, and the recipe was not too complicated.
Thank you very much.
Best regards
Herbert
That’s wonderful! Great job!
Ugh my first attempt and the dough was way too sticky. It just kept turning into a blob. What can I do next time?!
Did you weigh your ingredients using a scale? Maybe the flour ratio was off. You can also add more flour to the counter and your hands to work with it.
I’ve made this bread several times, following the directions and it’s delicious, but i’m not getting a good bulk ferment or final height. The final height of last nights bake is about 2.5 inches. After the bulk ferment, my dough is never really smooth, it still looks shaggy and a little slack. I’ve tried a variety of times for the bulk ferment, from 5 hours to 17 hours and I get the same basic results. Do you think the problem is in the starter? My flour for my starter is a blend 1/3 rye, 1/3 wheat and 1/3 AP
I am so excited to master this recipe. Today, I had my first go at it. After proofing, my dough did not have a sturdy round shape. It was a bit floppy. Do you know why that might be? Over/under proofing? Or did I not do enough work with shaping the dough into a ball? Thanks!
Hi, it could be that or you may need to practice your shaping. It’s hard to say not being there.
Hi! Me again. I’ve made this loaf often and really do love it! My biggest issue is the color of the loaf is usually lighter than I would like. I’m curious if it might be the temp the dough cooks at of 425 F as most bread recipes I see cook at 450 F. Is the lower temp due to the lower hydration of this bread? I’ve wanted to raise the temp and see but thought I would ask so I can learn the impact of cooking temperature and dough hydration.
Thank you.
Excellent instructions for beginners as well as for anyone who’s interested in renewing this as a hobby.
i love every thing you make thank a lot. if we use less starer do we increase little bit or decrease the water percentage in sourdough bread recipe and less hd recps require less oven temps and high hd require higher oven temp and can i add olive oil to all kinds and different hydration sourdough bread ks we like it softer and more tasty , thank alot
I am a little confused about time line. If I feed starter 24 hours before and wait until the next day do I feed again in a.m. if I want to bake later that day?
Hi Bettie….what do you do with the leftover Levain?
Thank you Betty, I just followed this no-knead recipe this week after cultivating my first sourdough starter. This recipe, instructions and included videos were greatly appreciated and extremely helpful!! The boule came out wonderful and will be even better the next time as a banneton basket arrived the next day (as I baked it in the evening on Wednesday). :). Looking forward to many more yummy loaves following your advice and instruction!!
Wonderful! I’m so glad you liked it!
I made sourdough for the first time using this recipe. I used the weekend method, so the dough was in the refrigerator overnight. The sour flavor was pretty pronounced, more than I expected. It’s a great recipe to go with a robust soup or stew. I paired it with minestrone. I’m not sure a milder flavor soup like chicken noodle could hold its own against this bread. I actually prefer a softer bread with a less sour flavor, so I plan to make the honey wheat sourdough sandwich loaf next using the same day timeline. I’ve learned a lot about making sourdough and bread in general from your tutorials. I’d seen the whole “bread math” thing in books, but your instructions made sense to me for the first time. So thank you for that! I also really like the ideas for using discard. I adapted my blueberry muffin recipe from 1989 to use it, and wow! An already delicious recipe was made even better. I honestly hated to share them with anyone! Although I discovered your website more than a week ago, I’m just now beginning to branch out from the bread section. So much great information there. Thanks for all the hard work you’ve put into this. As a retired online teacher, I know it’s really difficult to create modules that are clear, concise, and user friendly, but you’ve succeeded.
Tested this recipe yesterday with very good results. Love the detail of your instructions (written and video), without all the “fluff” I’ve read on other sites/blogs. I learned more in one day here than anywhere.
Hi, I would like to ask, if I want to make a bigger loaf, let’s say, 1,5 size, how much starter should I use? Do I have to increase the starter quantity in the same proportion as the other ingredients? Thank you!
