Easy Sourdough Artisan Bread Recipe (Ready in 1 Day)
If you’ve been looking to bake a crusty, golden loaf of sourdough without the complexity of typical recipes then this easy sourdough artisan bread recipe is for you! Designed for simplicity, this method uses everyday measurements, minimal steps, and a stand mixer (or hand-kneading) to create a dough that’s ready to bake in just one day. Baked in an enameled cast iron pot (with other options), the result is a beautifully blistered crust with a soft, chewy interior — perfect for both beginners and seasoned bakers seeking a reliable, no-fuss loaf.
✩ What readers are saying…
“I wish I could say how great this recipe is in words!… Could this be true? Could I have found the perfect sourdough recipe for me and my family? After all these years and all these attempts, suddenly, in my lap, the sourdough recipe that really IS “The Easiest Best Sourdough Recipe on Earth”? Really? Well, I’m here to tell you, “YES!” Emphatically, “YES!” This is it! So good! So easy! So perfect! Please try this recipe! You will be so happy you did.” -David
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Ever since I grew my first sourdough starter and explored how to make sourdough bread, I’ve wanted to be able to make a really good loaf of artisan sourdough bread like my favorite regular yeast easy artisan bread.
I was looking for an easy sourdough bread recipe that had a crispy crust with a nice texture and holes inside, but that was simple to make. Preferably a same day sourdough bread similar to my super easy artisan bread which bakes in an enameled cast iron pot.
What I mean by ‘easy’ is a basic everyday kind of sourdough bread recipe that uses cups to measure, few steps, and very little science involved, sort of like our great-grandmothers would’ve made.
If you’d like to get really into sourdough – which can quickly become complicated (and frankly, overwhelming to me), I’ve found Northwest Sourdough to be very thorough and not too hard to follow for those wanting to dig a little deeper.
I searched for a couple years to find a technique that would produce a loaf of artisan sourdough bread that was all the things I wanted.
When I found this great recipe I knew right away that I could adapt it to be even easier, use my favorite enameled cast iron pot, and consistently turn out good loaves.
And it did! This is truly the easiest sourdough bread recipe that anyone can make, from beginners to seasoned bread bakers. It can be made quickly (well, in sourdough terms) in one day or you can choose a bulk fermentation overnight in a refrigerator.
I want to say, too, that for me an easy bread is always made with a stand mixer, but this recipe can be made by hand – you will just have to work a bit harder.
Artisan Sourdough Bread Recipe Video
Ingredient Notes
You need only 3-4 ingredients for this classic bread – here are some notes and answers to questions I’ve gotten about the ingredients:
- Flour: You can make this bread with all-purpose, white whole wheat, spelt, or whole wheat flours. Spelt and whole wheat will have a denser crumb and less holes. You may get a taller rise by using bread flour, either white or whole wheat, which contains more protein (higher protein content in flour is needed for gluten development). Note: Pastry flours have less protein, which makes them great for cookies, muffins, and quick breads, but not for yeast or sourdough (wild yeast) breads.
In these photos I have used all white whole wheat flour with my regular whole wheat starter so the bread isn’t as white as loaves made with white flour. I also share a loaf made with regular whole wheat below. I always use a whole wheat starter and typically mix and match the flours I have on hand.
- Sourdough starter: I created my starter using these easy steps with whole wheat flour. Your starter should be strong for this recipe – very bubbly and doubling in volume after feeding in 6 hours or less (see the Important Note below). I like to feed the starter the night before (see timeline below).
- Salt: This is the third ingredient you must include in the recipe (in addition to water) or your bread will be very tasteless. After making this one time, feel free to adjust the salt to your preferences.
- Honey: I’ve made this ingredient optional, but I always use it. It adds a bit of immediate sugars for the yeasts to feed on as well as helping the crust to brown.
