Overnight Sourdough Bread Recipe (Perfect for Beginners)
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Learn how to make delicious overnight sourdough bread at home with a step-by-step video that’s perfect for the beginner and that your family will love.
Overnight Sourdough Bread recipe is the perfect recipe to learn baking with a sourdough bread starter. Our step-by-step instructions and video will have you creating an amazing loaf of bread at home in no time.
This Sourdough Bread recipe couldn’t be easier to make and it’s a lot quicker compared to other sourdough bread recipes from starters.
This 500g homemade sourdough recipe has a tender crumb with a slightly sour flavor surrounded by a beautiful crisp crust that has that pull you want in artisan bread.
Sourdough Bread had been on this list for 3 years! I let uncertainty and trepidation keep me from jumping on the Sourdough Bread bandwagon. How can Bread and water be intimidating? Right?
Participating in an online monthly bread challenge finally pushed me into trying sourdough, and the rest is history.
I was fortunate enough to receive some dried starter from a wonderful woman named Selma. Selma passed away a few years ago but her blog “Selma’s Table” still remains and I consult it often. This is a recipe that I got from her blog.
She named her starter “Twinkle” and encouraged everyone to name theirs too. My starter’s name is “Phoenix” because she rose from dust. She has amazing vigor. I’m not always vigilant about keeping her fed but she doesn’t hold it against me and rises to the occasion every time.
I’ve included photos of my 1st loaf and a recent one at the end of this post. I’m proud of both and hope you’ll try this basic sourdough bread recipe too.
Hello, Julie. Just wanted to say thank you for sharing your overnight sourdough recipe as it really works well for me, a lot of people have shared their methods and this one is simply the best one I have come across so far. So thank you again!”
Kris T
What is Sourdough Bread
Sourdough bread is made by fermentation of dough using naturally occurring lactobacilli and yeast. Sourdough bread has a mildly sour taste not present in most bread made with baker’s yeast and keeps better than other bread due to the lactic acid produced by the lactobacilli. Wikipedia
What is different about sourdough bread?
The difference is in how they are made. Regular bread is made using store-bought yeast that reacts with gluten making the dough rise. Sourdough bread is made with a “starter“. This starter is made from a combination of yeast and bacteria growing inside a paste made of flour and water.
Make your own starter!
If you have questions on making or using a Bread Starter, read “How To Make Your Own Bread Starter (and how to maintain it).”
Health Benefits of Sourdough bread
The fermentation that occurs from using a starter has been shown to lower blood sugar, be easier to digest and can even be tolerated by gluten resistant individuals.
However, that’s not to say it is gluten-free. Sourdough bread contains higher levels of folate and antioxidants than other bread. Healthline is a very thorough reference regarding the health benefits of sourdough.
Ingredient Tips:
- Bubbly starter – I recommend feeding your starter and letting it sit out at room temperature 4 to 6 hours or until it increases in volume by about 30% and passes the float test.
- If your dough is runny it can be because your starter was actually starving when you used it.
- Bread Flour – Bread flour has a higher protein content than AP flour. That higher protein provides more structure to your loaf.
- If you substitute they will both be delicious and the texture will be the same but you may find the loaf made with AP flour balloons out more or doesn’t rise as high.
- Water – There’s a lot of controversy regarding water in bread making. Some experts say if you can drink it you can use it to bake with. Other experts say the chlorine can inhibit yeast activity.
- Mineral content (hardness) can reduce extensibility (elasticity and ability to stretch) of the dough.
- Salt – I use fine sea salt. It is easier to incorporate and dissolve than coarser salt.
The above pictures from top left to bottom right.
- The freshly fed starter is thick.
- The Bubbly starter is ready. when bubbly and passes the float test.
- 1st quick knead just to combine ingredients (about 1 minute). The dough is thick and heavy.
- 2nd quick knead after a 30-minute rest. The dough is softer and smoother.
- Dough after 8 hours is full of air bubbles.
- Dough after final delicate knead is smooth and silky.
Absolutely! We love adding dried fruit such as apricots or cranberries, chopped nuts, cheese, olives, or herbs such as rosemary or thyme.
We recommend that you start by adding no more than 20%. So for this 500-gram loaf that would be
500 x 20% = 100 grams. You shouldn’t have to adjust your baking time.
Be careful that you don’t add a lot of moisture. Semi-hard cheeses such as cheddar shredded or diced into smaller pieces work well. Drain fresh fruit or olives of excess juice.
Recipes using a bread starter
- Multi-Grain Wheat Bread Recipe
- Spelt Sourdough Bread
- Sourdough Sandwich Bread using Bread Starter
- Multi-Grain Wheat Bread
- 750gr All-Purpose Flour Sourdough.
