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Beginner sourdough bread recipe with video guide, easy timeline, salt tips, scoring & Dutch oven. Same-day mild or overnight deeper flavor

Starter Sourdough Bread Recipe (Beginner Friendly)

Name: Beginner sourdough bread recipe (Lower Hydration, Easy Handling)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1150 min
Ingredients: 500 grams bread flour; 325 grams water (room temperature); 100 grams active sourdough starter; 10 grams fine sea salt; For dusting: rice flour or all-purpose flour

Sourdough can feel intimidating, but this starter sourdough bread recipe is built for beginners. With lower hydration (325 g water, 500 g bread flour, 100 g starter, 10 g salt), the dough is easier to handle, shape, and bake. The process takes patience—don’t be intimidated! You’ll be rewarded with a chewy crumb, mild tang, and a golden, crackly crust.

Watch the Video

📹 A step-by-step video is HERE It will walk you through mixing, turns, shaping, scoring, and baking. I’ll embed it here when it’s live.

💡 Tip: Lower hydration = easier handling. As your confidence grows, you can increase the water for a more open crumb.

Make Sure Your Starter Is Active

Your starter should be bubbly, doubled since feeding, slightly domed, and a spoonful should float in water. Using an inactive starter often leads to a dense loaf. This recipe is part of our Sourdough Starter Series for feeding and troubleshooting guidance.

💡 Tip: If it’s sluggish, give 1–2 warm feedings and wait until it peaks before baking.

Equipment You’ll Need

Mixing bowl
Kitchen scale
Dough/bench scraper (optional but helpful)
Banneton or a medium bowl lined with a floured kitchen towel (rice flour is best)
Sharp lame/razor for scoring
Dutch oven or heavy-lidded pot

💡 Tip: No banneton? A bowl + floured towel works beautifully. Dust generously with flour or rice flour to prevent sticking.

Step-by-Step Timeline (Customize to Your Day)

This is an example schedule. Shift the times to suit your day—the order matters more than the clock.

Time	Step
8:00 am	Mix flour, water, and starter → rest (autolyse)
8:40 am	Add salt and mix until dissolved
9:30 am	First turn (stretch & fold)
10:00 am	Second turn
10:30 am	Third turn
11:00 am	Fourth turn
11:30–1:30 pm	Bulk ferment until dough rises ~50%
1:30 pm	Preshape, rest 20 min
1:50 pm	Final shape, place in banneton or towel-lined bowl
2:00 pm – overnight	Cold proof in the fridge
Next morning	Score dough + bake at 475°F (20 min covered + 20 min uncovered)

⏳ Patience tip: For a deeper sour flavor, bake the next day after an overnight chill. In a rush? Same-day bakes are milder but still delicious.

What Is Autolyse?

Autolyse is mixing flour, water, and starter, then resting before adding salt. This rest kicks off gluten, reduces stickiness, and makes the dough smoother and easier to handle.

💡 Tip: If the dough feels tight, extend the autolyse a few extra minutes.

What Are “Turns” (Stretch & Folds)?

Every ~30 minutes, wet your hands (prevents sticking), lift one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over. Rotate the bowl and repeat 3–4 times. With each turn, the dough should feel more relaxed and elastic.

First turn: the dough is shaggy and uneven.
Second/third: dough becomes more relaxed and elastic.
Fourth: smoother, lighter, and bouncier.

💡 Tip: If it tears, make smaller stretches. Re-wet hands instead of adding flour—extra flour can toughen the loaf.

Bulk Fermentation: What to Look For

This is the dough’s main rise. Yeast provides lift while bacteria build flavor.

Volume increases by about 50% (not quite double)
Surface looks smoother and slightly domed
Tiny bubbles visible at edges/surface
Dough has a gentle jiggle when you nudge the bowl

💡 Tip: Watch the dough, not the clock—warm rooms go faster, cool rooms slower.

Preshaping and Shaping

After the bulk fermentation, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface.

Preshape: Tuck edges under into a loose round; rest 20 minutes to relax.

Final shape: Build surface tension by gently dragging the dough toward you. Place seam-side up in a floured banneton or towel-lined bowl.

💡 Tip: If the dough skates across the counter, lightly dampen the surface for grip.

Scoring the Dough

Right before baking, score the dough so it expands where you want it to (controlled oven spring). Without scoring, it may burst randomly.

Use a very sharp lame/razor
Make a quick, confident slash about ¼ inch deep
One long cut down the center is beginner-friendly
Dust the top with flour if you want the design to pop

💡 Tip: Confidence matters—hesitation can snag the blade.

Why Bake in a Dutch Oven?

A preheated Dutch oven traps steam from the dough, recreating bakery conditions. Steam keeps the crust soft so the interior can expand, then the crust crisps once the lid is removed.

Maximizes oven spring (taller loaf)
Encourages a shiny, blistered, crackly crust

💡 Tip: No Dutch oven? Bake on a stone or sheet and add steam (pour hot water into a preheated tray or mist the loaf).

Bake, Cool, Enjoy

Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered for ~20 minutes more until deep golden. Internal temperature should be 208–212°F. Cool at least 1 hour before slicing.

💡 Tip: Use parchment as a sling to safely lower dough into a hot pot.

