Quick Sourdough Bread

My recent Instagram post mentioned my new quicker method of making sourdough bread and several readers commented and sent direct messages asking for more information. I realize now that I should have written this post before posting on Instagram so I wouldn’t keep you waiting! I’m so sorry I left you hanging and wondering! I honestly didn’t realize there would be so much interest!

Sourdough Process

I’ve been making sourdough bread weekly (or more) for over a year and my biggest frustration is how long the process takes. The method I learned involved feeding and activating the starter (taking 4-7 hours), doing two stretch + folds, and bulk fermenting (3-6 hours). Then … laminating (twice) + shaping dough, cold proofing in bannetons, baking. All this took two days of fussing with the dough. IYKYK. It is a lot!

Game Changing Sourdough Bread

At first, I was skeptical. Would the bread would taste as good and rise the same? With simple directions and a less time-consuming method, I couldn’t imagine the results would be as delicious. I am confirming this method is a win!

Quick Sourdough Bread Recipe

Your wait is over! Here’s the recipe and instructions to get your sourdough bread in the oven quicker!

Easy Sourdough Bread

Less Steps. Delicious Bread!

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Equipment

Dutch oven
Mixing Bowl
Parchment paper

Instructions

1. Combine Ingredients
2. Give dough a light mix
3. Cover dough
4. Leave at room temperature for 8-21 hours
5. Form the dough
6. Let it rest one more hour covered
7. Bake & Eat!

Ingredients

125 grams active bubbly starter
12 grams salt
350 grams water
500 grams high quality bread flour (like Red Mill or King Arthur)
12 grams fine sea salt
Note: IF you are confident in the strength of your starter you can use unfed, runny-discard instead of fed, bubbly, active starter (but do it at your own risk!

Instructions

In a bowl, combine water, starter, salt. MIX. Then add the flour and barely mix together until there are no dry spots in the dough. DO NOT knead dough.
Cover dough with a lid (a plate works well) and let dough sit at room temperature for 9-12 hours or overnight. I usually mix the dough up just after dinner and then bake the next morning.
After 9-12 hours on the counter, PREHEAT a dutch oven inside your oven at 450 degrees for 30-60 minutes. Use a pizza stone under the dutch oven so the bottom of the bread doesn't get too crusty and overcooked.
Immediately after you preheat the oven, dump the dough onto a clean and lightly floured surface.
Tuck, stretch, or roll the dough into a smooth ball. Pushing and pulling the dough in a circular motion helps shape it.
Transfer the dough ball to a piece of parchment paper and cover dough with upside down bowl used to make the dough.
Let dough rest under bowl for one hour (while oven heats)
Remove bowl covering and lightly dust dough with flour. Using a sharp blade, score the dough so the steam has somewhere to escape. Scoring helps give the dough a direction to rise.
Transfer parchment paper with dough on top into a hot dutch oven. Cover with lid and put in oven.
Reduce heat to 400 degrees and bake, covered for 40 minutes.
Remove lid and let the crust golden for 3-5 additional minutes.
Remove bread from oven and put it on cooling rack. Let it cool for one hour before slicing. (slicing while warm will make the bread gummy)

Notes

Round parchment paper for use with air fryers works great in the place of parchment sheets.
If baking two loaves of bread – keep dutch oven lid in the oven for the last 3-5 minutes of baking – to keep it hot.

Keyword bread, Easy, sourdough

You’re welcome!