Okay, so let’s just start with a deep, heartfelt facepalm.
You guys. You guys.
I've told you all about my sourdough journey—every bubbly starter update, every dramatic discard experiment and every wild thing I've tried to sneak starter into. I even gave you the recipe for those sourdough discard muffins that miss Ivy loves.
But, and this is a big BUT (cue Sir Mix-a-Lot in the distance)—I somehow forgot the actual, foundational, bread-and-butter (literally) recipe.
THE SOURDOUGH BREAD ITSELF.
I forgot to give you my no knead sourdough bread recipe.
What kind of monster does that??
Honestly, I don’t even know who I am anymore. I’m like someone who invites you to a birthday party, serves only forks, and completely forgets the cake.
So, let's right this wrong. Right here. Right now. Today we’re making the easiest, no-fuss, “I literally did nothing but wait” sourdough bread you’ve ever met.
All you need is:
- Some active sourdough starter (the bubbly, happy kind, not the neglected jar in the back of the fridge with abandonment issues)
- A cast iron Dutch oven (it makes you feel like a pioneer and that’s important)
- And time. Time is the magic ingredient here. If you're impatient… I don't know, maybe make toast and come back?
Alrighty, let's bake some bread!
✨ No-Knead Sourdough Bread Recipe (AKA: The Lazy Baker's Loaf)
Ingredients:
- 50g active sourdough starter (fed and bubbly)
- 375g warm water (a little warmer than room temp, not hot tub level)
- 500g bread flour (or all-purpose in a pinch—this is a judgment-free zone)
- 10g salt (about 1 ½ tsp if you’re a rebel and hate weighing things)
🥖 Instructions:
1. Mix It, Don’t Knead It
In a large bowl, stir together the starter and warm water until it’s sort of cloudy and mixed. Add the flour and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon or your hand until it looks like a shaggy, sticky mess. If it looks like a small child tried to make playdough, you’re doing it right.
Cover it with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let it rest at room temp for 30 minutes. Go reward yourself with a snack for all your hard work.
2. Stretch & Fold (Just a Little Bit)
After the dough has rested, give it a few gentle stretch-and-folds. Imagine you’re tucking in a sleepy dough baby. Pull one side of the dough up and fold it over. Rotate the bowl and do this about 4 times. That’s it! You’ve officially exercised today.
Do this two more times over the next hour, every 30 minutes. You can skip this if you're truly embracing the lazy lifestyle, but it helps build structure.
3. Bulk Fermentation AKA The Waiting Game
Now cover your dough and let it sit at room temp for 8-12 hours. Overnight is perfect. Go to bed and let the sourdough gnomes do their magic. When you wake up, the dough should be puffed up, jiggly, and slightly domed. Like it had a really good nap.
4. Shape & Chill
Flour your countertop like you’re about to perform a sacred ritual. Gently coax the dough out onto it. Fold it into a ball (there are no grades here, just try your best) and let it rest for 20 minutes.
Then shape it into a round loaf. Place it in a floured proofing basket or a bowl lined with a floured kitchen towel. Cover it and stick it in the fridge for 1–4 hours, or up to 24. The longer it chills, the better the flavor. Kind of like soup or revenge.
5. Let’s Get Bakin’
Preheat your oven to 500°F with your Dutch oven inside. Yes, the whole Dutch oven. You want it blazing hot like a dragon’s lair.
Once your oven is ready, gently flip your dough onto parchment paper. Score the top with a razor blade or sharp knife—this is your bread's moment to shine, so give it a cool design. Or just do one big slash and call it rustic.
Carefully place the dough (on the parchment) into your Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and bake for 20 minutes. Then remove the lid, reduce the heat to 450°F and bake for another 25–30 minutes until it's golden brown and making your kitchen smell like a bakery run by angels.
Let it cool completely before slicing. I know, I know. But if you cut it too early it gets gummy. Be strong.
🧠 A Few Extra (Unsolicited) Thoughts:
- If your starter is feeling sluggish, give it a couple good feedings before using it for this recipe. You want it active and bubbly, not sleepy and moody like me before coffee.
- This bread freezes great. I slice it first, freeze the slices, and toast them straight from frozen like some kind of bread wizard.
- Want to get fancy? Add herbs, roasted garlic, cheese, olives—go nuts. It’s your bread now.
Final Thoughts From the Bread-Zoned
I honestly can’t believe I forgot to give you this recipe until now. Like… I gave you sourdough cake before I gave you actual bread. I am clearly unwell.
But hey, better late than never, right? This is your sign to finally make that loaf you’ve been threatening to try since 2020. It's chill, it’s delicious, and you don’t even have to knead anything. Honestly, it’s less of a recipe and more of a vibe.
If you make it, tag me, email me, send a carrier pigeon—I wanna see your beautiful crusty creations. And if it turns out weird? Blame the moon phase or your oven. Never yourself. That’s the sourdough way.
Now go forth and bake, my carb-loving friends.
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