Sourdough Artisan Bread Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. Add all the ingredients (flour, water, starter, optional honey, and salt) to a bowl and mix dough just until combined. Let sit for 15 minutes. If using a mixer and dough hook, knead for 5 minutes. If making by hand, knead for 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 2. As you’re kneading, add more flour as needed, a little at a time, to create a dough that’s still clinging to the bottom of the bowl, but clearing the upper part of the bowl. It should be tacky, but not cling to your finger other than a bit of residue as shown.
TIP: If you’d like to add dried or fresh herbs or any other mix-ins, add them during this kneading portion. Wait until you’ve got the dough to the stage you see in step 2 and then mix them in before scraping into the bowl.
Step 3: Transfer to a large bowl, lightly coated with oil. The dough should stick to the bottom and need to be scraped out.
Step 4: Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let the dough rest for 3 hours.
TIP: I use plastic “shower cap” type bowl covers which I wash and reuse over and over – I’ve had many of them for years. I’ve found plastic keeps the dough more moist over the long rise than a damp towel. Update: I’ve recently been moving away from plastic in the kitchen and have found that beeswax bowl covers do a nice job of keeping the dough moist while rising.
Step 5: During the 3 hour rise, turn and fold the dough once or twice by bringing all the edges of the dough to the center.
Step 6: Remove dough, turn and fold again, and place it back in the bowl, seam-side up. Let rise for another 2 hours.
TIP: I do this right over the bowl with my hands oiled from the dough, which is usually enough – add more oil to your hands if needed. This is described in detail in the video.
Step 7: After the second rise, place a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet or small skillet (see tip below), sprinkle the dough with flour and gently shape the dough into a ball or oval right over the bowl (using lots of flour, as the dough is moist) and set on the parchment. Make sure there’s a good coating of flour on the top, as this will make slicing the top later easier. Replace the cover for the final rise.
Step 8: While the shaped dough is resting at room temperature, set an empty 4-6 quart enameled cast iron (or regular cast iron) dutch oven into a cold oven and turn heat to 450 degrees (alternately, you can use a baking stone), and set the timer for 40 minutes. (See FAQs below for cooking without a dutch oven.)
TIP 1: I flour my fingers after setting on the parchment and then use them to push the edges under the loaf to get the shape I want, make it more compact, and create more surface tension. See video for more details.
TIP 2: Shape the dough into a small skillet to keep the edges from spreading as much as a cookie sheet. If you have a bread proofing basket, feel free to use that.
Step 9: When the timer goes off, slash the top of the loaf with a serrated knife in 2-3 places making whatever pattern you’d like. If you have a lame, you can use that to make more intricate patterns.
Step 10: Transfer the slashed loaf to the hot pot (or stone) by holding the edges of the parchment to gently lower into the pot (the bread will bake while on the parchment).
Step 11: Replace the hot lid and bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking for another 13-15 minutes, until golden brown and internal temperature reads 190 to 200 degrees with an instant read thermometer.
Look at that crust! That’s bread-beauty right there, isn’t it? Blistered and cracked and bubbly. You can see why I think this easy sourdough bread recipe is the best!
What about using all whole wheat flour?
The sliced loaf pictured above was made with whole wheat bread flour (verses the previous loaf pictures made with whole wheat white flour), so the crust isn’t quite the same, but still passes the test.
And the interior is a bit more dense, but still full of holes, chewy, and with just a touch of sourness. Perfection. (Note: When made with all regular whole wheat flour there will be only tiny holes in the crumb, making it more dense than this – but it’s still good in my opinion.)
Since sourdough starter is best when it’s used weekly or every two weeks, I now make this sourdough bread recipe more than my favorite easy artisan bread. But either is a winner recipe, in my book.
Important Note on Using Starter to Make Bread
I have gotten many comments on this recipe along the lines of, “great flavor, but it was so flat,” or “I let it rise all day and it didn’t double.” Here’s what I’ve learned on my sourdough journey:
You cannot make bread rise well with a new starter. It needs time to grow and strengthen to be able to rise bread.
