A Calm, Beginner Friendly Sourdough Bread
A steady, forgiving recipe that focuses on feel, not perfection.
There is a lot of pressure around sourdough.
People talk about schedules, precision, and perfection, which can make it feel like something you need to earn your way into. In reality, sourdough is slower, not harder. It just asks for a little patience and a willingness to pay attention.
This recipe is designed to be steady and forgiving. If you have an active starter and a bit of time, you can make good bread at home. No stress required.
What this recipe does well
- Uses simple ingredients
- Relies on feel and timing more than perfection
- Builds structure gradually instead of all at once
If you are newer to sourdough, this is a solid place to start.
Artisan Sourdough Bread
Ingredients
For the dough
- 3 cups (360 g) bread flour
- 1 cup (240 g) active sourdough starter
- 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) warm water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (9 g) fine sea salt
Optional add ins
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sugar or honey
Instructions
- Combine flour, sourdough starter, and warm water in a large bowl. Mix until no dry flour remains. The dough will be rough and sticky.
- Cover and let rest for 30 minutes to hydrate the flour.
- Sprinkle salt evenly over the dough and fold it over itself several times to incorporate.
- Let the dough rise at room temperature. For the first 2 hours, perform gentle stretch and folds every 30 to 45 minutes.
- After folding, leave the dough untouched until it has nearly doubled in size.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a round.
- Transfer to a floured proofing basket or bowl. Cover and let rise until puffy and slightly springy.
- Bake using your preferred method, such as a preheated Dutch oven, until deeply golden and hollow sounding.
- Let cool fully before slicing.
A few confidence notes
- Rise time varies. Trust the dough, not the clock.
- Sticky dough is normal. Add flour only if absolutely needed.
- Every loaf teaches you something. Even imperfect bread is still good bread.
Sourdough is not about control. It is about paying attention and responding.
Once you bake your first loaf, the process feels far less intimidating than it looks on paper.