Easy Homemade Sourdough Bread for Beginners
In this post I will be sharing an easy homemade sourdough bread recipe that is just perfect for beginners.
There is something deeply satisfying about pulling a loaf of homemade sourdough bread from the oven. The crisp crust, the soft and chewy centre, and the slightly tangy flavour make it feel like so much more than an ordinary loaf of bread.
Sourdough is also one of those old-fashioned kitchen skills that can seem intimidating until you actually begin. At its heart, it is simply flour, water, salt, and time. I have been making homemade sourdough for six years now, and I can assure you that with six boys, I only do simple things in my busy kitchen.
Once you have a healthy starter bubbling away on your counter, you can use it to make beautiful homemade bread without commercial yeast. You can also use your starter for pancakes, waffles, muffins, crackers, and plenty of other from-scratch recipes.
Whether you are hoping to slow down, become more confident in the kitchen, or simply bake a nourishing loaf for your family, sourdough is a lovely skill to learn.
What Is a Sourdough Starter?
A sourdough starter is a fermented mixture of flour and water. Over time, wild yeast and beneficial bacteria begin to grow within the mixture.
This natural fermentation is what allows sourdough bread to rise. It also gives the bread its distinctive flavour and texture.
Your starter is essentially a living kitchen culture. It needs regular feeding, but once it is established, it can be kept for years and even passed down through generations.
Choosing Flour for Your Starter
You can make a sourdough starter using several different types of flour.
Unbleached all-purpose flour is affordable, accessible, and easy to work with. Whole wheat or rye flour can also help a new starter become active more quickly because they contain more nutrients for the wild yeast.
Einkorn flour is another beautiful option, especially for families who enjoy baking with ancient grains. Einkorn has a rich, slightly nutty flavour and is one of the oldest varieties of wheat still grown today.
You can create and maintain a starter entirely with einkorn flour, or gradually introduce einkorn into an existing starter. Keep in mind that einkorn absorbs water differently than modern wheat and contains a more delicate form of gluten, so the starter and dough may feel softer or stickier.
If you are new to sourdough, you may find it easiest to begin with unbleached all-purpose or whole wheat flour and experiment with einkorn as you become more comfortable.
How to Make a Sourdough Starter
Day One: Mix Flour and Water
In a clean glass jar, combine:
- ½ cup flour
- ¼ to ½ cup room-temperature water
Begin with less water and add more as needed. You are looking for a thick mixture similar to pancake batter or a loose paste.
Stir until there are no dry pockets of flour.
Cover the jar loosely with a lid. The lid should rest on top without being tightly sealed. You may also use a clean cloth secured with an elastic band.
Place the jar in a warm area of your kitchen, away from direct sunlight.
Days Two Through Seven: Feed Your Starter
Every 24 hours, remove approximately half of the starter.
Add:
- ½ cup flour
- ¼ cup water
Mix thoroughly and cover loosely again.
Removing part of the starter before feeding keeps the quantity manageable and gives the remaining yeast plenty of fresh flour to eat.
You can discard the portion you remove, compost it, or save it in the refrigerator for a sourdough discard recipe.
Signs Your Starter Is Becoming Active
During the first few days, your starter may not look very exciting. This is normal.
By the third or fourth day, you may begin to notice:
- Small bubbles throughout the starter
- A slightly tangy or fermented smell
- Some rising and falling within the jar
- A lighter, airier texture
Your starter may also go through a stage where it appears very active and then suddenly becomes quiet. Continue feeding it consistently. A temporary slowdown is a normal part of creating a new starter.
A mature starter should reliably double in size several hours after feeding. This is a better indication of readiness than the popular float test, which does not always work consistently with every type of flour.
Marking the level of your freshly fed starter with an elastic band can make it easier to see how much it has risen.
Maintaining Your Sourdough Starter
Once your starter is consistently active, you can maintain it using a simple ratio of equal parts starter, flour, and water by weight.
If you bake frequently, you can keep your starter on the counter and feed it every day.
If you bake only once a week or occasionally, store your starter in the refrigerator. Feed it approximately once a week, and bring it back to room temperature before baking.
