Want a beginners simple artisan sourdough bread loaf that looks like you have been making bread for years? This EASY recipe has been game-changer in my kitchen and I know it can be in your kitchen as well.
Supplies for Simple Sourdough Bread Loaf:
- Inexpensive Kitchen Scale (I tried to resist using a scale, but it honestly makes it wayyyy easier to get good results)
- Bread Flour (I like King Arthur)
- You can get fancy later using flour you grind, but this is the keep-it-simple method until we get really good at bread making.
- Dutch Oven (any will do and you can even get these used)

Recipe for Beginners Simple Artisan Sourdough Bread Loaf
Ingredients makes 2 loaves:
- 250 g active starter (this book teaches you everything you need to know about starter)
- 750 g lukewarm water
- 1,000 bread flour
- 25g salt
Beginner Sourdough Bread Steps:
- Mix all ingredients by hand in a large bowl
- Cover with a wet towel, wait 30 mins and stretch and fold
- Do this 4 times waiting 30 mins between stretch and folds (or don’t, sometimes if I am in a rush I don’t do this step)
- Allow it it bulk rise for 8-12 hours while it is covered with a wet towel (overnight works best)
- Take out of the bowl and split the dough into two lumps of dough
- Shape (envelope fold and cupping to form round) and place in a greased bowl. Cover with damp towel again.
- This video is a help if you want to see (but perfection isn’t the goal, just form the dough into nice ball)
- Score dough (cut top into X to allow heat to come through)
- Pre-Heat oven with dutch oven inside at 450 degrees
- Bake in parchment paper in dutch oven, placing 3-5 ice cubes under the parchment paper for 30 minutes lid on and 15 lid off.
- Then bake next loaf
- Bread freezes wonderfully
Perfect to Give as a Gift
Wrap the bread up in this parchment paper as a gift.
