My Go-To Rustic Sourdough Bread Recipe (7 Years in the Making)

I started my sourdough journey with a starter my grandfather gave me seven years ago. He tucked it into a mason jar with a handwritten note that simply said: “Feed it with love.” It’s wild to think how many loaves, lessons, and life moments that little jar has seen since then.

This is the recipe I come back to time and time again—simple, forgiving, and incredibly satisfying. If you're just getting started or need a go-to staple loaf, this one’s for you.

Rustic Sourdough Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

• 100g active sourdough starter (fed and bubbly)

• 375g warm water

• 500g bread flour

• 10g fine sea salt

Instructions:

1. Mix (Autolyse):In a large bowl, mix the starter and water until combined. Add the flour and mix until no dry bits remain. Cover and let rest for 30–45 minutes.

2. Add Salt:Sprinkle in the salt and mix it into the dough using your hands or a dough hook. The dough will feel sticky—that’s good.

3. Bulk Fermentation:Cover and let rise at room temp for 4–6 hours, performing 3–4 sets of stretch and folds every 30 minutes in the first 2 hours.

4. Shape:Lightly flour your surface and shape your dough into a round. Let it rest for 20 minutes, then shape again and place seam side up in a floured banneton or bowl lined with a towel.

5. Cold Proof:Cover and refrigerate overnight (8–12 hours). This slow rise builds flavor and structure.

6. Bake:Preheat your Dutch oven to 475°F. Carefully flip the dough onto parchment paper, score the top with a lame, and transfer into the hot pot.Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered for 20–25 minutes or until golden brown.

7. Cool:Let it cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing—trust me on this one.

🛒 Need Tools? Everything I use for this recipe is listed on my Amazon Storefront — including the exact Dutch oven I’ve used for every loaf since day one. (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)