Description
This easy same-day sourdough bread recipe yields a soft, chewy loaf that can be enjoyed by dinnertime. Using just four simple ingredients — bread flour, water, salt, and an active sourdough starter — this quick and straightforward method includes stretch and folds, a bulk fermentation, and baking in a Dutch oven for a crispy crust and beautiful crumb. Perfect for busy days when you want homemade bread fast without compromising flavor or texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 500 grams bread flour (about 4 cups)
- 350 grams water (about 1.5 cups, preferably filtered or spring water)
- 100 grams active sourdough starter (about 1/2 cup, bubbly and fed within last 8–12 hours)
- 10 grams salt (about 2 teaspoons)
Instructions
- Feed Starter: The night before, feed your sourdough starter equal parts flour and water to ensure it becomes active and bubbly by morning.
- Mix Starter and Water: In the morning, combine 100 grams of active starter with 350 grams of water and mix well using a fork.
- Add Flour and Salt: Add 500 grams of bread flour and 10 grams of salt to the liquid mixture. Using a spatula or wet hands, mix until you get a shaggy, sticky dough.
- Rest the Dough: Cover the dough with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes to hydrate the flour.
- Stretch and Fold #1-3: Perform a series of stretch and folds three times, spaced twenty minutes apart. To stretch and fold, grab one corner of the dough, stretch it upwards, then fold it back over the dough ball. Repeat around the dough’s perimeter, then cover and rest between folds.
- Bulk Fermentation: Cover the dough and leave it to ferment on the counter until it nearly doubles in size—usually between 4 to 8 hours depending on ambient temperature.
- Final Stretch and Fold & Shape: After the dough has nearly doubled, perform one last stretch and fold, then shape the dough into a tight ball. Place it seam-side up in a banneton or floured bowl.
- Cold Rest: Cover and refrigerate the dough for one hour to help develop flavor and structure.
- Preheat Oven: Heat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Optionally, place the loaf in the freezer briefly for a better scoring effect. There is no need to preheat the Dutch oven.
- Score and Bake: Score the dough with a sharp blade to allow expansion. Place it in a Dutch oven, cover, and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes until the crust is golden brown and crisp.
- Cool: Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool completely for at least 30 minutes (up to 1 hour) before slicing to allow the crumb to set.
Notes
- Use an active starter fed within the last 8-12 hours that has visibly doubled and is bubbly for best results.
- Bulk fermentation time varies by home temperature: 4-8 hours is typical; warmer environments speed up proofing.
- Do not preheat the Dutch oven; place dough into a cold Dutch oven and then enter the preheated oven.
- Stretch and fold technique strengthens gluten without heavy kneading.
- Allow the bread to cool fully before slicing to avoid a gummy crumb.
- Optional: chilling the shaped dough helps improve scoring and crust texture.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: sourdough, bread, quick sourdough, same day sourdough, homemade bread, bread baking
