Sourdough Artisan Bread (Easy Artisan-Style Loaf)

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If you love the flavor and texture of bakery-style sourdough but want a simpler, more approachable method, this sourdough artisan bread recipe is a great place to start. It uses the same core ingredients and measurements as my yeast artisan bread, with the depth and character that only sourdough can bring.

This recipe is designed to fit real life. Your sourdough does the heavy lifting during a long room-temperature rise, and then the shaped loaf rests in the fridge overnight so you can score and bake it cold the next morning. The steps are easy to follow, and once you understand the feel of sourdough, the process becomes natural and very satisfying.

What I love most about this loaf is its balance. It has a crisp crust, soft interior, and rich, developed flavor without needing complicated techniques. It’s a beautiful everyday sourdough you can bake again and again.

📌 If you’re planning to make this later, feel free to save it to Pinterest so it’s easy to find when you’re ready to bake.

Why You’ll Love This Bread

• Beginner-friendly method – Uses familiar artisan-bread steps similar to the yeast version but adapted for full sourdough.
• Naturally simple – Use flour, water, starter, and pantry staples you already have.
• Flexible – Works in a Dutch oven or on a baking sheet with steam.
• Long fermentation, better flavor –  A slow rise gives your bread a soft, flavorful crumb.
• Easy morning bake – Shape and rise the dough the day before, then bake from cold.

Helpful Tips for New Sourdough Bakers

Sourdough is simple once you understand it, but it can feel confusing if you’re used to yeast bread. If you’re new to working with a starter, here are a few gentle reminders that make everything easier:

• Your starter doesn’t have to be perfect. It just needs to be active, bubbly, and rising predictably. It doesn’t need to double exactly every time or behave exactly like someone else’s starter.
• Dough feel matters more than exact measurements. Sourdough changes with temperature, humidity, flour type, and even the mood of your starter. If the dough feels too wet or too stiff, small adjustments help you find the sweet spot.
• Use cool or room-temperature water when mixing your dough (under 90°F). Unlike commercial yeast, sourdough culture is much more heat-sensitive. When I first started, I used the 110°F water I normally used for yeast bread, and it was killing off my starter’s yeast and bacteria. Cooler water protects the culture and helps create a stronger rise and better flavor. I use an instant read thermometer to check my water temperature.
• Your dough may not look like mine or the latest sourdough guru online. Every sourdough behaves a little differently. What matters is understanding the cues: softness, lightness, gentle bubbles, and the way the dough relaxes as it ferments.
• Your fridge may simply pause fermentation. Some fridges are cold enough to stop sourdough from rising entirely. That’s okay. Use the fridge to hold the dough, not to rise it, and bake straight from cold.
• Sourdough improves with practice, but you don’t need to perfect everything at once. This recipe is a gentle way to learn and enjoy the process.

Why Sourdough Tastes Sour (and How to Make It Milder)

Sourdough flavor comes from a balance of wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria living together in your starter. As the dough ferments, two types of acids develop:

• Lactic acid – mild, smooth, yogurt-like tang
• Acetic acid – sharp, vinegar-like sourness

The key is knowing which conditions encourage each one.

To keep your bread less sour:

• Use starter that has just peaked or is about to peak. Very bubbly starters that have already peaked and are going down again produce more acid. I feed my starter a ratio of 1:3:3 (starter:water:flour) before bed, and it’s ready for me to mix dough first thing in the morning. I keep my house on the cooler side at 68-70°F at night.
• Keep the dough warmer during fermentation (around 75–80°F). Warmth encourages lactic acid bacteria, which tastes mild. During the warm months (but under 80°F), I have placed my covered bowl of dough on a table outside to rise quicker. I’ve read that you can turn the light on in your oven and place your dough in there with the oven off, but I’ve had inconsistent results with that method. The oven can overheat sometimes just from the heat of the light bulb. Each baker has to find what situation works best for them in their own kitchen.
• Choose a shorter bulk rise. Long, slow fermentation creates more acids overall.
• Avoid long cold proofing (especially 24+ hours). Colder temperatures favor acetic acid, which increases sourness.
• Feed your starter regularly. A hungry starter becomes more acidic.
• You can add more sweetner to the dough to help counter the sour flavor.

These small adjustments can make a huge difference if you prefer a softer, less tangy flavor.

Ingredients for Sourdough Artisan Bread

(Measurements will be in the recipe card.)

All-purpose flour
Cool water
Active sourdough starter
Salt
Sugar or honey
Oil

This dough comes together much like the yeast version: shaggy at first, smoother after resting, and strengthened through stretch-and-folds. The main difference is letting sourdough take its time.

