Homemade Sourdough Bread
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The day has finally come for us to share our beloved homemade sourdough bread recipe! This recipe does not require a lot of technique, just a little patience, which makes it fall into the category of easy bread recipes.
Why should you consider eating sourdough bread?
Lower in gluten, sourdough bread acts as a prebiotic, which means that the fiber in the bread helps feed the good bacteria in your intestines (like probiotics). These bacteria help to maintain a stable and healthy digestive system.
This has been our go-to bread recipe and we are so excited to finally share it with you!
Bon appétit!
Difficulty: 
Prep time: 35 mins / Rest time: 12 hr 10 mins / Cook time: 55 mins / Servings: 2 loaves
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Levain
1.25 oz (35g) - Mature starter
1.25 oz (35g) - All-purpose flour
1.25 oz (35g) - Whole-wheat flour
2.5 oz (70g) - Water
Sourdough Bread
28.2 oz (800g) - Bread flour
2.8 oz (80g) - Whole-wheat flour
23.2 oz (660g) - Water
Levain
0.63 oz (18g) - Sea salt
2.8 oz (80g) - Water
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We advise that you prepare all the above ingredients before starting.
You will typically need: a scale, measuring cups, mixing bowls.
Levain
1 - Weigh 1.25 oz (35g) of starter in a glass jar. Then, add the two flours and water. Mix until well combined using a silicone spatula. Place the lid on without screwing it and place the jar into a warm spot for 6 hours.
Tip: Watch our dedicated video on making sourdough starter.
Sourdough Bread
1 - 4 hours and 30 minutes after making your levain, add the bread flour, whole-wheat flour, and the 23.2 oz (660g) of water to a large stand mixer bowl. Then, stir everything together until well incorporated, using a spatula (wooden / silicone).
Tip: The KitchenAid Artisan Design Series and the KitchenAid Professional 600 Series are superstars among stand mixers and will look amazing in your kitchen!
For more information, check out our detailed article "The Best KitchenAid Mixers & Blenders".
2 - Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a bowl scraper, cover it with a towel, and let the dough rest for 90 minutes.
3 - Once the dough has rested, add the levain to it and knead for 5 minutes on medium speed using the hook attachment. The dough should stop sticking to the edges of the bowl. After 5 minutes, cover the bowl with a towel and let it rest for 25 minutes.
4 - Next, add the sea salt and the 2.8 oz (80g) of water to the dough and knead on medium speed for another 5 minutes. Then, cover the bowl with a towel and let it rest for 15 minutes.
Tip: We store our ingredients in these mixing bowls and mini glass bowls from Duralex while cooking. We love Duralex for their quality products and low prices!
5 - To fold the dough, dip your hand in the water and grab the top edge of the dough. Stretch it and fold it to the opposite side like an envelope. Repeat the stretch and fold process on all 4 sides of the dough to complete the first fold. Then, cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
Tip: Add the water to a ramekin to keep it close to your workstation.
6 - For the second fold, repeat step 5, cover the bowl with a towel, and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
7 - For the third, fourth, and fifth folds, repeat step 5, cover the bowl with a towel, and let the dough rest for 30 minutes between each fold.
8 - For the final fold, repeat step 5, cover the bowl with a towel, and let the dough rest for 2 hours.
9 - Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide it in half using a bench knife.
Tip: You can find our recommended bench knives here: metal/plastic/wood. We also love to work our doughs on this reversible cutting board with integrated hand grips from John Boos.
10 - Then, preshape each half into a ball with wet hands. Next, let the dough rest uncovered for 20 minutes.
Tip: Wet hands will allow you to shape the dough without it sticking too much.
11 - Lightly flour the top of the dough and flip it over. Then, grab the side of the dough facing you, stretch it, and fold it ¾th of the way through. Next, fold each other side the same way.
12 - Grasp both ends of the dough on the top side, gently stretch them and bring them to the center making sure they cross there. Repeat all the way through the dough, then grab the side of it facing you and roll it to form a nice ball.
Tip: Watch the full folding process here.
13 - Flour the top of the dough and place it upside down into a floured proofing basket. Then, flour the other side, cover it with food wrap, and refrigerate overnight. Repeat for the second loaf.
The next day...
14 - Preheat your oven to 490°F (255°C) for 1 hour, with a cast iron dutch oven in it.
Tip: Staub and Le Creuset are some of the best brands money can buy. Here, we used this fantastic cast iron dutch oven from Le Creuset and are very happy with it! For more recommended bakeware and cookware, check out our article: "The Best Non-Toxic Pots & Pans: Our Must-Have Cookware List".
15 - Flip the bread over on parchment paper and make a long notch in the center. Next, flour the dough and place it in the dutch oven with the lid on. Bake it at 490°F (255°C) for 25 minutes.
16 - Drop the oven temperature to 445°F (230°C), remove the lid from the dutch oven, and bake the bread for another 25 minutes.
17 - Once baked, transfer the bread to a cooling rack and let it cool down for at least 15 minutes before slicing it.
Tip: We recommend you use a bread knife for this task. Sabatier knives are excellent french blades we recommend for professional and home cooks.
18 - Enjoy!
Watch our video for more details!
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Disclaimer: baking/cooking times vary according to each appliance. Make sure to always control halfway through for success.
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🎬 Everything we used for this recipe:
🍶 Kitchenware: Coming soon!
🍳 Ingredients: Coming soon!
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The information provided in this recipe is not nutritional or medical advice. Please read our disclaimer.