Basic Sourdough Bread

Recipe by Charlotte Rutledge
340 Reviews 4.6 out of 5 stars

This Basic Sourdough Bread recipe makes a tangy, soft sandwich loaf. It's perfect for beginners or if your starter seems a bit sluggish: In addition to two cups of fed sourdough starter, instant yeast is added for backup to ensure a strong rise. (That means you sourdough novices can breathe a sigh of relief!) And if you want to make this straightforward recipe even easier, make it in a bread machine: see our recipe for Bread Machine Sourdough Bread.

Prep
10 mins
Bake
40 to 50 mins
Total
2 hrs 35 mins
Yield
one 9" loaf
Basic Sourdough Bread - select to zoom
Basic Sourdough Bread - select to zoom
Basic Sourdough Bread - select to zoom
Basic Sourdough Bread - select to zoom

Instructions

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  1. Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Combine all the ingredients and mix and knead — by hand, mixer, or bread machine — to make a soft, smooth dough; about 15 to 20 minutes by hand, 7 to 10 minutes in a mixer, and 20 to 30 minutes in a bread machine.

  2. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and let it rise for 45 to 60 minutes, until puffy but not necessarily doubled in bulk.

  3. Lightly grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan.

  4. On a lightly greased work surface, gently deflate the dough, and form it into a 9" log. Place the log in the prepared pan, cover, and let it rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until it crests about 1" over the rim of the pan.

  5. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

  6. Bake the bread for 40 to 50 minutes, until it's light gold and a digital thermometer inserted into the center reads 190°F.

  7. Remove the bread from the oven, and after a couple of minutes turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool. Store, well-wrapped, at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.

Tips from our Bakers

  • Don’t have any starter? Here’s a recipe for homemade sourdough starter. If you're making it from scratch, you'll need to feed it for 5 to 7 days before it’s ready for baking. Want a head start? Purchase our classic fresh sourdough starter — it’ll be ready for baking soon after it arrives at your door. Looking for tips, techniques, and all kinds of great information about sourdough baking? Find what you need in our sourdough baking guide.

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