Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread is a classic recipe that produces a loaf with a thick, crispy crust and a chewy, tangy interior. The combination of a long fermentation process and the high heat of the Dutch oven creates a truly exceptional bread.
This recipe is perfect for those who want to take their bread-making skills to the next level.
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Ingredients You'll Need
Use bread flour or a high protein flour, as the gluten development will make a better loaf of sourdough bread. The rest of the ingredients are water and salt, as well as some sourdough starter. Be sure to use the sourdough starter when it's the most active, not when it's deflated and hungry.
If you need a sourdough starter recipe to get yourself started from scratch, see our Easy Sourdough Bread Starter Recipe. You can use the discard to make Sourdough Discard Bread or Overnight Sourdough Pancakes after the first week. But the real magic comes after about 30 days when your new sourdough starter matures and develops it's signature tangy odor and taste!
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Sourdough Bread Baking Timeline
Count backwards from when you want to serve a loaf of hot, fresh out of the oven sourdough bread. The bulk rise and proofing phases take the most amount of time.
Allow for 30 minutes for the initial discard and bread flour dough to relax, 2 hours for gluten development, 8 to 10 hours for fermentation, 30 minutes to relax after shaping the loaf, 2 hours for proofing the final loaf, and 30 to 40 minutes for baking.
That's approximately 16 hours total. If you prepare the dough and develop the gluten in the evening, you can let the dough ferment for the 8 to 10 hours while you sleep. Then, the next day, shape the dough, allow the shaped dough to proof a second time, and bake.
How To Make Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread
While incredibly easy to make, sourdough bread making does take about twice the time as yeast risen bread. That's because your sourdough starter has to ferment and grow in the bread dough before shaping the loaf for a final proof and baking.
The sourdough bread has a unique, slightly tangy flavor from the ferment The bread flour and water creates a hearty and satisfying loaf with chewy crust and stretchy bread crumb.
When making sourdough bread, be sure to use your sourdough starter when it's most active, while in the super bubbly state.
Make The Dough
- Using a rubber spatula, mix together the sourdough starter and warm water in a large bowl until thoroughly incorporated. Then add in the bread flour, and sea salt. Mix again until thoroughly combined.
- Cover with a thin, damp towel (a tea towel or flour sack towel works great for this!) and let rest for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, grab the side of the dough and fold it up and inwards toward the center (kind of like folding paper into an envelope.) Continue to fold all around the dough – about 4-5 folds. Allow it to rest for another 30 minutes. Repeat this fold every thirty minutes for a total of 4 times – which should take 2 hours.
NOTE: (If you don’t have 2 hours to give your dough's gluten development, just do it the first time and proceed to the next step.)
Bulk Fermentation (1st Rise)
- Cover the bowl with a dry thin towel, and let it rest at room temperature around (70°F) for 8-10 hours, or until it has just doubled in size or just under.
NOTE: If your home is in a warm, humid environment, it may go quicker than 8 hours, and a colder environment may take longer to proof. A general rule of thumb is to go by visual cues rather than the actual clock.
Shape and Proof
- Gently turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Use your hands to cup the sides of the dough to form it into a round shape. You can gently pull the edges out and tuck it under to help shape it. A dough scraper may help you with this process. Let the dough rest for another 30 minutes.
- Prepare a 8” bowl or banneton (proofing basket) by placing a towel on the bottom, and lightly sprinkle with flour. Carefully transfer your bread to the proofing basket, seam up. Allow it to proof in the basket for an additional 1-2 hours at room temperature.
- Cut parchment paper to fit inside the Dutch oven. You want it to extend up the sides, but not get in the way when you secure the lid. The purpose of the parchment paper is so that you can transfer your dough to the hot Dutch oven without burning yourself.
- Preheat the oven to 550°F and place the Dutch oven inside to heat up.
Score and Bake
- Once the Dutch oven is preheated, place the parchment paper over the top of the proofing basket and invert the basket upside down. Carefully lower the parchment paper with the ball of dough into the Dutch oven.
- Use a small blade to cut into the dough to help the steam escape while baking. A simple “C” or “X” on the top works well.
- Lower the oven temperature to 450°F. Cover the top of the dutch oven and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.
- Allow bread to cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before serving.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few delicious variations or substitutions when making this sourdough bread recipe.
- Experiment with different types of flour, such as whole wheat or rye.
- Incorporate herbs, seeds, or dried fruit into the dough for added flavor.
- Try different shapes, such as a rustic oval loaf or a batard.
