The Rustic Sourdough Bread Recipe: Crusty, Tangy Perfection

Crafting a perfect sourdough bread requires patience and passion that will surprise even seasoned bakers.

Flour, water, and wild yeast combine in magical alchemy.

Each loaf tells a unique story of fermentation and technique.

Crispy crusts and tender crumbs emerge from careful technique and love.

Salt adds depth to the complex flavor profile.

Home kitchens become laboratories of delicious experimentation.

You can create something extraordinary with simple ingredients and careful attention.

Prepare to embark on a delightful baking adventure that connects you to ancient culinary traditions.

FAQs for Sourdough Bread

• What makes a good sourdough starter?

A good sourdough starter is active, bubbly, and has a pleasant tangy smell. Feed it consistently with equal parts flour and water, maintaining it at room temperature and discarding half before each feeding.

• How do I know if my sourdough dough is properly kneaded?

Your dough is well-kneaded when it becomes smooth, elastic, and passes the windowpane test. When you stretch a small piece, it should form a thin, translucent membrane without tearing.

• Why is the stretch-and-fold technique important?

Stretch-and-fold helps develop gluten strength without extensive kneading. It aligns protein strands, creates better structure, and improves the bread’s texture and rise.

Reasons to Love Sourdough Bread

• Master Artisan Bread: Create a professional-quality sourdough with bakery-level techniques right in your home kitchen.
• Flavor Explosion Technique: Develop rich, complex tastes through slow fermentation and cold proofing that enhance the bread's natural tanginess.
• Stress-Free Baking Adventure: Follow straightforward steps that transform simple ingredients into an impressive loaf, perfect for bakers of all skill levels.
• Versatile Serving Superstar: Enjoy this bread as a stunning centerpiece for dinner parties, weekend brunches, or casual family meals, complementing almost any dish.

Ingredients for Sourdough Bread

• Strong White Bread Flour: A high-protein flour essential for creating the structure and texture of sourdough bread.
• Water: The hydration agent that helps develop gluten and activate the fermentation process.
• Sourdough Starter: A fermented mixture of flour and water containing wild yeast and bacteria that provides leavening and distinctive tangy flavor.
• Salt: Enhances the bread's flavor and helps control yeast activity during fermentation.

• Rice Flour: Used for dusting the proofing surface to prevent the dough from sticking.
• Parchment Paper: Helps with easy transfer of the dough and prevents sticking during baking.

• Dutch Oven, Banneton, Wire Rack, Sharp Knife or Razor Blade: Essential tools for creating the perfect sourdough bread with a crispy crust and well-developed structure.

How to Prepare Sourdough Bread

Step 1: Blend Flour and Water

Mix the strong white bread flour with room temperature water in a large bowl until completely combined. Let the mixture sit quietly for half an hour, allowing the flour to absorb water and develop gluten.

Step 2: Introduce Sourdough Starter

Add the active, bubbly sourdough starter and salt to the dough mixture. Blend everything together until a rough, shaggy dough emerges.

Step 3: Transform Dough Through Kneading

Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Work the dough with your hands, pushing and folding for 10-15 minutes. The goal is creating a smooth, stretchy texture. Alternatively, use the stretch-and-fold technique if preferred.

Step 4: Nurture First Rise

Shape the dough into a round ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest at room temperature for 4-6 hours. Watch for the dough to double in volume, indicating successful fermentation.

Step 5: Craft Loaf Shape

After rising, gently turn the dough onto a floured surface. Carefully mold it into a round loaf. Transfer the shaped dough into a floured banneton or a cloth-lined bowl dusted with rice flour.

Step 6: Develop Flavor Through Cold Fermentation

Wrap the dough and place it in the refrigerator overnight, allowing 12-18 hours for slow fermentation. This process intensifies the bread’s complex flavor profile.

Step 7: Fire Up the Oven

Heat the oven to 450F (230C), positioning a Dutch oven inside to ensure it becomes scorching hot before the dough enters.

Step 8: Create Signature Bread Marks

Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Gently turn it onto parchment paper. Using a sharp knife or razor blade, create decorative scoring marks across the surface.

Step 9: Generate Steam and Bake

Carefully slide the dough into the blazing hot Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and bake for 20 minutes. The enclosed environment creates essential steam for crust development.

Step 10: Finish with Golden Perfection

Remove the lid and continue baking for an additional 25-30 minutes. Watch for a deep, rich golden-brown crust that signals complete baking.

Step 11: Allow Bread to Rest

Transfer the freshly baked bread to a wire rack. Let it cool completely before slicing to ensure the interior crumb sets properly.

Pro Tips for Sourdough Bread

• Manage Starter Strength: Ensure your sourdough starter is bubbly and active before mixing to guarantee optimal bread rise and flavor development.
• Knead with Patience: Develop gluten strength by consistently stretching and folding the dough, which creates a better bread texture and improved structure.
• Control Temperature Carefully: Maintain a consistent warm room temperature during rising to help the dough ferment evenly and prevent uneven proofing.
• Perfect Hydration Balance: Adjust water quantity slightly based on flour absorption to achieve the ideal dough consistency that's neither too dry nor too wet.
• Master Scoring Technique: Use a sharp blade at a 45-degree angle when scoring to help the bread expand beautifully and create an attractive professional-looking crust.

