This easy no knead, Dutch oven sourdough bread is made with just 4ingredients! You can have this incredible artisan-style sourdough bread ready to go with minimal effort. It’s moist with a crusty exterior and that signature tangy sourdough flavor.
Make sure your sourdough starter has been fed recently and is active!
Stir flour, yeast (if adding), and salt together. Add in starter and water and stir together until you have a sticky dough. Fold the dough around a few times to make sure all the ingredients are completely incorporated. Tightly cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 18-24 hours.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Place your Dutch oven in the oven as it heats up. Let it sit in the oven for at least 30 minutes.
Place a large piece of parchment paper on your counter, large enough to fit in the bottom and up the sides of your Dutch oven. Dust it with flour. Carefully remove the sourdough bread dough from the bowl and tip it onto your floured parchment paper.
Dust the dough with flour and shape into a ball. Cover dough ball with a plastic wrap or a towel and let it rest for 20-30 minutes.
Take a sharp knife and score the top of the bread to help release steam. Lightly dampen your hands and pat the top of your bread to help it brown.
Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and remove the lid carefully, it’s very hot! Try to gently shake off any excess flour that is still on your parchment paper. Pick up the entire piece of parchment paper with your dough ball in it and place it in the Dutch oven. Replace the lid and place the entire thing in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Watch it towards the end so it doesn’t get too dark.
Remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Carefully pick up the edges of the parchment paper and lift the bread out of the pot. Place on a cooling rack and let it cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing into.
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Notes
Using Yeast. If you home is cold, your sourdough starter is weak or not active (like sourdough discard), or you have had trouble with your bread being too dense, then add a ½ teaspoon of yeast to the mix. This will help give your bread an extra boost when rising and ensure that it is not too dense. You will still get the classic sourdough flavor.Storage Tips. Before storing, make sure your Dutch oven sourdough bread is completely cool. If the bread is warm it will create some steam and leave you with soggy bread.Room Temperature. To store at room temperature, wrap the bread in a large plastic or paper bag, in a fabric towel, or in foil. Remember this bread has no preservatives and can go stale quickly. It is best eaten the first 2-3 days.Freezer. To freeze the bread, cool it completely, place it in a large bag and close removing as much air as possible. Then wrap the bread in a layer of aluminum foil. This will help keep the bread fresh and prevent freezer burn. Use within 3 months of freezing. To thaw, place the frozen bread on the counter and let come to room temperature before slicing into.Do you really need a Dutch oven for sourdough? What can I use if I don’t have a Dutch oven for sourdough?For this recipe, you need a Dutch oven or something similar. I used an enameled cast iron pot with lid, you can use a traditional cast iron pot, or a pot with lid that is rated safe up to 450 degrees.If you don’t have any of these items, you can use the ceramic interior of your crockpot/slow cooker. Preheat the ceramic pot in the oven, place your dough inside, spritz it with water, and cover the pot tightly with aluminum foil (be careful not to burn yourself). Do not use the glass lid that accompanies your slow cooker.