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Easy Sourdough Bread

June 10, 2020 by Lucy Parissi 79 Comments

44130 shares
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This easy Sourdough Bread recipe requires no kneading or folding. The perfect sourdough recipe for beginners. Check out my step by step instructions and recipe video and prepare to fall in love with sourdough!

Did you know you can bake your sourdough bread in an air fryer?

Got sourdough discard to use up? Try my Quick Sourdough Bread With Yeast Sourdough Cheese Scones & Sourdough Blueberry Crumb Cake

Post may contain affiliate links. For more information, check my disclosure

Overnight Sourdough Bread with a slice cut out

Beginner’s Sourdough Bread

Want to bake your first sourdough bread but feel intimidated and overwhelmed? My simplified method will take you from starter to sourdough bread with about 10 minutes hand on effort.

No kneading, no stretching and folding… this really is the easiest overnight sourdough ever! Make sure to check out the video to see the recipe in action, especially the shaping of the loaf.

Fancy baking a sourdough focaccia? This is another super easy recipe that’s perfect for newbies!

The Sourdough Trend

Like so many others during the bizarre Spring 2020, I decided to nurture a sourdough starter. This was merely an experiment to keep my mind focused and the kids engaged, my hopes weren’t high.

We fed our starter, christened Haku after Spirited Away, dutifully every day for a week. There was some bubbling, but it didn’t really look very active. Then on day 9, when I had just about given up, the starter literally doubled before our astonished eyes. Time to get baking! 

overhead view of sliced sourdough loaf on a rustic background with butter on the side

And here is where my mind literally went into screensaver mode. There was so much information about baking sourdough bread, so many new terms to wrap my head around, so much work. 

So I decided to tackle my first sourdough bread the same lazy way I bake my no knead bread: mix the ingredients, leave them to do their thing, shape, rise and bake. To my amazement this no knead sourdough worked a treat. 

And the wonder and pride you will feel when you cradle your first sourdough loaf is really such a high, you will soon want to bake bread again and again. 

Sourdough loaf sliced in half to show the interior

Health Benefits of Sourdough

Sourdough bread tastes infinitely more delicious than insipid commercial bread loaves, but is it good for you? 

Sourdough bread is easier to digest, more nutritious and better tolerated than regular bread. This basic sourdough bread recipe is also naturally vegan / vegetarian. 

Sourdough bread is NOT, however, gluten-free unless it has been prepared using a gluten free sourdough starter and flour. Take a look at this recipe for Gluten Free Sourdough.

Ingredients

  • Active sourdough starter – you can get your starter from a friend, or buy sourdough starter online or from a local bakery. You can also make your own (recipe to follow soon)
  • Bread flour – this is higher in protein and will give your loaf a better structure. You can use all purpose (plain) flour but your loaf may not rise as well. For this simple sourdough recipe I have used white bread flour.
  • Salt – ideally fine sea salt
  • Water – filtered, bottled or tap water*. 
    *Chlorinated water is thought to inhibit the growth of sourdough starter – I usually boil tap water and leave it to cool before using.
  • Rice flour or gluten free flour for the bowl 

Useful equipment & Tools

  • Digital scales are needed for accurate measuring
  • Bowl or a banneton basket for proving the dough 
  • Lame, razor or sharp knife for scoring
  • A cast iron pot – I have used my trusty Greenpan Dutch Oven
  • Large jar if you are making your own starter (I love these Weck Jars)
  • Spatula for mixing your starter
  • Dough whisk for mixing bread dough (optional but useful!) 
  • Bench scraper and small spray bottle
Artisan sourdough loaf in a Dutch oven

How do I know if my sourdough starter is ready?

An active starter should double in size and be bubbly within a few hours of being fed. To check whether it is ready, add a spoonful of active starter to a glass of water. If it floats you are good to go. If it sinks it’s not quite there yet – this is called the float test.

Jar of bubbly sourdough starter

How to Make Sourdough Bread

Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!

This is my timetable for making overnight sourdough. You can follow your own schedule just keep and eye on the timing. If the weather is particularly warm the bread will prove quite quickly and is in danger of over fermenting – I usually prefer to prove the dough in the fridge overnight for 12 hours or longer.

6pm Feed Your Starter Feed a mature starter then leave for 4 hours, or until doubled in size, bubbly and floating in water (float test). My starter used to take 6-7 hours at first, now that the weather is a lot warmer it’s ready in around 4 hours. Try to use your starter at its peak, before it starts to sink again (you will see a trail on the sides of the jar when it starts to deflate). Don’t forget – always keep some of your active starter in the fridge for further baking!

