This loaf of sourdough has a crunchy crust, and a perfect chew inside. It’s also super easy, and uses un-fed starter, so you can start at breakfast and have bread for lunch.

Continuing the Quarantine Bread trend with my first real attempt at sourdough (I did make a discard bread a few days ago that I still need to post. The last of that went into sandwiches today.) Some people might say that I cheated with this one. And maybe that is true. Sourdough is a new medium for me, but baking bread is pretty well ingrained into my mind. Hard to believe, but it has been 22 years since Jack the Baker had me pouring 50 lb sacks of flour into a stand mixer I could ride the paddle around on. And even if I take some time off and concentrate on other things, it always comes back to bread in the end. So, did I do some research, pour through the best sourdough recipes to figure out exactly how to get that crumb I was looking for? Nope, I threw some flour in a bowl, worked the dough until it felt like I wanted, and subjected it to my oven.

Guess what.

It’s bread. It works, and it’s simple. Don’t overthink it.

🍞 Ingredients for the Easy Sourdough

• 1 cup un-fed sourdough starter
• 1 cup warm water
• 2-1/2 cups bread flour
• 1 tbsp sea salt

🔪 Directions

1. In a heavy bowl, mix the starter, water, and 2 cups of flour. (It will still be pretty sticky at this point)
2. Let rise for 2 hours in a warm dark place
3. Add rest of flour and salt, knead together thoroughly in the bowl for 3-5 minutes. (it is ok if there is some dry flour left in the bowl)
4. Shape into a ball and place in a whicker basket or on a floured pizza peel.
5. Cover loosely and let rise for 2 hours.
6. With 30 minutes of rising left, heat a Dutch oven to 450 in the oven.
7. Carefully remove dutch oven from the oven, and transfer dough into it, slashing the top with a sharp knife.
8. Return Dutch oven to the oven and cook 30 min with the lid on
9. Remove the lid and cook 12 minutes longer.
10. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

I have been in a baking frenzy lately. In case you missed these (and have yeast in a secret stash somewhere) check out some of my other crunchy concoctions!

• easy artisan bread
• soft white bread
• rustic whey bread

If you have tried my Easy Sourdough recipe, or any other recipe on  Real Life with Dad, please rate the recipe.  And be sure to follow us on FaceBook and Instagram @RealLifeWithDad

Yield: 1 loaf

Easy Sourdough

Print

This loaf of sourdough has a crunchy crust, and a perfect chew inside. It's also super easy, and uses un-fed starter, so you can start at breakfast and have bread for lunch.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 42 minutes

Additional Time 4 hours

Total Time 5 hours 2 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup un-fed sourdough starter
• 1 cup warm water
• 2-1/2 cups bread flour
• 1 tbsp sea salt

Instructions

1. In a heavy bowl, mix the starter, water, and 2 cups of flour. (It will still be pretty sticky at this point)
2. Let rise for 2 hours in a warm dark place
3. Add rest of flour and salt, knead together thoroughly in the bowl for 3-5 minutes. (it is ok if there is some dry flour left in the bowl)
4. Shape into a ball and place in a whicker basket or on a floured pizza peel.
5. Cover loosely and let rise for 2 hours.
6. With 30 minutes of rising left, heat a Dutch oven to 450 in the oven.
7. Carefully remove dutch oven from the oven, and transfer dough into it, slashing the top with a sharp knife.
8. Return Dutch oven to the oven and cook 30 min with the lid on
9. Remove the lid and cook 12 minutes longer.
10. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  King Arthur, Special Bread Unbleached Flour, 5 lb
• 
  Lodge 5 Quart Cast Iron Dutch Oven. Pre-Seasoned Pot with Lid and Dual Loop Handle
• 
  KitchenAid Professional 600 6 Qt Lift Bowl Stand Mixer (Certified Refurbished)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

2 slices
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 142Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 700mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 5g