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    Home » Recipes

    Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread

    Published: Sep 28, 2021 · Modified: May 17, 2023 by Emily · This post may contain affiliate links · 79 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    This recipe for Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread will be the easiest loaf of sourdough bread you will ever make! All you need is a dutch oven and 4 ingredients to make this artisan-style bread at home.

    dutch oven sourdough bread loaf in front of caraway dutch oven

    Why You Will Love This Recipe

    This will be hands down the easiest sourdough bread you ever make! I took my No-Knead Rosemary Bread recipe and subbed out the instant yeast for an active sourdough starter and PRESTO! Amazing bread with little effort.

    This bread is completely from scratch and it will seem like you took hours folding and kneading. Only you will know the secret.

    Jump to:
    • Why You Will Love This Recipe
    • Ingredients Needed to Make Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread
    • How to Make No-Knead Sourdough Bread
    • Tools You Will Need to Make This Bread
    • How to Make a Sourdough Starter
    • What if I don't have a dutch oven?
    • Tips for Making Dutch Oven No-Knead Bread
    • Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread (no-knead)
    • Did you Make This Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread?

    Ingredients Needed to Make Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread

    Remember to use quality ingredients and maintain proper hygiene when working with sourdough bread recipes to ensure the best results. Enjoy the process of baking and savor the unique flavors of homemade sourdough bread!

    no-knead sourdough ingredients: flour, salt, water and sourdough starter
    • All-Purpose Flour is a versatile type of flour suitable for various baking purposes.
      It is made from a blend of hard and soft wheat, which gives it a moderate protein content (around 10-12%). All-purpose flour provides structure and contributes to the texture of the bread.
    • Salt plays a crucial role in bread baking, including sourdough bread. It enhances the flavor of the bread and also strengthens the gluten structure, contributing to a better texture and crumb in the final loaf. It also helps control the fermentation process by regulating the activity of yeast and lactobacilli in the sourdough starter.
    • Sourdough Starter (well-fed and active)- A sourdough starter is a combination of flour and water that has undergone fermentation. It contains wild yeast and lactobacilli, which provide natural leavening and add distinct flavors to the bread.
      A well-fed and active starter is one that has recently been fed with a mixture of flour and water, allowing the microorganisms to multiply and produce gas for leavening.
    • Water is a crucial ingredient in sourdough bread recipes. It hydrates the flour, allowing gluten formation and enzymatic activity. The amount of water used can vary depending on factors such as flour hydration, dough consistency, and personal preference, affecting the final texture and hydration level of the bread.

    How to Make No-Knead Sourdough Bread

    Prep the Dough

    Place the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk together to fully combine. Add the sourdough starter and water and combine everything using your spatula.

    If you feel like you need a little more water, add a teaspoon at a time. The dough will be shaggy and sticky.

    dutch oven sourdough dough start
    Dough Before Resting
    dutch oven sourdough after rising overnight
    Dough After Resting

    Tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest for a minimum of 12 hours at room temp. I made my dough in the evening and let it rest overnight. Easy and perfect timing!

    Form the Dough and Preheat the Oven

    Preheat your oven to 450°F and place the dutch oven in to warm up for 30 minutes. While the oven is warming, the dough will rest one more time. The dough should have risen quite a bit and have lots of lovely bubbles.

    Use your silicone spatula to gently scrape the dough out of the bowl onto a piece of lightly floured parchment paper. Sprinkle some flour on top of the dough and with floured hands, gently shape the dough into a ball the best you can. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel to rest while the oven is heating up.

    dutch oven sourdough resting in a ball

    Bake the Bread

    After 30 minutes, take the parchment paper with the dough on it and place the entire thing in the preheated dutch oven. BE CAREFUL, IT'S HOT!

    dutch oven sourdough before baking
    sourdough before baking
    baked dutch oven sourdough
    sourdough after baking

    Place the lid on and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 10 minutes to get a brown crust.

    Tools You Will Need to Make This Bread

    To make Dutch Oven Bread, you will need a dutch oven. My new favorite brand is Caraway, as seen below. It has a non-toxic ceramic coated inside, is oven-safe up to 550°F, and comes in some beautiful colors.

    Using a dutch oven when baking bread creates a beautiful and crunchy crust that most people think of when they think of rustic or crusty bread. The lid of the dutch oven keeps in the steam which helps with the crust and the overall baking process.

    Caraway Dutch Oven in Cream
    Buy it now!

    And you will want to use a sturdy silicone spatula for mixing and scraping the dough out of the bowl. I use my silicone spatulas every single day and this set has the perfect sizes at a great price.

    Buy on Amazon!
    sliced sourdough bread in front of a caraway dutch oven

    How to Make a Sourdough Starter

    Making your own sourdough starter is actually pretty easy. You just need flour, water, and patience. Find some great tips and the process in this Sourdough Beginners Guide.

    What if I don't have a dutch oven?