10pm Mix The Dough Add the bubbly starter in a large mixing bowl. Pour in the water and mix well – I use my dough whisk for this.

mixing sourdough starter and water in a bowl

Add the bread flour, salt and mix well with the dough whisk or your hands. It’s easier to have a feel for the dough if you use your hands. You will have a shaggy, slightly sticky dough. 

BULK FERMENTATION Transfer the dough into a rectangular container (I like a glass pyrex dish), mist with a little water, cover and leave to rise at room temperature overnight (8-10 hours) or in the fridge (10-12 hours) if it is a warm night.

10 am – READY TO SHAPE Take a look at your dough – it should have risen in the bowl to almost doubled. Mist your worktop with water and scrape the dough onto it – do not punch the dough down. If the dough is really sticky then you can dust the worktop with a little flour – I prefer to use water with this recipe.

tipping bread dough onto a worktop

Gently stretch the dough to form a rectangle.

gently stretching sourdough bread dough to form a rectangle

Fold the dough into three sections, like a letter (letter fold).

Folding thebread dough into three sections, like a letter (letter fold).

Roll the dough into a tight ball. It should now stand pretty tall!

Rolling sourdough into a ball

Flip over, seam side down, and shape using your hands and a bench scraper into a round loaf (known as a “boule”). Keep turning on the countertop, shaping between your hands and slightly tucking under until the loaf is smooth.

shaping bread dough into a round loaf

SECOND RISE Line a bowl or basket with baking paper and lightly dust the paper and your loaf with gluten free flour or rice flour to prevent the bread from sticking to the paper.

Place into the prepared bowl seam side down, cover loosely with a plastic bag and leave to rise again for 30 minutes to a couple of hours at room temperature (again, this will be weather dependent). 

Proving overnight sourdough in a banneton basket

TOP TIP Check your loaf is ready to bake by gently prodding with a finger. If the indent springs back slowly leaving a small dent then you are ready to bake. If it springs back really quickly you need to allow it to rise for a little longer.

BAKE YOUR SOURDOUGH Preheat your oven to 450F (230C) half an hour before the end of proving. Place a lidded pot (Dutch Oven) in the oven to preheat. Score the top of your loaf using a sharp knife, razor or lame.

Scoring a sourdough loaf using a lame

Remove the pot from the oven using pot holders (please be very careful). Carefully place the dough into the pot, lifting it by the baking paper. Cover and bake for 20 minutes.

Sourdough loaf in a Dutch Oven ready for the oven

Reduce the oven temperature to 425F (220C). Take the lid off the pot and cook for another 20-25 minutes. You can lift the bread out of the pot and cook directly on the oven shelf for the final 5 minutes. 

Sourdough loaf after 20 minutes baking in a Dutch Oven

Cool the bread on a wire rack for at least an hour before slicing. Enjoy toasted spread with some salted butter – DELICIOUS!

Sourdough bread sliced on a metal plate with butter on the side

Using a Banneton Basket

If you are using a proofing basket bread basket you will need to prep this first before first use – check this guide for preparing your banneton basket. Dust the basket with rice flour or gluten free flour, shaking out the excess. 

Carefully transfer your loaf seam side up directly into the prepared basket. Dust with a little flour, cover with a bag and leave to rise. When the dough is ready to bake, after the second rise, carefully invert onto baking paper then proceed to score and bake in a Dutch Oven.

If you have never made sourdough bread before, it would be best to try the lined bowl method first as it is easier.

Storing Sourdough Bread

Cover the cooled loaf in a clean tea towel and store at room temperature – the bread will keep for 2-3 days.

I prefer to slice the entire loaf and then freeze it – that way you can toast slices directly from frozen whenever the fancy takes you.

Overhead view of easy overnight sourdough bread tied with string on a plate

Further Reading

Once you master this basic sourdough recipe you might want to delve deeper into sourdough techniques. Check out these helpful links

  • How to shape a boule
  • How to check your sourdough has finished proofing
  • Sourdough Hydration Explained

TRY THESE DELICIOUS SOURDOUGH RECIPES!