What if I only want to use all whole wheat-fresh milled flour, will it still work and should I up the water even more?
I have tried this recipe several times but noticed you have not included the “Stretch and Fold” step.
Is that intentional? I have made it and did do the stretch and folds because I was not sure.
I believe it’s because it’s listed as a no knead recipe. Stretch and folding is a type of kneading.
Could you add things in to this recipe, like spices or cheese?
My dough was very wet and sticky. Added more flour and let it rise. It is now double in size.
Is the dough going to work since I altered the ingredients!
Thanks
Yum! Just made this for the second time. Great “sour” in the sourdough taste and love the texture lines of the boule. Looks and tastes so sourdough! I also love that it only makes one loaf, rather than two, which other recipes often call for.
Thanks for sharing!
This is a triumph of a recipe!!! One loaf is definitely not enough. I have tried so many times and have never been successful in making SD bread until your fantastic directions and this recipe. Thank you, thank you, thank you! The float tip also good to know and worked like a charm.
So glad you like it! Thanks for sharing!
I have been making this recipe for a few years. It is great, and very easy.
I have found that it works for my schedule to put it the shaped dough in the fridge overnight. Can you tell me if it is necessary to remove from fridge in the am and leave it to proof a few hours at room temp before baking? I have read a variety of methods. I would like a bit more spring…maybe I am not doing this correctly.
Can you please clarify? I love your recipes and instructions.
Would it be okay to use a 10″ oval banneton? If so, how would you go about baking this since the shap won’t fit in a dutch oven?
Made this last weekend as instructed and it was great! I think I ate most it and within 3 lol.
Hi, you can use a 10″ banneton. If it doesn’t fit in your dutch oven, you can bake it on a sheet pan or another oven-safe pot.
This is the easiest tastiest most beautiful loaf of bread , thank you Bettie for this recipe and many others. I was late feeding my starter and because of that I was late with all the other steps. My last step , the stretching and rolling was at 11pm my bedtime. So I put it in the benneton, covered it and placed it in the fridge overnight. It was nicely risen in the morning but I left it out for another hour and a half until it was warm and passed the proof test. It’s perfect!
Hi, tried this recipe as outlined using 300g water but after the bulk ferment dough was so sticky it was unmanageable. Wet my fingers to accommodate but could not complete shaping or forcing into tight ball.
Reduced water in another attempt to 270g but the result is the same: too sticky after the bulk ferment to prepare for proofing. Can only conclude that the dough must be substantially different to yours and I shall attempt one of your other recipes.
Hi Bettie! I have been following your starter method and baked my first loaf today. It tastes delicious!! But the loaf was a little flat and dense, not as round as I’d like. Any recommendations for that issue?
Thank you for the recipe! Would this be a good loaf to add inclusions such as roasted garlic? Or is there another recipe you would recommend for add-ins?
Hi, absolutely! You can add toppings like garlic, sundried tomatoes, olives, cheese, etc right into the dough. I would mix these items right into the dough before bulk fermenting.
I have previously had growing success with methods involving slap and fold, stretch and fold and roll and folds prior to BF. I tried this no kneed recipe as a bit of an experiment in the hope that it might be less sticky but despite careful attention to the weights and method in the video it actually it turned out to be the stickiest yet. So much so, that I struggled to extract it from a well flowered baneton and when put in the Dutch oven it took over the whole floor of the oven.
Poke test rebounded slower than I feel it should have done.
At present I am putting the stickiness down to attempting to keep the temperature up at about 76-78F and giving it about 14 hrs on the counter.
I think the starter is OK because it had doubled readily prior to use and there was no shortage of bubbles in the dough when I turned it out for pre-shaping but there was no strength at all in the sticky soup than emerged. For the record, my starter was mainly based on wholemeal rye flour and the main bake used 500g of Waitrose Essential Strong White Bread Flour 14% protein.
All that said, it was definitely worth baking. The result was my lowest rise ever but the bread was the tastiest yet.