This step by step sourdough bread walks you through every stage, from mixing the dough to cooling the loaf, so nothing is left to guesswork. With a bubbly starter and a little patience, you will bake a deep golden boule with a chewy crumb and a shatteringly crisp crust.
The method uses a long, cool rise and four rounds of gentle folding instead of kneading. Each stage has a clear visual cue, so you can follow along even if this is your first time baking with natural yeast.
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Why This Step by Step Sourdough Bread Recipe Works
Sourdough looks complicated because it is slow, not because it is hard. This recipe breaks the process into short, simple actions separated by long rests, so most of the time is spent waiting while the dough does the work for you.
A hot Dutch oven is the other key. It traps the steam released by the dough, which keeps the crust soft long enough for the loaf to spring up before it sets into a crisp, blistered shell. The result is a bakery-style loaf from a home oven.
Ingredients for Step by Step Sourdough Bread
- 1/2 cup bubbly, active sourdough starter (100 g)
- 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon warm water (375 g)
- 4 cups bread flour (500 g)
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt (12 g)
- Rice flour or all-purpose flour for dusting
Bubbly starter. Feed it 4 to 8 hours before mixing. It should be domed, full of bubbles, and pleasantly tangy.
Warm water. At about 75 percent water to flour, the dough is soft and extensible. Add up to 2 tablespoons more only if your flour feels very thirsty.
Bread flour. The extra protein gives the loaf strength to hold its shape during the long rise.
Fine sea salt. Salt builds flavor and structure. Do not skip it, or the dough will spread and taste flat.
How to Make Step by Step Sourdough Bread
1. Mix the dough. Whisk the starter and warm water together in a large bowl, then add the flour and salt. Stir and use your hands until no dry flour remains.
2. Rest 30 minutes. Cover with a damp towel so the flour absorbs the water and the dough turns smooth and stretchy.
3. Fold four times. Grab one corner, stretch it up, and fold it into the center. Rotate the bowl and repeat 4 to 5 times. Do this a total of four times, 30 minutes apart, over 2 hours.
4. Bulk rise. Cover the bowl and leave it at cool room temperature 8 to 10 hours, until the dough is about 50 percent bigger and bubbles show on the surface.
5. Pre-shape. Ease the dough onto a lightly floured counter and shape it into a loose round. Rest it seam side up for 30 minutes.
6. Final shape and chill. Shape again, place seam side up in a floured towel-lined bowl, cover, and refrigerate 1 hour or up to 48 hours.
7. Heat the Dutch oven. Heat the oven to 500 degrees F with the pot and lid inside. Cut a sheet of parchment to fit.
8. Score and bake. Flip the dough onto the parchment, score the top, and lower it into the pot. Reduce the heat to 450 degrees F and bake 30 minutes covered, then uncover, drop to 400 degrees F, and bake 10 to 15 minutes more until deep brown.
9. Cool. Move the loaf to a wire rack and wait 1 hour before slicing. The crumb needs time to finish setting.
How to Serve Step by Step Sourdough Bread
Serve warm slices with olive oil and flaky salt, or use the loaf for grilled cheese and soup. The crumb is sturdy enough for bruschetta, and leftover slices make great croutons. The same dough method is behind sourdough focaccia pizza and jalapeno cheddar sourdough bagels, and for another homemade loaf you can try soft French bread loaves or Lithuanian bread.
How to Store and Reheat Step by Step Sourdough Bread
Cool the loaf completely, then keep it cut side down on a cutting board for 1 to 2 days, or wrapped in a clean towel or paper bag for up to 3 days. Plastic traps moisture and softens the crust. For longer storage, slice and freeze in a zip-top bag, then toast slices straight from the freezer. Refresh a day-old loaf for 8 to 10 minutes in a 350 degrees F oven.
Tips and Variations for Step by Step Sourdough Bread
Judge by volume. The dough should grow by about half and show bubbles. A tall straight-sided container makes growth easy to see.
Use wet hands. Dip your hands in water before folding. It stops the dough sticking and keeps the folds gentle.
Use parchment as a sling. A parchment lifter makes it safe to lower the dough into the scorching pot without burning your arms.
Score with purpose. A single curved slash at a shallow angle makes a clean ear. Use a razor or very sharp knife.
Bake on the rack if needed. If the bottom looks done before the top, lift the loaf out of the pot and bake it directly on the oven rack for the last 5 to 10 minutes.
Wash up well. Raw flour can carry bacteria, and the Texas A&M Fight BAC guide is a good reminder to wash hands and tools after handling raw dough.
Add mix-ins late. Fold in olives, herbs, or toasted seeds during the final fold so they spread evenly.
Cool completely. Cutting too early makes the crumb gummy, so be patient and let the loaf cool for the full hour.
Frequently Asked Questions About Step by Step Sourdough Bread
How long does step by step sourdough bread take?
Plan on about 12 to 14 hours from mixing to slicing, mostly hands-off waiting. Most of that is the bulk rise.
Do I need a Dutch oven for step by step sourdough bread?
A Dutch oven gives the best crust, but you can bake on a preheated baking steel with a pan of hot water below for steam.
Why is my crumb tight?
Under-fermentation is the usual cause. Let the dough grow about 50 percent and show bubbles before shaping.
Can I use less starter?
Yes, but the rise takes longer. With 50 g of starter, expect a bulk rise closer to 12 hours at cool room temperature.
Can I make this ahead?
Yes. The final shaped dough can wait in the refrigerator up to 48 hours and bake straight from the cold.
Step by Step Sourdough Bread
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Kitchen scale
- banneton or towel-lined bowl
- Dutch oven with lid
- Parchment paper
- bread lame or sharp knife
- Wire rack
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- ½ cup bubbly active sourdough starter 100 g
- 1 ½ cups warm water 375 g, plus 1 tablespoon
- 4 cups bread flour 500 g
- 2 tsp fine sea salt 12 g
Instructions
Cooking
- Mix. Whisk starter and water, add flour and salt, and stir until no dry flour remains. Rest 30 minutes.
- Fold. Fold the dough four times, 30 minutes apart, then let it rise 8 to 10 hours until about 50 percent bigger.
- Shape. Pre-shape, rest 30 minutes, shape again, and chill in a floured bowl 1 to 48 hours.
- Heat. Heat a Dutch oven in a 500 degrees F oven.
- Bake. Score, bake at 450 degrees F covered 30 minutes, then uncovered at 400 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes until 205 degrees F inside.
- Cool. Cool on a rack for 1 hour before slicing.