Sourdough Hot Cross Buns

Delicious Sourdough Hot Cross Buns, using my easy, no knead method. Bake a batch of these traditional sweetly spiced buns this Easter!
Read More
Three sourdough hot cross buns with butter on the side

Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread

This Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread is easy to make even if you are a beginner! This fragrant cinnamon sourdough filled with plump raisins is perfect for breakfast, spread with butter and jam or honey. 
Read More

Sourdough Blueberry Crumb Cake

This delicious Sourdough Blueberry Crumb Cake is a great way to use your sourdough discard! An irresistible coffee cake studded with blueberries and topped with cinnamon streusel.
Read More

Easy Sourdough Focaccia

This Sourdough Focaccia recipe is easy even for total beginners! A wonderfully chewy simple focaccia that’s easy to customise and totally delicious. Allow yourself plenty of time for this recipe as it needs a lengthy rising time.
Read More

HAVE YOU MADE MY OVERNIGHT SOURDOUGH BREAD RECIPE? Post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #supergoldenbakes and make my day!

Overnight Sourdough Bread

Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes
This Overnight Sourdough Bread requires no kneading or folding. A truly easy sourdough recipe perfect for beginners. Please read the whole post, including tips and step by step instructions before proceeding with this recipe.
4.66 from 35 votes
Print Rate
Course: Bread
Cuisine: Continental
Keyword: Beginner’s Sourdough, Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe, No Knead Soudough Bread, Overnight Sourdough Bread
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes
Overnight Bulk Fermentation + Rise: 12 hours hours
Total Time: 12 hours hours 55 minutes minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 173kcal
Prevent your screen from going dark

Equipment & Tools

Dutch Oven
Digital scales
Dough Whisk
Starter Jar
Silicone Bread Mat
Banneton Proofing Basket

Ingredients

For your starter

  • 60 g (¼ cup) mature starter room temperature
  • 60 g (¼ cup) flour
  • 60 g (¼ cup) tepid water (filtered, bottled or boiled and cooled tap water)

For the overnight sourdough

  • 150 g active starter (most of the starter you prepared earlier)
  • 300 g (1 ¼ cups) water (filtered, bottled or boiled and cooled tap water)
  • 500 g (4 cups) white bread flour preferably organic
  • 12 g (2 tsp) sea salt (2 scant teaspoons)
  • rice flour or gluten free flour for the bowl or banetton, as needed

Instructions

Feed Your Sourdough Starter

  • Feed 60g of active starter with 60g flour and 60g lukewarm water. Leave for 4-6 hours until doubled in size, bubbly and floating in water (float test).
    Bubbly sourdough starter in a glass jar

Prepare The Bread Dough

  • Add 150g of bubbly starter in a large mixing bowl. Pour in 300g of water* and mix well – I use my dough whisk. *remember to use filtered, bottled or boiled and cooled tap water.
  • Add the bread flour, saltand mix well with the dough whisk or your hands. It’s easier to have a feel for the dough if you use your hands. You will have a shaggy, slightly sticky dough.
  • Transfer the dough into a rectangular container (I like a glass pyrex dish), cover and leave to rise at room temperature overnight (8-10 hours). If it is a hot night then place the dough in the fridge where it will need 10-12 hours.

Shape The Sourdough

  • The following day take a look at your dough – it should have almost doubled. Mist your worktop with water and scrape the dough onto it – do not punch the dough down. If the dough is really sticky then you can dust the worktop with a little flour – I prefer to use water with this recipe.
  • Gently stretch the dough to form a rectangle.
  • Fold into three sections, like a letter.
    doing a letter fold on bread dough
  • Roll the dough into a tight ball.
  • Flip over, seam side down, and shape into a round loaf (known as a “boule”). Use your hands and a bench scraper to roll the loaf in your hands, slightly tucking the edges under as you go (please check the video for a demo).

Second Rise

  • Line a bowl or basket with baking paper and lightly dust the paper and your loaf with gluten free flour or rice flour to prevent the bread from sticking to the paper.
  • Gently cup the loaf in your hands and place into the prepared bowl seam side down. Cover loosely with a plastic bag and leave to rise again for 30 minutes to a couple of hours at room temperature (again, this will be temperature dependent).
  • Preheat your oven to 450F (230C) half an hour before the end of proving. Place a lidded pot (Dutch Oven) in the oven to preheat.
  • Score the top of your loaf using a sharp knife, razor or lame.

Bake your Sourdough

  • Remove the pot from the oven using pot holders (please be very careful as it can easily give you very bad burns, as I can testify). Carefully place the dough into the pot, lifting it by the baking paper.
  • Cover and bake for 20 minutes.
  • Reduce the temperature to 425F (220C). Take the lid off the pot and cook for another 20-25 minutes. You can lift the bread out of the pot and cook directly on the oven shelf for the final 5 minutes.
  • Cool the bread on a wire rack for at least an hour before slicing.

