Simple Farmhouse Sourdough Bread Recipe

👉 Includes my overnight option for busy schedules

There was a time when I stood in the bread aisle at the grocery store reading ingredient labels and thinking… this can’t be right.

Why does bread need this many additives? Why are there ingredients I can’t pronounce?

That was the beginning of my journey toward making a simple sourdough bread recipe I could feel good about serving.

I didn’t start baking because it was trendy. I started because I wanted simple bread. Flour. Water. Salt. Something I could feel good about feeding my family.

It took trial, error, and hundreds of loaves to refine.

There were flat loaves. Dense loaves. Loaves that looked beautiful on the outside and gummy in the middle. (I have the photos to prove it 😅)

But eventually… I pulled one perfect golden loaf out of the oven.

And after that, there was no stopping me.

I now bake around 60+ loaves a week in my home kitchen, so this isn’t just a weekend experiment — this is the method I rely on consistently.

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Simple Sourdough Bread That Actually Fits Real Life

So, if you’re looking for a simple, dependable sourdough recipe without a million complicated steps, you’re in the right place.

This is the sourdough recipe I come back to again and again. It’s made with just flour, water, salt, and sourdough starter, and it produces a loaf with a crisp crust, soft interior, and plenty of structure.

But here’s the thing I’ve learned after baking thousands of loaves:

The recipe itself isn’t the hardest part of sourdough.

It’s learning how to recognize a strong starter, understand fermentation, and know when your dough is actually ready to move to the next step.

I’ve made plenty of flat loaves, dense loaves, gummy loaves, and loaves that looked beautiful on the outside but were definitely not what I was hoping for inside. 😅

Over time, I learned that a few small changes to my process made a much bigger difference than buying another piece of equipment.

This recipe reflects the way I bake sourdough in my own kitchen today.

Before You Start: Your Starter Matters

One of the biggest changes I’ve made to my sourdough over the years is how I prepare my starter before baking.

I use a double feeding method the day before I mix my dough. Instead of feeding my starter once and using it, I feed it twice—with no discard between feedings.

The first feeding gives the starter a boost, and the second feeding builds the amount I need for baking the following morning.

For a typical home baker, the basic idea is:

First feeding: 1:1:1
Second feeding: 1:4:4
No discard between feedings

This helps me build a predictable, active starter that’s ready to go when I mix my dough.

If your starter has been sluggish, isn’t rising consistently, or you’re constantly wondering “Is my starter actually ready?”, this is something I highly recommend trying.

👉 Want to see exactly how I do my Double Feed Method? I break it down step-by-step here:

The Double Feed Method: My Sourdough Starter Prep Routine.

And if you don’t want to do the math yourself, I created a Double Feed Calculator that calculates your feedings for you.

👉 Get the Double Feed Calculator →

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🍞 Want the whole process at a glance?

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My Simple Farmhouse Sourdough Bread

This recipe makes one approximately 800g baked loaf (dough at shaping will weigh about 900g).

Ingredients

• 50g active sourdough starter
• 350g water
• 500g bread flour
• 9g fine sea salt

Hydration: ~72%

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STEP 1 — MIX THE DOUGH

Mix

Add 50g active sourdough starter and 350g water to a large mixing bowl…I love using a clear container, so you can see the rise.

Stir until the starter is mostly dispersed.

Add:

Mix until all of the flour is incorporated and there are no dry spots.

Don’t overmix. You’re not trying to develop a windowpane at this point. You simply want everything combined into a shaggy dough.

Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

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STEP 2 — STRETCH & FOLDS

Build Dough Strength

After the 30-minute rest, begin your stretch and folds.

Perform 4 sets of stretch and folds, approximately 30 minutes apart.

For each set:

1. Grab one side of the dough.
2. Gently stretch it upward.
3. Fold it over toward the center.
4. Rotate the bowl and repeat around the dough.

As you work through the sets, you’ll notice the dough becoming smoother, stronger, and more elastic.

Remember:

Your stretch-and-folds are part of bulk fermentation.

You don’t do your stretch and folds and then start your clock for bulk fermentation.

Bulk fermentation begins when you mix the dough.

That’s an important distinction—and one that causes a lot of confusion for newer bakers.

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STEP 3 — BULK FERMENTATION

Don’t Watch the Clock. Watch the Dough.

This is probably the most important part of the entire recipe.

Once you’ve finished your stretch and folds, cover the dough and let it continue fermenting at room temperature.

My ideal dough temperature during bulk fermentation is around 74–76°F.

At that temperature, my dough is typically ready to shape around the 7-hour mark, but your dough may take more or less time.

That’s why I don’t recommend using a specific number of hours as the only indicator.

Instead, look for:

• About 75-100% increase in volume
• A slightly domed surface
• Bubbles along the sides of the container
• A lighter, airier feel
• A noticeable jiggle when you move the bowl
• Dough that feels stronger and holds its structure

STEP 4 — SHAPE

Shape Your Loaf

Once your dough has reached the right stage of fermentation, gently turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. If you’re unsure of what your dough should look like, 7 hrs is a good starting point to try shaping.

I use a fairly specific shaping method because I want to create enough surface tension to encourage the loaf to rise upward rather than spread outward.

Gently stretch the dough into a triangle, with the point facing away from you.