You may be able to rush it if you’re doing a lot of feedings, but it may take weeks or up to a month for the starter to be strong enough to raise bread.
How do you know if a starter is strong enough to raise bread?
Here’s the test I use and find the easiest:
If your starter doubles in less than 6 hours, it is strong enough to raise bread.
If you don’t have a way to measure, use a piece of tape on the outside of your container – anything that allows you to see if it’s doubled. When it’s doubled, you can confidently use this recipe! (
What about using the float test? I find that when working with whole grains the float test (seeing if a piece of your starter floats in water) isn’t as good a guideline as doubling.
What do I do with all the starter I’m making, feeding, and removing while waiting for it to be strong enough to double?
You can make recipes that don’t rely on the wild yeast in sourdough to completely raise it! Lovely baked goods like:
- Whole Wheat Sourdough Crackers
- Sourdough English Muffins
- Sourdough Waffles
- Sourdough Cheese Batter Bread (use this when you’re this close to making bread – the batter doesn’t need to rise as much, but still gives a nice bread).
For even more unique and delicious ways to use your sourdough discard, check out this amazing list of 35 sourdough discard recipes!
Shop This Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe
- This is a great quality, decently priced enameled cast iron dutch oven, similar to the one I use. Here’s another option for a bit less that’s very similar, too.
- I’ve used Kitchenaid mixers for years to make all my breads – this is the current version of the one I’m using now.
- Here’s a rising bucket that holds a lot and is easy to see when your starter is doubling. Personally, though, I use my glass 2-quart measuring cup with a lid instead of plastic.
- This is my favorite brand of white whole wheat flour (made from hard white wheat).
- And I use this brand for hard red wheat flour (‘regular’ whole wheat). My starter is fed with this.
Timing For Same Day Sourdough Bread
The timing of sourdough bread was hard for me to figure out in the beginning, since it takes longer to rise than regular yeast breads, so I thought I’d share the typical timeline needed to serve a loaf of artisan bread for dinner.
To have this sourdough artisan bread ready for an evening dinner:
- Feed your sourdough starter the night before you want to bake.
- Start the sourdough artisan bread recipe the next morning.
- Let the dough rise until early afternoon before baking and cooling in time for dinner.
Forgot to feed your starter? It happens to the best of us! If you find yourself in that situation, you can feed the starter right when you get up in the morning and let it sit until it is bubbly, usually a couple of hours, and then proceed with the recipe.
Made this way, the bread doesn’t have quite the optimum time to cool, so you’ll have a warmer loaf with a bit more squished crumb – but we’ve sure never minded.
Sourdough Artisan Bread FAQs
Yes, the second rise can happen in the fridge. Let the dough come to room temperature for about an hour before you start to shape and heat the pot.
You will have the best results with a dutch oven or some type of pot with a heavy lid. But if you don’t have one, here’s what you can do:
-After shaping the loaf on the parchment on the counter (or in a small skillet), place either a baking stone, cast iron skillet, or cookie sheet into a cold oven and preheat to 450 degrees.
–Creating Steam: To try and get the crust we all love, you’ll need to create some steam (that’s what the dutch oven does – it traps the steam): put a pan with water on the bottom rack to heat while the stone heats OR spray the dough with water right before putting in the hot oven to bake and see which you like best. Also, if you have any deep lid that will fit over the dough and allow to rise, you can add that OR try tenting aluminum foil over the top.
–Baking: Slash and use parchment corners to transfer dough to your hot stone and bake 15 minutes, turning the dough halfway, and then bake until done, another 15 to 20-25 minutes.
These add-ins can be kneaded into the dough at step 2, after the first step of letting the dough sit for 15 minutes.
