This beginner friendly sourdough recipe skips complex steps like autolyse and fermentolyse in favor of a simple mix-it-all at once method that still delivers an artisan-style loaf with great flavors and texture. With clear step-by-step instructions and photos for every stage, including shaping both a boule (round loaf) and batard (oval loaf). This guide is here to help you build confidence and finally get that beautiful, flavorful loaf with that chewy crust and soft crumb you’ve been dreaming of.
Equipment:
Check out my post on Sourdough Tools to see my list of tools I consider essentials, along with a few nice-to-haves that can make the process smoother or more enjoyable.
- Food scale for measuring ingredients
- Mixing bowl for mixing dough and bulk fermentation
- Dough whisk or sturdy mixing spoon
- Bowl scraper to help clean up bowl edges
- Parchment paper for baking
- Bench scraper for shaping
- Baking vessel (dutch oven, bread pan or covered roaster)
- Bowl cover or plastic wrap for covering during bulk fermentation and final proofing
- Banneton basket or round bowl/cheesecloth for proofing
- Rice flour for proofing container to prevent sticking and scoring prep (optional)
- Bread lame or sharp knife for scoring
- Water mister for scoring prep
- Food thermometer for checking dough temperature
Starter ingredients:
Same day mixing dough: Your starter will be ready to bake in approx. 3-4 hours, depending on kitchen temperature. Warmer kitchens ferment faster.
- 40g Sourdough starter or discard
- 40g All-purpose or bread flour
- 40g Warm water
Evening before mixing dough: Your starter will be ready to bake in approx. 10-12 hours, depending on kitchen temperature. Warmer kitchens ferment faster.
- 10g Sourdough starter or discard
- 50g All-purpose or bread flour
- 50g Water
Dough Ingredients:
- 500g Bread flour
- 340g Water
- 100g Sourdough starter at peak
- 10g Salt
Dough Instructions:
Grab your kitchen scale and mixing bowl to get started. First, pour the water into your mixing bowl and add your sourdough starter (for best results, make sure your starter is at peak). Stir them together using your dough whisk or mixing spoon until the water looks cloudy. Next, add the flour and salt and mix until all the dry bits are fully incorporated. Once all ingredients are well combined and you have used your bowl scraper to clean up the sides of your bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 20 minutes.
Now that the dough has rested for 20 minutes, it is time to start our folds! Perform 4-5 sets of folds about 20-30 minutes apart. This step is flexible so just try to fit it in whenever you have a free moment. To do a stretch and fold, gently stretch one side of the dough upward and fold it over itself, then rotate the bowl and repeat on all 4 sides. Don’t worry if the dough feels very wet and stretchy at first; that’s completely normal. With each round of folds, you’ll notice the dough becoming less sticky, easier to handle and transforming into a smooth, silky dough. Once you’ve completed your folds, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough bulk ferment at room temperature for 5-9 hours, depending on kitchen temperature. A warmer kitchen will bulk ferment faster.
Once the dough has doubled in size, jiggles when shaken, has visible bubbles on the surface, and pulls cleanly away from the bowl, it’s time to shape. Use your bowl scraper to loosen the dough from the sides of the bowl and gently turn it out onto your counter.
Shaping Instructions:
Sourdough shaping has 2 steps, a pre-shape and final shaping. The pre-shape step is the same whether you’re making a boule (round loaf) or a batard (oval loaf). The final shaping is where the two styles differ. Your choice of banneton or proofing container will help guide which shape to use: if you’re using a round basket, go with a boule; it you have an oval basket, shape a batard.
Pre-shape: For this step, the goal is to organize the dough into a loose, round shape and start building tension on the surface of the dough. To keep the dough from sticking to your hands, wet them slightly and handle the dough with quick, light touches. Using your bench scraper, gently scoot the dough into a round shape by tucking the edges underneath. Focus on building light surface tension on the outer layer without tearing. Then, let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes on the counter. This allows the gluten to relax before final shaping and helps prevent tearing.
Final Shaping: The goal for this step is to create a tight, even surface on the dough to allow for good oven spring during baking. Lightly flour the top of the dough, then flip the dough over with your bench scraper so the smooth side is now on the counter. Fold the bottom up toward the center and press in lightly, fold the sides in, and stitch up the middle. The next steps depend on whether you are shaping a boule or batard.
For a batard, fold the top down to the middle and press in lightly. Grab upper corners and fold in criss-cross across the top. Roll the loaf up from the bottom to the top gently until the dough feels smooth and taut. Pinch the sides together to clean up the shape.
For a boule, fold the top down to the middle and press in lightly then using your bench scraper flip it seam-side down. With your hands, use a few push-pull motions against the counter to build tension and round out the shape. Stop when the dough feels smooth and taut to avoid tearing.
Dust your banneton or proofing container with rice flour (regular flour will work too if you don’t have any) to prevent sticking and place your loaf in seam-side up. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for its cold proof.
Once your dough has been shaped and placed in the fridge, it enters the cold proofing stage. While not strictly required, cold proofing offers several benefits: it improves digestibility, enhances flavor, creates a crispier crust, and firms up the dough which makes it easier to score and transfer to your baking vessel. Most bakers cold-proof for 8 to 24 hours, depending on what fits their schedule. If you choose to skip the cold proof, you can let the dough rest at room temperature for another 1–3 hours before baking. Just keep in mind that the dough may be softer, harder to score, and you’ll miss out on the added flavor and texture that cold proofing brings.
