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…

sliced sourdough artisan bread loaf on cutting board

Some links in this article are affiliate links and if you click on them I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.

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

sourdough artisan boule loaf on cooling rack

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

mixing sourdough artisan bread in kitchenaid mixer

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.

finger testing the bread dough in mixer

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.

scraping dough from mixer into glass 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.

first bread rise in bowl with plastic cover

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.

stretch and fold sourdough artisan dough in bowl

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.

folding and shaping artisan dough over bowl

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.

final rise of sourdough bread dough in skillet with plastic cover

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.

enamel cast iron pan heating in oven

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.

scoring bread loaf before putting into oven

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.

slashed bread dough in hot enamel pot in oven

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).

baked sourdough artisan bread in pot from oven

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?

sliced whole wheat sourdough artisan bread

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:

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

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:

  1. Feed your sourdough starter the night before you want to bake.
  2. Start the sourdough artisan bread recipe the next morning.
  3. 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

Can you proof this sourdough artisan bread in the refrigerator overnight?

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.

How do I bake this without a dutch oven?

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.

When do I add other chopped ingredients, like herbs, dried fruit, nuts, and olives?

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

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!

Want to save this?

Enter your email below and you’ll get it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get easy new recipes, gardening tips & more every week!

Save Recipe

sourdough artisan bread baked in pot
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
4.98 from 746 votes

Easy Sourdough Artisan Bread Recipe

Make a crusty, chewy sourdough artisan bread with this easy one-day recipe perfect for beginners and seasoned bakers alike using simple tools and steps.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Rising Time5 hours 40 minutes
Total Time6 hours 30 minutes
Yield: 1 loaf/16 slices
Author: Jami Boys

Equipment

  • stand mixer or hand kneading
  • 4-6 qt cast iron pot or baking stone/cookie sheet with steam bath
Click for Cook Mode

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

*You may need less or more if your starter is dryer/wetter- the 1 1/4 cups works for a 100% hydration starter, fed an equal ratio of flour to water. Adjust yours accordingly.
**The honey is optional, it helps with coloring and gives a bit more boost to the wild yeast.
Slicing Tip: if you don’t have a good serrated knife, try using an electric knife to easily slice through crusty artisan bread. It works like a charm and even cuts through warm breads without squishing the crusts like regular knives do.
Variations: If you want to add things like chopped herbs, dried fruit, nuts, or olives to the bread, knead them into the dough at step 2.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 25.5g | Protein: 3.2g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 195mg | Fiber: 0.8g | Sugar: 1.5g
Did you make this recipe?Mention @anoregoncottage or tag #anoregoncottage!

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.

sourdough artisan bread Pinterest pin

This recipe was originally published in 2012 – it’s been updated as recently as 2025.

Disclosure: affiliate links in this article will earn commission based on sales, but it doesn’t change your price. Click here to read our full disclaimer and advertising disclosure.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




4.98 from 746 votes (439 ratings without comment)

1,201 Comments

  1. Have you ever made rolls out of this? I’ve made the bread before following the recipe and it turned out great but we need rolls tonight. I think I’ll make four (or 6?) rolls after step 5 but please let me know if you have any advice or suggestions! I might have to cook the rolls in batches.5 stars

  2. This is an absolutely delicious, fail proof recipe. It takes a while to make, but the delicious crusty bread is so worth it.5 stars

  3. In the nutrition info you have 1 slice as the serving size. How many servings per loaf are you getting and what is the weight per slice in oz?

    1. Well, obviously that is variable since we can slice it any way we want. 🙂
      But I usually cut the round loaf in half and then cut slices in each side with the cut side of the loaf down (this makes the pieces more uniform than cutting from one end of the round to the other with the large center pieces – although for sandwiches, that may be better).
      I have never weighed my slices. For the serving info, I used 14 servings for a loaf, though I often get 16.

      1. Awesome thanks so much!

        I love this recipe, I’ve tweaked the bake time for my perfect loaf! Made over 12 loaves with your recipe.5 stars

  4. Hi Jami, I can’t wait to try this recipe. I just have a couple of questions before I start. Many recipes say that the starter needs to peek before you make bread. But, if I feed my starter at night 11pm and make my bread at 8am, would that mean my starter has passed it’s peek time, or is that even necessary. My second question, is my children are not crazy about the sourness in the bread, is there anyway to tone it down, I read that baking soda would work but I have no idea when to use it. Do you have any ideas? I can’t wait to use your recipe, it is so straightforward and simple. Thank you!

    1. I often feed the night before and bake in the morning without problems, but I do know some recipes say to use it close after it’s peak. I’d suggest doing what is easiest first and if it works, then don’t worry about it. 🙂 But if you’d like to see if it makes a difference, you can try making it after peaking. Sourdough is often experimenting!
      As for the sourness, there are a couple things to do: 1) If you ever have the brown “hooch” develop on top, don’t mix it in, pour it off 2) Use a 100% or higher hydration for you starter – more liquid starters have less sour flavor 3) reduce the time the dough ferments (this is more for overnight breads – if you make this recipe in a day, that would be good).
      I actually haven’t heard about the baking soda thing, so I can’t speak to that – our family tries to get it as sour flavored as possible, lol. My daughter’s all disappointed if it tastes like “regular bread.”

    2. Very good bread but you have to reduce the water by a lot. So maybe start with only 2/3 the water it says you need then add from there. I’ve baked several of her sourdough recipes and noticed they all have way to much water. and I use a scale to measure everything and my starter is at 100% hydration.

