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Easy Sourdough Bread for Beginners

This easy sourdough bread for beginners uses simple ingredients and a forgiving method to help you bake a rustic homemade loaf with confidence: perfect for first-time sourdough bakers.
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Keyword: beginner sourdough bread, easy sourdough bread for beginners, homemade sourdough bread, no knead sourdough, rustic sourdough bread
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Fermentation/Rest Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 7 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 1 loaf
Calories: 170kcal
Pin Recipe
Author: Victoria Herbert

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 3½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1¼ cups water room temperature
  • ½ cup active sourdough starter bubbly and recently fed
  • 1½ teaspoons salt

Instructions

Mix the dough.

  • In a large bowl, stir together the water and sourdough starter until mostly dissolved. Add the flour and salt and mix until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

Stretch and fold.

  • Perform 3–4 stretch and folds by pulling one side of the dough up and folding it over itself, rotating the bowl each time. Cover and rest for 30 minutes. Repeat once more if desired.

Bulk ferment.

  • Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 4–6 hours, or until slightly domed and increased in size by about 30–50%.

Shape the dough.

  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently shape into a round loaf by pulling the edges toward the center. Let rest for 15 minutes, then tighten the shape.

Final rise.

  • Place the dough seam-side down on a piece of parchment paper. Cover and let rise for 1–2 hours, until slightly puffy.

Preheat oven.

  • Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C) with a Dutch oven inside.

Bake.

  • Carefully transfer the dough (on parchment) into the hot Dutch oven. Score the top. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 20–25 minutes, until deep golden brown.

Cool.

  • Remove bread from the oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Notes

This recipe requires active sourdough starter, not discard.
Rising times will vary depending on kitchen temperature.
For deeper flavor, refrigerate the shaped dough overnight and bake straight from the fridge.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 0.5g | Fiber: 1g
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