    The best way to cook this bread is in a dutch oven. If you don’t have one, you can also bake it in a different pot and have delicious bread with hardly any effort. Just make sure you have a pot with a lid that can handle 450º.

    dutch oven sourdough bread recipe
    Click on the image above to PIN for later!

    Tips for Making Dutch Oven No-Knead Bread

    • Only use a sourdough starter that is active, well-fed, and at room temperature to ensure you get the best results possible.
    • Not only is this bread no-knead but there is also no scoring! The crust on my bread shown in the photos happened naturally and looked great!
    • Parchment paper is a must! Because the dough for this bread is so sticky, the parchment paper will not only help you move it into the hot dutch oven, but it will also keep it from sticking to the pan itself.
    • Make sure your dutch oven or pan is rated for high temps because this bread cooks at 450º. As I mentioned above, you need your dutch oven or covered pot to be able to get nice and hot and be safe while doing so.
    • Don’t forget to preheat your dutch oven while you are preheating the oven. This will help create the awesome crust and bubbly insides of the bread.
    baked no-knead sourdough bread in a dutch oven

    Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread (no-knead)

    This No-Knead Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread is so easy to make and tastes just like it came from a bakery.
    4.97 from 53 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes
    resting time: 12 hours hours
    Total Time: 12 hours hours 55 minutes minutes
    Servings: 10 servings
    Calories: 137kcal
    Author: EmilyFabulous

    Equipment

    • dutch oven or oven safe pan/pot up to 450ºF
    • large mixing bowl
    • rubber/silicone spatula or wooden spoon
    • parchment paper
    • plastic wrap

    Ingredients

    • 3 cups all-purpose flour (380.5g)
    • ¼ cup sourdough starter (73.73g)
    • 1½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 cup water, room temp

    Instructions

    Dough Prep Part 1

    • Place the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk together to combine. Add the sourdough starter and water and stir it in using your spatula. If you need a little more water, add a teaspoon at a time. The dough will be shaggy and sticky.
      dutch oven sourdough dough start
    • Tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest for a minimum of 12 hours at room temp. I made my dough in the evening and let it rest overnight.
      dutch oven sourdough after rising overnight

    Dough Prep Part 2

    • Preheat your oven to 450°F and place the dutch oven in as well to warm up for 30 minutes.
    • While the oven is warming, the dough will rest one more time. The dough should have risen quite a bit and have lots of lovely bubbles. Use your silicone spatula to gently scrape the dough out of the bowl onto a piece of lightly floured parchment paper. Sprinkle some flour on top of the dough and with floured hands, gently shape the dough in a ball the best you can. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel to rest while the oven is heating up.
      dutch oven sourdough resting in a ball

    Bake the Bread

    • After 30 minutes, take the parchment paper with the dough on it and place the entire thing in the preheated dutch oven. BE CAREFUL, IT'S HOT! Place the lid on and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 10 minutes to get a brown crust.
      dutch oven sourdough before baking
    • Remove the pan from the oven and allow the bread to cool in the dutch oven or on a cooling rack. Enjoy!
      baked dutch oven sourdough

    Video

    Notes

    • Only use a sourdough starter that is active, well-fed, and at room temperature to ensure you get the best results possible.
    • Not only is this bread no-knead, but there is also no scoring! The crust on my bread shown in the photos happened naturally and looked great!
    • Parchment paper is a must! Because the dough for this bread is so sticky, the parchment paper will not only help you move it into the hot dutch oven, it will also keep it from sticking to the pan itself.
    • Make sure your dutch oven or pan is rated for high temps because this bread cooks at 450º! As I mentioned above, you need your dutch oven or covered pot to be able to get nice and hot and be safe while doing so.
    • Don’t forget to preheat your dutch oven while you are preheating the oven. This will help create the awesome crust and bubbly insides of the bread.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 137kcal | Carbohydrates: 28.6g | Protein: 3.9g | Fat: 0.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 350mg | Potassium: 40mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 2mg

    Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.

    Did you Make This Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread?

    If you make this No-Knead Sourdough Bread, don't forget to leave a comment and rating below. And if you snap a pic, tag me on Instagram or Facebook.

    You can also follow me on Pinterest and sign up for my email list so you never miss a recipe!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lilly says

      October 03, 2021 at 4:53 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for such detailed instructions! This was so fun to make!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        October 04, 2021 at 1:17 am

        I'm so glad you liked this recipe, thanks for giving it a try!

        Reply
    2. Cindy Mom, the Lunch Lady says

      October 03, 2021 at 2:35 pm

      5 stars
      I love baking bread in my dutch oven. It always comes out wonderfully!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        October 03, 2021 at 3:10 pm

        Dutch oven bread baking is one of the easiest ways to bake bread. It's hard to make it any other way after knowing how great it turns out in the dutch oven.

