This sourdough bread without a scale is perfect for beginner sourdough bakers. This recipe is easy to follow and great if you’re just getting started on your sourdough journey.
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First of all, I know bakers reading this are raising their pitchforks. What do you mean don’t weigh your ingredients?! I do want to clarify that weighing your ingredients is the most accurate way to make sourdough. BUT if you are new to sourdough baking, you may not be fully invested in equipment like a scale yet.
This is an easy beginner sourdough recipe that anyone can follow. Some of my family’s other favorite sourdough recipes are these sourdough discard oatmeal cookies and basil sourdough bread.
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💭 Why you’ll love this recipe
This is an easy sourdough recipe for beginners who don’t have a scale yet.
🧂Ingredients needed
For this recipe, you will need:
- Active sourdough starter: You will need a strong, active sourdough starter that has been fed. If you haven’t made sourdough before then be sure to check out how to make sourdough starter with blueberries.
- Warm water: If possible, use filtered water.
- Salt: You can use finely ground sea salt or regular salt.
- Bread flour: Use a high quality brand of bread flour. I prefer King Arthur’s bread flour or my local grocery store’s baker’s bread flour. Be sure to measure your flour accurately. Fluff your flour then level it off with a butter knife.
🥖 Variations
Try adding some nuts or sesame seeds on top of your loaf.
🔪 Equipment needed
You will need a Dutch oven for this recipe. I recommend getting a cast iron Dutch oven or dedicating one to your sourdough baking. Sourdough usually needs to be baked at 450 to 500 degrees which will cause wear and tear to enamel Dutch ovens.
⏲️ Recipe instructions (step by step guide)
In a glass or metal bowl, combine the active starter with the water. Mix together until well combined (image 1).
Next add in the bread flour and salt. Mix with a large spoon or by hand until well combined (image 2).
Cover with a damp tea towel and let rest for one hour (image 3).
Next, uncover your dough and stretch it. I like to run my hands under the sink and do this with wet fingers to make it easy. Stretch about six folds. Shape back into a round or oval shape then cover. Let it rise for 6 to 8 hours (image 4).
Once the dough has risen (image 5), lightly shape and score it. Dust the top with a little bread flour (image 6).
Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. You can sprinkle corn meal under your loaf or you can also line your dutch oven with several sheets of parchment paper. If using parchment paper, make sure it is rated for high temperature use.
Bake for 15 minutes at 500 degrees with the Dutch oven lid on. Carefully remove the lid and reduce the heat down to 450 degrees. Bake for 25 more minutes.
👩🏻🍳 Tips
- Make sure your oven is fully preheated to 500 degrees before baking your bread.
- Using a scale gives you the most accurate amounts so without one be sure you take time to measure your flour correctly. Fluff your flour with a spoon then add it to your measuring cup. Level it off with a butter knife. Do not scoop directly from the canister or flour bag as it’ll pack too much flour in your cup.
Recipe FAQs
Store leftover bread at room temperature in a paper bag or in a plastic food storage bag.
You can double wrap your sourdough bread in plastic food storage wrap or aluminum foil and freeze for up to two months as well.
Make sure your starter is fed and very strong before using it to bake with.
Bread flour is the best for baking sourdough. The high protein will help build the bread’s gluten structure.
Other sourdough recipes:
If you tried this Sourdough Bread Without a Scale or any other recipe on my site, please leave a ⭐ rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. I would love to hear from you!
Sourdough Bread Without a Scale
Equipment
- Dutch oven see notes
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cup warm water
- ½ cup active sourdough starter
- 4 cups bread flour plus 2 tablespoons
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
Instructions
For the dough
- In a glass or metal bowl, combine the active starter with the water. Mix together until well combined.
- Next add in the bread flour and salt. Mix with a large spoon or by hand until well combined.
- Cover with a damp tea towel and let rest for one hour.
- Next, uncover your dough and stretch it. I like to run my hands under the sink and do this with wet fingers to make it easy. Stretch about six folds. Shape back into a round or oval shape then cover. Let it rise for 6 to 8 hours.
- Once the dough has risen, lightly shape and score it. Dust the top with a little bread flour (about a tablespoon or two).
To bake
- Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. You can sprinkle corn meal under your loaf or you can use parchment paper (make sure it is high temperature rated).
- Bake for 15 minutes at 500 degrees with the Dutch oven lid on. Carefully remove the lid and reduce the heat down to 450 degrees. Bake for 25 more minutes.
Deanna M says
This was my first time trying to make sour dough bread from starter. It rose! It’s a bit heavier than I would have liked, but I was afraid to let it rise longer because I didn’t want it to fall. I’ll let it rise longer next time. I am very happy with the recipe. 🙂 I used a small cast iron skillet and covered the dough with tin foil for the second portion of baking. Thank you for guiding me to the success of my first sour dough loaf!
Audrey Wood says
I am so happy to hear this! I hope you enjoy your homemade sourdough bread.
Deanna M says
LOL. Turns out I covered the loaf in reverse of the recipe. I was going from memory. But, it didn’t make a difference. The loaf turned out great anyway.
CAS says
Hi! I read instructions about the flour AFTER! Mine seemed very dense, will it still work?
Audrey Wood says
Hi CAS, did it rise OK?
Carla says
Audrey Thank you so much for this recipe! I used my old Emile Henry ceramic Dutch oven and it worked beautifully with cornmeal under the dough (because my parchment paper wasn’t rated at that high a temperature-thank you for that tip) Used KA bread flour. I was worried at the looseness of the dough and pretty certain I was going to get a cracker, but the oven spring was amazing and I was so pleased-I have already shared this recipe! Again many thanks!
Audrey says
Carla, I’m so glad you liked it! Happy baking 🙂
Simone says
I agree I just loved this recipe and it’s the best one I’ve made so far,and I’ve made quite a few! We were at my dad’s and I didn’t have my scale so I used this recipe! Everyone agreed it was amazing ! He’s at a higher elevation so I’m wondering how that may have factored in to the result.
Audrey says
I’m so glad you liked it and you could bake it at your dad’s house 🙂
Jackie S says
This was my first bout with sourdough and this recipe was super easy and provided helpful notes! Will definitely use this recipe again!
Jennifer Mackenzie says
Super easy recipe. We will see how my first ever loaf turns out! The recipe just says one round of stretch and folds…I’m so used to seeing it needs to be done like 4 -6 times. But one round should be ok?
Julia says
Can you let the dough rise overnight and be the next day?
Audrey says
Yes, I do that all the time. You can let it rise overnight then bake in the morning.