EASY NO KNEAD SOURDOUGH BREAD FOR BEGINNERS

If you have been wanting to try making bread at home but fear it might be too difficult or complicated, then you need this easy no knead sourdough bread recipe! With just a few simple ingredients and minimal effort, you can enjoy fresh, homemade sourdough bread!

I love that this recipe is relatively hands off for the most part and I find it is extremely forgiving. Even if the ratio is slightly off, you still get a decent looking loaf of bread. There are also so many health benefits to sourdough breadEven if the ratio is slightly off, you still get a decent looking loaf of bread. There are also so many health benefits to sourdough bread, such as helping to keep your blood sugars level, more stable, eating bread without or with minimal digestive problems.

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WHAT YOU WILL NEED

• Active sourdough starter
• All purpose flour
• Fine sea salt
• Water
• A large bowl
• A large bowl with a lid (or you can use a towel to cover it)
• A Dutch oven
• Parchment paper
• Measuring cups and spoons

STEPS TO MAKE NO KNEAD SOURDOUGH BREAD

START BY FEEDING YOUR STARTER

Your starter is composed of all purpose flour, and water that ferment together to form a wild yeast. I use a no discard sourdough starter. Which means essentially that I feed my starter just enough for me to have for my next loaf of bread and I’m not left with extra starter that I need to either dump or use up. Since I don’t make bread every day, I place it in the fridge when I’m not using it and simply take it out the day before I’m planning on making bread.

I feed my sourdough starter with 3 tablespoons of all purpose flour and 2 tablespoons of water. I will feed my starter once the night before I make my bread and then again one more time in the morning before I start.

You want the starter to be the consistency of a thick paste. Set it in a warm place somewhere in the house and allow it to rise for at least two to three hours. This time period will vary depending on how warm your house is or where you place your sourdough starter. Sometimes if I’m in a rush and I’d like for my starter to rise quicker, I will either put it by the window in a sunny spot or in the oven with the light on. Just be careful not to allow it to rise too much because it can rise quicker than expected and start to drop and lose its power. You’re looking for a strong bubbly starter when you’re ready to make your bread.

MIX YOUR INGREDIENTS TOGETHER

In the large bowl place 1 1/2 cups of water and about 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of fine sea salt. Mix the two together until the salt is completely dissolved.

Then add about a 1/2 cup of the active, bubbly starter and combine it until it is mostly incorporated. Add 2 cups of all purpose, flour and start mixing it until most of the flour is hydrated and then add the additional 2 cups of flour. I like to use a spatula for this process and find that towards the end, a folding motion helps mix the flour and the water better together. Keep mixing and folding in the flour until you don’t see any loose flour at the bottom of the bowl.

There will be some dry spots, but don’t worry. Cover your dough and allow it to rest for about 20 minutes. This process is called autolyse, gluten bonds start to form, and the dough gets a smoother texture and is strengthened overall.

STRETCH AND FOLD

Hold the dough from one end and stretch it up, then fold it over itself. Turn the bowl 90° and repeat this another 2 to 3 times. Cover the dough and let it rest for 15 minutes. You will do this whole process a total of three times, allowing the dough to rest for 15 minutes each time. With each session of stretching, folding the dough and allowing it to rest, you are strengthening your dough.

These sessions give your loaf more shape and enable it to withstand the pressure from the gas that is emitted from the sourdough starter.

BULK FERMENTATION

This step is also known as the second rise or primary fermentation. After the third stretch and fold session, transfer the dough to another bowl that’s been lined with parchment paper. Cover the dough and let it rise for 2 to 3 hours or until it has puffed up. Again, the time will vary depending on how warm your house is.

If you’re not planning on baking your bread the same day, you can place the dough in the fridge for a slow rise overnight. In the morning, take it out of the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature for about an hour and then you can bake it as normal.

BAKE THE BREAD

About 30 minutes before the end of the bulk fermentation, when the dough has risen, place a Dutch oven or heavy pot with a lid inside the oven to heat up. Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C), if you are using a convection oven drop the temperature to 425°F (218°C).

Once the Dutch oven and your oven are heated up, carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven. Using the parchment paper, lift the dough and place it into the Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and bake for 20-25 minutes.

After 20 minutes, remove the lid, drop the oven temperature to 425°F (218°C) or 400°F (204°C) and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown.

COOL AND ENJOY

Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing. This allows the crust to set and the interior to finish cooking. You also don’t lose most of the moisture that is trapped inside the bread.

I really hope you give this easy no knead sourdough bread recipe a try! You will see it’s so simple and such a great way to start discovering the amazing world of sourdough!