    3. Hi, I also have a few suggestion. Try the “float test” to see if your starter is ready. If it doesn’t float add a small amount of flour and water and the sugar or honey from the recipe to equal the starter you’ll need and give it an hour.
      Also, about the sourness. The reason it’s so sour is that you’ve allowed it to go way beyond peak. For less sour starter you’ll need to use it as its rising in your jar, not peaked or falling. The further past peak the more sour it is. Also if your starter is still very wheat/rye flour heavy, temper both the texture and flavor by feeding with ap flour. You only need wheat for a new starter or to save one that’s been neglected. An active starter can really be fed with any flour of your choice.

  5. Thank you so much for this recipe! I have been making sourdough bread for over 20 years and have always disliked the “two day” process. The day I work from home, this recipe allows me to start my bread in the morning and have warm bread with the evening meal. My husband is a happy camper! As far as I can tell, there’s no difference in the taste between this recipe and the two-day overnight recipe. I have halved again the recipe for a larger loaf (the first one went too quickly!) and it turned out great. Thanks so much for this!! My husband made sourdough ham and cheese sandwiches with fresh Maryland tomatoes last night for dinner and it was spectacular! If I could post a picture of those sandwiches here I would!
    Thanks again!5 stars

    1. Oh, those sandwiches do sound terrific!! I’m so glad this is meeting your needs – I love the option of a one day loaf, too.

  6. Amazing bread- perfect recipe! I added a head of roasted garlic and copious amounts of rosemary right before second rise and it was AMAZING!! Thank you so much! 🙂5 stars

  7. OMG! First time ever making sourdough bread and it came out great! The bread is delicious! I will be making just this bread from now on. Thank you so much for the great recipe and instructions! I was actually making this for a friend who loves sourdough bread. I’ve never been much of a fan. But the bread is so good! I’ve become a huge fan today!5 stars

    1. Oh my gosh, it’s so wonderful to read this – thank you, Diana! I’m thrilled to have helped you become a fan of sourdough. 🙂

  8. This is the best sourdough recipe I have tested so far. I am new to sourdough with previous disappointing results. So easy, no fuss recipe. Question: what size cast iron Dutch oven do you recommend? Mine is 7 quarts and I’m afraid dough expands too much in it. Thanks in advance.
    Here’s a photo of my wondrous bread:5 stars

    1. Yay!! I use either a 6-quart enamel cast iron or a 5-quart plain cast iron and like you I’ve found the smaller pan helps prevent as much spread. So I recommend anything between 4-6 qt. sizes.

  9. This recipe is amazing! Not only is it straightforward and easy to follow, but the bread is delicious! That little touch of honey really makes it stand out. Thank you so much for sharing this!5 stars

  10. Easy recipe turned out beautiful
    Wanted to post a picture but couldn’t finger it out. Can’t wait to slice into it
    Thanks again5 stars

    1. Yay! I don’t have the ability on my site for others to upload photos, sadly. I’ll just picture your pretty loaf in my head. 🙂

  11. Hi. I have been using this recipe for my all purpose sourdough bread baking l, and it’s been great. Can I do this same recipe with my whole wheat sourdough starter once I get it healthy, and just sub the all purpose flour for the whole wheat flour? Or how can I modify this recipe so I can use my whole wheat starter, whole wheat flour or all purpose without having to get bread flour as other recipes have noted. Even king Arthur’s whole wheat recipe calls for instant yeast which I didn’t think I needed. Thanks for the response when you get time.5 stars

    1. Hi, Devon – I’m glad this has been a go-to recipe for you! My starter is whole wheat, so I’ve always made my bread with it. As for additional flour, it depends on how I’m feeling. 🙂 I sometimes use all unbleached all purpose (I always get unbleached, as it hasn’t been bleached and has a slightly higher protein content), all whole wheat, or a combo.
      All whole wheat bread is denser with less open crumb, but still tasty and makes great toast.
      I NEVER add commercial yeast and am always sad when KA does it. I usually adapt their recipes to use all sourdough. 🙂
      As with any bread, see what the dough looks like when working with different flours – WW absorbs more water, so you may need less of it, etc.

  12. Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe! I tried a few other recipes but the dough was never ‘workable’. Today – with your help – I had the most delightful sourdough-bread-baking experience ever. This is my new go-to recipe for yummy bread! 🙂5 stars

  13. I prefer to use bread flour or a combo of bread and AP flour, and it’s all I have available to me during the pandemic. How do I adjust—if at all—for that, using my 1-year-old 100% starter? I’m tired of doing no-knead and would prefer to use my stand mixer, and make bread in one day rather than two. Thank you for such a great recipe! I’d use WW if I had it, but I’m kind of stuck.5 stars

    1. Use what you have, Laurie! I’ve used all kinds in this bread and it works. You may have to adjust the amount of flour, but you’d do that with any flour as you knead and see what the dough looks like anyway.
      Hope you enjoy this!

  14. Good recipe. I add one teaspoon mustard seed and one teaspoon cumin seed. Bake it 20 and 20 minutes. Exiremely yummy.5 stars

  15. The last time I tried to develop a sour dough starter I worked for 2 weeks and was met with utter disaster. So you can understand my trepidation this time. This time I bit the bullet and ordered fresh sour dough starter from King Arthur Flour and though expensive, it was worth every penny. After 2 days of developing the starter I felt it was pretty active so tried your sour dough English muffins. Terrific! Today I gulped as I began the long wait for your Sour Dough Artisan Bread from start to finish. I was pretty nervous so decided to make it when I was alone so if it was terrible my husband would be none the wiser. Low and behold it was a triumph! What a fabulous flavor with crusty exterior and creamy soft interior. Now I can’t wait for my husband to get home. The hardest thing about it was waiting for the first & second rises. I never thought I’d be able to make a sour dough bread this good! Thanks again, Jami!!!!5 stars

  16. This was my second attempt at sourdough and the first time with your recipe. I was very pleased with the results! Instructions were easy to follow. Thanks!5 stars