How to Make Homemade Artisan Sourdough Bread (2024)

This delightfully crusty loaf of artisan sourdough bread is one that brings a smile and very proud feelings each time I bring it out of the oven. I can’t believe that I can make such a beautiful loaf with such simple ingredients and a little bit of patience.

It took me way too long to try an artisan loaf of sourdough after first making my sourdough starter. I was so intimidated by it. The beautiful crusty outside and a soft inside. I didn’t think I could do that.

But I was wrong.

This loaf does take some time. But it really is pretty simple and something anyone can do with just a few ingredients and minimal kitchen items. This loaf should be started in the evening to finish up with the next day or started first thing in the morning to bake later in the evening.

You will need an active bubbly starter that has been fed within the last 12 hours.

As I said in my post about making sourdough starter, I am not one for fussy sourdough management. I like things to be pretty simple and laidback. This recipe is the same way. There is no scale involved to measure ingredients as many artisan recipes call for.

Yet there are steps to follow with timelines to keep in mind. But there is room for movement. I have found that with sourdough, I just have to keep trying and if something doesn’t come out, I learn from it and move on.

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Still Need to Make a Sourdough Starter? Click Here for Recipe

So Let’s Get to It

For this recipe you will need a few kitchen items:

• Big bowl (I like to use my handmade ceramic bowl but any works)
• Something to mix with (I love my Danish dough wisk, but a fork works too)
• Tea towel
• Proofing basket or back to the bowl if you don’t have one
• Dutch oven with a lid

This is a basic list. If you are interested in baking artisan sourdough loaves often, I would suggest getting a sourdough bread baking kit, like this one, that has the dough wisk, proofing baskets, and many other supplies that come in very handy.

Ingredients for Artisan Sourdough Bread

• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1 cup active sourdough starter
• 3 cups organic bread flour or high quality all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt

Step by Step Instructions for Sourdough Bread

Mixing It Up

In a large bowl add your water and sourdough starter. Mix it up (it will look like a milky liquid)

Add the flour to the bowl and mix. I either use this dough mixer or my hands.

Knead the dough in the bowl until it comes together. I do this with my hand.

Then cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and let rest for 1-2 hours.

Uncover and sprinkle the salt over the top of the dough.

Using wet hands, squeeze the salt into the dough.

Let It Rest

Cover the dough again and let it rest for an hour.

Next you will start the stretch and fold process. Wet your hands and do 4 stretch and folds – 1 on each side. Repeat 3 more times every 30 minutes for 4 total stretch and folds over a 2 hour time.

Here is a quick video for the simple stretch and fold process.

Let it rest again after the last stretch and fold for 1-2 hours.

Shape Your Loaf

Turn out your dough onto a lightly floured surface to shape it into a loaf. There are many ways to shape a loaf and you will find your favorite way with practice. Here is a quick video that shows a simple way to shape and create a bit of tension.

You can leave your dough on the counter to proof, or add it to a proofing basket (with bottom side up). I always add it to the basket, but if you don’t have one, don’t let it stop you.

Proof anywhere from 2 to 6 hours depending on the temperature of your house. I find that the longer the better, but you can rush it a bit if needed.

When the bread is about done proofing, turn on your oven to 500 degrees. Put the lid on your Dutch oven and pop it into the oven to warm up for about 30 minutes.

Score and Bake the Bread

While the oven is heating, take your loaf out of the proofing basket and put it facing up onto a sheet of parchment paper. It should be holding its shape for the most part at this point.

Lightly flour the top. Then score the top with a scoring tool or knife to create a way for steam to escape while baking. There are lots of fancy designs you can do, but one long cut is all you really need.

Take the Dutch oven out of your oven and carefully lower the bread on the parchment paper into the Dutch oven. Return the lid and put into the oven.

Bake at 500 degrees for 20 minutes.

Now turn down your oven to 450 degrees and remove lid for the rest of the bake. Bake for another 20 minutes until golden and crispy.

And finally take it out of the oven and oh and aww over the amazingness of your loaf!

Tips for Baking Sourdough Artisan Bread

• Sourdough is a living, growing thing. It changes with the temperature and humidity of our homes and also the wild yeast in the air. It is hard to have our starter be the same every time. Know that sometimes this loaf and any sourdough bread recipe will change and you will get a feel for what is right the more you make it.
• If you find that you are running out of time and need to go to bed, there is a good time to stop the recipe and let it rest in the fridge. After the stretch and fold, but before shaping. This is where you can cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and leave in the fridge or counter overnight. I have done both methods to see which works best and found that there isn’t much a difference in the end product leaving my dough on the counter in a cool house. I would not leave it out overnight on the counter if it were in summer or your house is pretty warm.
• My suggestion for the first time you make this loaf is to make it for fun, not an event. Don’t make it stressful on yourself. Give yourself time to learn.
• You can double the recipe if you want to make 2 loaves at the same time.
• If you do not have parchment paper, you can use aluminum foil in a pinch. I was so worried it wouldn’t work when I ran out of parchment (and I’m not too close to the store), but I found it worked just fine.

More Sourdough Recipes

How to Make a Sourdough Starter

Sourdough English Muffins

Sourdough Bagels

Recipe for Sourdough Pancakes

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