Then:

• Fold the two bottom corners toward the center.
• Pull the top point down over those folds.
• Fold the two sides inward toward the center.
• Starting from the bottom, roll the dough up onto itself.
• Gently press out any large air pockets without compressing the dough.
• Place the dough seam-side up into a well-floured banneton.

After placing the dough in the banneton, the seam may naturally start to open because of the tension created during shaping. That’s completely normal. Wait about 15 minutes before trying to pinch the seam closed again. This gives the dough time to relax, and the seam should close and hold much better.

You can watch a demonstration of this technique below.

STEP 5 — REST + COLD PROOF

Give Your Dough Time to Develop

After placing in the banneton, I like to cover and rest the dough an additional 1-1.5 hours in the basket before moving to the fridge for overnight cold proof. So total time from mixing until the dough is put in the fridge is usually 8-8.5 hours.

(I use disposable shower caps for covers — simple and effective.)

Why cold proof?

The cold slows fermentation while allowing the dough to continue developing flavor and structure.

It also makes the dough much easier to score and transfer directly into the oven.

I bake my dough straight from the refrigerator.

No need to bring it back to room temperature.

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STEP 6 — BAKE

Bake Your Sourdough

The next day, preheat your oven to 450°F with your Dutch oven inside.

I like to preheat for 30–45 minutes so the Dutch oven is thoroughly heated.

When you’re ready to bake:

1. Remove your dough from the refrigerator.
2. Turn it onto parchment paper.
3. Score the top with a razor.
4. Carefully transfer it into the hot Dutch oven.
5. Optional: Add 1–2 ice cubes under the parchment for additional steam.

Bake:

25 minutes covered

Then remove the lid and bake for another:

15–20 minutes uncovered

You’re looking for a deeply golden-brown crust.

TIP: If your oven tends to brown the bottom of your bread too aggressively, place a sheet pan on the rack below your Dutch oven.

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STEP 7 — COOL

Please Don’t Cut It Yet. 😂

I know.

You just baked a beautiful loaf and it smells amazing.

But let it cool.

I recommend waiting at least 2 hours before slicing, and honestly, I prefer giving my loaves even longer when I have the patience.

The inside of the loaf continues to set as it cools. Cutting too soon can leave you with a gummy or compressed crumb—even if the bread was properly fermented and baked.

🌙 Overnight Option (Perfect for Busy Schedules)

Short on time during the day? You can make this dough at night instead. If you plan to mix dough at night, make sure you don’t forget to feed your starter in the morning so it’s ready to go 😉. If you’re using my Double Feed Method, you’ll prepare your starter the day before so it’s ready to mix with that evening.

This option lets you do the mixing and bulk fermentation overnight, then shape and refrigerate your dough in the morning.

Example Schedule:

• 9:00 PM – Mix dough
• 9:20 PM – Stretch & fold
• 9:50 PM – Stretch & fold
• (Optional) 10:10 PM – One more stretch & fold

👉 Two sets is perfectly fine if you’re tired
👉 Three quick sets (20 minutes apart) is ideal if you have time

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💤 Overnight Ferment

• Cover the dough and place it somewhere cool in your home
• Let it ferment overnight for 8–9 hours

Need a longer window (up to 10 hours)?
→ Use cold water when mixing

Using room temp water?
→ Stick closer to 9 hours to avoid over-fermenting

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🌅 In the Morning

• Shape the dough
• Place in a banneton
• Transfer to the fridge

Done in just a few minutes.

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❄️ Bake on Your Schedule

Your dough can now rest in the fridge until you’re ready to bake.

• 12–18 hours → Mild flavor, strong oven spring
• 24 hours → Slightly more sour, excellent structure
• 36 hours → Fuller flavor, slightly looser dough
• Up to 48 hours → Possible, but the dough may become more fragile and the results less predictable

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Tools I Personally Use

Instead of listing random equipment, here’s what I actually reach for:

• My go-to baking tools can be found in my Amazon storefront:
  👉 Amazon Store
• I also offer my own organic sourdough starter (with tips + this printed recipe included):
  👉 Organic Sourdough Starter

These are the tools I rely on week after week while baking dozens of loaves — nothing fancy, just what works.

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Final Thoughts

Sourdough doesn’t have to be complicated.

You don’t need a dozen special techniques or expensive equipment. What made the biggest difference for me was learning to understand my starter, control fermentation, and pay attention to what my dough was actually telling me.

This recipe is the foundation I use again and again—and once you get comfortable with it, you can start experimenting with different flours, inclusions, shapes, and flavors.

If you make this loaf, I’d love to see it!

Leave a rating below or drop a comment and tell me how it turned out. 🧡

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Continue Your Sourdough Journey

👉 How to Get a Better Rise in Sourdough Bread
Discover the simple changes that can dramatically improve oven spring, loaf height, and crumb structure—without changing your recipe.

👉Beginner Sourdough Mistakes: Why Your Loaf Is Flat, Dense, or Gummy (And How to Fix It)
Common reasons sourdough loaves turn out flat, dense, or gummy — and how to fix them.

👉My Exact Sourdough Baking Schedule (How I Make It Work In My Home Bakery)
See how I manage fermentation, shaping, and baking when making dozens of loaves each week.

👉Browse All Blog Posts

If you try this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a rating below ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐— it helps others and supports my small bakery.