Quick Sourdough Bread With Yeast
, Updated Jun 20, 2025
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This Quick Sourdough Bread recipe uses added yeast to create a rustic sourdough bread that’s ready to bake in about 90 minutes. Same day sourdough bread, that’s easy and foolproof? You bet!
Check out my Greek Bread (Horiatiko Psomi)! Or how about some super-delicious Easy Sourdough Discard Focaccia with Yeast?
Traditional sourdough bread uses a sourdough starter as a leaven – a fermented mixture of flour, water and microscopic yeasts present in the air. This starter acts as a natural raising agent – it helps sourdough bread to rise in the oven.
Making sourdough bread requires time and patience, not to mention an active sourdough starter. Sometimes you want a super-quick sourdough which is where this recipe comes in. This quick bread recipe uses sourdough discard or an active sourdough starter plus rapid rise yeast.
It is not a TRUE sourdough bread, but it’s a fabulous way to make a truly tasty artisan bread with added sourdough goodness and a gentle tang! Yes, I will admit it’s a cheat’s sourdough 😉
Why you’ll love this Quick Sourdough Bread
- It’s ready to bake in 90 minutes
- It has a slightly softer crust and soft crumb making it easy to slice
- No kneading, no fuss!
- A great way to use sourdough discard
- It tastes absolutely delicious
- You can customise this basic recipe by using a blend of different flours or adding herbs and spices
Here’s what you will need
You will need a Dutch Oven to bake this bread. A smaller cast iron pot will create a taller loaf while a large one will make a wider loaf.
- Sourdough Starter – this can be an active just fed starter, unfed starter or sourdough discard. If you use active starter then you will get some added oven spring. Make sure the starter is room temperature otherwise it will delay the proofing.
- Rapid rise yeast / Instant yeast – this type of yeast doesn’t require activation
- Bread flour – white bread flour will give you a softer crumb whereas a mix of white and wholemeal flour will create a crustier loaf with denser crumb
- Salt – for flavor
- Sugar – helps feed the yeast and adds flavor
- Water – use lukewarm water to speed up the proofing
- Olive oil spray for the bowl
How to make Quick 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!
- Measure the starter to a large bowl and pour in the water. Stir well to combine – I use a dough hook. Add the flour and yeast. Stir again to combine and make sure there are no dry pockets of flour.
- Sugar and salt go in next – continue mixing with your dough hook or you can use your hands. Your dough will be sticky and shaggy.
- Spray the bowl with olive oil, cover with a clean towel and place it somewhere warm to rise. Check the dough has doubled in size. This should take only an hour but if your room or ingredients are cold it can take up to 90 minutes.
- Mist your countertop with olive oil and scrape the dough on it. Use an oiled bench scraper to fold the edges over towards the centre to create a round loaf. Oil a square of parchment paper and transfer the loaf onto it.
- Lift the paper by the edges and place in a bowl to rise for a further 30 minutes. Meanwhile, place your cast iron pot in the oven and preheat to 220°C (420°F).
- Take the bread out of the bowl using the baking paper and drop into the hot Dutch Oven (please be very careful and use oven mitts). Score the top using a knife. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
- Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes. Carefully remove the bread from the pot – it should sound hollow if tapped on the underside. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Can I make this with whole wheat flour? You can use a combo of whole wheat and white bread flour at a 30/70 ratio. Whole wheat flour creates a denser, crustier loaf. (Take a look at my Easy Wholemeal Bread Recipe).
- Can I make this using a stand mixer? Yes, simply add all the ingredients into the mixer and use the dough hook to mix together until the ingredients combine to form a soft dough. You don’t need to knead the dough.
- I usually place the dough in the microwave or the oven with a pot of boiling water. The steam will speed up the proofing process.
- If the dough is very soft it will be difficult to score. Don’t worry about scoring – the bread will simply open in the oven by itself. The softer the dough and higher water content the softer the crumb. A denser dough can be shaped the way you would shape a traditional sourdough loaf.
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
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HAVE YOU MADE MY QUICK SOURDOUGH BREAD RECIPE? Please leave a rating, post a photo on my Facebookpage, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #supergoldenbakes and make my day!
Quick Sourdough Bread With Yeast
Video
Ingredients
- 150 g (½ cup + 1 tbsp) sourdough starter or discard, room temperature
- 300 g (1 ¼ cups) water, lukewarm
- 480 g (4 cups) white bread flour
- 2 tsp rapid rise yeast
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp sugar
- olive oil spray for the bowl
Instructions
- Measure the starter to a large bowl and pour in the water. Stir well to combine – I use a dough hook.150 g (½ cup + 1 tbsp) sourdough starter or discard, , 300 g (1 ¼ cups) water,
- Add the flour and yeast. Stir again to combine and make sure there are no dry pockets of flour.480 g (4 cups) white bread flour, 2 tsp rapid rise yeast
- Sugar and salt go in next – continue mixing with your dough hook or you can use your hands. Your dough will be very sticky and shaggy.2 tsp sugar, 2 tsp salt
- Spray the bowl with olive oil, cover the bowl with a clean towel and place somewhere warm to rise. I usually place it in the microwave or the oven with a pot of boiling water. The steam will speed up the process.olive oil spray
- Check the dough has doubled in size. This should take only an hour but if your room or ingredients are cold it can take up to 90 minutes.