A starter that has been refrigerated may need one or two feedings before it becomes lively enough to raise a loaf of bread.
Homemade Sourdough Bread Ingredients
You will need:
- 1 cup active sourdough starter
- 4 cups bread flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1⅔ cups lukewarm water
- 2 teaspoons salt
For an einkorn loaf, you may replace some or all of the flour with einkorn flour. However, einkorn dough behaves differently from dough made with modern wheat.
It generally requires less water, less kneading, and gentler handling. For your first einkorn loaf, try replacing one cup of the regular flour with einkorn and adjust the water as needed.
How to Make Homemade Sourdough Bread
1. Mix the Dough
In a large bowl, combine the active starter, flour, and most of the water.
Mix until no dry flour remains and a rough, shaggy dough forms. Add the remaining water only if the dough feels too dry.
Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rest for approximately 30 minutes.
This rest gives the flour time to absorb the water and makes the dough easier to work with.
2. Add the Salt
Sprinkle the salt over the dough.
Wet your hands and gently fold the dough over itself several times until the salt is incorporated.
You do not need to knead sourdough bread aggressively. A series of gentle folds will help the dough develop strength.
3. Bulk Fermentation
Cover the bowl and leave the dough in a warm place for approximately five to six hours.
During the first few hours, perform a set of stretch-and-folds approximately once every hour.
To stretch and fold the dough, lift one edge of the dough, gently stretch it upward, and fold it over the centre. Turn the bowl and repeat until you have folded all four sides.
The exact fermentation time will depend on the temperature of your kitchen and the strength of your starter.
The dough should look slightly puffy, smoother, and more aerated when it is ready.
4. Shape the Loaf
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
Gently shape it into a round loaf, being careful not to press out all the air.
Place the shaped dough seam-side up in a floured proofing basket. You can also use a bowl lined with a clean, well-floured kitchen towel.
Rice flour works especially well for dusting a proofing basket because it is less likely to stick.
5. Allow the Dough to Rise
Cover the dough and let it rise for approximately one hour, or until it looks puffy.
You can also place it in the refrigerator overnight for a slower final proof. This can deepen the flavour and make the dough easier to score before baking.
6. Bake the Bread
Place a Dutch oven inside your oven and preheat to 450°F.
Allow the Dutch oven to heat thoroughly before adding the bread.
Carefully turn the dough onto a piece of parchment paper or directly into the hot Dutch oven.
Score the top of the loaf with a bread lame or very sharp knife. This gives the bread room to expand in the oven.
Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the lid and continue baking for approximately 25 to 30 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden brown.
Allow the bread to cool before slicing. As tempting as it may be to cut into it right away, the inside continues cooking as the loaf cools.
Tips for Baking With Einkorn
Einkorn is a wonderful grain for sourdough, but it does not behave exactly like modern bread flour.
When using einkorn:
- Begin with less water than the recipe calls for
- Avoid excessive kneading or folding
- Expect a softer and stickier dough
- Handle the dough gently
- Do not wait for it to double completely before baking
- Consider baking it in a loaf pan if the dough spreads too much
A loaf made entirely with einkorn may be denser and more tender than a traditional artisan sourdough loaf. It may not have the same dramatic open crumb, but it has a beautiful flavour all its own.
More Than Just a Loaf of Bread
Making sourdough is not necessarily difficult, but it does ask us to slow down and pay attention.
You begin to notice the temperature of your kitchen, the smell of a healthy starter, and the subtle changes in a bowl of fermenting dough. Over time, the process becomes less like following strict instructions and more like learning the rhythms of your own kitchen.
There will probably be imperfect loaves along the way. Some may be flatter than you hoped, while others may ferment too long or come out a little dense.
That is part of learning.
Every loaf teaches you something, and even an imperfect loaf of warm homemade bread is usually very happily eaten.
Sourdough is a simple, traditional skill that can become part of the everyday life of your home. With flour, water, salt, patience, and perhaps a little einkorn, you can bake something nourishing and beautiful for the people gathered around your table.
This was amazing!