Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread

Slices of sourdough bread on a wooden cutting board.

This Dutch oven sourdough bread recipe is the easiest way to get a delicious boule of traditional sourdough bread. Perfect for beginners!

5 from 12 votes

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Course: Bread, Sourdough

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dutch oven, dutch oven recipes, how to make sourdough, leftover sourdough bread recipes, Sourdough, Sourdough Bread, Sourdough Recipes

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 45

Rising time: 1

Total Time: 1 1

Servings: slices

Calories: 159kcal

Author: Dolly | Little Home in the Making

Equipment

Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed baker with a lid
Large bowl
Digital scale (recommended)
Bread lame razor, or sharp knife
Parchment paper or silicone bread sling
Dough whisk (optional)
Proofing basket (or bowl lined with parchment paper)

Ingredients

▢ 100 grams active sourdough starter* about 1 cup
▢ 300 grams warm water** about 1 ¼ cup
▢ 500 grams flour all-purpose or bread flour*** (about 4 cups)
▢ 10 grams salt about 1 ¾ teaspoons
▢ 3-4 ice cubes

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Forming the Dough

Add the water to a large mixing bowl, along with the active sourdough starter. Whisk the water and starter together until “milky”.
Add the salt and all-purpose flour to the bowl and stir together until a shaggy dough forms. I like to use a Danish dough whisk for this, but you can use a regular wooden spoon, then bring it together with your hands as the dough becomes increasingly sticky.
Once everything is mixed together, cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap. Allow to rest for 30 minutes.

Stretch and Folds

After the 30 minutes have passed it’s time to start the stretch and folds. This helps to build dough strength without kneading.
Remove the covering from the bowl. Wet your hands with some water (this prevents the dough from sticking to your hands), then pick up one corner of the dough, and stretch it up and over so it folds over the dough. Repeat this process 4-6 times in a clockwise motion, turning the bowl, picking up a section, and folding it over.
Once you’ve finished the stretch and folds, cover the bowl tightly and allow it to rest for another 30 minutes.
Repeat the stretch and fold process 3-4 times (for a total of 4-5 sessions).
Note: Each stretch and fold session you will notice the dough becoming stronger and you’ll be able to pull the dough further. The gluten is being developed through this process. You will know the dough is ready for its bulk rise when the dough is soft, smooth, and pliable.

Bulk rise

Once the stretch and folds have been completed, place the dough on the counter, and cover for about 8-12 hours, or until the dough has almost doubled in size. This is the bulk rise (also known as the bulk ferment).
After the dough has roughly doubled in size, prepare a proofing basket (AKA banneton) by generously flouring the basket. You can use all-purpose flour or rice flour for this step. If you don’t have a proofing basket, you can use a large bowl lined with crumpled parchment paper. Set the prepared basket aside.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
Flatten out the dough and roll the dough up while folding in the sides until it resembles a round or oval shape (depending on the shape of your banneton or proofing basket).
Place the dough (smooth side down) into your proofing basket. Cover and place it in the fridge for 8 hours (or for up to 48 hours). This is known as cold proofing, and can give the bread better oven-spring.

Final Proofing and Baking

At the 8-hour mark, remove the dough from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature (this will take about 2 hours).
Prepare your oven by removing all but 1 rack from the oven. Place the remaining oven rack in the bottom groove.
Place your Dutch oven in the oven on the bottom rack.
About 45 minutes before your dough is ready to bake (1 hour 15 minutes after pulling it from the fridge), preheat the oven to 450ºF (232ºC) with your Dutch oven inside the oven (preheating the baking vessel gives the finished bread better oven-spring).
Approximately 10 minutes before you’re ready to bake, turn the dough out onto a silicone bread mat or a piece of parchment paper.
Using a bread lame, razor, or sharp knife, make a cut (slash) in the middle of the boule, and one curved cut on the left side. This is called scoring the dough, and it helps control the shape of the bread and allows it to rise evenly during baking.
Place the dough into the Dutch oven, then add 3-4 ice cubes around the perimeter, and cover with a lid. This will create steam and moisture, helping the dough to rise and create a slightly softer crust (compared to baking without steam).
Bake at 450ºF (232ºC) for 25 minutes with the lid on.
After 25 minutes, remove the lid, reduce the heat to 375ºF (190ºC), and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until the bread reaches an internal temperature of 200-205ºF (93-96ºC).
Carefully remove the bread from the Dutch oven and place it on a cooling rack. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes (but 2+ hours is ideal for texture) before slicing and serving.

Notes

If you don't already have one, I have a post that shows you how to make sourdough starter at home.

Storage: Wrap leftover sourdough bread tightly with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days (or in the refrigerator for 4 days). For longer storage, slice, wrap, and place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months, and remove each slice as you need it. Thaw if desired, or toast from frozen.

*What is considered an active sourdough starter? You will want to use sourdough starter that has been fed in the past 12-24 hours, and is at its peak as far as rise goes. That means your starter should have at least doubled its original size - once it doubles, this is considered the “peak” and it is the ideal time to use your starter. If desired, you can prepare a levain 4-12 hours in advance (depending on the ambient temperature of your home) by combining 20 grams of starter, 40 grams of flour, and 40 grams of warm water. Once it doubles, you’re ready to start your loaf.

Can I use a float test? Some bakers use a float test to determine if their sourdough starter is ready to make bread. Experienced bakers often say that this test is unreliable, but it is something that is commonly practiced. I personally measure my starter and wait for it to double, but you can perform a float test by adding a spoonful of starter to a jar (or glass) filled with room temperature water. If it floats, your starter is bubbly and active - if it sinks, it either needs to be fed, or you need to wait for it to rise (if it was recently fed).

**Water temperature: You want your water to be either room temperature, or a little on the warmer side. 80-85ºF (27-29ºC) is a good choice.

***What kind of flour is best? This recipe has been tested with both all-purpose and bread flour. Both work great, and you shouldn’t have any issues using all-purpose. That being said, you’ll get the best rise and texture from bread flour if you have some available to you. You can also make your own bread flour by adding 20 grams of vital wheat gluten (AKA gluten flour) to every 500 grams of all-purpose flour. Whisk or sift to combine the two, then use in place of bread flour.

Additional tips:

Be patient. Sourdough bread takes a lot longer than breads made with store-bought yeast.
Be sure to measure your dough using a digital scale; it is the most accurate way to make sourdough bread. Measuring the flour with cups isn’t as reliable, and can cause your dough to have either too much or too little flour, depending on many factors (humidity, style of measuring, type of flour, etc).
Cold or hot weather can affect the rise time. You will notice faster proofing times when it is warm, and slower ones when your home is cool.
Ensure your starter is active; you should see lots of bubbles and activity. Use it once it has reached its peak, which is when it has roughly doubled in size.

Nutrition