A Few of The Many Reader Raves
“Wanted to tell you your sourdough recipe was the best and easiest! It tasted great and I felt like I accomplished my dream of finally making sourdough!” -Stephanie
“Here’s another thank you for the simple recipe. I have been been struggling to find one that want so overwhelming; I don’t want to understand every minute detail of science….I just wanna bake some bread! This is the only recipe that I’ve had success with.” -Brittney
“Since I am new to sourdough, I was skeptical that this would work on my first try. It turned out fantastic.” -Helen
“Thank you for this awesome video! A friend gave me a jar of starter over a month ago and I was hesitant and unsure of how to proceed after watching other videos online. I made my first loaf ever last night and it was incredible. I really appreciate your video, it’s like you’re in my kitchen helping me along the way. All of your tips were super helpful and I now love making bread!” -Tracy
I hope you love this sourdough artisan bread as much as we do – if you make it, be sure to leave a recipe rating to let me know!
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Easy Sourdough Artisan Bread Recipe
Equipment
- stand mixer or hand kneading
- 4-6 qt cast iron pot or baking stone/cookie sheet with steam bath
Ingredients
- 3+ cups (360-400 g) flour white whole wheat, whole wheat, unbleached, or a combo
- 1 ¼ cups (300 g) warm water*
- 3/4 cup (150 g) active sourdough starter 75%-100% hydration (I prefer 80-90%)
- 1 tablespoon (21 g) honey**
- 1 ½ teaspoons (9 g) salt or to taste
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together in the bowl of a stand mixer (or large mixing bowl) just until combined and then let sit for 15 minutes.
- Using a dough hook, knead for 5 minutes. If making by hand, knead for 8 to 10 minutes. (TIP: You may add more flour as needed, a little at a time, to create a dough that's still clinging to the bottom of the bowl, but also clearing the upper part of the bowl. It should be tacky, but not cling to your finger.)
- Transfer to a medium-sized bowl, lightly coated with oil. Cover with plastic or a damp towel and let rise for 3 hours, turning and folding the dough once or twice.
- Remove dough, turn and fold again with oiled hands, and place it back in the bowl, seam-side up. Let rise for another 2 hours. TIP: I do this right over the bowl with my hands oiled from the dough, which is usually enough – add more oil to your hands if needed.
- After the second rise, place a square of parchment paper on a cookie sheet, sprinkle the dough with flour and gently shape the dough into a ball or oval (using lots of flour, as the dough is moist) and set on the parchment. Shape it in your hands right over the parchment. I often flour my fingers after setting on the parchment and use my fingers to push the edges under the loaf to get the shape I want and make it more compact. Make sure there's a good coating of flour on the top, as this will make slicing the top later easier. TIP: I often shape the dough in a small skillet to keep the edges from spreading as much as a cookie sheet.
- To Bake with a Dutch Oven: While the shaped dough is resting, set an empty enameled cast iron (or regular cast iron) dutch oven into a cold oven and turn heat to 450 degrees (alternately, you can use a baking stone), and set the timer for 40 minutes.
- When the timer goes off, slash the top of the loaf with a serrated knife (in 2-3 places) and transfer it to the hot pot (or stone) by holding the edges of the parchment to gently lower into the pot (the bread will bake while on the parchment).
- Replace the hot lid and bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking for another 13-15 minutes, until golden brown.
- To Bake without a Dutch Oven: After shaping the loaf on the parchment on the counter (or skillet), place either a baking stone, cast iron skillet, or cookie sheet into a cold oven and preheat to 450 degrees.Creating Steam: To try and get the crust we all love, you'll need to create some steam (that's what the dutch oven does – it traps the steam): put a pan with water on the bottom rack to heat while the stone heats OR spray the dough with water right before putting in the hot oven to bake and see which you like best. Also, if you have any deep lid that will fit over the dough and allow to rise, you can add that OR try tenting aluminum foil over the top.Baking: Slash and use parchment corners to transfer dough to your hot stone and bake 15 minutes, turning the dough halfway, and then bake until done, another 15 to 20-25 minutes.
- Remove to a wire rack to cool at least 30 minutes before cutting.