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips for making this Dutch oven sourdough bread recipe:
- Maintain a healthy sourdough starter by feeding it regularly.
- Use a reliable scale to measure ingredients for accurate results.
- Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place.
- Score the top of the dough before baking to let steam escape, and for a decorative effect.
- Be sure to reserve a few tablespoons of sourdough starter to re-feed and grow more!
Serving Suggestions
Dutch oven sourdough bread has an especially thick and chewy crust, from the humidity in the closed Dutch oven. As the bread sits out at room temperature, the hard crust softens, and gets nice and chewy. This makes sourdough bread ideal for making Croutons, seasoned bread crumbs, strata casseroles, and bread puddings.
Serve your fresh Dutch oven sourdough bread with your favorite soup and a salad for a meal. Slice and butter with garlic butter, and serve alongside your next pasta dinner.
Storage Options
- Store leftover bread in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days.
- For longer storage, freeze the bread and thaw when ready to use.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making this Dutch oven sourdough bread recipe.
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Related Recipes
- Easy Sourdough Discard Bread
- Sourdough Naan
- Sourdough Grilled Cheese
- 41 Soul Warming Fall Soup Recipes
- Classic Panettone Bread
Frequently Asked Questions
While a Dutch oven is ideal, you can use a cast iron skillet with a lid, or simply turn the banneton of dough out onto a parchment lined baking sheet. The Dutch oven is what enhances the chewy crust development, as the lid holds in humidity while baking.
Yes, you can use a store-bought sourdough starter. However, using a homemade starter will give you the best flavor.
The first bulk rise, or the fermentation period, takes anywhere from 6 to 10 hours, depending on the warmth of your environment. The second proofing, after the loaf has been shaped will require about 2 hours.
From start to finish, from mixing the sourdough starter with water and flour, to pulling a crusty loaf out of the oven, takes between 20 and 24 hours. Plan accordingly! The warmth of the doughs proofing environment will impact how quickly the dough ferments and bulks up in size.
More Delish Ideas
Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread
Ingredients
- ½ cup sourdough starter 100 grams active and bubbly
- 1 ½ cup warm water 375 grams
- 4⅛ cup bread flour 500 grams
- 2½ teaspoons salt 12 grams
Instructions
- Using a rubber spatula, mix together the sourdough starter and warm water in a large bowl until thoroughly incorporated. Then add in the bread flour, and sea salt. Mix again until thoroughly combined.½ cup sourdough starter, 1 ½ cup warm water, 4⅛ cup bread flour, 2½ teaspoons salt
- Cover with a thin, damp towel (a tea towel or flour sack towel works great for this!) and let rest for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, grab the side of the dough and fold it up and inwards toward the center (kind of like folding paper into an envelope.) Continue to fold all around the dough – about 4-5 folds. Allow it to rest for another 30 minutes. Repeat this fold every thirty minutes for a total of 4 times – which should take 2 hours.NOTE: (If you don’t have 2 hours to give your dough's gluten development, just do it the first time and proceed to the next step.)
- Cover the bowl with a dry thin towel, and let it rest at room temperature around (70°F) for 8-10 hours, or until it has just doubled in size or just under. NOTE: If your home is in a warm, humid environment, it may go quicker than 8 hours, and a colder environment may take longer to proof. A general rule of thumb is to go by visual cues rather than the actual clock.
- Gently turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Use your hands to cup the sides of the dough to form it into a round shape. You can gently pull the edges out and tuck it under to help shape it. A dough scraper may help you with this process. Let the dough rest for another 30 minutes.
- Prepare a 8” bowl or banneton (proofing basket) by placing a towel on the bottom, and lightly sprinkle with flour. Carefully transfer your bread to the proofing basket, seam up. Allow it to proof in the basket for an additional 1-2 hours at room temperature.
- Cut parchment paper to fit inside the Dutch oven. You want it to extend up the sides, but not get in the way when you secure the lid. The purpose of the parchment paper is so that you can transfer your dough to the hot Dutch oven without burning yourself.
- Preheat the oven to 550°F and place the Dutch oven inside to heat up.
- Once the Dutch oven is preheated, place the parchment paper over the top of the proofing basket and invert the basket upside down. Carefully lower the parchment paper with the ball of dough into the Dutch oven.
- Use a small blade to cut into the dough to help the steam escape while baking. A simple “C” or “X” on the top works well.
- Lower the oven temperature to 450°F. Cover the top of the dutch oven and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.
- Allow bread to cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before serving.
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