        Reply
    3. Sue says

      October 03, 2021 at 12:42 pm

      5 stars
      I've made Dutch Oven bread before but never imagined you could make sourdough bread this way! This is a must try for me!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        October 03, 2021 at 3:09 pm

        You are going to love it and I imagine it's similar to the bread you have already made. Enjoy!

        Reply
    4. Colette says

      October 03, 2021 at 2:42 am

      5 stars
      I’ve spent way too much money lately on sourdough bread, so it’s time for me to learn to make my own. I didn’t know it was that easy. Thanks for the tips 🥰
      I can’t wait to try it! It

      Reply
      • Emily says

        October 03, 2021 at 3:08 pm

        This sourdough version is definitely a shortcut to the classic sourdoughs you see in bakeries. However, you will still get a loaf of delicious bread with sourdough flavor and none of the stress.

        Reply
    5. Andrea White says

      October 03, 2021 at 2:37 am

      5 stars
      This is perfect! Love a good bread recipe!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        October 03, 2021 at 3:07 pm

        Thanks, Andrea!

        Reply
    6. Kayla DiMaggio says

      October 02, 2021 at 11:48 pm

      5 stars
      Yum! I love this dutch oven bread! It is so easy and simple to make!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        October 03, 2021 at 1:54 am

        Isn't it the best?? I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    7. Gabriela Herrera says

      October 02, 2021 at 8:53 pm

      5 stars
      Emily your recipes always amaze me I love the simplicity of them all. You made sourdough less intimidating for me.

      Reply
      • Emily says

        October 03, 2021 at 1:55 am

        Wow, thanks, Gabriela! I try to make things simple, and sourdough can definitely be intimidating. I would call this cheater sourdough bread but no one else will know!😁

        Reply
    8. Estelle Forrest says

      October 02, 2021 at 4:40 pm

      5 stars
      So simple but so tasty!

      Reply
    9. Brianna says

      October 01, 2021 at 11:16 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely loved how this bread turned out!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        October 03, 2021 at 1:55 am

        So happy to hear it!

        Reply
    10. Soniya says

      October 01, 2021 at 9:02 pm

      Oh wow! The sourdough bread looks amazing... Can't wait to make it! I hope its as beautiful as yours!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        October 03, 2021 at 1:56 am

        You are going to love making this sourdough bread and I promise your's will look just as good! Enjoy!

        Reply
    11. Angela says

      October 01, 2021 at 5:22 pm

      5 stars
      I love this no knead recipe. It is so easy!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        October 03, 2021 at 1:56 am

        Thanks for trying this recipe, Angela! I'm so glad you found it easy to make.

        Reply
    12. Tyanne says

      October 01, 2021 at 4:51 pm

      5 stars
      The step by step pictures really helped! I love a good no knead recipe.

      Reply
      • Emily says

        October 01, 2021 at 5:00 pm

        So glad the photos helped. Thanks for trying this recipe out!

        Reply
    13. Will says

      October 01, 2021 at 4:44 pm

      5 stars
      This bread is so good!

      Reply
    14. Luca says

      October 01, 2021 at 4:34 pm

      5 stars
      This was among the best breads ever made!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        October 01, 2021 at 5:01 pm

        Thanks, Luca!!

        Reply
    15. Amanda Scarlati says

      October 01, 2021 at 4:10 pm

      5 stars
      Loved this recipe, so easy and the bread had the best texture!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        October 01, 2021 at 5:01 pm

        Thanks, Amanda, I'm so glad you liked it.😊

        Reply
    16. Liz says

      October 01, 2021 at 3:45 pm

      5 stars
      Completely satisfying meal. Loved it!

      Reply
    17. Traci says

      October 01, 2021 at 2:56 pm

      5 stars
      I love how straightforward these instructions are. I especially love how sourdough turns out in a Dutch oven. Thanks for sharing all the tips!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        October 01, 2021 at 5:02 pm

        I always try to make it as easy as possible, I'm so glad you found it helpful. Enjoy!

        Reply
    18. Mirlene says

      October 01, 2021 at 2:49 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve always wanted to learn how to make this bread. Fantastic recipe.

      Reply
      • Emily says

        October 01, 2021 at 5:02 pm

        Thanks, Mirlene. It's such a good recipe to have on hand.

        Reply
    19. Claudia Lamascolo says

      October 01, 2021 at 2:46 pm

      5 stars
      I love the ease of all your recipes and I feel I can make them easily at home looks fantastic!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        October 01, 2021 at 5:03 pm

        My goal is to make my recipes as easy as possible and I'm so glad you thought it was! Thanks, Claudia.😁

        Reply
    20. Teodora Grujic says

      October 01, 2021 at 2:24 pm

      5 stars
      This is beautiful, I am making it this weekend for breakfast! Thank you for sharing such a nice recipe!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        October 01, 2021 at 5:03 pm

        You are welcome! This bread makes excellent avocado toast if you need a suggestion for breakfast. Enjoy!!

        Reply
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