Video

Notes

Using a Banneton Basket
If you are using a banneton basket (you need to prep this first before first use) dust the basket with rice or gluten free flour, shaking out some of the excess.
Carefully transfer your load seam side up in this case. Cover with a bag and leave to rise. When the dough is ready to bake, after the second rise, carefully invert onto baking paper then proceed to bake in a Dutch Oven.
Storing Sourdough Bread
Cover the cooled loaf in a clean tea towel and store at room temperature – the bread will keep for 2-3 days.
I prefer to slice the entire loaf and then freeze it – that way you can toast slices directly from frozen whenever the fancy takes you.

Nutritional Info

Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 390mg | Potassium: 47mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg
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Comments

  1. Aimee says

    August 27, 2023 at 5:29 pm

    I have made this recipe twice. Looks beautiful, tastes great! Also fairly easy for sourdough. My problem is both times the loaves have burned on the bottom. Any suggestions on how to stop that?

    Reply
  2. Vicki E says

    August 21, 2023 at 1:17 pm

    I fed my starter as per first instructions with the 60 g of flour and water. This am bubbly and passed float test but I only have about 112 g of starter this am- I assume I need to feed again but I don’t know what amounts to use and wondering why?

    Reply
    • Lucy Parissi says

      August 22, 2023 at 1:59 pm

      Hi Vicki – you can increase the amount to say 80g and do it once more. It should work with 112g starter but best work to the right amount x

      Reply
  3. Lou Ann M Agnelli says

    February 12, 2023 at 11:43 pm

    This is a wonderful easy recipe
    and the results are fabulous!Thank you for making this easy for beginners

    Reply
  4. Grace says

    February 07, 2023 at 12:54 am

    This sourdough turned out SO well!! I proofed mine in the fridge for 10ish hours and then on the warm counter for 5ish as my fridge was very very cold. The inside is perfect and the crust is too!

    Reply
    • Lucy Parissi says

      February 07, 2023 at 8:56 am

      So glad! Thanks for the comment ❤️

      Reply
  5. Cindy L Berg says

    December 07, 2022 at 3:11 am

    5 stars
    I used this recipe for my first loaf of sourdough. I was so afraid that I would mess it up, but, wow, it came out great. The crust was crisp and brown and the inside was chewy and full of beautiful holes. I am now hooked on making sourdough every thing. Thank you for this simple method for delicious bread.

    Reply
  6. Sage says

    September 20, 2022 at 10:21 pm

    So I can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong, I’ve done two loaves. The first one I did overnight, I left the dough out and proofed it for 11 hours, it had flattened in the glass dish I put it in but I folded it and everything, then left it for another 1.5 hours. Put it in my preheated dutch oven just as the instructions say. It came out only slightly golden, med/big air bubbles and kind of dense. Did I undercook it? Maybe over proof it? My other loaf I only proofed 7 hours because it looked really flat after the first proof, I folded and everything then proofed another 30mins. It got more golden and brown than the first loaf but it was still just as dense and had uneven air bubbles. Any help is greatly appreciated!

    Reply
    • Lucy Parissi says

      September 21, 2022 at 6:39 am

      It’s hard to gauge without being there but I am wondering whether your starter is at full strength. It should rise to double its volume and pass the float test.
      Uneven air bubbles are normal. Is the oven temperature right (Celsius or Fahrenheit?

      Reply
  7. Bella says

    July 27, 2022 at 7:43 am

    Hello Lucy, I would like to try your recipe tonight however I do not have a glass container. Can I use a baking pan? And do I need to prepare it in anyway? (Oil it or rinse with cold water)
    Thank you in advance.

    Reply
    • Lucy Parissi says

      July 28, 2022 at 9:46 am

      Hi Bella,
      sorry I just saw your comment. When you say a glass container is this for proofing the dough? If so you can use any type of bowl, covered.

      Reply
  8. Melissa Lauher says

    July 03, 2022 at 12:38 am

    Can the second rise be done in the refrigerator?

    Reply
    • Lucy Parissi says

      July 04, 2022 at 9:06 am

      Hi Melissa yes it can I left mine overnight (one in the oven as I type)

      Reply
  9. loretta says

    May 24, 2022 at 3:23 pm

    Hello~
    Trolling around looking for a way to use extra SD starter. I am currently almost to the end of my first overnight rise – realize this may not get an answer in time for this loaf…..but on the off chance…

    Could I use this to make baguettes? Don’t see why not. Your thoughts?

