Easy San Francisco Sourdough Bread Recipe for Beginners

This is the loaf we recommend for your very first bake. It uses just four ingredients, needs no special mixer, and builds in an overnight rest in the fridge, which is where San Francisco sourdough gets much of its signature tang.

Before you start

You'll need an active, bubbly starter, fed 4–8 hours before you begin and at or near its peak. Not there yet? See our guide to activating a sourdough starter.

Ingredients (makes 1 loaf)

• 100 g active sourdough starter
• 350 g lukewarm water (non-chlorinated)
• 500 g bread flour (or unbleached all-purpose)
• 10 g salt

A kitchen scale makes sourdough far more reliable than measuring cups.

Equipment

• A large mixing bowl
• A Dutch oven or heavy lidded pot (for a crackly crust)
• A proofing basket or a bowl lined with a floured towel
• Parchment paper and a sharp knife or razor blade

Sample schedule

Start around 9 a.m. → mix and stretch through the late morning → shape in the afternoon → refrigerate overnight → bake the next morning.

Instructions

1. Mix (5 minutes)

In a large bowl, stir the starter into the water until it's mostly dissolved. Add the flour and mix until no dry flour remains. The dough will be shaggy. Cover and rest for 30–60 minutes.

2. Add salt (5 minutes)

Sprinkle the salt over the dough with a splash of water, then squeeze and fold it through with wet hands until it's fully incorporated.

3. Stretch and fold (about 2 hours)

Every 30 minutes, do a set of stretch-and-folds: with a wet hand, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over the top. Turn the bowl and repeat on all four sides. Do 4 sets total. The dough will get smoother and stronger each time.

4. Bulk rise (3–6 hours)

Leave the covered dough to rise at room temperature until it has grown by about 50–75%, looks domed, and has bubbles on the surface and sides. At 75°F this takes roughly 4–5 hours. In a cooler kitchen it takes longer. Watch the dough, not the clock.

5. Shape (10 minutes)

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter. Gently fold the edges into the center, flip it seam-side down, and pull it toward you a few times to tighten the surface into a round ball. Place it seam-side up in your floured proofing basket or towel-lined bowl.

6. Cold proof overnight (8–16 hours)

Cover and refrigerate overnight. This slow, cold rest develops flavor and that classic sourdough tang, and makes the dough much easier to score.

7. Bake (45 minutes)

1. Place your Dutch oven (with lid) in the oven and preheat to 475°F (245°C) for 45–60 minutes.
2. Turn the cold dough out onto parchment paper and make one confident slash across the top, about ½ inch deep.
3. Carefully lower it into the hot pot using the parchment, cover, and bake for 20 minutes.
4. Remove the lid, reduce the heat to 450°F (230°C), and bake 20–25 minutes more, until deep golden-brown. The internal temperature should be about 205–210°F.

8. Cool (at least 1 hour)

This is the hardest step! Let the loaf cool on a rack for at least an hour before slicing. The inside is still setting as it cools.

Want it tangier?

• Proof longer in the fridge. Up to 24 hours gives a noticeably more sour loaf.
• Swap in a little whole wheat or rye. Replace 50 g of the bread flour.
• Use your starter a bit past its peak. A slightly more mature starter brings more acidity.

Troubleshooting

• Dense, tight crumb? The bulk rise was probably too short. Let it go longer next time.
• Flat, spreading loaf? It may have over-proofed, or the shaping needed more tension.
• Pale crust? Bake a few minutes longer with the lid off, and make sure your pot is fully preheated.

Start with the real thing

Great San Francisco sourdough starts with a great culture. Our heirloom San Francisco Sourdough Starter has roots going back more than 175 years and ships the same day, free in the US. Baking for someone special? The Gift 2-Pack gives you one to keep and one to share.

Starter acting up? Read why your sourdough starter isn't rising and how to fix it.