Your First Loaf: A Simple Sourdough Recipe

You've read about sourdough. You've grown your starter. You've watched it bubble and double.

Now it's time to bake.

This is the recipe I teach in my workshops — a straightforward, country-style sourdough loaf that's forgiving enough for beginners but teaches you the fundamentals you'll use every time you bake.

You don't need fancy equipment. You don't need perfect conditions. You just need flour, water, salt, an active starter, and patience.

Let's do this.

What You Need

Ingredients:

• 450g bread flour
• 300g water (room temperature)
• 100g active sourdough starter
• 9g salt

Equipment:

• Large mixing bowl
• Kitchen scale
• Dutch oven (or alternative — I'll cover those below)
• Banneton or bowl lined with a floured towel
• Parchment paper

That's it. No stand mixer. No bread machine. Just your hands and some time.

The Process

Step 1: Mix the Dough

Combine flour, water, starter, and salt in a large bowl. Mix by hand until no dry flour remains.

The dough will feel sticky. That's normal. Don't add more flour to "fix" it. Just get everything incorporated and trust the process.

Cover the bowl and let it rest for 20–30 minutes. This is called autolyse, and it gives the flour time to absorb the water.

Step 2: Stretch & Fold

Every 20–30 minutes, perform a stretch and fold. You'll do 3–4 rounds total.

Here's how: Wet your hands slightly. Gently stretch one side of the dough up and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat 6–8 times until you've worked all the way around.

This builds gluten structure without kneading. It's gentle, and it works.

If you miss a fold, don't stress. Just pick up at the next scheduled time.

Step 3: Bulk Fermentation

After your final stretch and fold, let the dough rest at room temperature until it's expanded about 50% and shows bubbles under the surface.

At 75–78°F, this usually takes 6–8 hours.

In cooler kitchens (below 75°F), expect 10–12 hours.

Always rely on the dough's look and feel rather than the clock. Puffy, airy dough with bubbles = good fermentation.

Step 4: Shape the Dough

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. (Rice flour works especially well to prevent sticking.)

Gently preshape into a round ball. Let it rest for 10–15 minutes.

Then shape tightly. There are lots of shaping methods — find one that works for you. The goal is to build tension on the surface without degassing all those bubbles you worked so hard to create.

Place the dough seam-side up in a floured banneton or cloth-lined bowl.

Step 5: Cold Proof

Cover the banneton and refrigerate for 12–24 hours.

This slow, cold proof develops flavor and makes the dough easier to score. It also gives you flexibility — you can bake whenever it fits your schedule within that window.

Step 6: Bake

Preheat your oven to 450°F with a Dutch oven inside for at least 30–45 minutes.

Carefully turn the dough out onto parchment paper. Score the top with a sharp blade (a lame works best, but a razor or sharp knife will do).

Transfer the dough (on the parchment) into the preheated Dutch oven.

Bake covered for 25–30 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 15–20 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let it cool completely before slicing. I know it's tempting, but cutting into hot bread turns the crumb gummy. Let it rest for 2–3 hours.

If You Don't Have a Dutch Oven

Sourdough bakes best in a closed vessel that traps steam during the first part of baking. But you don't need a Dutch oven specifically.

Alternatives that work:

• Covered roasting pan — Preheat the lid and base together
• Stock pot with lid — Make sure handles and lid are oven-safe at 450°F
• Casserole dish with lid — Stoneware or ceramic works, though it may not hold steam as well as cast iron
• Baking sheet + inverted pan — Place dough on a preheated baking sheet, then cover with an inverted oven-safe pot to trap steam

The key is steam + high heat. That's what gives you a crusty, well-risen loaf.

What If Something Goes Wrong?

Dough feels very loose or sticky during folds?
Dust your hands with a little flour or lightly wet them. Some stickiness is normal.

Missed a fold?
Don't worry. Just pick up at the next scheduled time.

Dough didn't rise as much as you expected?
Check your starter. Was it active and bubbly? Also check your kitchen temperature — cooler kitchens take longer.

Loaf came out dense?
Likely underfermented. Next time, let bulk fermentation go longer until you see those visual cues.

Every kitchen is different. Trust the visual signs: puffy, airy dough with bubbles = good fermentation.

Practice Makes Progress

Your first loaf might not look like those Instagram photos. That's okay.

It might be a little dense. It might not have a dramatic ear. The crumb might be tighter than you hoped.

But if you followed the process, paid attention to your dough, and baked it through, you made real sourdough bread. And that's something.

Every bake teaches you something new. You'll learn what your dough feels like when it's ready. You'll get better at shaping. You'll figure out your oven's quirks.

Sourdough rewards repetition. The more you bake, the more intuitive it becomes.

So bake this recipe. Then bake it again. And again. And eventually, you won't need to reference the instructions anymore. You'll just know.

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How did your first loaf turn out? Dense? Beautiful? Somewhere in between?
— Courtenay 💙