Baking instructions:
Preheat your oven to 475℉ (235℃) with your baking vessel inside for 30 minutes. Once your oven is preheated, it’s time to score your sourdough. Start by placing a piece of parchment paper on the counter. Gently flip your dough out of the proofing container, seam-side down, and lift the container away. Lightly dust off any excess flour and give the top a light mist of water but just a little, as too much can blur your design in the oven. Then dust the surface with a fresh layer of flour; it should stick nicely and you can brush off any excess. I have used both rice flour and regular flour for scoring and they both work well so just use what you have on hand. Now grab your lame (or sharp blade) and score your design! A classic wheat stalk is a nice beginner friendly design! For clean, crisp lines, move your blade quickly and smoothly with each stroke. Keeping your cuts shallow, about 1/4 inch deep is perfect. After your decorative cuts, add an expansion score. An expansion score is a deeper slash along the length of the loaf that allows it to rise properly in the oven. There’s no one right way to score, so feel free to get creative and have fun with it!
Once you’ve finished scoring, carefully remove your preheated baking vessel from the oven. Using the parchment paper, gently lower your dough into the pot. Reduce the oven temperature to 450°F (210°C), cover with the lid, and return it to the oven. Bake for 25 minutes covered, then remove the lid and bake for another 10–15 minutes, or until the crust is as dark and crispy as you like. When done, check the internal temperature with a thermometer—it should read between 205–215°F (96–102°C). Carefully remove the loaf and place it on a wire rack to cool before slicing.
Sourdough Artisan Loaf – Beginner Friendly!
Equipment
- Food scale
- Mixing bowl / Proofing container
- Dough whisk or sturdy mixing spoon
- Bowl scraper
- Bench scraper
- Parchment paper
- Baking vessel Dutch oven, bread pan or covered roaster
- Bowl cover or plastic wrap
- Banneton basket or bowl/cheesecloth for proofing
- Bread lame or sharp knife
- Food thermometer
- Rice flour optional
- Water mister
Ingredients
Starter (Same day dough mixing):
- 40g Sourdough starter or discard
- 40g All-purpose or bread flour
- 40g Warm water
Starter (next day dough mixing):
- 10g Sourdough starter or discard
- 50g All-purpose or bread flour
- 50g Water
Dough:
- 500g Bread flour
- 340g Water
- 100g Sourdough starter at peak
- 10g Salt
Instructions
Dough:
- Add the water and starter to a large mixing bowl and mix well.
- Add flour and salt; mix until no dry bits remain. Use a bowl scraper and scrape down the sides of the bowl so everything is fully incorporated. Cover the bowl with bowl cover or plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
- Perform 4-5 sets of folds at 20-30 minute intervals. To do a stretch and fold, gently stretch one side of the dough upward and fold it over itself, then rotate the bowl and repeat on all 4 sides. After the final fold, cover the dough with plastic wrap and place it somewhere warm to finish bulk fermentation. This can take 5-9 hours, depending on kitchen temperature. Warmer kitchens ferment faster.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, looks jiggly, and has visible bubbles on the surface, it’s time to shape. Use your bowl scraper to loosen the dough from the sides of the bowl and gently turn it out onto your counter.
- Pre-shape: Wet your hands to prevent sticking and use a bench scraper to tuck the edges underneath. Let the dough rest on the counter for 15–20 minutes to relax the gluten before final shaping.
- Final Shaping: Lightly flour the top of the dough, then flip it over so the smooth side is down. Fold the bottom up, then the sides in, and gently seal the middle. From here, follow the steps for shaping either a boule (round) or batard (oval).
Batard (oval loaf) shaping:
- Fold the top down to the center and press gently. Cross the upper corners over each other, then roll the dough up from bottom to top until it feels smooth and tight. Pinch the sides to tidy up the shape. Dust your banneton with rice flour (or regular flour if you don’t have any), place the loaf in seam-side up, cover, and refrigerate for the cold proof.
Boule (round loaf) shaping:
- Fold the top down to the center and press gently, then flip the dough seam-side down with your bench scraper. Use a few gentle push-pull motions on the counter to build tension and round the shape. Stop once the dough feels smooth and tight. Dust your banneton with rice flour (or regular flour if you don’t have any), place the loaf in seam-side up, cover, and refrigerate for the cold proof.
Cold proofing:
- Once shaped and in the fridge, your dough begins cold proofing. This step isn’t required, but it improves flavor, texture, and makes the dough easier to handle and score. Most bakers cold-proof for 8–24 hours. If you skip it, let the dough rest at room temp for 1–3 hours, though it may be softer and harder to score.
Baking:
- Preheat your oven to 475°F (235°C) with your baking vessel inside for 30 minutes. When ready to bake, place a piece of parchment on the counter and gently flip your dough out of the proofing container, seam-side down. Dust off any excess flour, lightly mist the top with water (just a little), and sprinkle with fresh flour. Grab your lame or a sharp blade and score your design, something simple like a wheat stalk is great for beginners. Make clean, quick cuts about 1/4 inch deep, then finish with one deeper expansion score along the loaf to help it rise in the oven. Have fun and get creative, there’s no wrong way to score!
- After scoring, carefully remove your preheated baking vessel from the oven. Use the parchment paper to lower your dough into the pot. Reduce the oven to 450°F (210°C), cover, and bake for 25 minutes. Then uncover and bake for another 10–15 minutes, until the crust is golden and crisp. The loaf is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 205–215°F (96–102°C). Remove and cool on a wire rack before slicing.
