Sourdough is a special type of bread which is made using a fermented ‘starter’ dough rather than traditional bakers yeast. The natural yeasts present in the starter make the bread rise and give the loaf it’s characteristic flavour.
Sourdough bread is considered to be generally healthier than regular bread for a number of reasons:
- Easier on the gut - the bacteria/yeast combination in the starter makes it easier for the stomach to digest
- Lower gluten levels - the longer prep time means that the gluten is already partially broken down before you eat it
- Lower glycemic index - due to the way sourdough is fermented, it causes the body's blood sugar levels to rise less than when you eat regular bread
How do I make a sourdough starter?
Instead of using quick active yeast to make it rise, sourdough bread gets its lift from it's starter. Sourdough starter is a fermented dough made using flour and water. It usually takes about 7 days to make a starter that is ready for baking, but it can take a little longer so be prepared to be flexible.
You can use many types of flour to make your starter, whole wheat flour, plain flour, spelt flour, even buckwheat flour. Once you’ve created the basic mix, you then need to ‘feed’ it every few days with fresh flour to help encourage the bacteria and natural yeasts to grow.
Our simplest sourdough starter recipes to try
- Samantha B’s sourdough starter recipe is very simple and uses just regular plain flour and water
- Cookpad Greece’s sourdough starter recipe also uses simply plain flour and water. This recipe has a very detailed method, perfect for newbies!
Sourdough starters with added sugar
While there is no real need to add sugar to your starter, you can add a very small amount to give it a jumpstart. Don’t add too much or you may kill the starter.
- Sally’s sourdough starter recipe uses apples to provide natural sugars and a sweetness to the dough
- Alessandra’s sourdough starter recipe uses raisins to create a sweet water which is then used to create the starter dough
Sourdough discard recipes
As you make your starter you will need to remove a small amount of the dough each time you ‘feed it’. Don’t discard this starter dough, there are tons of ways that you can use it!
- Samantha’s sourdough discard pancakes - made using unfed discard dough
- Yui’s sourdough discard Chinese spring onion pancakes - as delicious as they sound! Serve with a light ginger and soy dipping sauce
Find all our sourdough discard recipes here:
Cookpad
Sourdough bread loaf recipes
Once your starter is bubbling and frothy, it’s time to bake your bread! Add your flour and water, let it rest and do stretches and folds to give the bread structure and shape. Once it's shaped, you can spice it up with other flavours and fillings like turmeric, olives, raisins and more!
Bake in a dutch oven for a perfect shape and that iconic crunchy crust.
Check out these recipes for detailed steps and helpful photos:
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Other sourdough recipes to try
Find many more sourdough recipes on Cookpad, including sourdough doughnuts, crumpets, pizza, cakes, flatbreads, muffins and more.
Don’t forget to share your Cooksnaps with us so that we can see how your delicious sourdough creations turn out!!