Sourdough Bread

🍞✨ Homemade Sourdough Bread — Rustic, Chewy, and Totally Worth It

Crispy crust, chewy center, and that tangy flavor we all dream about — this sourdough bread is the loaf that will make you feel like a rockstar baker!

Bread is one of those magical foods that feels both humble and extraordinary. It’s flour, water, salt, and starter — that’s it. Four ingredients, and yet the result is something that can make your whole kitchen smell like heaven. Sourdough bread, in particular, has this almost mystical quality. It’s rustic, it’s chewy, it’s tangy, and it’s the kind of bread that makes you want to tear off a piece with your hands and eat it while it’s still warm.

But here’s the thing: sourdough doesn’t have to be intimidating. Yes, it takes time. Yes, it requires a little patience. But the process is actually simple, and the reward is so worth it. Once you bake your first loaf, you’ll wonder why you ever bought bread at the store.

This sourdough bread is:

Crispy and golden on the outside.
Soft and chewy on the inside.
Naturally leavened with wild yeast (no commercial yeast needed).
Healthy and wholesome — easier to digest thanks to fermentation.
Perfect for everything — toast, sandwiches, soups, or just butter and jam.

💬 Reader prompt: Are you a “tear off a hunk and eat it plain” bread person, or do you immediately reach for butter?

Now keep in mind I am definitely a novice at this and I definitely read all the thing and try to do better each week. I’ve been pretty lucky so far. First, I got my start from a friend who I talk to daily gives me advice.

A few Facebook groups that are great to follow are Sourdough Bread Baking and Sourdough discard. These have been very informative and I have been reading all the things and the suggestions.

I’ve been trying to get the right crumb, and someone suggested it had to be at least 75% hydration in order to get the big air holes and maybe be a little more gentle when shaping after the bulk rise.

To help with the hydration my friend send me the link to a bread calculator which helped me to figure out my hydration. Anyways this was my recipe and method, but again, not a professional just trying to learn. Maybe you can learn with me or give me suggestions!

Ingredients

Makes one loaf

525 grams Bread Flour
381 grams filtered water
12 grams salt
100 grams start (100% hydration)

Directions

Mix together stir together start and warm water. Then slowly mix in flour and salt until well mixed.
Once mixed, put the dough in a greased (I used olive oil) straight edged container, cover with saran wrap or a lid.
Every 30 minutes do the stretch and folds, and do this 4 or 5 times. When I finish doing the stretch and folds, I cover and put in a cooler room or the garage and let it rise over night, this weekend I did 9 hours. It totally depends on your room temperature. They say to wait until it doubles in size, I like to do a little less, because under-proofed in better than over-proofed in my opinion.
Then I shape into a round loaf, place in a tea towel, lightly coated with rice flour, then let it sit while the oven heats up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit on convection if you have it. I put a baking stone down and then my Lodge Dutch Oven on top and let them heat up with the oven.
Once the oven reaches temperature, gently flip the loaf out of the bowl onto parchment paper. Then score the top of the loaf and place in the Dutch oven with 1 cube of ice and cover. Bake for 15 minutes at 500, then lower the temperature to 450 for 15 minutes.
After that pull the bread out of the Dutch oven and place it on the baking stone to brown up at 425. They say the perfect internal temperature is 208 degrees. I just bake until it’s good and brown on the outside, usually around 15 to 20 minutes.
Wait at least an hour to cut and enjoy!

🔢 Calorie Count (Per Slice, ~12 slices per loaf)

Calories: ~160
Protein: 5g
Carbs: 32g
Fat: 0.5g
Fiber: 2g
Sodium: 240mg

🥕 Nutritional Facts & Fun

Fermentation: Makes bread easier to digest and may lower gluten content.
Starter: Packed with wild yeast and beneficial bacteria.
Flour: Provides carbs for energy + protein for structure.
Salt: Enhances flavor and strengthens gluten.
Water: Hydration = open crumb and chewy texture.

