Easy Sourdough Bread

’m often asked if I have an easy sourdough bread recipe—a hands-off recipe so simple that all you need to do is mix the dough, let it rest while you’re at work or going about your day, and shape and bake the loaf when you get home.

This Easy Sourdough Bread is that recipe. It doesn’t get any easier, resulting in a delicious, crusty loaf of homemade bread.

This recipe will change your mind if you think sourdough doesn’t fit into your busy life. You can enjoy fresh, naturally leavened sourdough bread at home and say goodbye to store-bought loaves. Trust me—it’s so much better!

Why You’ll Love This Easy Recipe

• So Easy – This is an easy sourdough recipe similar to my Beginner Sourdough Bread that will result in a delicious sourdough loaf in just a few simple steps.
• Crispy Crust and Soft Middle – You’ll love how this bread has a crisp crust and soft middle similar to my more advanced Sourdough Artisan Bread recipe.
• Versatile– Get creative with adding inclusions to your bread, making this master recipe a keeper!
• Flavorful: There’s nothing better tasting than a hearty loaf of sourdough bread. This loaf has a slight tang to it or you can adjust the sourdough flavor to make it more or less tangy.

Why This Recipe Works

Easy Sourdough Bread is made with a ripe, bubbly, and active sourdough starter instead of instant or dry active yeast. Make your own sourdough starter, purchase one, or find a friend who will share some with you.

This is an easy, uncomplicated, beginner-friendly sourdough recipe. It uses a smaller percentage of starter in the dough than my Beginner Sourdough Bread which allows the long fermentation time to rise throughout the day (or overnight if you prefer). This sourdough recipe produces a loaf with a closed crumb that is soft and tender. It requires little to no hands-on time.

Ingredients

• Active Sourdough Starter – Make your own, get some from a friend, or purchase one.
• Bread Flour – I use good quality bread flour with 12-12.5% protein content. All-purpose flour can also work in this recipe if that’s all you have.
• Water – Use warm water to warm up your dough or cool water to cool it down so it can stay in the 76-78ºF temperature range.
• Salt – I use table salt.

Sourdough Baker’s Timeline

Because working with a sourdough starter can be unfamiliar and new at first, I include sourdough sample schedules in my sourdough recipes. These schedules are not meant to be followed exactly but rather give you an idea of a timeline – which is very dependent on the temperature of your dough/starter and the activity of your starter.

Note: The schedule assumes a dough temperature of 76-78ºF. I hope it’s helpful to you.