We have all seen images of these beautiful, crusty artisan sourdough loaves that immediately make your mouth water. With this easy rustic sourdough bread recipe, you can create these beautiful boules in your own home with your own hands in your own oven! Grab your sourdough starter and transform your kitchen into your very own boulangerie.
My sourdough starter is coming up on 2 years of age as I started her a few months after my daughter was born in 2020. She has made it through one move and another baby! My sourdough starter has allowed us to make delicious and gut healthy breads, pancakes, bagels, pizza doughs, and more through all of these changes.
I even dehydrated some of my starter so I could fly with it to Texas over Christmas break! I reactivated the starter there and was able to make some yummy Sourdough Orange Cinnamon Rolls and Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Pancakes while we were there!
One of my lofty goals when I started my sourdough starter was to be able to bake beautiful artisanal sourdough bread. It seemed like such an unattainable goal at the time, but with practice and trying out different methods of bread baking, I have finally figured out a method that has worked for me time and time again.
There are many different methods used to create artisan sourdough boules. The reason this bread loaf is often referred to as “artisanal” is because it is a bit of an art to learn how to shape, score and bake. If you are just getting started on your sourdough journey, my hope is that this recipe and method is broken down enough that you feel like you can successfully create beautiful, rustic sourdough loaves in your own kitchen that look and taste amazing!
My best advice if this is your first time trying sourdough bread baking is to have fun with the process. Don’t take it too seriously, and don’t give up! If you don’t succeed on the first try, you can always chop the bread up, drizzle some olive oil and salt on it, stick it in the oven to make delicious homemade croutons. And then try again! 🙂
What is the best flour for Artisan Sourdough Bread?
The best flour for artisanal sourdough bread is one that is unbleached and contains high levels of protein. The protein is what helps bind the gluten together during the fermenting process, which is how you get those nice bubbles in the bread when it is baked.
For this rustic sourdough bread recipe, I use organic unbleached all-purpose flour. I have also made this successfully with a mixture of 80% bread flour and 20% whole wheat flour. Those loaves were excellent and had more of a nutty flavor whereas the all-purpose is slightly more sweet.
Is rustic sourdough bread healthy?
Sourdough bread is a healthy alternative to bread that is bought in the store. The bread that you buy in stores contains many extra shelf-stabilizing ingredients that are not great for your health or for your digestion. The fermentation process also helps to break down the phytic acid which is difficult for our bodies to digest. Sourdough does this for you, making it much more easily digestable!
What ingredients are used to make artisan sourdough bread?
Homemade rustic sourdough bread is made of 3 simple ingredients – flour, water and salt. That is literally it. Next time you are at the grocery store, run by the bread aisle and turn a few loaves of bread over to read the ingredients list. I will tell you now, those breads contain a lotttt more ingredients than the three I just listed for this rustic sourdough bread recipe!
How to store sourdough bread?
My favorite way to store sourdough bread is wrapping it in tea towel or in a linen bread bag and placing it in a bread box. This keeps it from drying out and stay fresh longer.
Tools you will need for this rustic sourdough bread recipe:
- Banneton Proofing Basket – this bundle includes two baskets, a scoring lame and bench scraper
- Scoring lame
- Bench Scraper
- Large Mixing Bowl – preferably glass or wooden
- Dough Whisk
- Kitchen Scale
- Parchment Paper
- Dutch Oven
How to Make Artisan, Rustic Sourdough bread
To begin making this rustic sourdough bread recipe, you will need 125 grams of active sourdough starter. Active starter means it has been fed in the past 4-8 hours. It is bubbly and passes the “float” test in water.
BTW, this recipe is super easy to double. You can bake two loaves at the same time or bake one on one day while leaving the second loaf covered in the fridge for another day or so until you are ready to bake the second loaf. I often do this because it is not much extra effort and then I can have freshly baked bread a few days later after the first. Just something to keep in mind while you are reading through the recipe, although this recipe is written for just one loaf of bread.
Mix the ingredients for this rustic sourdough bread recipe
Grab your kitchen scale and large mixing bowl, wooden or glass is prefered. Place the bowl on the scale and zero out/tare the weight of the bowl. Pour in 125 grams of sourdough starter and 300 grams of filtered room temperature water. Whisk this together and then zero out the scale again.
Add in 500 grams of unbleached all-purpose flour. Mix this together using your hands or a dough whisk. I find that a dough whisk makes it come together really easily and then I use my hands to incorporate the last little bit of flour into the dough mixture. It will feel a bit dry at this point, but that is okay – you will add the rest of the water in a little bit. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes. I usually just say “Alexa, set a 30 minute timer!” as soon as I’m done mixing so I don’t forget, but the timing does not need to be absolutely exact. 🙂
After 30 minutes has passed, zero out the scale again and sprinkle on 13 grams of fine sea salt and 75 grams of filtered water. Use your hands to massage and combine the water and salt into the dough. It should be pretty sticky by the time it is all combined. You are now ready to begin the stretch and folds.
