Here’s a classic sourdough bread recipe — crusty on the outside, soft and tangy inside 🍞
🍞 Homemade Sourdough Bread
🛒 Ingredients (Makes 1 loaf)
Starter (if you don’t have one, see note below)
- ½ cup active sourdough starter
Dough:
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose or bread flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup (240 ml) water, room temperature
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Mix the Dough
- In a large bowl, combine flour and salt.
- Add sourdough starter and water, mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead for 8–10 minutes on a floured surface until smooth and elastic.
2️⃣ Bulk Fermentation
- Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a towel.
- Let rise at room temperature for 4–6 hours, folding the dough every hour (stretch and fold) until it roughly doubles in size.
3️⃣ Shape the Loaf
- Gently deflate dough.
- Shape into a round or oval loaf.
- Place on parchment paper or in a lightly floured proofing basket.
4️⃣ Second Rise
- Cover and let rise 1–2 hours, until slightly puffy.
5️⃣ Bake
- Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C) with a Dutch oven inside for 30 minutes.
- Carefully place dough inside the hot Dutch oven (use parchment paper).
- Score the top with a sharp knife.
- Cover and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake 10–15 minutes more until golden and crusty.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
💡 Tips
- Use room-temperature water; too hot can kill starter.
- For extra tang, let the dough ferment longer at a cooler temperature (slow fermentation overnight in the fridge).
- You can sprinkle seeds or oats on top before baking for texture.
Note on Starter:
If you don’t have a starter:
- Mix ½ cup flour + ¼ cup water, let sit 24 hours.
- Feed daily with equal parts flour and water for 5–7 days until bubbly and active.
I can also give a quick no-knead sourdough recipe that’s easier for beginners but still gives that tangy, crusty loaf.
Do you want me to do that?