How to Make Sourdough Artisan Bread

1. Mix the Dough
   • In a large bowl, stir together your cool water and active sourdough starter (just peaked or close to peak). Add salt, sugar or honey, and oil, and mix well. I use a Danish dough whisk, but it’s not necessary. You can use a fork, silicone spatula, or your hands.
   • Add the flour and stir until all of it is incorporated. The dough should look shaggy and slightly sticky.
   • If the dough feels too dry, add a tablespoon of water. If it feels overly wet, sprinkle in a little more flour. Your goal is a soft dough that still holds its shape.
   • Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes. You can use a wet kitchen towel to keep the dough from drying out or a lid or plate.
2. Stretch and Fold the Dough
   • After 30 minutes, lightly wet your hands and perform stretch-and-folds:
     • Pull one side of the dough up and fold it toward the center
     • Rotate the bowl
     • Repeat a few times
   • Cover the bowl and rest another 30 minutes. Perform a second round of stretch-and-folds. If the dough still feels loose, perform a third round after another 30 minutes. You want the dough to feel smooth and not tear easily as you pull it through the stretch-and-folds.
   • Not familiar with the stretch and fold technique? This method gently strengthens the dough without kneading. For a step-by-step guide, check out this tutorial from The Perfect Loaf.
3. Bulk Rise
   • Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 6–8 hours. It should look fuller, softer, slightly domed, and jiggly when the bowl is gently moved. You may even have some nice bubbles just under the surface, like those large soap bubbles waiting to be popped!
   • This long rise develops the flavor, structure, and softness of the bread.
4. Shape the Dough
   • Lightly flour your countertop and gently turn the dough out.
   • Shape it the same way as the yeast loaf:
     • Pat the dough into a loose rectangle
     • Fold one short side toward the center
     • Fold the opposite short side over it
     • Fold the remaining sides in or roll up the dough from one side
     • Pinch the seams
   • Place seam-side down on a piece of parchment paper and put it back in the bowl and cover again.
5. Second Rise
   Let the shaped dough rise at room temperature for 1–2 hours. It should relax and puff slightly.
6. Overnight Hold (Cold Retard)
   • Place the dough into the fridge after the second rise. Your fridge should be cold enough to pause fermentation completely; this is normal.
   • Chilling the dough:
     • Makes scoring easier
     • Improves oven spring
     • Lets you bake on your own schedule
   • Leave it in the fridge overnight or until you’re ready to bake.
7. Score and Bake
   • Preheat your oven to 425°F. If using a Dutch oven, preheat it with the lid on in the oven as it preheats.
   • Dust the dough with flour and score the top using a bread lame or sharp knife. Simple patterns work beautifully.
   • If using a Dutch oven, lift the dough into the hot pot using the parchment paper. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 15–20 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown. If not using a Dutch oven, place the dough on a baking sheet with parchment. Add a pan of water to the oven for steam and bake 35–40 minutes.
   • The bread is done when it sounds hollow on the bottom or reaches an internal temperature of 200–210°F.
   • Cool completely before slicing for the best crumb. A good serrated knife makes slicing artisan bread easier and cleaner.

My Secrets for Success

• Cool water is your friend. It keeps long fermentation manageable.
• Don’t skip the folds. They strengthen the dough without kneading.
• Let the dough guide you. A soft, slightly tacky dough gives the best crumb. Adjust water or flour as needed.
• Bake from cold. Cold dough scores beautifully and springs tall in the oven.
• Use a silicone trivet in the Dutch oven. If using a cast iron Dutch oven, you might have an issue with the bottom crust burning before the top is sufficiently browned. I use a silicone trivet in my dutch oven under the parchment paper to protect the bottom from burning. Check the temperature limitations of the silicone; most that I’ve seen can handle up to 430-440F.
• Wrap to soften. For a softer crust, wrap the bread in a kitchen towel as it cools.

How to Serve Sourdough Artisan Bread

• Warm with butter
• Toasted for breakfast
• With pasta, salads, or my hearty turkey and rice soup
• Used for sandwiches, like for my apple, walnut chicken salad
• Torn and dipped in olive oil

This loaf keeps well on the counter for a couple of days and freezes beautifully.

FAQ

Can I use bread flour instead of all-purpose?
Yes. Bread flour creates a slightly chewier texture and may need a touch more water.

How do I know when the dough is fully fermented?
Look for softness, airiness, gentle bubbling under the surface, and a dough that jiggles when moved.

Why didn’t my sourdough rise in the fridge?
Many fridges are too cold for fermentation. Use the fridge to hold the dough, not rise it, and bake straight from cold.

Can I skip the overnight hold?
Yes. You can bake the same day, but the cold rest makes scoring easier and improves oven spring.

Can I freeze sourdough?
Absolutely. Freeze after baking, whole or in slices, for up to 3 months.

Why did my loaf spread instead of rising tall?
Common causes include dough being too wet, underdeveloped gluten, warm kitchen temperatures, or insufficient preheating.

Do I need to add sugar and oil?
No, you don’t have to. Traditional sourdough uses only flour, water, salt, and starter. I add a small amount of sugar (or honey) and oil because it helps the crust brown and keeps the loaf a little softer inside. It doesn’t change the fermentation or make the bread taste sweet. It just gives a slightly more tender, artisan-style loaf. You can leave them out if you prefer a more rustic texture.

Final Thoughts

This sourdough artisan bread is a beautiful everyday loaf that balances flavor, texture, and simplicity. The long rise gives the bread its character, while the overnight chill lets you bake when it works best for your schedule. Once you get familiar with how sourdough feels and behaves, this recipe becomes wonderfully adaptable.

If you enjoy this loaf, try the yeast version, too. It uses the same recipe but rises much faster if you’re short on time. Together, they make a great foundation for learning bread baking at home.