Stretch and Folds
Stretching and folding the dough is a simple process. You will repeat this several times over the period of one hour to an hour and a half. This process helps to build the gluten strength in the dough. That will help in developing those beautiful bubbly air pockets artisan sourdough bread is known for.
To stretch and fold your dough, wet your hands and then grab the dough at one edge of the bowl in both hands, pulling and stretching a thin piece of dough up and then folding it back over the dough to the opposite side where you first grabbed it.
Turn the bowl 45 degrees and repeat the stretch and fold. Turn the bowl 45 degrees again, stretch and fold. One last time, turn the bowl, stretch and fold. The end! So to recap you are doing four stretch and folds for one cycle on each side of the bowl. Cover the dough with the kitchen towel and let it rest for 15 minutes. Get Alexa to help you out again. 😉
After 15 minutes, repeat the same stretch and fold process, cover, let rest 15 minutes. In TOTAL you will perform around 4-6 sets of these stretch and folds. The goal is to build the gluten and that gooey shapeless blob of dough you had when you started the process should be getting more firm and holding its shape more and more with each round of stretch and folds. Hope that makes sense!
Bulk Rise
Cover your dough with a damp kitchen towel to keep the moisture in and let the dough rest in a warm (not too hot) area until it has doubled in size. This may take between 8-12 hours depending on the temperature of your home and the strength of your sourdough starter.
If you start the dough in the evening, you can leave it out in the house overnight to rise and then it will be ready to shape in the morning. Alternatively, if you begin the dough in the morning, leave it out all day to rise and shape before going to bed. Adjust based on when you would like to bake the dough.
After it has doubled in size, you will shape your dough.
Shaping the dough
Keep a small bowl of water nearby. You will need to wet your hands slightly to work with the dough.
Scoop your dough out onto a clean surface. It does not need to be floured to work with the dough since your hands are slightly wet.
*note: if you have doubled the recipe, this is when you will divide the dough into two equal pieces using a bench scraper or sharp knife. Follow the remaining instructions for both pieces of dough.
Stretch the dough out onto your clean work surface into a thin stretched out rectangle. It’s okay if it is a little off (like mine)! Tri-fold the dough over on itself like you would a hand towel, so that it forms a long thin rectangle.
Fold the dough onto itself lengthwise of the rectangle creating a dough ball.
Begin to roll your dough into a tighter ball by pushing with the heel of your dominant hand along the work surface and then pulling it back towards you with the fingers of your dominant hand. Repeat the push pull motion for a minute or two until the dough ball is holding its shape.
You may need to repeat the folding and push-pull after letting the dough rest for a few minutes if it seems like it is not holding the shape well.
Proof in the Refrigerator
After you have shaped the dough, place it in a banneton bread proofing basket. Line the basket with linen dusted with flour for a smooth finish, or just the banneton basket dusted with flour to get those pretty rings on the dough.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours. When the dough is in the fridge, this slows down the rise of the dough and adds flavor. It will also give the dough that nice crispy crust when you bake it later. You can bake after 6 hours or up to 48 hours of being in the fridge.
Score and Bake the Bread
Place your dutch oven, lid and all, into your oven and set to 450℉. When the oven is close to temperature, take your dough out of the refrigerator. Flip it out onto a piece of parchment paper that is twice the size of your bread dough. Sprinkle a little bit of flour on the dough and smooth out with your hands. Using a bread lame or sharp razor, score your bread. Get creative with your design or look up bread scoring designs online for some inspiration!
Pull the dutch oven out of your oven when it has come to temperature. Take the lid off and place your parchment paper lined dough into dutch oven. Grab the corners of the parchment paper together to hold it and lower it into the dutch oven. Place the lid back on and carefully place it into the oven.
Bake for 20 minutes with the lid on. Once 20 minutes is up, pull the rack out and remove the lid. Push the dutch oven back in and bake for another 20 minutes.
Let Rest and Enjoy!
Pull your beautiful rustic sourdough loaf out of the dutch oven. Place it on a cooling rack so the dutch oven doesn’t continue to bake the bottom of the loaf. I do this by grabbing the corners of the parchment paper I used to lower it into the dutch oven. Allow it to cool for 30 minutes before cutting into it to finish the baking process. Enjoy!
Pin it for later!
If you enjoyed this Rustic Sourdough Bread Recipe, you may also enjoy these other sourdough recipes!
- The Best Sourdough Sandwich Bread
- Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Bagels
- Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Pancakes
- Sourdough Orange Cinnamon Rolls
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love to know! Come back and leave a review! Tag me on Instagram@oursimplegraces
Easy Rustic Sourdough Bread Recipe with Sourdough Starter
Yield: 1 Loaf
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Rest Time: 20 hours
Total Time: 21 hours 10 minutes
We have all seen images of these beautiful, crusty artisan sourdough loaves that immediately make your mouth water. With this easy rustic sourdough bread recipe, you can create these beautiful boules in your own home with your own hands in your own oven! Grab your sourdough starter and transform your kitchen into your very own boulangerie.