Storage, Shelf Life & Freezing

Beginners often ask how to keep sourdough fresh. Here’s a friendly guide for day-to-day storage, plus freezer tips.

Quick reference

Day 1: Store the loaf cut-side down on a board to keep the crumb moist and the crust crisp.
Days 2 and 3: Use a paper bag or bread box. (Let the loaf breathe so the crust stays crackly.)
4+ days: Slice and freeze.
To refresh: 350°F (175°C) — whole loaf 10–15 min, slices 5–8 min.

Important: Don’t refrigerate bread. The fridge speeds staling (starch retrogradation), making bread dry faster. Use room-temp storage or freeze.

Room-Temperature Storage (1–3 days)

Cut-side down on a board for the first day to prevent the interior from drying out.
After day 1, use a paper bag or bread box for airflow. This keeps the crust crisp.
Prefer a softer crust? A zip bag will soften the crust but may encourage mold sooner—use within 2–3 days.

Freezing (Best for 2–3 months)

Cool completely. Any warmth traps steam and causes ice crystals.
Choose whole or sliced. Slicing is convenient for single-serve toast.
Wrap tightly:
- Whole loaf: Wrap in plastic/compostable cling or foil, then slide into a freezer bag. Press out air.
- Slices: Stack, wrap as a brick, then bag; or flash-freeze slices on a tray 30 min, then bag (no clumping).
Label & date. Freeze up to 3 months for the best flavor.

Thawing & Re-Crisping

Whole loaf: Thaw at room temp on a rack (still wrapped) 1–2 hours. Unwrap, mist lightly with water, then bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10–15 min until the crust is crisp.
Slices: Toast straight from frozen, or oven at 350°F (175°C) for 5–8 min.
Extra crackle: For a very crisp crust, give the loaf a quick 400°F (205°C) finish for 3–5 min.

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Beginner sourdough bread recipe (Lower Hydration, Easy Handling)

Beginner sourdough bread recipe with video guide, easy timeline, salt tips, scoring & Dutch oven. Same-day mild or overnight deeper flavor

Prep Time30

Cook Time40

Proofing & Resting Time18

Total Time19 10

Course: Bread, Breakfast

Keyword: beginner sourdough bread, challah, stuffed challah, bread recipes, pistachio, sourdough bread

Servings: slices

Calories: 190kcal

Author: Tiffany bendayan

Ingredients

500 grams bread flour
325 grams water room temperature
100 grams active sourdough starter
10 grams fine sea salt
For dusting: rice flour or all-purpose flour

Instructions

Feed Starter (if needed). Feed your starter and wait until it’s active: bubbly, doubled, slightly domed, and a spoonful floats in water
In a large bowl, mix flour, water and starter until no dry bits remain. Cover and rest 30–40 minutes.
Add Salt. Sprinkle 10 g salt over the dough. With wet hands, pinch and fold until the salt dissolves and the dough tightens slightly
Every 30 minutes, with WET hands, do 1 set of turns: lift an edge, stretch up, fold over; rotate the bowl and repeat 3–4 times
Let the dough rest until risen about ~50%, surface slightly domed, tiny bubbles at edges, and a gentle jiggle when nudged. Time depends on room temp (warmer = faster)
Preshape & Rest. Lightly flour the surface. Gently turn out the dough, tuck into a loose round, and rest 20 minutes uncovered to relax
Shape into a tight boule or batard to build surface tension. Place seam-side up in a floured banneton (rice flour works best)
Proof
- Preferred (deeper flavor): cover and refrigerate overnight (8–16 hours).
- Same-day (milder flavor): proof at room temp 1–2 hours until slightly puffy
Place the dutch oven (with lid) in the oven and preheat to 475°F (246°C) for at least 30 minutes
Turn dough onto parchment seam-side down. Dust the top lightly with flour. Score a confident ¼-inch-deep slash. Lower into the hot pot.
Bake covered 20 minutes at 475°F (246°C), then uncover and bake 18–25 minutes more until deep golden and ~208–212°F (98–100°C) internal.
Cool on a rack at least 1 hour before slicing for best crumb and texture
Enjoy!

Nutrition

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I bake this loaf the same day?

Yes. Same-day bakes are convenient and have a milder sour flavor. Overnight cold proofing gives a deeper tang and more complexity.

How do I know my starter is active?

It should be bubbly, doubled since feeding, slightly domed, and a spoonful should float in water. If not, feed and wait until it peaks.

Why do we add salt after autolyse?

Salt slows fermentation. Waiting lets gluten form freely, making the dough easier to handle—great for beginners.

Do I need a banneton?

No. A bowl lined with a floured kitchen towel works fine; rice flour helps prevent sticking.

Why use a Dutch oven?

It traps steam for better oven spring and a glossy, crackly crust—similar to a pro bakery oven.

How deep should I score?

About ¼ inch. Use a sharp blade and score quickly and confidently.

My dough is sticky—what should I do?

Wet your hands for mixing/turns instead of adding flour, which can toughen the crumb.

How do I know it’s fully baked?

Look for a deep golden crust and an internal temperature of 208–212°F. Let it cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Can I use all-purpose flour?

Yes. Reduce the water by about 10–15 g to handle the dough more easily.

When should I add mix-ins?

After the second turn, they distribute evenly without tearing the dough.

Starter Sourdough Bread Recipe (Beginner-Friendly)