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Cooking 101: Sourdough Bread

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Today we are talking about Sourdough Bread. Tangy, soft, perfect for any kind of sandwich…sourdough bread. This recipe is so simple, I didn’t even drag out the bread machine to make it…a miracle I know. This recipe came with my sourdough starter that I purchased from King Arthur’s Flour in Vermont.

a loaf of sourdough bread with squares cut into the top surrounded by a teal and white striped dish towel

It is a descendant of one that began it’s life over 250 years ago!!! When the sourdough arrives it looks like this…..

a small plastic container filled with sourdough starter

It has been in transit, so it is hungry…that means you need to feed it when it arrives. They include a sheet with all of the instructions that you will need…

an open container of sourdough starter when it first arrives

Sourdough 101:

Once you have followed all of the instructions, you will be ready to bake your bread. I purchased the “kit” so I have the official sourdough crock to store mine in the refrigerator…

official KAF sourdough crock

Each time I want to make bread, I just scoop out some starter…

Remove Half of the Starter from the ceramic container

place it in a bowl and add 1/2 cup of water…

Sourdough Starter and water in a clear glass bowl

and 1 cup of flour…I think this might be the wrong photo, just pretend…

Stir flour into the sourdough starter in a large glass bowl

Cover and let rise for 4 to 12 hours before using in your recipe…

a teal towel draped over a large bowl to allow the dough to rise

If you aren’t planning on using your starter, just remove half and feed the remaining half…

flour and water added to sourdough starter in a ceramic crock

and place back in the refrigerator until next time…or next week. Do not forget about your starter, it will die an ugly death!

How to make Sourdough Bread:

Place sourdough starter in a large bowl.

Add water, yeast, salt, and sugar.

Stir in flour.

Knead to form a smooth, soft dough.

Place in an oiled bowl.

Cover and let rise until doubled, about 90 minutes.

puffy sourdough ball in a large metal bowl

Divide the dough in half and shape into two oval loaves.

Place on a parchment/silpat lined baking sheet.

Cover and let rise until very puffy, about 60 minutes.

two balls of sourdough that have risen on a silcone lined baking sheet

Slash the tops with a very sharp knife.

Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and cool on a rack.

a round loaf of sourdough bread in a towel covered serving bowl

Like I said above, making the bread is really simple…no bread machine required. Your challenge will be keeping the starter alive, and remembering to feed the starter BEFORE you need it…..but it is soooo worth it! Fresh, hot bread you made yourself with no additives or chemicals…what could be better than that?

Notes:

  • You can slash the top of the bread in straight lines, cut both direction to form squares, cut in a spiral pattern. You can choose any design your like.
  • You can get sourdough starter from many different place or even make your own from scratch if you prefer.

Recipes that use Sourdough Bread:

Frisco Burgers

Gourmet Tuna Melt

Turkey Apple Panini

Grilled California Club

Enjoy!!

a loaf of sourdough bread with squares cut into the top surrounded by a teal and white striped dish towel

Sourdough Bread

Soft, tangy Sourdough Bread fresh out of the oven and ready for you to make your favorite sandwiches!
5 from 2 votes
Print Rate
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Keyword: sour, dough, starter, bread, recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Rising Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 12 Servings
Calories: 218kcal
Author: Lisa Johnson

Ingredients

  • 1 cup "fed" soughrdough starter
  • 1 ½ cups lukewarm water
  • 2 ½ teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour I always use King Arthur

Instructions

  • Place sourdough starter in a large bowl.
  • Add water, yeast, salt, and sugar.
  • Add flour and stir.
  • Knead to form a smooth, soft dough.
  • Place in an oiled bowl.
  • Cover and let rise until doubled, about 90 minutes.
  • Divide the dough in half and shape into two oval loaves.
  • Place on a parchment/silpat lined baking sheet.
  • Cover and let rise until very puffy, about 60 minutes.
  • Slash the tops with a very sharp knife.
  • Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
  • Remove from oven and cool on a rack.

Nutrition

Calories: 218kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 6g | Sodium: 486mg | Potassium: 74mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 2.5mg

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6 Comments

  1. That looks AWESOME and way better than my breads do.. The feeding part scares me…I remember to feed my kids but the fish…they sometimes wait all day! Not sure I can handle feeding food!!! Following!

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