Sourdough Beginner? This is the BREAD RECIPE You Need!

Sourdough bread recipes are a dime a dozen and they all seem to contradict each other, which is SUPER confusing if you're a sourdough beginner! This is my tried-and-true BASIC sourdough loaf that keeps it simple, but will still WOW your family. *CLICK SHOW MORE FOR THE RECIPE*

Beginner Sourdough Bread Recipe

½ cup active sourdough starter (learn how to make sourdough starter)
1 ¼ cup lukewarm water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt

In a large bowl, combine the starter and water.

Stir in the flour, and then add the salt.

Use a fork to mix everything together until it becomes stiff-- then switch to your hands to bring the dough together in a rough ball (Remember: don't overmix! This is supposed to be a no-knead-style wet dough.)

Keep the rough dough in the bowl, cover it, and let sit for 30 minutes.

After this resting time is complete, stretch and fold the dough a few times to form it into a ball. (See the video for a walk-through on how to do this.)

Cover the dough with a clean dish towel and let it rise in a warm place overnight or until doubled in size (or about 8 hours). I like to make the dough before bed and leave it in my turned-off oven (I leave the oven light on) to rise overnight.

The next morning (or after 8 hours), turn the dough out on your counter.
Fold it over a couple of times to tighten it into a ball, then let sit for 15 minutes.

After this resting period is complete, gently shape the dough into a ball once more place into a well-floured proofing basket or a bowl lined with a well-floured dish towel. Remember: don't add too much flour and do not knead the dough!

Cover and rise for 2-3 hours, or until doubled.

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Sprinkle a thin layer of cornmeal in the bottom of a Dutch oven (optional, but this helps the bottom not to scorch)

Tip the loaf out of the proofing basket onto a sheet of parchment. Lower the parchment into the Dutch oven. Place the lid on the pot and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the lid and bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until the loaf is deeply browned and crispy on top. (For a less crusty finish, bake for the entire time with the lid on.)

Move to a cooling rack and allow the loaf to cool completely before slicing it.

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[nataliebrown]

Million likes.
The children, the dog, the cow, the bread, your patience your home is filled with Holly Spirit.
Thank you ❤️

[sulpher]

For anyone complaining this isn't the lightest, airiest, fluffiest bread, read the title. As a beginner - this was my first EVER loaf of bread. Just made it for the first time today, and turned out great. A little dense, but tasted great. I went for the easy win. I'll try one of those other knead it, rest it, knead it, rest it, repeat 20 times recipes after a few loafs. This was a great start to my bread baking adventure.

[philalfred]

WOW! My wife's first loaf of sourdough bread! AMAZING! I AM READY TO RENEW OUR MARRIAGE VOWS FOR NUMBER 38, FOR SURE!

[christinadominice]

Not only are you a great baking instructor, you and your family save baby calves! Your dog is so sweet. Thanks for the great video!

[senectutecato]

No fuss and to the point. Thank you so much. So tired of some of these cooking videos that are presented as if they were up for an Oscar.

[Renilou]

Thank you for showing measurements in simple measuring cups and spoons! Every sourdough bread recipe Ive found on YouTube involves needing a digital scale to measure the weight of the ingredients. I believe the majority of people in the USA (especially my age group) do not have scales in their kitchen to measure grams. I do not understand grams. I'm old fashioned. I use simple old fashioned measuring cups and spoons. Again, thank you, so much!

[johnwood]

Love your videos. Great simple recipe.I got my Sourdough starter back in 1989 while living in Alaska from a guy whose Grandfather had started it back in the Yukon Gold rush. So basically it’s been alive over 100 years. I’ve passed it on to friends and family all over the Lower 48.Sourdough is like giving a piece of yourself and everyone loves it and passes it on to others like a great big family. Just like your videos .

[click]

I will have to say, first of all I am African-American, from the inner city. So it is nice to be able the look on YouTube learn how to make bread. Now I have been and a lot of houses a kitchen in my life, and left the kitchen to go to another room. Maybe I have seen an occasional cat or a dog, or in one case a snake. And I don't even like snakes. But I have never, never, never, open not one bedroom door and seen a cow lying on the floor

[davetrivett]

so refreshing to see somebody make bread without a scale!!! good job

[markbaker]

Gday Jill. Even though your post is 3 years old, i just want to say Thankyou! You don't have to have all the flash stuff, like a stand mixer, etc and using what you have is exactly whats needed, and bread is very forgiving in my experience. Just because its not blah, blah, etc doesnt mean its not going to be Great to eat! Especially when you made it yourself!!!!
PS, The little cow sold me on trying your recipe. Cheers from Oz!!

[LLAMA-LLAMA]

I am currently sitting at the table, eating a slice of warm sourdough from the first successful loaf I’ve made which was from the first successful starter I’ve started just 4 days ago. The bread recipe was from this video(which I must’ve watched, rewound and watched again about 20+ times), and the starter was from your starter video…which caused me to get hooked and STARTed(sorry, I couldn’t resist) subscribing. Thank you for this moment. You were clearly born to teach.

[tamarasself-sufficientlife]

I love your normal everyday life. Love the dog. Love the calf in the mudroom. Love that you speak to us in a manner that it is easy to learn these skills. Great video.

[luckygirlu]

Thank you. I will be following your tips. I’m almost 2 years into baking sourdough bread. I love it but my bread just won’t rise. My dough rises but my bread doesn’t. So someone suggested I watch your videos. And I love your little animals and your little lovely boy. Love those little boys always got a sneak in there. I’m a 75-year-old great grandmother so loved little children.

[miriamhedin]

I made this. The only thing I did differently was I don't have a proofing basket, so I used a sprayed bowl. I also had the lovely suprise of running out of parchment paper. I can't just run to the store because it's a quarantine. I used aluminum foil and it turned out awesome! It looks professional and tastes devine. This is my first sourdough loaf ever and I was expecting to fail miserably. I don't mean to brag, but this could be sold in a fine bakery. Thank you. Also that calf makes me want to move to a farm. Are you serious? That's the cutest thing I've ever seen. I'm glad he's okay!

[georginavazquez]

I made this recipe with regular all purpose flour first, and the dough was super hard to manage. The second time I used flour especially for bread with a higher protein content and it made such a huge difference, the dough was super easy to manage and the consistency of the bread was perfect

[Ana-uxof]

For anyone doubting this recipe:

I get consistently good results from this method. I like my more complicated recipes too but this is a staple recipe for me.

[katkat]

My first couple loaves came out fine but the dough was pretty wet and I found I needed to add flour. I scooped the flour out of the jar the way she did it, the loaves starting coming out perfect. (I used to measure flour the way I was taught-spoon it into the measuring cup so it was light and airy and not packed). Perfection! Thank you so much for breaking it down and teaching us in an easy to understand manner!

[sandrar]

Thank you!🫶....I am going to make my first sourdough bread following your was getting confused and overwhelmed listening to other it simple baby😊
I'm just waiting for my sourdough starter to finally be ready 🤞

[tamarasself-sufficientlife]

I love Dozer's compassion with the calf. Thanks so much for explaining about proofing baskets. Also thank you for explaining the piece of foil on the oven shelf underneath. These small tips are so helpful to me, especially the "why" (your explanation).

[johnclarke]

When I bake bread I put a broiler pan on the bottom rack with a cup or so of water in the pan. I put just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. This makes a delightful crust on the bread or rolls, top and bottom. The bottom will not be rock hard and tastes delightful. I started out doing it on Kaiser rolls but now do it for everything I bake.