Pro tips for Overnight Sourdough Bread
Resting times
Don’t let bread rule your life! Here are some resting times that may help you to bake according to your schedule
- Counter rise – Written as is, this recipe has a counter rise of 3 to 8 hours. I’ve shaped it and let it rest in a banneton or you can carefully shape it just before baking it. The rise time is variable. If you have a warm kitchen it may be ready sooner. Press your thumb into the dough and if it bounces back slowly it’s ready to bake. If it bounces back quickly, it needs a little more time to rise. If it stays dented, it’s probably over-proofed.
- Refrigerator proofing – If you don’t choose to bake your bread at the 3 to 8 hour counter proof, we recommend a 90 minute to 4 hour counter proof. Shape the dough and place it seam-side up into a banneton basket or a bowl lined with a kitchen towel that’s dusted with flour. We like dusting ours with a 50/50 mix of wheat flour and rice flour. We’ve actually left our bread in the refrigerator for up to 18 hours with no problems.
- When you’re ready to bake, remove the shaped dough from the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter while your oven preheats. Place it in the dutch oven, score it, and bake as usual.
If you do the full counter proof and then refrigerate the dough it will be over-proofed. For that reason, try a much shorter counter rise and then refrigerate it.
More helpful tips
- Feed your starter earlier in the day. When it’s bubbly do the test float. If it’s runny it’s used up all its energy and needs to be fed again before you can use it. To see if your starter is ready, put a small amount in a bowl or cup of water. If it floats it’s ready!
- Your bread can be cooked in a cold Dutch oven but I like the color and oven rise I get from preheating my lidded pot.
- To properly bake the bread we rely on an instant-read thermometer. The bread is finished baking when it reaches an internal temperature of 205ºF to 210ºF.
- This bread freezes beautifully. I wrap it in plastic wrap or a ziplock bag and then heavy-duty foil.
- Each time you bake, we keep a notebook and write down anything we do differently such as resting time, baking time, or adding additional ingredients. It’s so difficult to remember what worked the best unless we can look back and see what we were happy about or wanted to do differently the next time. This will also help you to determine what resting times work for you.
YOU MAY NEED
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6 Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven. – I love this Dutch oven. I have three that are triple the price of this one and it’s my favorite. It bakes my bread perfectly and makes a mean ragu recipe.
Zatoba 1003 Black Walnut Bread Lame Decorative Dough Slasher, 2x2x8 inches – I started out with a lesser quality lame and while this one isn’t expensive it’s definitely better quality and has made a prettier slash in my dough. You can also use a sharp knife.
Instant-read Thermometers aren’t just for meat! I use them to know when my bread is baked. I bake until I get an internal temperature of 205º F to 210º F or anywhere in between.
I have two books (out of several) that I’ve learned so much from. I recommend them exclusively to help in your bread experience. They are easy to read and will help you get that beautiful loaf on the table!
This is a 500gr loaf of bread which isn’t large. Baking bread is all about percentages. If you want a larger loaf, you can adjust the “Servings” in the recipe card and it will calculate your ingredients. (Thank you, Daniel, for this question!)
I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe as much as we do. Drop me a comment below, and don’t forget to give it a star rating. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Your comments and ratings help others decide if this recipe is for them too.
Conversions are listed below the recipe card
Overnight Sourdough Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 150 g bubbly starter
- 285 g *purified water or filtered water at room temperature
- 500 g bread flour organic
- 9 g sea salt fine
Instructions
- Squelch all of the ingredients together briefly (just for a minute is enough) with your hand. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and fold the dough into the bowl several times for about a minute. Cover and leave it out on the counter overnight, 6 to 8 hours. In the morning it will have doubled in volume at least.
- Pre-heat the oven to 475 °F (240/250C) (I preheat to 475°F and place your lidded pot inside to heat up. You can use an enamel Dutch oven or aluminum roaster. You can also put the dough into a cold pot.
- Dust your counter with flour. I use a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and then dusted with rice flour. It makes it easy to pick up the dough. Scrape the dough out onto the counter. Don’t punch it down. You want to keep as many of those bubbles as you can.
- Pull the outside thirds into the middle and shape as you wish. Try to pull the outside of the dough as tightly as possible so it will hold its shape well. I shaped mine into a ball also known as a boule.
- Cover with some oiled plastic wrap loosely. Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes. Set the timer as this is the only proofing that should NOT be overdone.
- Remove the plastic wrap and slash with a sharp knife or lame.
- Carefully remove the pot from the oven and remove the lid. Carefully place the dough into the pot. I lift mine by the edges of the parchment paper and put the whole thing into the pot. Replace the lid and place in the oven.
- Reduce the heat to 425 °F 220C (425°F convection). Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 205 °F ri 212 °F when tested with an instant-read thermometer.
- Immediately remove from the pot and cool on a cooling rack completely before slicing.
