Beginner Sourdough Bread Recipe – Easy Artisan Loaf

This is the beginner sourdough bread recipe I wish I had when I first started. It’s simple, reliable, and designed to teach you how sourdough behaves without overwhelm. Follow the cues, trust the process, and you’ll bake a beautiful artisan loaf.

Prep Time2

Cook Time45

Bulk Fermentation and Proofing4 12

Total Time15

Course: Sourdough Artisan Loaf

Cuisine: Worldwide

Keyword: Sourdough Artisan Loaf, Sourdough Bread

Servings: Loaf

Calories: 143kcal

Author: Serena Carcasole

Equipment

Digital kitchen scale
Starter Jars
Large mixing bowl
Dough scraper
Banneton basket or a bowl lined with a floured towel
Bread Lame For scoring
Parchment paper or bread sling
Wire cooling rack
Dutch oven or heavy pot with lid I recommend Krustic. It bakes evenly, prevents burnt bottoms, and produces beautiful crust.
Optional: Mixer My favorite is the Ooni Halo Pro. It saves time and effort, especially if you bake often.

Ingredients

LEVAIN (Overnight Build – Use All)

5 grams starter
50 grams water (75–78°F / 24–26°C)
50 grams flour All Purpose or Bread Flour
This build yields about 100 g of levain. Use all of it. Any extra grams usually stay stuck to the jar and won’t affect the recipe.

DOUGH

100 grams Active Levain (at peak)
325 grams Warm Water (75–78°F / 24–26°C) filtered or spring water, room temperature to slightly warm (75–78°F / 24–26°C), reserve 25 g for salt
500 grams Bread Flour (or substitute all-purpose; see blog notes)
10 grams Fine Sea Salt

Instructions

Build the levain (night before):

Mix starter, flour, and water. Cover loosely and ferment overnight at room temperature for 12–16 hours, until domed, bubbly, and airy.

Mix dough (fermentolyse):

Whisk levain into 300 g water. Add flour and mix until no dry flour remains. Cover and rest 30 minutes.

Add salt:

Sprinkle salt over the dough with the reserved 25 g water. Pinch and fold until fully incorporated.

Strengthen the dough:

Over the next 2 hours, perform 3–4 sets of stretch and folds every 30 minutes, until the dough becomes smoother and stronger.

Bulk fermentation:

Let dough rest until it rises about 50–75%, shows bubbles along the sides, and jiggles when the bowl is nudged

Pre-shape:

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Shape loosely into a round and rest 20 minutes.

Final shape:

Shape into a tight round or oval and place seam side up in a floured banneton. Cover.

Bake:

Preheat oven with Dutch oven inside to 450°F (232°C).
Score dough and transfer to the pot. Add steam if desired.
Bake 30 minutes covered, then 15 minutes uncovered until deep golden brown.

Cool

Cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour (preferably 2) before slicing.

Notes

Internal bread temperature should reach 205–210°F (96–99°C)
Overnight cold proofing improves flavor and scoring ease
Store bread in a paper bag or cut-side down for 1–2 days
Slice and freeze for longer storage
Read the full blog post above for visual cues, shaping tips, and troubleshooting

Nutrition