If you think that sourdough is hard, you haven’t tried this recipe yet. With less than 20 minutes of hands-on work, and a rise while you sleep, this Overnight Sourdough Bread recipe is the easiest way to get delicious homemade bread.
When I started making sourdough about five years ago, I was so overwhelmed by all of the crazy steps and terminology. I wasn’t about to bring my sourdough with me to my appointments to do stretch and folds every half hour for 8 hours. That’s just not what I’m about.
I do love delicious homemade sourdough, so I am willing to put a little work into it, but not too much. This recipe is a perfect compromise between my laziness and taste buds!
Ingredients for Overnight Sourdough Bread
For this recipe, you’ll need:
500 g bread flour
340 g water
150 g sourdough starter
10 g salt
I highly recommend getting a kitchen scale to measure out the ingredients by weight. Is such a more precise way of measuring. You can grab a kitchen scale from Amazon for about $12.
How to Prep My Sourdough Starter
You must feed your sourdough starter before using it in your dough. I usually try to feed my starter about 8-10 hours before I will use it. You will know that your starter is ready when it is full of bubbles.
A lot of sourdough bakers have their preference about how much to feed their starters. Some swear by the 1:4:4 ratio. That’s 1 part starter, 4 parts flour, and 4 parts water. Others prefer 1:8:8. Me? Honestly, I never measure. If I only have a little bit of sourdough starter I’ll add more flour and water, and if I’ve got more I’ll add less. I really haven’t found much of a difference. The only thing that is really important is that you feed it.
How to Make Overnight Sourdough Bread
1. Mix
In a large mixing bowl (that is preferably not metal), combine the bread flour, water, sourdough starter, and salt. Use a spatula to mix until all ingredients are fully incorporated into a loose, shaggy dough.
2. Rest
Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. This allows the flour to absorb the water, helping the dough to come together. This will make the dough easier to work with.
3. Knead
Knead the dough on your countertop for about 5-10 minutes. You should notice the dough becoming smoother and more elastic.
4. Rise
Lightly oil the mixing bowl to prevent sticking. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover it with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, and let it rise overnight at room temperature for about 8 hours. The dough should double in size.
5. Shape
In the morning, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently shape it into a boule (round loaf) by folding the edges toward the center and turning it seam-side down.
6. Final Rest
Cover the shaped dough with greased plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes. This allows the gluten to relax and helps maintain the shape before baking.
7. Score
Using a sharp knife or a bread lame, make a few shallow cuts on the surface of the dough. This step allows the bread to expand properly in the oven, creating a beautiful crust.
8. Bake
Preheat the oven to 475°F. Put the Dutch oven inside the oven and allow it to preheat with the oven. Take the Dutch oven out and put a piece of parchment paper inside. Place the dough on top of the parchment. Cover with the lid and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking for another 25 minutes, or until the crust turns a deep golden brown. You may have a little bit of charring on the edges but that is fine!
9. Cool (Yes, really)
Once baked, transfer the bread to a wire rack and let it cool completely before slicing. It is so hard to wait, but if you cut into it too soon the bread could become gummy. Don’t ask me how I know. Be patient for me please!
FAQs for Overnight Sourdough Bread
Why can’t I use a metal bowl?
You can totally use a stainless steel metal bowl for sourdough. You should avoid using copper, steel, or cast iron as these metals are reactive and can leach into your dough. I prefer to use a glass or plastic bowl, just to be safe!
Do I need to use a Dutch oven?
You don’t need to use a Dutch oven, but you will not get the same result without one. The Dutch oven helps create steam in the oven, which gives the bread a crispy crust. It also helps the dough rise upwards and not fall outwards as it bakes.
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I hope you love this Overnight Sourdough Bread recipe. If you like it, would you consider leaving a review? It would mean so much.
Overnight Sourdough Bread
Ingredients
- 500 g bread flour
- 340 g water
- 150 g active sourdough starter
- 10 g salt
Instructions
- Add all of your ingredients to a large bowl, preferably not metal. Mix all ingredients together into a loose dough. It won't be fully incorporated at this point.
- Cover and let rest 30 minutes.
- Knead the dough by hand for about 5-10 minutes, until the flour is fully incorporated and the dough is nice and soft. It might not have a lot of shape and that’s okay.
- Oil the bowl, and place the dough back inside. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, and let rise overnight or about 8 hours.
- In the morning, shape the dough into a boule, or a nice round shape.
- Let rest 30 minutes covered with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Score however you like with a bread lame or sharp knife.
- Preheat your oven to 475 ºF and place your dutch oven inside to warm up.
- Take the preheated dutch oven out and line it with a sheet of parchment paper. Place the dough inside and cover with the lid.
- Bake at 475 ºF with the lid on for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 25 minutes. Let cool before slicing and enjoy!
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