Sourdough bread doesn’t have to be complicated or fancy. I will share with you an easy step by step guide that will help you through the whole process from start to finish. The best part is that it only requires a few ingredients that most people already have in their pantry. This sourdough bread recipe can be made completely by hand and requires no special equipment and no kneading so its perfect for beginners!
The most important thing you will need for this recipe is your sourdough starter.
What is a sourdough starter?
A sourdough starter is a live fermented culture of fresh flour and water. It contains wild yeast and good bacteria that will make your bread rise. It’s the same method that has been used to leaven bread for thousands of years. If you feed your starter regularly and properly take care of it, starters can last years or even generation.
To keep your starter alive you have to feed it with equal parts of fresh flour and water every day. To keep your starter from overflowing out of your container and to keep the concentration of yeast and bacteria high, you must also discard some everyday. Don’t worry nothing goes to waste, there are lots of recipes that use sourdough discard such as: pancakes, tortillas, crackers and more!
Once you have your sourdough starter, feed it the day before or 12 hours before you want to make bread. I usually feed my starter before I go to bed so I can mix my bread in the morning.
Ingredients
- Bread flour or all-purpose
- Warm water
- olive oil
- salt
- Active sourdough starter
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Silicone spatula
- loaf pan
How to make sourdough bread
- Make sure your starter is fed and bubbly when you start to mix your bread. If your starter is not active then your bread will not rise properly.
- Mix the water and starter together, make sure the water is not too warm or it will kill the active bacteria in the starter.
- Next add the salt and oil then slowly add the flour until a dough forms.
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for an hour on the counter.
- After an hour has passed preform three sets of “stretch and folds” about an hour apart. ( it doesn’t have to be exact.) Take one side of the dough and stretch it over to the other side. Rotate the bowl until all sides of the dough have been stretched to the other side.
- Once the three stretch and folds have been done leave the dough on the counter covered and let it ferment until you are ready to go to bed.
- Before going to bed roll the dough up into a loaf shape and place it in a greased loaf pan and place another loaf pan or foil on top. Let the dough proof over night at room temperature.
- In the morning preheat the oven to 400 F and place the bread into the oven covered with the other loaf pan and bake for 20 minuets.
- After 20 minutes has passed remove the lid and bake uncovered for another 20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
- Once baked remove the bread from the loaf pan and let it cool on a cooling rack for an hour or two.
- When the bread has completely cooled slice with a bread knife and enjoy!
Easy sourdough bread recipe
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 silicone spatula
- 1 Loaf pan
Ingredients
- 3 Cups Bread flour
- 1 ½ Cups Warm water
- 2 Tsp Salt
- 2 Tbsp Olive oil
- 2 Tbsp Sourdough starter
Instructions
- Mix the water, starter, olive oil and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Slowly add the flour and mix until all the ingredients are combined and a dough starts to form.
- Cover the dough and let is rest for an hour.
- Preform 3 stretch and folds about an hour apart. The dough will start to become more elastic and less sticky.
- Once the stretch and folds are complete cover the dough and let it ferment on the counter for 4 more hours.
- Before going to bed roll the dough into a log shape and transfer it to a greased loaf pan. Place another loaf pan on top and let the dough proof over night on the counter.
- In the morning preheat the oven to 400°F then bake with the other loaf pan on top for 20 minuets. Then uncovered for another 20 minuets or until golden brown on top.
- Remove from oven and the loaf pan and place on a cooling rack. Let the loaf completely cool before slicing. (about and hour or two)
- Slice and enjoy with butter, jam, or use for your favorite sandwiches.
- It will stay fresh in a plastic bag on the counter for 3 days or in the fridge for a week. You can also slice it and freeze it for longer storage.
Notes