- Mist your countertop with olive oil and scrape the dough on it. Use an oiled bench spaper to fold the edges over towards the centre to create a round loaf. Oil a square of parchment paper and transfer the loaf onto it.
- Lift the paper by the edges and place in a bowl to rise for a further 30 minutes. Meanwhile, place your cast iron pot in the oven and preheat to 220°C (420°F).
- Lift the bread out of the bowl using the baking paper and carefully drop into the pot (be careful it will be very hot). Score the top using a knife (if the dough is very sticky then you can skip the scoring). Cover the pot and bake for 30 minutes.
- Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes. Carefully remove the bread from the pot – it should sound hollow if tapped on the underside. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
- Can I make this with whole wheat flour? You can use a combo of whole wheat and white bread flour at a 30/70 ratio. Whole wheat flour creates a denser, crustier loaf. (Take a look at my Easy Wholemeal Bread Recipe).
- Can I make this using a stand mixer? Yes, simply add all the ingredients into the mixer and use the dough hook to mix together until the ingredients combine to form a soft dough. You don’t need to knead the dough.
- I usually place the dough in the microwave or the oven with a pot of boiling water. The steam will speed up the proofing process.
- If the dough is very soft it will be difficult to score. Don’t worry about scoring – the bread will simply open in the oven by itself. The softer the dough and higher water content the softer the crumb. A denser dough can be shaped the way you would shape a traditional sourdough loaf.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
very easy and delicious. I make crackers from my sourdough starter every week, but haven’t had luck with sourdough bread. my loaves don’t properly rise even with an active starter. This recipe took a half day instead of 3 and is delicious. this will be a regular staple for me. Freezes great and I pop it into the toaster for breakfast.
I would like to use this recipe with bread pans and cover with a roasting pan lid. I would put parchment paper in the pans and put the pans on a cookie sheet. Would this work?
Thanks for your input.
I think it would but am not sure of cooking times. Will have a test soon and get back to you
Lovely recipe with great flavor. I created 1st loaf to the recipe. I probably did not shape and allow enough time for the 2nd rise. Loaf did not rise in the oven. Cooked through – crust was crispy and chewy. Tasty. I used a ‘dutch oven’ pot but not cast iron. Overall flavor was delicious.
My second loaf – I allowed the 2nd rise to go a bit longer. This loaf was a much improved version. I did add some pumpkin powder for flavor(1/4 cup), 1 cup of chopped walnuts, and pink peppercorns. Kept it in the microwave for the slow rise. When I finally placed the dough into the oven, I did not use a dutch oven. Instead, I had a cookie tray heating, I dumped plenty of ice cubes for steam and set the dough on a cookie sheet with parchment. The rise was beautiful. The hardest part of this journey is waiting for the bread to cool enough to slice! Love! Thanks so much –
When you say you don’t have to knead if you are using a stand mixer – can you be more specific as to which step you are leaving out?
Thx
Instead of mixing the ingredients with a spoon / dough whisk or your hands put in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed setting until the dough is well hydrated then follow recipe as written
I have made this several times, and shared the recipe with friends as well. What do you recommend to use loaf pans instead of Dutch oven?
I haven’t tested this recipe in a loaf pan but you have inspired me to try. I would think you need to cook it in two loaf pans. Let me have a think
Absolutely wonderful recipe, instructions, and outcome! I will be saving this recipe as my new go-to. The loaf fluffs up so high and light, the crust is a perfect delicate crunchy-chewy, and the flavor is rich. Thanks to the author for sharing and making it easier to please my family with homemade bread. My son said this was the best bread I have made ❤️
Would I be able to make this with yeast that needs to be activated?
Hi Jennifer- yes you can. Activate the yeast in lukewarm water with pinch sugar (deduct any liquid from the overall amount in recipe) and once it is bubbly and active mix it with the starter and continue with recipe
Turned out perfect. I did not have bread flour and substituted all purpose flour; use maple syrup instead of sugar too.
This is the easiest sourdough bread I’ve made yet. A huge plus is its ready in one day instead of two. It cooked perfectly in the Dutch oven. I may give it a try in a loaf pan one day. Great recipe that I plan to share when I give friends starter. Thanks!
So glad to heat it!
fabulous bread – super simple and turned out exactly as it looked like on the recipe- have already shared with friends and am planning to make another loaf today!