Notes
Nutrition
More Sourdough Recipes to Use Your Starter
Find recipes like no-knead sourdough focaccia, sourdough lemon loaf, soft sourdough bagels and much more on the sourdough recipes page here.
This recipe was originally published in 2012 – it’s been updated as recently as 2025.
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Hi there. I put the dough to rise at 6:30 this morning and it hasn’t moved that much since. It’s now been almost 5 hours rising and there isn’t much to show. I fed my starter last night and this morning it was nice and bubbly, almost doubled in size and had the consistency of toasted marshmallows. So I think it was ready to use. This is the first bread from my starter. Its not very warm today so that might play a role.
I put the dough in the oven with the light on and will monitor. Is there any harm in letting it rise for many more hours than what I on the recipe?
Thanks!!
I wouldn’t let it go too much more than written, though an extra hour is fine. Is this for both rises or just one? You’re on track if it’s for both. Sourdough is more forgiving that way than yeast breads, but the quality may suffer if left to raise too long (the crumb may be gummy). Sometimes the dough won’t show a lot of difference, I just usually continue and it usually springs to life – if not before than in the oven.
Even though your starter is looking good, it’s still a new starter and may not be strong enough to raise bread. I think you’ll see better rise as you use it for other things and keep feeding it.
Thank you for sharing this recipe, it is perfect! Very easy to make and the bread is delicious. I used a tray with ice cubes to create steam instead of the dutch oven and it worked very well. Thank you again!
Glad to know that worked for you, Sijr – thanks for writing and the review!
Under the stars bullets at the end where you are talking about starter, is that the water as the amount matches the water in the ingredient measurements.
I love the recipe. It has worked out better for me than others! Thank you.
Happy to know this has worked for you! So typical feedings of starter are 50% water and 50% flour, which is considered 100% hydration. Adjust the water in the recipe if your starter is wetter or dryer. I now use a dryer starter for a more sour flavor at about 40% water/60% flour, so sometimes I need more water (though not if I’m using regular unbleached flour – whole wheat soaks up more). Does that clarify?
Made this bread today. No kitchen aide mixer, simple hand kneading. Used 1/2 all purpose flour and 1/2 whole wheat flour. Very good bread!!
Good to know – thanks for writing!
Thank you!! Finally found a sourdough recipe that worked! I was about to give up after three failed attempts with other recipes. This one came out great and was so uncomplicated 🙂
Really happy to hear this, DJ – thanks for taking the time to write!
Hello. Thank you for your great recipe. I am looking forward to trying it. Do you think a 2 1/2 qt. dutch oven is too small for this recipe?
I’m not sure I’ve seen one that small, so it’s hard to gauge. The only concern would be if it was higher than the top as it rises in the oven. But it may be okay, too. You may just have to test it out.
Yum! Made this today and it is excellent. Used ⅓ King Arthur White Whole Wheat and ⅔ KA unbleached all purpose. I was hesitant to use a recipe that uses volume not weight; because the reviews were good and Jami saiD it was a forgiving recipe I went for it and am glad I did! Good texture and flavor. This was the first loaf I baked in a Dutch oven. Even my husband a/k/a Mr. Fussy, liked it!
Yay – so glad to read this, Marlene! Thanks so much for your review. 🙂
Great recipe! Very easy!
My problem is the parchment paper always sticks to the bottom of my loaf. How do I avoid this?
Hmmm, the parchment is supposed to not stick, lol. Maybe try flouring it before setting the loaf on?
Hello, I just want to thank you because this is the first time sourdough has worked for me. Other recipes required a lot more time, and folding. I suspect yours worked so well because of how little I had to mess with it… my other attempts led to flat, gooey bread. I used two cups of whole wheat and 1 cup of rye, and it worked beautifully. I would just like to clarify… each time I ‘turn and fold’ the bread, do you mean turn over completely? So I’m not just folding the same side each time? I just folded it on the same side every time… it still worked but I’d like to do it right.