Video
Notes
- If you want to mix bread earlier in the day. After rising for 90 minutes or up to 4 hours at room temperature, shape and set the covered dough in the refrigerator to bake the next day. Remove the dough from the refrigerator to sit out while the oven preheats.
- Feed earlier in the day. When it’s bubbly do the test float. If it’s runny it’s used up all its energy and needs to be fed again before you can use it. To see if your starter is ready, put a small amount in a bowl or cup of water. If it floats it’s ready!
- Your bread can be cooked in a cold dutch oven but I like the color and rise I get from preheating my lidded pot.
- This bread freezes beautifully. I wrap it in plastic wrap or a ziplock bag and then heavy-duty foil.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.
Conversions for Overnight Sourdough Bread recipe
We realize that many of you aren’t comfortable using a scale. The closest conversions are the following.
- 4 cups flour
- 1 1/4 cup water
- 2/3 cup starter
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
A disclaimer is that I’ve never made this recipe without weighing the ingredients so I can’t guarantee or possibly troubleshoot any problems you may have with the recipe.
If you like this recipe you may enjoy these too
- Homemade Crusty Bread recipe
- 6 Ingredient Simple Classic Italian Bread Recipe
- Soft Buttermilk Sandwich Bread
- Simple Ciabatta Bread Recipe – Made 2 Ways!
- Spiced Apple Star Bread
This bread was made possible by the resources and recipes shared by Elaine, Selma, and Celia! Please visit all three of these blogs for amazing bread information!
Did you enjoy this recipe? Don’t forget to pin it for later and follow me on Pinterest for more delicious recipes like this one!
If I don’t have a convection oven do I do a different temp??
You don’t have to bake it in a convection oven. I wouldn’t change the temp or time but would use the instant-read thermometer to determine when it’s done.
Easy to follow, turns out great. My family loves when I make this bread!
Thank you, Cindy! It’s the one that I make the most because it’s so easy and delicious.
Hi Julie, I just wanted to say thank you!
I have used your recipe almost exclusively for the past 3 years and it has never let me down! I have directed at least 6 of my friends who wanted to start a sourdough to your website and this recipe. You have made a baker out of all of us!
Marcia
Wow, Marcia, that comment reminds me of why I do what I do and I’m so grateful that you took the time to share your thoughts. Sharing something like this with friends is so fun! I can only imagine the laughs and good times. Thank you!
Also if I want to add herbs or olives- which steps in recipe should I do so? Thanks
This bread is always perfect! Thank you so much. I love your content too- keep bring us the goods.
Thank you so much, Sara! I’m so glad that you enjoy them and love the positive feedback. This info is in the post for adding what’s called “inclusions”: Can I add other ingredients also known as inclusions?
Absolutely! We love adding dried fruit such as apricots or cranberries, chopped nuts, cheese, olives.
We recommend that you start by adding no more than 20%. So for this 500-gram loaf that would be
500 x 20% = 100 grams. You shouldn’t have to adjust your baking time.
Be careful that you don’t add a lot of moisture. Semi-hard cheeses such as cheddar shredded or diced into smaller pieces work well. Drain fresh fruit or olives of excess juice.
For the herbs such as rosemary or thyme, I usually shoot for a total of 1/4 cup for a 500 gram loaf just as I did in this recipe: https://hostessatheart.com/spelt-sourdough-bread/
Hope this helps, Sara, but if you have more questions, just let me know.
I’ve been making sourdough bread for almost three years now and followed the long procedure but since I found your Overnight Sourdough Bread Recipe few months ago, I’ve been doing it since then and the same result as the one I used before. The directions are clear and easy to follow and you have options of proofing too. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe. My family loves my home-made sourdough bread.
Thank you, Joy! Every time I bake I do some the long method and some the overnight method and wonder why, You can’t tell them apart. I appreciate your sweet comment and that you stopped back to let me know that you enjoy it. Who doesn’t love home-made bread. Especially sourdough!
Another author that believes we want to hear about the history of bread and we have to scroll thru a half a mile of random stupidity typed out of this persons brain before we get to the recipe
So glad that you had the time to leave a snide comment but the time scrolling bothered you.
@Kenny,
There is a hyperlink that says “Jump to Recipe” at the very top of the page.
No need to scroll through.
@Kenny, Besides being inconsiderate, you must also be illiterate. “Jump To Recipe” means just that.
Hello so you mention adding eye flour. I have seen this mentioned elsewhere that it helps make starter healthier. I have unground rye that I would need to grind. Can I use this rye to add a portion of it to the starter when I feed..
Thank you
Yes you can, Carhy. I rarely need to use rye to bump up my starter. If it’s sluggish I’ll feed it a couple times a day and then once a day if using it a lot or putting it back in the refrigerator.
Where do you get the starter from?
