The Best Sourdough Bread
This homemade sourdough bread recipe yields a flavorful, crusty loaf with a tangy crumb. Made with just three simple ingredients—flour, water, and salt—and a sourdough starter, this bread requires patience and time but offers unmatched freshness and flavor.
Ingredients
For the Leaven
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon starter
For the Dough
- 2 cups leaven
- 2 ¾ cups water
- 8 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp salt
Instructions
Prepare the Leaven (8-12 hours before mixing)
- Mix 1 tablespoon active starter with 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of water. Let sit at room temperature until it doubles in size and is nice and bubbly. This typically takes 6-8 hours but will depend on the temperature of your home.
Mix the Dough
- In a large bowl, combine 8 cups of flour and 2 3/4 cups of water. Mix until no dry flour remains.
- Cover and let rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
- Add 2 cups of leaven and 1 tablespoon of salt. Mix thoroughly.
Bulk Fermentation (4-6 hours)
- Perform 4-6 sets of stretch and folds, one every 30 minutes. Let the dough rise until it increases by about 50% in volume. You'll likely notice pockets of air and a little bit of a shine to your dough.
Shape the Dough
- Gently turn out the dough divide it in half and pre-shape it into rounds. Let rest for 20 minutes. Then give it a final shape into a boule (round) or batard (oval).
Final Proof (12-15 hours)
- Place shaped dough in a banneton basket, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
Bake
- Preheat oven to 500°F with your Dutch oven inside.
- Turn the dough out onto a large piece of parchment paper. Score the dough and transfer it using the parchment paper as a sling to the hot Dutch oven.
- Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
Cool and Enjoy
- Let the bread cool completely (at least 1 hour) before slicing to set the crumb structure. You don't want a gummy loaf.