Same Day Sourdough Bread Recipe

I present this Easy Rustic Sourdough Bread: 500 g bread flour, 150–200 g active sourdough starter, 375 g lukewarm water and 10 g fine sea salt create a straightforward base. A splash of olive oil and optional instant yeast can shorten the timeline and keep the process approachable.

Are you craving the delightful aroma of freshly baked bread? I was too so I developed a Same Day Sourdough Bread Recipe that actually works on a busy afternoon.

I mix 500 g bread flour with 375 g lukewarm water and about 150 to 200 g active sourdough starter, add 10 g fine sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast sometimes for a faster rise. This Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe feels like a Super Easy Sourdough Bread trick that still tastes rustic and alive.

I dont promise perfection every loaf but it usually surprises me, and it makes me want to bake again.

Why I Like this Recipe

– I love the tangy flavor and chewy crumb, it’s perfect for toast or sandwiches and always hits the spot.
– I like the crackly, deep brown crust that shatters when I slice it, makes it feel bakery-level.
– I enjoy the hands-on, kinda meditative process, even when I mess up it still turns out good.
– I like how impressive it looks on the table, people always ask where I bought it.

Ingredients

• Bread flour: High protein, builds gluten for chewy crumb, mostly carbohydrates, little fiber, hearty.
• Water: Hydrates dough, affects open crumb and texture, zero calories, no nutrients though.
• Sourdough starter: Wild yeast and bacteria, gives tangy sour flavor, adds complexity and modest rise.
• Salt: Enhances flavor, tightens gluten, slows fermentation, essential but adds sodium.
• Instant yeast (optional): Speeds same day rise, less sour, tiny extra rise boost, not required.
• Olive oil: Gives softer crumb, helps handling, adds healthy fats and subtle flavor.
• Extra flour for dusting: Prevents sticking while shaping, no real nutrition, just a helper.
• Cornmeal or rice flour: Dusts proofing basket, helps loaf release, small crunchy texture on bottom.

Ingredient Quantities

• 500 g bread flour (about 4 cups)
• 375 g lukewarm water (about 1 1/2 cups), roughly 75 to 85°F
• 150–200 g active sourdough starter (about 2/3 to 1 cup), fed and bubbly not sluggish
• 10 g fine sea salt (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast (optional, for a faster same day rise)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil or neutral oil for greasing the bowl (optional)
• extra flour for dusting and shaping, about 2 tablespoons
• cornmeal or rice flour for dusting the proofing basket, optional

How to Make this

1. Make sure your starter is active and bubbly, 150 to 200 g measured out; if it looks sluggish feed it 4 to 6 hours before you start so it’s lively by bake time.

2. In a big bowl mix 500 g bread flour with 375 g lukewarm water until no dry flour remains, just a shaggy mess; cover and let sit 20 to 30 minutes for an autolyse.

3. Add the 150–200 g starter, 10 g fine sea salt, and the 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast if you want a faster same day rise; mix until incorporated and the dough comes together.

4. Oil a clean bowl with 1 to 2 tablespoons olive or neutral oil and transfer the dough in, seam side down; this keeps it from sticking and makes handling easier.

5. Do stretch and folds every 25 to 30 minutes for about 2 hours total (about 4 to 5 sets) until the dough feels springy and a bit more structured; if you used the yeast you may see noticeable rise sooner.

6. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, pre-shape into a round, let rest 15 minutes, then do a tight final shape using about 2 tablespoons extra flour for dusting so it wont stick.

7. Place shaped loaf seam side up in a proofing basket dusted with rice flour or cornmeal, cover and proof at room temp until puffy and slightly jiggly, usually 45 to 90 minutes for same day; a warm spot speeds things up but dont overproof.

8. While proofing preheat a Dutch oven or heavy pot with lid to 475°F (245°C) for at least 30 minutes; if you don’t have one, preheat a baking stone and have a metal tray for steam.

9. Carefully invert the loaf onto parchment, score the top, transfer into the hot pot, cover and bake 20 minutes covered to trap steam, then uncover and bake another 15 to 25 minutes at 450°F (230°C) until deep golden brown and crusty.

10. Let the bread cool on a rack at least 1 hour before slicing so the crumb sets; tap the bottom for a hollow sound as a don’t-fail check.

Equipment Needed

1. Digital kitchen scale, for weighing flour, water and starter precisely
2. Large mixing bowl, for the autolyse and dough mixing
3. Bench scraper (dough scraper), great for folding, turning and cleaning the work surface
4. Small bowl or measuring spoon, for salt and the optional instant yeast (you’ll use it once)
5. Proofing basket (banneton) or a bowl lined with a floured towel, dusted with rice flour or cornmeal
6. Dutch oven with lid or heavy ovenproof pot, preheated to trap steam, or a baking stone plus a metal tray for steam if you dont have a pot
7. Parchment paper, to invert and transfer the loaf safely into the hot pot
8. Sharp lame, razor blade or very sharp knife, for scoring the top so it opens nice in the oven
9. Oven mitts and a cooling rack, for safety and to let the crumb set before slicing

FAQ

Same Day Sourdough Bread Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Bread flour: use all-purpose flour (1 to 1) plus 1 to 2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten for structure, or swap up to 100 g with whole wheat for nuttier flavor, but expect a slightly denser crumb.
• Sourdough starter: no starter handy? Use 2 to 2.5 teaspoons instant yeast (about 6 to 8 g) mixed into the water for a same-day loaf, flavor will be milder. Or make a quick poolish with 100 g flour, 100 g water and 10 g starter and let 4 to 6 hours.
• Olive oil for greasing: melted butter, neutral vegetable oil, or nonstick spray all work fine (use about 1 to 2 tablespoons). Butter gives richer flavor, veg oil is neutral.
• Cornmeal for the basket: use fine semolina or rice flour, or just dust with extra flour. Rice flour helps the loaf release cleanly, semolina gives a little crunchy texture on the bottom.

Pro Tips

– Watch the starter more than the clock. Feed it so it peaks, with big bubbles and a domed surface, otherwise the dough will act tired even if you followed every step. The float test is handy but if it sinks a little and still smells bright and yeasty it can still work fine.

– Control dough temperature, not just water temp. Aim for a final dough temp around mid 70s F, use a thermometer, and tweak your water if the kitchen is cold or hot. If the dough feels sluggish raise room temp a bit or shorten folds, if it’s too lively cool things down so you don’t overproof.

– Be gentle and consistent with stretch and folds, do them until the dough shows strength not until it feels perfect. Look for a smooth surface and mild resistance, and use light oil on your hands instead of dumping extra flour, that keeps the crumb open. Try coil folds if the dough is very wet they work wonders and cause less tearing.

– Score with confidence and cool completely. A quick, decisive cut gives better oven spring than a tentative zigzag, use a sharp lame or razor. And don’t slice too soon, at least an hour of cooling prevents a gummy crumb, I know it’s hard but wait.