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
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
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!
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!
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.
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.
I’ve been stressing about the sourdough recipes and I CAN’T TELL YOU how happy this recipe makes me! You are an angel.
Oh, thank you – I’m so glad to help you keep it simple. 🙂
I want to thank you for this recipe and instruction on making Sourdough bread! 🙂 I have been successful in making 4 loaves through your process, which came after 1 failure with a different method.
Yay!
Hello do you have the weight measurements for the 3/4 cup of starter? I wasn’t sure if the 3/4 cup starter is when it’s fluffy and doubled or after it “deflates”. thank you 😊
I don’t, but I always stir the starter down after doubling to get more accurate measurements.
Hi Jami, I am new to sourdough baking and have used your recipe and technique from your video and was very happy with my second loaf. I love the simplicity of your techniques. You didn’t even use a bench scraper or a banneton for proofing. I’m kind of a minimalist and wouldn’t want to buy them if I don’t have to. If I can manage to shape the dough over the bowl the way you do, with the assistance of oils and flour, can I get away without having to buy a bench scraper? Although it might be difficult for you to answer, can I get away without using one in recipes with other hydrations (lower or higher) too? I also have a quartz countertop and am afraid to scratch it with the bench scraper. Is there a huge difference in the outcome if I use the bench scraper or a banneton? On another note, despite the texture and crust coming out good, I would like the bread to be a bit more sour. I followed the steps of your recipe closely. Can you tell me at which step I can alter a bit to increase the sourness of the bread? Or, if I have a 100% hydration starter, how can I alter that to increase the sourness? What ratio of feeding should I change it to to increase sourness? Thank you so much.
I’m so glad you found success with my simple recipe, Barbara! I’m with you, the less gadgets the better. 🙂
I actually do have a bench scraper and hardly ever use it, lol!
However, they aren’t that expensive and don’t take up a lot of room, so if you want to try for other recipes you may want to. You can shape with a scraper on a large wooden cutting board, too, if you don’t want to use your counter.
I’ve never wanted to use a banneton – it seems to add another step and a way that may deflate my dough as I flip it to put it into the pot. I prefer parchment handles. Some people like to “graduate” to that because they like the design it makes on the top or is just a fun thing they want to try. You’ve found out it’s not necessary. 🙂
As for increasing the sourness, there are a few things you can do. First, lower your hydration to closer to 75%. Do this by feeding less water to flour ratio, for example 1 cup of flour to just 3/4 cup water. Thicker starters tend to be more sour.
Second thing to try is to let your bread rise longer – overnight refrigerator rises also increase the sourness.
Hopefully these things will help!
Thank you Jami for the advice and for keeping it simple yet delicious! I’ll give those tips a try to better my starter.
My husband and I have made hundreds of loaves of bread over the last 25 years . . . honestly this knocked our socks off!
The tutorial video was critical; I encourage everyone to watch it. The dough feels different and loose and the video helped me to feel like I was still doing it right 🙂
Many sourdough recipes require an overnight rise and this one was able to be started after breakfast and enjoyed at dinner-total plus! Also, many recipes are for two loaves and I really wanted a one loaf recipe-double plus!
Thank you for my new favorite bread recipe.
Wow, really honored with this review, Kellie – thank you so much!
I’m also really glad to know the video was helpful.
Yesterday was my second try at sourdough bread. It was absolute perfection. I knew what I needed to do this time. You truly need to be a scientist to figure this out. Each person has their own way of making sourdough bread. From beginning to end I made small changes. I also placed a much larger pan of water in the bottom of the oven and I put the foil tent over the cast iron skillet I had heated. Placed dough on parchment when I shaped it in a small skillet. The entire loaf was the same color after baking. It has the holes in the bread but not too many. Thank you for your help with this.
Wonderful, Dawn! So glad you figured out what works for you.
Thank you for your helpful post.
I’m new to sourdough baking and was having a little trouble with my rise. Your instruction got me there. My bread was delicious and beautiful.
SO glad it was helpful, Dandre!
The bottom crust was perfect. But the top crust seemed too over done. The rest was really good. You’ve already read my email. I checked the internal temperature to make sure it was 190 degrees. I put it back in the oven for six more minutes. I did use the honey. How can I get a nice crust for the entire loaf?
Hi there,
This is my third time making this recipe…
I’m using a fairly we dough…i
So it seems like I should be cooking it for quite a bit longer based of the color and touch after the 30 minutes. Does this sound likely due to high moisture??
Could be. I just let it bake more if it seems it needs it.
I used your recipe for the first time last week after soo
seeing soooo many complicated recipes online, waaay too complicated for a first timer. So I googled ‘simple sourdough recipe’ and voila!! I made 2 sourdough loaves on the same day using your recipes – 1 plain & the other with a cinnamon raisin twist. Both came out perfectly – and that was just from following your recipe (I had issues loading the video).
Thank you soo much!!
P.S I didn’t have a Dutch oven so I used one of my rectangular Pyrex glass dishes with A lid & got a pretty good crust.
Wonderful, Tsue! I’m glad to know about your baking tip, too – thanks for sharing.
This was my first try at sourdough. Your video and instructions are so easy to follow. I need to let my starter set longer before using it. I also learned it truly is a very wet dough. Need to add a little more flour in the mixer while kneading. I used the tester to be sure it reached 190 degrees in the center. I’m happy with how it turned out. I bake my great aunt’s bread each week. It makes two large loaves. It is quicker and easier. But the sourdough is worth the effort.
I’m so glad this was helpful and totally agree – sourdough is special. 🙂
Hi Jami – my last few loaves seem to “shrink” on the bottom of the loaf once it cools. The top still looks amazing but around the bottom of the loaf is looks like little tiny pockets in the bread HELP???
I’ve never experienced this, Sandra, in fact I have a hard time picturing what you’re talking about.
Maybe shape your loaf a little more aggressively with oiled hands?
I have been making sourdough for years, but this is actually the 1st time I have baked it in our dutch oven. It was so good. I used 2 cups of whole wheat flour and 1 cup of unbleached flour. Thanks for sharing.
Sounds delicious, Doug – thanks for the review!!
Perfect every time! I’ve tried the more complicated recipes but this one wins hands down!
I’m so glad – thanks for reviewing!
Thank you for the video. I have tried once making a sourdough bread using other method online, it was good but not risen as much. I now think it might be my starter which was not strong enough And resting it in the fridge. I will try your method. My question is do you have pizza dough using sourdough starter? Other comment is that I wish I watched your video before I purchased all the special equipments I thought I need. 🙂
MJ
I don’t have a pizza dough recipe yet. I’m still experimenting with something we like. 🙂
I think you may be right about why your bread didn’t rise – hope this recipe gives you the results you want!
Thank you for this recipe and for the great tips! I had almost given up on sourdough after working on it for months. Then I found your website and gave this one a try. I have made it several times with success using my whole spelt starter. My family loves it. The video was a huge help even though I don’t have a stand mixer and knead by hand.
Yay – so happy to read this, Leah!! Thanks so much for leaving your review. 🙂
Used this recipe and it was the best-looking and best-tasting boule I’ve made so far. Thank you!!
Great to hear!
Thank you much to sharing it! It did take me 3 hours to finish but my family love it taste much.
Glad this was worth it for you!
Hi, I was wondering why it looks like the dough doesn’t stick to you fingers/hands when folding or shaping. It always sticks to my hands.
Did you watch the video? I explain how to work with the sticky dough there.
It came out so great! It’s easy to follow. Thank you much for sharing this post
Great, Lisa – glad to hear it!