Variation Ideas for Sourdough Bread

• Whole Wheat Wonder: Replace half the white bread flour with whole wheat flour for a nuttier, more rustic flavor and added nutritional value.
• Gluten-Free Guardian: Use a gluten-free bread flour blend with xanthan gum to create a celiac-friendly sourdough that maintains a similar texture and taste.
• Herbed Harmony: Incorporate dried herbs like rosemary, thyme, or oregano into the dough during mixing for an aromatic and flavorful bread variation.
• Ancient Grain Adventure: Swap a portion of white flour with spelt or einkorn flour to create a more complex, heritage grain sourdough with unique depth of flavor.

Pairing Suggestions for Sourdough Bread

• Savor Rustic Cheese Pairings: Explore creamy brie or aged cheddar alongside freshly sliced sourdough for a delightful taste adventure that highlights the bread's tangy complexity.
• Complement Wine Selection: Select crisp white wines like Sauvignon Blanc or light-bodied Pinot Grigio that balance the sourdough's robust flavor profile and enhance its subtle sourness.
• Create Artisan Spread Experience: Prepare olive oil infused with herbs, roasted garlic butter, or homemade fig jam to transform each sourdough slice into a gourmet tasting moment.
• Match Charcuterie Companions: Pair thin slices of prosciutto, salami, or smoked salmon with sourdough to create elegant appetizer combinations that celebrate traditional European culinary traditions.

Storage Advice for Sourdough Bread

• Wrap the cooled sourdough bread in a clean kitchen towel or place it in a bread box, keeping it at room temperature for 2-3 days. Refrigerate for up to a week, but note that cold storage can slightly dry out the bread.
• Slice the bread before freezing for easier portioning. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag, removing excess air. Freeze for up to 3 months without losing significant quality.
• Preheat oven to 350F. Wrap bread in aluminum foil to prevent drying, and warm for 10-15 minutes. For a crispy crust, unwrap the foil during the last 3-5 minutes of heating.

Sourdough Bread Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.6 from 22 reviews

• Total Time: 17 hours 25 minutes – 18 hours 35 minutes
• Yield: 2 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Homemade sourdough bread emerges as a rustic masterpiece of culinary craft, blending simple ingredients with patient fermentation. Bakers discover pure comfort in this wholesome loaf that connects generations through its timeless, golden-crusted perfection.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Ingredients:

• 500 grams (17.6 ounces) strong white bread flour
• 300 grams (10.6 ounces) sourdough starter (fed and bubbly)
• 350 milliliters (11.8 fluid ounces) water (room temperature)

Seasoning:

• 10 grams (0.35 ounces) salt

Dusting:

• Rice flour (for dusting)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Hydrate flour and water together in a spacious mixing vessel, allowing the mixture to rest for half an hour. This crucial stage enables flour absorption and promotes gluten network development.
2. Incorporate active sourdough culture and mineral salt into the rested mixture, blending until a rough, uneven texture emerges.
3. Transfer dough onto a lightly dusted surface, applying rhythmic kneading techniques for 10-15 minutes. Aim for a silky, responsive consistency using traditional or stretch-and-fold methods.
4. Mold the dough into a compact sphere, positioning it within a lightly greased container. Drape with a moisture-laden fabric, permitting fermentation at ambient temperature for 4-6 hours until volume doubles.
5. Gently manipulate risen dough onto a flour-scattered workspace, crafting a rounded configuration. Nestle the shaped loaf into a specialized proofing basket or cloth-lined receptacle dusted with rice powder.
6. Refrigerate overnight (12-18 hours), allowing slow fermentation to intensify flavor complexity.
7. Heat oven to 450F, simultaneously warming a cast-iron vessel to ensure optimal baking environment.
8. Extract dough from refrigeration, delicately inverting onto parchment. Execute precise surface incisions using a razor-sharp implement.
9. Carefully slide dough into preheated vessel, securing lid to generate steam. Bake for 20 minutes to initiate crust development.
10. Uncover and continue baking 25-30 minutes until achieving a rich, caramelized exterior.
11. Transfer bread to wire cooling platform, allowing complete temperature stabilization before slicing to preserve internal structure.

Notes

• Starter Strength Matters: Choose a well-fed, active sourdough starter for optimal rise and tangy flavor.
• Temperature Control: Maintain consistent room temperature during fermentation to ensure proper dough development.
• Hydration Hack: Adjust water content slightly based on flour type and humidity for perfect dough consistency.
• Gluten-Free Adaptation: Substitute strong white bread flour with a gluten-free blend and add xanthan gum for structure.

• Prep Time: 40-45 minutes
• Cook Time: 45-50 minutes
• Category: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2
• Calories: 271
• Sugar: 0.2g
• Sodium: 500mg
• Fat: 1.5g
• Saturated Fat: 0.3g
• Unsaturated Fat: 1.2g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 55g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 9g
• Cholesterol: 0mg