Easy Sourdough Bread for Busy Folks
No weighing and hardly any kneading. This is the sourdough schedule that works around your day instead of against it.
- Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Fermenting Time: 8 to 10 hours
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: about 24 hours, mostly hands off
- Yield: 1 loaf
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 cup active sourdough starter
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
Day 1, evening
- Mix. Combine the starter, water, salt, and flour in a large bowl. Stir until it comes together.
- Rest. Cover and let the dough rest 30 minutes.
- Stretch and fold. Every 30 minutes for the next 2 hours, stretch and fold the dough right in the bowl. It only takes a minute each time.
- Bulk ferment. Cover and let the dough rise 8 to 10 hours. This is perfect overnight. Go to bed, or put it in the refrigerator if you will not bake until later the next day.
Day 2, afternoon
- Shape and rest. Take the dough out of the refrigerator, shape it, and let it rise 1 to 2 hours.
- Bake. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Bake 20 minutes with the lid on, then 25 minutes uncovered.
Notes
I feed my starter in the morning and leave it out for the day, then start the dough when I get home.
Sometimes I double the recipe. It is just as easy to make two loaves.