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.
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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 just like my Easy Ciabatta Rolls Recipe.
This bread is completely from scratch and it will seem like you took hours folding and kneading. And if you want even more bread in your life, check out my 33 Easy Homemade Bread Recipes.
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!
- 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 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.
*See the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Know if Your Sourdough Starter is Active
- Rapid Growth: After feeding, your starter should double or triple in size, with visible bubbles on the surface and sides of the jar.
- Texture: The starter should be light and airy. When you scoop a spoonful, it should be fluffy and slightly stretchy.
- Aroma: A mature starter will have a pleasant, slightly tangy smell, with hints of fermentation and acidity. Avoid strong vinegar-like or foul odors.
- Float Test: To check readiness, perform a float test. Drop a small spoonful of starter into a glass of water—if it floats, your starter is active and ready to use.
How to Make No-Knead Sourdough Bread
Step 1: 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. The dough will be shaggy and sticky.
Step 2: Tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest for a minimum of 12 hours at room temperature. I like to make my dough in the evening and let it rest overnight.
Step 3: Preheat the oven to 450°F and place the Dutch oven in the oven to warm up for 30 minutes. 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.
Step 4: After 30 minutes of the oven and Dutch oven heating up, take the parchment paper with the dough on it and place the entire thing in the preheated Dutch oven. Be careful, it's hot.
Step 5: Place the lid on the Dutch oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 10 minutes to get a nice brown crust.
Step 6: Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and allow the bread to cool in the Dutch oven or on a cooling rack.
Expert Tips For This Recipe
- Only use a sourdough starter that is active, well-fed, and at room temperature to ensure you get the best results possible.
- 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.
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.
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.
Recipe FAQs
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.
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.
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.
If you get a chance to make this Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread, tag me on Instagram or Facebook and show me, or leave a review below! You can also follow me on Pinterest and sign up for my e-mail list to receive more fun and delicious recipes in your inbox.
Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread (no-knead)
Equipment
- rubber/silicone spatula or wooden spoon
- 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.
- 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.
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.
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.
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow the bread to cool in the dutch oven or on a cooling rack. Enjoy!
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
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Amanda Winter says
Loved the flavor of this recipe! Only knocked down a star because this recipe itself makes a small loaf. I doubled it, so it wasn't that big of a deal 🙂 All my friends and family rave about my bread, and making the bread is one of my favorite times of the week!
Am curious if I could freeze this recipe? Most recipes for sourdough have more than one proof it seems, so I'm wondering when I could freeze this recipe? I'm thinking if I mix the bread, I could just freeze it right away?
Emily says
Hi Amanda, thanks for trying the recipe, I'm glad you liked it. It is a smaller loaf meant for one or two dinners, but I'm glad you were able to double it with no problem. As for freezing the unbaked dough, you can, however, I will say I have not done this myself. You should freeze it after the first rise and once it's in its final form. If you do try it, I'd love to hear how it works!
I have had success freezing the frozen loaf and thawing it for later, works great!
Lynn says
I made this once now and will definitely be making it again. It was super easy and delicious. I do have a question about the starter. How long after feeding the starter do you recommend using it to mix the bread loaf? Some recipes suggest using the starter at it's peak after feeding (about 4-6 hours) and I saw another source with a similar recipe to this one which suggested letting the starter be slightly past it's peak (beginning to deflate after feeding) to improve flavor. How is performance of the bread rising affected by the starter at different stages post-feeding? Thanks. I'm a newbie to sourdough.
Emily says
Hi Lynn, thanks for trying the recipe, I’m so glad you like it! Easy is my goal. and I have to admit, while I love baking with sourdough, I am not the technical wizard…hence the no-knead option. I am not sure there is a major difference, my goal is to use the starter at it’s peak and I generally use it after feeding the night before, so it could be even after it’s “peak”. Since everyone’s starter is different, climate is different, etc. I would say experiment and see what you love! Thanks again!
Deni says
This was my first time making bread that wasn’t a quick bread or mix for the old bread machine. I have a 400 year old sourdough starter that I used and this was amazing!!! I bae 2 more batches setting up for tomorrow. I’m putting some whole cloves of garlic from a garlic confit I made last week into one of tomorrows loaves.
*chefs kiss*
Emily says
Deni, that's amazing! I'm jealous you have an old sourdough and I bet your bread was amazing!! I'm also jealous of the garlic and confit and now will be making this over the weekend.😁 Happy Baking!
Deni says
The loaves with the garlic confit were absolutely amazing and a huge hit. I made a second batch using the same garlic confit and. Some sun dried tomatoes I made in the air fryer so no extra oil. This base is absolutely amazing for so many variations. Chopped apples and cinnamon made a great breakfast bread. ❤️
Emily says
Deni, these all sound amazing! Please tell me your secret to cooking the bread in the air fryer...I just got a new one but have never been brave enough to do bread.🥰
Sam Whitney says
I was wondering can you use whole wheat flour instead of all purpose? Thanks. The bread looks amazing.
Emily says
Hi Sam. I have not tried using whole wheat flour yet, however, I do think you can make this bread with it. Just expect the bread to be denser and a little more gritty as is common when using whole wheat flour. If you do try it, I'd love to hear how it turns out!
Rosie says
Must I preheat the dutch oven. LeCreuset does not recommend?
Emily says
Hi Rosie, I have seen that on the LeCruset website but I have not tried baking this bread without preheating the dutch oven. If you do try this recipe without preheating the dutch oven ahead of time, I'd love to hear how it turns out! Next time I make this bread maybe I will give it a try as well.
Suzanne says
Read an article that all manufacturers recommend not heating dutch oven at high temps BUT it also said if you preheat your dutch oven as you heat your oven that will keep it from cracking. I too was hesitant because my dutch oven said same. However after reading this artcle I have made over 10 loaves using my dutch oven preheating it in the oven and have had no issues. Oh and the dutch oven is not an expensive Le Creuset. I have one but it's too big and didn't want to go all out for a smaller size. Hope this helps.
Sam says
I discovered sourdough over the summer and now I can't get enough! This looks fantastic and I appreciate all the process shots.
Emily says
Thanks, Sam! I hope you enjoy making this version of sourdough in your dutch oven.😀
Lilly says
Thank you for such detailed instructions! This was so fun to make!
Emily says
I'm so glad you liked this recipe, thanks for giving it a try!
Cindy Mom, the Lunch Lady says
I love baking bread in my dutch oven. It always comes out wonderfully!
Emily says
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.
Sue says
I've made Dutch Oven bread before but never imagined you could make sourdough bread this way! This is a must try for me!
Emily says
You are going to love it and I imagine it's similar to the bread you have already made. Enjoy!
Colette says
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
Emily says
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.
Andrea White says
This is perfect! Love a good bread recipe!
Emily says
Thanks, Andrea!
Kayla DiMaggio says
Yum! I love this dutch oven bread! It is so easy and simple to make!
Emily says
Isn't it the best?? I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Gabriela Herrera says
Emily your recipes always amaze me I love the simplicity of them all. You made sourdough less intimidating for me.
Emily says
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!😁