💬 Reader prompt: Do you love your sourdough with big airy holes, or do you prefer a tighter crumb for sandwiches?

👩‍🍳 Cooking Tips

Starter Health: Make sure your starter is bubbly and active before baking.
Hydration: Wet dough = open crumb. Don’t be afraid of sticky dough!
Scoring: Use a sharp razor or lame to score — it controls the rise.
Steam: Baking in a Dutch oven traps steam for that perfect crust.
Patience: Let bread cool before slicing to avoid gummy texture.

🔄 Recipe Variations

Whole Wheat Sourdough: Swap 100 g flour for whole wheat.
Seeded Loaf: Add sesame, sunflower, or flax seeds.
Herb & Garlic: Mix in roasted garlic and fresh rosemary.
Cheddar Jalapeño: Fold in shredded cheese and diced jalapeños.
Sweet Twist: Add cinnamon and raisins for breakfast bread.

💬 Reader prompt: Which version would you try first — seeded, cheesy, or sweet?

🧒 Kid Tips

Let kids help with the stretch and fold (they’ll love the squishy dough).
Serve slices with Nutella or peanut butter for instant approval.
Make mini sourdough rolls for lunchboxes.
Call it “magic bread” to make it sound extra fun.

🛒 Grocery Hacks

Flour: Buy in bulk — it’s cheaper and you’ll use it often.
Salt: Kosher salt works best for consistency.
Dutch Oven: If you don’t have one, use a heavy oven‑safe pot with lid.
Starter: If you don’t have one, ask a friend or local bakery — sourdough people love to share!
Storage: Freeze slices for easy toast anytime.

💬 Reader prompt: Do you keep a sourdough starter alive year‑round, or do you bake in “seasons”?

🎯 Reader Challenge

This week, I challenge you to bake your own Sourdough Bread and share it with someone outside your household — a neighbor, a teacher, a friend. Post your creation with #LouLouGirlsSourdoughLove so we can all cheer each other on.

🥪 Leftover Remix

Sourdough Croutons: Cube and toast with olive oil and herbs.
Sourdough French Toast: Thick slices dipped in custard and fried.
Sourdough Grilled Cheese: The ultimate comfort food.
Sourdough Breadcrumbs: Pulse in a food processor for coating chicken or casseroles.
Sourdough Pizza Crust: Use slices as a base for mini pizzas.

💬 Reader prompt: Would you rather turn leftovers into croutons or French toast?

💭 Final Thoughts

This Sourdough Bread is proof that simple ingredients can create something magical. It’s rustic, chewy, and versatile enough to be a weeknight staple or a holiday centerpiece. Plus, it’s the kind of recipe that makes everyone smile — and isn’t that the best kind of baking?

Here’s the thing about sourdough — it’s never just bread. It’s the smell of dough rising on your counter, the joy of scoring a loaf before baking, the comfort of pulling a golden boule out of the oven.

And this sourdough bread? It’s a keeper. It’s chewy, it’s tangy, it’s the perfect balance of rustic and refined. It’s the kind of recipe that makes you feel like you’ve unlocked the secret to bakery‑quality bread at home.

But what I love most is how recipes like this bring us together. Food has that magic — it’s not just about eating, it’s about sharing. It’s about swapping tips, laughing over sticky dough hands, and building little traditions that make life tastier.

So here’s my challenge to you: bake this bread, share it with your people, and then tell me your twist. Did you add seeds? Did you sneak in garlic? Did you double the recipe just because you could? (No judgment — I’d be first in line for that version.)

💬 Reader prompt: Should we do a “Bread Series” next? I’m dreaming up focaccia, cinnamon rolls, and maybe even bagels.

Until then, may your loaves be golden, your crusts crispy, your crumbs chewy, and your kitchen filled with laughter, love, and second helpings. Because at the end of the day, recipes like this aren’t just about baking — they’re about celebrating the little joys that make life delicious.

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