Easy No Knead Sourdough Bread

Is there anything more satisfying than making your own bread? This easy no knead sourdough bread recipe will have you wondering why you haven’t started baking bread sooner. We use to make our own bread years ago but stopped as we didn’t really eat bread that often.

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Since we don’t eat bread every day, we will bake a loaf and cut it in slices and throw it in the freezer for future use. This bread requires very little effort. Simply mix the ingredients, let it rise and bake it the next day. Very little effort but the reward is freshly baked crispy bread.

Sourdough Bread Ingredients

Table of Contents

1 cup (227g) ripe (fed) sourdough starter
1 3/4 cups (397g) lukewarm water
5 cups (602g) Unbleached Bread Flour
1 tablespoon (18g) salt

Sourdough Bread Instructions

Sourdough Bread Baking Schedule

Friday morning: If your starter was stored in the fridge, it is time to take it out and feed your starter until bubbly and active.
Saturday: Make the dough, and let rise overnight.
Sunday Morning: Shape the dough, let rise again, score, and bake.

Make the Sourdough Bread

Mix together the sourdough starter, flour, salt and water in a large bowl with a wooden spoon or spatula. Combine until all the flour is combined and a dough forms. Make sure to fully incorporate the flour. Scape as much dough from your hands and spatula. Cover the dough and let it rest for one hour.

Shape the Sourdough

Gently fold the dough over on itself several times, cover it again, and let it rise for another hour.
Repeat the folding process one more time (for a total of 3 hours), folding it again after the last hour. Place the bowl in the refrigerator, and let the dough rest for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Sourdough Bread Second Rise

Ready to make your bread? Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and shape it into a rough ball. Leave the dough seam-side up, covered and let it rest on a floured surface for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, shape the dough to fit the vessel where you will bake your bread. I like to bake my bread in a round Dutch Oven. Put the shaped dough into the lightly greased dutch oven. Cover it with the lid.
Let the loaf sit in the dutch oven to rise and warm to room temperature; approximately 3 hours. The dough will expand.
Position the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 500°F for one hour before you’re ready to bake.

Score The Sourdough

Before baking, make sure to dust the loaf with a fine coat of flour and use a sharp knife or razor blade to make one or several 1/2” deep slashes through the top surface of the dough. You can slash a crisscross or lengthwise pattern.

Bake The Sourdough Bread

Cover with the lid and place it in the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 450°F and bake the bread for 45 minutes.
After 45 minutes, remove the lid of the dutch oven and bake the bread for 10 to 15 minutes longer, until the bread is golden brown and crusty. You can insert a digital thermometer into the center of the loaf. The ideal reading is at least 210°F.
Remove the bread from the oven and transfer it to a rack to cool completely.
If you don’t devour your warm bread, you can store leftover bread in a plastic bag at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.

Show Me Your Sourdough Bread

I hope this easy, no-knead sourdough bread inspires you to get baking. I am tempted to bake a loaf every day. If you bake a loaf of bread make sure to tag me on Instagram at @dianashealthyliving.