Ingredients
- ½ cup (100 g) active sourdough starter, bubbly and recently fed
- 1⅓ cups (325 g) warm water
- 4 cups (500 g) bread flour
- 1½ teaspoons (10 g) salt
You will also need:
- A large mixing bowl
- A proofing basket (banneton) or a bowl lined with a floured kitchen towel
- A Dutch oven with a lid
- Parchment paper
- A bread lame or sharp razor blade
- A wire cooling rack
🧂 Ingredient Notes and Smart Substitutions
Active sourdough starter
The starter is the heart of this recipe. An active starter is bubbly, smells pleasantly sour and yeasty, and has about doubled in size a few hours after feeding. This is the stage when it is at its peak and strongest. A sluggish starter leads to a dense, flat loaf, so wait until yours is lively before baking.
How to tell it is ready: The starter should look full of bubbles, domed on top, and airy. A spoonful dropped into water often floats, though that test is not perfect. Use the doubled volume and the bubbles as your main clues.
Starter tip: Feed your starter 4 to 8 hours before you plan to mix the dough, depending on how warm your kitchen is and how fast your starter rises. Use it at or just after its peak.
Warm water
Warm water, around 80 to 85°F (27 to 29°C), encourages steady fermentation. Water that is too hot can harm the culture, and very cold water slows everything down. If you use chlorinated tap water and your starter seems sluggish, try filtered water.
Bread flour
Bread flour has a high protein content, which builds the strong gluten network that sourdough needs to trap gas and hold its shape through a long fermentation. It gives a chewier crumb and a taller loaf than all-purpose flour.
Substitution: All-purpose flour will work, but the dough will be softer and slightly harder to handle, and the loaf may be less tall. You may want to reduce the water by a tablespoon or two. You can also replace up to 1 cup (about 120 g) of the bread flour with whole wheat or rye flour for a heartier, more flavorful loaf. Whole grain flours absorb more water, so add a little extra if the dough feels stiff.
Salt
Salt strengthens the dough, balances the flavor, and slows fermentation slightly. Fine sea salt or kosher salt both work. If you use a coarse salt with a different density, measuring by weight (10 g) is the most accurate method.
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the starter
Make sure your sourdough starter is active, bubbly, and approximately doubled in size after feeding. A healthy starter is essential for a good rise. If your starter is not ready, wait a little longer, or feed it again and try the next day.
Step 2: Mix the dough
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sourdough starter and water. Stir until the starter is mostly dissolved and the water looks milky. Add the bread flour and mix until no dry flour remains. The dough will look rough and sticky, and that is perfectly normal at this stage.
Step 3: Rest the dough
Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 to 45 minutes. This resting period, known as the autolyse, allows the flour to absorb the water fully and begins developing gluten without any effort from you. It also makes the dough smoother and easier to handle.
Step 4: Add the salt
Sprinkle the salt over the dough. Wet your hands and gently pinch and fold the dough until the salt is evenly incorporated. You can squeeze the dough between your fingers like a crab claw, then fold it over itself, until you no longer feel any grains of salt.
Step 5: Perform stretch and folds
Over the next 2 hours, perform 4 sets of stretch and folds, approximately 30 minutes apart. To do a set:
- With wet hands, grab one side of the dough and gently pull it upward until you feel resistance.
- Fold it toward the center.
- Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat.
- Continue until you have stretched and folded all four sides.
This technique strengthens the dough, builds structure, and traps air without the work of kneading. Cover the bowl between sets. You will notice the dough becoming smoother, stronger, and more elastic with each round.
Step 6: Bulk fermentation
Cover the bowl and let the dough continue rising at room temperature until it looks noticeably larger, airy, and slightly jiggly, with bubbles visible along the sides of the bowl. This may take another 2 to 4 hours, depending on room temperature and starter strength. Look for roughly a 50 to 75 percent increase in volume rather than relying only on the clock.
Tip: Use a clear container, or place a rubber band or piece of tape at the dough’s starting level, so you can measure how much it has grown.
Temperature matters: In a warm kitchen (78 to 80°F or 25 to 27°C), bulk fermentation can be faster. In a cool kitchen, it can take longer. Always judge the dough by its look and feel.
Step 7: Shape the dough
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently shape it into a round loaf by folding the edges toward the center. Flip it seam-side down and use your hands to cup the dough and drag it lightly toward you, creating surface tension. A taut surface helps the loaf rise upward in the oven rather than spread out.
Step 8: Final shaping
Let the dough rest for 15 to 20 minutes, then gently tighten the round shape again if needed. This brief rest relaxes the gluten, making the final shape easier and neater.
Step 9: Cold fermentation
Place the shaped dough seam-side up into a well-floured proofing basket or a bowl lined with a floured kitchen towel. Cover and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours.
The cold slows the yeast and allows the bacteria to keep producing flavor, creating a more tangy, complex loaf. Cold dough is also easier to score and handle.
Flouring tip: Use rice flour or a mix of rice flour and bread flour in the basket to prevent sticking. Do not be shy with it.
Step 10: Preheat the oven
Place a Dutch oven with its lid inside your oven. Preheat to 450°F (230°C) for at least 30 minutes, so the pot is fully heated. A hot pot is the secret to great oven spring.
Step 11: Score the bread
Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven. Turn the cold dough onto a piece of parchment paper, seam-side down. Use a sharp bread lame or razor blade to make one confident slash across the top, about ½ inch (1 cm) deep.
Scoring tip: A quick, decisive motion at a slight angle works best. A slash gives the loaf a controlled place to expand.
Step 12: Bake covered
Carefully lower the dough with the parchment into the hot Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and bake for 20 minutes. The trapped steam keeps the crust soft and flexible so the loaf can rise fully.
Safety note: The Dutch oven will be extremely hot. Use thick oven mitts, and handle the lid and pot with great care.
Step 13: Bake uncovered
Remove the lid and continue baking for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is deeply golden brown and beautifully crisp. For a darker, more flavorful crust, bake until it is a rich mahogany brown. If the loaf is browning too quickly, lower the temperature by 25°F (15°C).
Step 14: Cool completely
Transfer the bread to a wire rack and allow it to cool for at least 1 to 2 hours before slicing. This helps the crumb finish setting and prevents a gummy texture. You may hear the crust crackle as it cools, which is a happy sign. 🍞