Print

Easy Dutch Oven Sourdough Sandwich Bread for Beginners

Close-up of the open crumb structure of a freshly baked sourdough bread loaf.
Print Recipe
Save Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

This beginner-friendly recipe shows you how to bake soft, fluffy sourdough sandwich bread using a Dutch oven. Achieve a sliceable loaf without an overnight wait.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 100g active sourdough starter
  • 350g warm water
  • 500g bread flour
  • 10g fine sea salt

Instructions

  1. Mix the active starter and warm water in a large bowl until combined.
  2. Add the flour and salt to the wet mixture. Mix by hand until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains.
  3. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
  4. Perform four sets of stretch and folds, spaced 30 minutes apart. To do this, wet your hands, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up gently, and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl and repeat three more times.
  5. After the final set of folds, let the dough rest, covered, for 1 hour.
  6. Gently shape the dough into a tight boule or oval loaf suitable for your proofing basket.
  7. Place the shaped dough seam-side up in a floured proofing basket. Cover the basket with plastic wrap or a damp cloth.
  8. Allow the dough to bulk ferment at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours, or until it has increased in volume by about 30-50% and shows some bubbles. (For a same-day loaf, avoid long cold fermentation.)
  9. Preheat your oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit (260 degrees Celsius) with your Dutch oven inside for at least 45 minutes.
  10. Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven. Gently turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper. Score the top of the loaf with a sharp blade if desired.
  11. Using the parchment paper as a sling, carefully lower the dough into the hot Dutch oven. Cover with the lid.
  12. Bake covered for 20 minutes.
  13. Reduce the oven temperature to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (232 degrees Celsius). Remove the lid and continue baking for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown.
  14. Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. This step is important for a non-gummy crumb.

Notes

  • Use bread flour for the best structure when aiming for sliceable sandwich bread.
  • Ensure your sourdough starter is active and bubbly before you begin mixing the dough.
  • If you prefer a longer, more developed flavor, you can cold proof the shaped dough in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours after the initial bulk fermentation. Adjust baking time slightly if baking cold.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://miameal.com/easy-dutch-oven-sourdough-bread-recipe/