I’m so happy to read this, Barbara – that’s exactly how I felt, too, when I figured it out. 🙂
There’s no real right or wrong way, as you discovered, to folding. I kind of do different things each time, lol. Mostly I pull from the bottom and bring to the top about 3 times, while turning the bowl with the loaf in to get 3 different sides. Does that make sense?
Can you please further elaborate how to complete step four. Do you remove and place on the counter? Do you use flour?
I do this right over the bowl with floured hands. I’ve updated the recipe!
I am a little confused by step 4 as well. Do you put the plastic wrap back over the bowl or let it rise uncovered?
Yes, always keep the loaf covered or it develops a hard skin.
THis is my Third time making this bread and I LOVE it!!! THank you so much!!!!
So glad – you’re welcome!
Thanks for the review 🙂
You are brilliant! This recipe is perfect for me. I was able to successfully cultivate a sourdough starter but had tried a couple different (and very arduous) bread recipes only to yield disappointing outcomes. I was about to cut my losses and throw in the towel when I saw your recipe. I hate wasting and still had plenty of perfectly good starter so I figured I’d give it a shot and IT. WAS. AMAZING.
The first loaf I tried, last weekend, I used mostly whole wheat and it came out looking beautiful and tasted very good… but very “whole wheaty,” which, while still yummy, was not quite what I had a hankering for.
I just made another loaf with unbleached bread flour today and AGAIN it came out perfectly and was also super tasty. I just can’t get over how perfect they both looked too. For being a novice at this, this recipe is sure making me look like I know what I’m doing! 😂
Thank you for sharing your awesomeness and for restoring my enthusiasm for my starter!
This makes me so happy, Brittany, to know this recipe helped you find success with sourdough!!
And it is definitely more dense with WW, so sometimes it’s nice to have that airy loaf with white flour. 🙂
Hi there, I’m excited to use this recipe tomorrow, I just received some starter from a friend, who got it from her friend, etc… I think it started 40 years ago no joke. Anyway, she said her breads have worked best if you make the bread today and let the dough rise overnight. I fed my starter today around 4pm. If I make bread at like 10 tonight can I let it rise over night?
Thanks!
I haven’t tried that, so I can’t say. Sourdough is pretty flexible, so it should be okay.
I’ve just run out of honey today. Can sugar be substituted in the same quantity? Thanks!
You can leave it out or replace with a couple teaspoons of sugar.
love this recipe and would like to double it to make two loaves of bread. Is this possible.
Yes, that should work, you’ll just have this issue of cooking one at a time unless you have two dutch ovens.
Can I proof this bread in my fridge overnight after letting it rise? Want to bake it first thing in the morning. Thanks!
This usually works fine with sourdough, though I haven’t tried it.
Just made this recipe! It turned out really nice. I used whole wheat flour, with an all-purpose flour starter.
My bread was pretty over-proofed after I followed these instructions. I chalked that up to my starter- it was very active when I used it. I have taken to leaving it on m counter and feeding it once a day. It feed it 5oz starter 5oz flour, 4oz water. Which makes it… 80% hydration? Not sure. My kitchen may have been a little warm too.
Anyway, my loaf turned out a little dense and flat. BUT it tastes very nice. The crumb is soft moist and chewy, and the crust is also pretty soft. (This is a good thing because my boyfriend dislikes tough crusts on bread.)
I would like to try this recipe with white flour and see what happens as well. Maybe next time I will proof it for 2 hours and 2 hours instead of 3 and 2. I’ll make this again though!
Its perfect soft bread.
Glad this worked for you – hope your adjustments do, too!
Thanks for the review 🙂
I don’t have a round Dutch Oven. Could I bake this in a heated spring form pan?
I’ve added suggestions above the recipe for using something other than a dutch oven, Neika. 🙂
My dutch oven is not deep enough to cover. I’ll try foil.
Just make sure it’s tight as possible.
Hello— I’m new to this. What quart size Dutch oven did you use for this recipe? Thanks!
6 quarts, but anything 4-6 qt with work!