All-purpose flour
600 g, plus dusting
Bread
Sourdough bread and starter.
A beginner loaf with sourdough flavor and added yeast for a more predictable rise. Start with a ripe starter or build one first.
- Makes
- 2 loaves
- Hands-on
- 30 minutes; starter feeds about 5 minutes each
- Total time
- About 4 hours with ripe starter; 5–7+ days from scratch
- Effort
- Project
GET WHAT YOU NEED
Your shopping list
For 2 loaves.
Lukewarm water
340 g, plus misting
Recipe water can come from the household drinking-water supply.
Ripe sourdough starter
227 g
Table salt
15 g
Instant yeast
2 tsp
Neutral oil
1 tsp for bowl
Whole-wheat flour for a new starter · optional
50 g
All-purpose flour for starter feeds · optional
50 g per feed; 100 g for final build
Water for starter feeds · optional
50 g per feed; 100 g for final build
Recipe water can come from the household drinking-water supply.
Amounts are what the recipe uses, not package sizes. Compare quantities and product details before buying.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Tools & supplies
Digital kitchen scale
Weigh dough and starter.
Large mixing bowl
Mix and proof dough.
Baking sheet and parchment
Support both loaves.
Serrated knife
Score the dough.
Cooling rack
Cool the baked loaves.
One-quart jar
Maintain a starter with room to rise.
STEP BY STEP
Make it
Start a culture if needed
Mix 50 g whole-wheat flour and 50 g water in a loosely covered jar. Leave around 70°F for 24 hours.
Feed and build
Keep 50 g starter and discard excess; add 50 g water and 50 g all-purpose flour. Repeat daily on day 2, then every 12 hours. Once it reliably doubles within 6–8 hours, build 300 g using 100 g each starter, flour and water. Let double; use 227 g.
Mix the dough
Knead 600 g flour, 340 g water, 227 g ripe starter, salt and yeast until smooth. Cover in an oiled bowl; rise about 90 minutes until doubled.
Shape
Divide in two, round, and rest covered 15 minutes. Roll into 10-inch ovals on lined baking sheet.
Proof and score
Cover; rise about one hour until puffy. Heat oven to 425°F. Mist loaves, dust with flour and slash twice.
Bake and cool
Bake 25–30 minutes until deeply golden. Cool on a rack before cutting.
Good to know
- This recipe includes commercial yeast; it is not a starter-only loaf.
- New starters may take longer than a week. Keep the remaining mature starter for future feeding.
SAVE THE MAKING
Prefer it ready-made?
Compare these finished options with making your own.
Bakery sourdough loaf
A finished loaf skips the starter and proofing schedule.
Links go to the selected products. Availability and delivery vary by location; check the current listing and package size before ordering.
Sources & further reading
Independent instructions informed by the sources below. No affiliation or endorsement is implied. These instructions have not been kitchen- or workshop-tested by DIBuyIt.
- King Arthur Baking: Rustic Sourdough Bread — Ingredient quantities and preparation method.
- King Arthur Baking: Sourdough Starter — Starting culture, feeding schedule and readiness cues.