Ingredients
- 125 grams sourdough starter, active and bubbly
- 375 grams filtered water
- 500 grams unbleached all-purpose flour, organic if possible
- 13 grams fine sea salt
Instructions
Feed your Sourdough Starter
To begin making this rustic sourdough bread recipe, you will need 125 grams of active sourdough starter. Active starter means it has been fed in the past 4-8 hours. It is bubbly and passes the "float" test in water.
Combine the ingredients
- Place a large mixing bowl, wooden or glass, onto your kitchen scale and zero out/tare the weight of the bowl.
- Pour in 125 grams of sourdough starter and 300 grams of filtered room temperature water. Whisk this together and then zero out the scale again.
- Add in 500 grams of unbleached all-purpose flour. Mix this together using your hands or a dough whisk. It will feel a bit dry. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes has passed, zero out the scale again and sprinkle on 13 grams of fine sea salt and 75 grams of filtered water. Use your hands to massage and combine the water and salt into the dough. It should be pretty sticky by the time it is all combined.
Stretch and Folds
- Perform 4-6 series of stretch and folds every 15 minutes until the dough is firmer and holding its shape. Read the next steps on how to stretch and fold your dough.
- Wet your hands and grab the dough at one edge of the bowl in both hands, pulling and stretching a thin piece of dough up and then folding it back over the dough to the opposite side where you first grabbed it.
- Turn the bowl 45 degrees and repeat the stretch and fold. Turn the bowl 45 degrees again, stretch and fold. One last time, turn the bowl, stretch and fold. So to recap you are doing four stretch and folds around the bowl for one series.
- Cover the dough with the kitchen towel and let it rest for 15 minutes. Repeat 3-5 more times till dough is more firm.
Bulk Rise
- Cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel to keep the moisture in and let the dough rest in a warm (not too hot) area until it has doubled in size. This may take between 8-12 hours depending on the temperature of your home and the strength of your sourdough starter.
- Once it has doubled in size, you can shape the dough.
Shaping the dough
- Keep a small bowl of water nearby. You will need to wet your hands slightly to work with the dough.
- Scoop your dough out onto a clean surface. It does not need to be floured to work with the dough since your hands are slightly wet. *note: if you have doubled the recipe, this is when you will divide the dough into two equal pieces using a bench scraper or sharp knife. Follow the remaining instructions for both pieces of dough.
- Stretch the dough out onto your clean work surface into a thin stretched out rectangle. Tri-fold the dough over on itself like you would a hand towel, so that it forms a long thin rectangle.
- Fold the dough onto itself lengthwise of the rectangle creating a dough ball.
- Begin to roll your dough into a tighter ball by pushing with the heel of your dominant hand along the work surface and then pulling it back towards you with the fingers of your dominant hand. Repeat the push pull motion for a minute or two until the dough ball is holding its shape.
- You may need to repeat the folding and push-pull after letting the dough rest for a few minutes if it seems like it is not holding the shape well.
Proof in the Refrigerator
- After you have shaped the dough, place it in a banneton bread proofing basket. Line the basket with linen dusted with flour for a smooth finish, or just the banneton basket dusted with flour to get those pretty rings on the dough.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours. When the dough is in the fridge, this slows down the rise of the dough and adds flavor. It will also give the dough that nice crispy crust when you bake it later. You can bake after 6 hours or up to 48 hours of being in the fridge.
Score and Bake the Bread
- Place your dutch oven, lid and all, into your oven and set to 450℉. When the oven is close to temperature, take your dough out of the refrigerator.
- Flip the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper that is twice the size of your bread dough. Sprinkle a little bit of flour on the dough and smooth out with your hands.
- Using a bread lame or sharp razor, score your bread.
- Pull the dutch oven out of your oven when it has come to temperature. Take the lid off and place your parchment paper lined dough into dutch oven. Grab the corners of the parchment paper together to hold it and lower it into the dutch oven. Place the lid back on and carefully place it into the oven.
- Bake for 20 minutes with the lid on.
- Once 20 minutes is up, pull the rack out and remove the lid. Push the dutch oven back in and bake for another 20 minutes.
Let Rest and Enjoy!
- Pull your beautiful rustic sourdough loaf out of the dutch oven. Place it on a cooling rack so the dutch oven doesn't continue to bake the bottom of the loaf. I do this by grabbing the corners of the parchment paper I used to lower it into the dutch oven.
- Allow it to cool for 30 minutes before cutting into it to finish the baking process. Enjoy!
Notes
This recipe is easy to double. You can bake two loaves at the same time if you have two dutch ovens or bake one on one day while leaving the second loaf covered in the fridge for another day or so until you are ready to bake the second loaf.