    Reply
    • Lucy Parissi says

      May 26, 2022 at 5:35 am

      I haven’t tried but I don’t see why not.

      Reply
  10. Carolyn says

    March 12, 2022 at 2:45 pm

    I followed your recipe to the letter. My dough looked much drier than yours did to begin with-I added a bit more water as my starter had whole wheat in it. This morning the dough looks exactly like it did last night. There’s no way I’m going to be able to stretch it. I’ve got no idea what I could have done wrong. My starter was perfect. I did the ‘float’ test and then waited a bit more as the sourdough didn’t float the first time. Not too sure about this sourdough stuff!

    Reply
    • Lucy Parissi says

      March 12, 2022 at 4:29 pm

      Hi Carolyn – it’s hard to say what could be the issue here. But if the dough didn’t change at all it sounds as if the starter wasn’t strong enough

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        March 13, 2022 at 2:36 am

        I took it out of the refrigerator and let it sit out in my kitchen counter-although temp is only around 70 degrees. I also did the stretch and tuck for about 1-1/2 hrs. it did start to rise. I could see a difference as I stretched it. I put in in a banneton basket with parchment paper, and it rose. I just turned off the oven after it baked and am letting it sit in a hot oven for a bit. Saw that on another site. I’ll see how it looks tomorrow.

        Reply
  11. Jenna says

    January 12, 2022 at 4:13 am

    Great recipe! Very easy and bread came out perfect!

    Reply
  12. Lindsey says

    January 07, 2022 at 6:53 pm

    Can this be used with whole wheat flour? I have good luck baking with a particular high quality whole wheat flour but I have never used with sourdough.

    Reply
    • Lucy Parissi says

      January 07, 2022 at 9:54 pm

      Yes but I wouldn’t use 100% wholewheat- try a mix of white and wholewheat otherwise I think it would be too heavy. I usually do 70-60 white and rest wholewheat

      Reply
  13. Wanda says

    December 09, 2021 at 12:43 pm

    5 stars
    Easy with consistent results

    Reply
  14. Brendda says

    October 20, 2021 at 6:45 pm

    Please convert your measurements of flour, water from metric to ounces or cups for those of us just learning
    Thanks for an easy to follow guide for sourdough bread
    Brenda

    Reply
    • Lucy Parissi says

      October 21, 2021 at 7:36 am

      There are cup measurements provided

      Reply
    • Michelle says

      November 22, 2021 at 10:05 am

      Not a hard conversion to do yourself given the blessing of Google. Also, as you learn more about bread making, there are strong recommendations to weigh your measurements rather than rely on volume.

      Reply
  15. Ann Newberry says

    October 19, 2021 at 7:58 pm

    5 stars
    My first try, and it came out perfect! My grandkids loved it and asked me to bring more next weekend.

    Saturday afternoon, I read many other recipes, surprised that a loaf of bread would take up to 3 days to make. When I found this one, with measurements in cups, I started it at 4 pm, and had a golden-crusted, warm loaf by 11 am to take with me.

    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Lucy Parissi says

      October 20, 2021 at 8:11 am

      I am so glad you all loved it ❤️❤️❤️

      Reply
  16. Manuela Galego says

    October 08, 2021 at 3:32 am

    No yeast used?

    Reply
    • Lucy Parissi says

      October 08, 2021 at 10:52 am

      No this is sourdough bread so the sourdough starter is used instead of yeast

      Reply
  17. Wendell says

    October 06, 2021 at 11:18 pm

    4 stars
    So good!

    Reply
  18. Michelle says

    October 06, 2021 at 9:24 am

    Really love this recipe, so straightforward but my dough always seems to be really sloppy and sticky and impossible to shape…it turns out fine mostly, but not sure what I’m doing wrong..??

    Reply
    • Lucy Parissi says

      October 06, 2021 at 9:56 am

      Hi Michelle – maybe it needs a bit more flour? Add some when you are shaping the loaf.

      Reply
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HEY, NICE TO MEET YOU!

Picture of Lucy ParissiHi, I am Lucy Parissi, the recipe developer, food  photographer and author behind Supergolden Bakes. If you are looking for easy sweet and savoury recipes that are packed with flavour you have come to the right place!  READ MORE

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