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.
Eloise Chan says
My first sourdough bread is a success thanks to this easy recipe. Mine proofed for 18 hours because, well, life happened. But the bread turned out great, soft and I liked the sourness of it. Will try to do 12 hrs next time to compare. THANK YOU!
Emily says
Awesome, Eloise, thanks for sharing! Enjoy your homemade bread 😊
Shelly Morganthaler says
Emily - this is amazing! I've tried several different recipes and this by far is the best one! Baked exactly as you said! My family at the entire loaf and has requested a second. I actually let mine set for 15 hours which I worried would make it flat. It didn't! My only issue was that the bottom burned and I think that I had the rack too low in the oven! Definitely my new go-to sourdough!
Emily says
Thanks, Shelly! Great to know 15 hours is ok. Isn't it the best when your family wants more of something you made? My mom is an avid bread baker also, and she swears by her silicon bread lifter (amazon). It helps the bottom from burning and also makes it easier to remove the bread after baking.👍🏻
Amy says
Delicious! I floundered with the recipe and added too much sourdough starter and it spread too much (I probably should have added more flour to balance it out) but it was still crunchy and delicious! I’ll follow the recipe to the letter next time.
Emily says
Nice work, Amy! Sometimes it takes a few tries but it usually tastes great during trial runs. Enjoy!
Chris says
Hi! I my dough started out great and tripled in size overnight, but it was so wet and sticky the next morning that it was unworkable. I lost half the dough just from it sticking to everything, including the floured parchment paper! I added more flour to it while the Dutch oven was warming up and the dough never regained shape and came out quite flat and tough. Is there any technique I need to be doing differently to have it come out lighter in texture? Thanks!
Emily says
Hi Chris, I've had a few batches act like that. When they do, I use a turn-and-fold method (4 folds in total), working around the dough to form more of a ball before placing it on the parchment paper. If you don't know how to do that, check out my ciabatta video Easy Ciabatta Rolls Recipe for an easy tutorial.
Scott says
Hello Emily I bought the same Dutch oven, but the lid has a hole do I need to cover it???
Thank you
Emily says
Hi Scott, no need to cover the hole. I have had great success with this dutch oven!
Scott says
Thank you so much for the prompt reply Emily, take care 😀
Suzanne says
I'm going to try this but would like to add Parmesan cheese. So at what point should I add the cheese?
Emily says
Hi Suzanne, I would fold in the cheese after creating the dough in the first step before you cover it and allow the dough to rest for the first time. Enjoy, I'd love to hear how it turns out!
Louise says
Hi Emily, In the section on shaping the dough do you do the 4 side folding that I see in some other recipes? I have not rated the recipe but I will tomorrow when it is cooked. I do really like your detailed descriptions. Wish me luck!
Emily says
Hi Louise! Yes, I have done the 4 side fold and I have also allowed the dough to rest and shape as-is. I do find that folding the dough on all sides before baking helps create a more even shape. I wanted this recipe to be for super beginners as well as confident bakers so if you are comfortable with a fold, go for it! I can't wait to hear how it turns out!
Louise says
Absolutely fabulous recipe, with most important, easy to follow directions. I folded the dough to shape it into a ball. As I write this, I am munching on a slice just minutes out of the oven. YUM! YUM! Thank you Emily for making me into a sourdough believer.
Emily says
Thank you, Louise!!! I am so glad this turned out great for you and thank you for the kind review. Enjoy your sourdough!!!!😊
Kathi says
Can I use bread flour? I made it the first time with all purpose flour, but would like to try bread flour.
Emily says
Hi Kathi. Yes, you can use bread flour. Bread flour is a preference for some bread bakers and I think you will find you love the results. Enjoy!
Natalie says
I always make bread for my family and this recipe is the best I have, thanks!
Emily says
So glad to hear it!
nancy says
wow i can't believe i was able to finally bake bread - thanks to your easy 4 ingredients SD recipe. thanks so much!!
Emily says
Yay, I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Enjoy your bread!
Susie says
Sour dough has intimidated me until I found this recipe! Making my 2nd loaf today. It’s easy and so delicious and I plan to add garlic and Italian seasonings to this loaf. Thank you for your recipe…it’s a keeper! .
Emily says
Susie, I'm so glad you found the recipe and are enjoying it! Sourdough doesn't have to be intimidating. Enjoy your next loaf and many more!
Dale says
Bread wasn't rising the first time, I was worried I had messed it up...my starter just wasn't active enough when I put it in, so I mixed in the same amount when it was active and it was 4x the size the next day. I made one plain and one with roasted garlic and rosemary. Tasted great, will be using this again.
Emily says
I'm so glad you gave it another try. Sometimes starters can be finicky, but it's worth it in the end! Enjoy.
Kristi says
This was so much easier than most of the sourdough bread recipes I have seen. I am new to sourdough and my starter is still a little weak but it still turned out pretty great!! Thank you for sharing this recipe! Also, my husband loved it♥️
Emily says
Thanks, Kristi, I'm so glad you and your husband enjoyed this recipe!
Nick Swanson says
this recipe is as simple as a bread recipe can be. Made 2 loaves Yesterday/this morning and as advertised, it is fabulous!
Emily says
That's awesome, Nick! I'm so glad you found this easy, it's one of my go-to recipes. Happy Baking!