A beginner-friendly sourdough recipe with crisp crust, chewy interior, and rich flavor using only flour, water, salt, and starter.

Scale

3 ¾ cups bread flour

1 ½ cups lukewarm water

½ cup active sourdough starter

1 ½ teaspoons salt

Stir starter into water until dissolved.

Add flour and mix until smooth. Rest 30 minutes.

Add salt. Mix gently and rest 30 minutes.

Perform four stretch-and-fold sets at 30-minute intervals.

Let bulk ferment another 1-2 hours until puffy.

Shape dough on floured surface and place in proofing basket.

Cold-proof in refrigerator for 12–14 hours.

Preheat oven to 475°F with Dutch oven inside.

Score dough and place in hot Dutch oven.

Bake covered 25 minutes, then uncovered 20 minutes.

Cool completely before slicing.

Starter must be active and bubbly before use.

For bolder flavor, extend cold-proof to 24 hours.

Use a cast iron Dutch oven for optimal crust.

Keywords: sourdough bread recipes, homemade sourdough, starter bread, easy sourdough loaf