Great question, Sylvia. I’ve started my own several times using this post. Please let me know if you have any questions. https://hostessatheart.com/bread-starter/
Hi! I love your recipes and details. They are the best! Question; Im doing the fridge fermentation because I heard it reduces gluten. When I take it out of the fridge, do I only let it sit while oven is preheating? I have done this once after 72 hrs and it was difficult to score it. Also, with the fridge ferment I do not take steps 4-6 above correct? No kneading, no olive oiled plastic wrap cover for 30 minutes.
Thank you!
Hi Patti! Thank you for your sweet comment. If you’re just doing a refrigerator proof, go through step 4 and shape it and place it in a tea towel-line bowl or basket. Let it rest in the basket for 90 minutes and then place it in the refrigerator lightly covered. The next day take it out while your oven preheats. Score it and bake. I’ve never left mine in the refrigerator for 72 hours. If you had difficulty scoring it, it may have been a bit over-proofed. Also make sure you knife or razor blade are sharp and use the tip of the knife or the razor blade.
This was the first sourdough recipe I started with. I never weigh anything and eyeball the measurements using up to 1 1/2 cups of distilled water. It always turns out great. Don’t get overly anxious just think if the 49ers made sourdough in camp how expecting could they gave been. Enjoy!
Exactly, Kathryn. My grandmother made 9 loaves of bread a week for her large family and never measured anything. It is helpful for follow instructions until you get used to the texture and moisture however, and I still weigh my ingredients. Thank you and I’m glad that this recipe worked for you!
I notice that this recipe has a lot more starter than most recipes that I see. Is there a reason that so much is used?
This bread would definitely work with less starter, Donna. I calculated the hydration using that amount, wanting it to be low enough for a beginner to have sucsess.
@Julie Menghini, OHHHHH…..got it. Thanks for the insight. I have used this recipe a lot and then started looking at other recipes and noticed the difference….thanks for clarifying.
Can’t comment. Too busy feverishly baking and devouring this delicious recipe!!! Haha! Great recipe. Easy to follow. Has become my ‘go-to’ for sourdough. I’ve even doubled it with great results. And adjusted the baking time and temp for a crustier bread (my preference). It hasn’t failed yet! I also appreciate all the answers to questions in the comments. I was able to troubleshoot some different scenarios based on your responses. Thank you!! And my family thanks you!
Love it, Rachel! You’ve definitely got the sourdough fever.
@Julie Menghini, I love the simplicity of your process. My husband love crusty bread. How am I going to make it crusty?
This bread is naturally crusty but see my other comment if you want it crustier.
Just wanting to clarify your note about mixing the bread earlier in the day – if I mixed ingredients together at say 4pm, and left to rise until evening (maybe 9-10pm), can I shape and place in the fridge over-night and cook in the morning? Does this give enough time to ferment and proof?
Absolutely, Kristina. That timing works perfectly. I like to give my bread about 4 hours of proof time. Then you can shape it and put it into the refrigerator overnight. You can also shape it the next day before cooking but most of the time I do it before I put it in the refrigerator.
I’m experimenting with proofing in my Instapot. I usually do 30 minutes on the initial proof, but tried an hour in the Instapot. My starter does well in the summer, but winter weather is not as successful
I haven’t tried proofing in the instant pot. If it’s cool in my kitchen I’ll put a measuring cup of water in the microwave for 1 minute and then put my bread in the microwave. It works all year for me. I’ve had others say on top of their refrigerator works, and lastly, you can get a warmer like the raisenne (affiliate link) that’s amazing!
I love this recipe, I’ve made it a few times in a Dutch oven, but I wanted to know if it could be baked in a loaf pan?
It can be baked in a loaf pan, Lisa. 500 gram loaf would be to big so you may want to split it in half, shape it and let it rise in the loaf pan.
The BEST sourdough bread recipe! I have tried a few others but this one is the best and the rise is 2nd to none. It is also the simplest. Mix it, let it sit overnight, form loaves – place in enamel roaster and cover, heat oven for 30 minutes then bake. I do the 20 minutes with lid on then remove lid and continue to back until the color I desire. EASY!
Thank you so much, Cathy! This is my go-to for sourdough most the time too and glad it worked so well for you.
Would you recommend changing the measurements if I want to use whole wheat bread flour?
No, you don’t have to change the measurements for all wheat flour however your bread will have a dense crumb. Here is a sourdough wheat bread that you may enjoy: https://hostessatheart.com/multigrain-wheat-bread/
This recipe is excellent for a first time bread maker. I’ve made it 8 times in a month already. They all came out amazing! It doesn’t taste sour, though. How can I give it more of the sour taste?
The sour flavor comes from fermentation. If you want a sour flavor I recommend stretching and folding the dough every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours and then once after 1 hour then shape it after the 4th hour and put it in a banneton or a basket overnight in the refrigerator. I use this longer method in my rye sourdough bread https://hostessatheart.com/sourdough-rye-bread-recipe/. Now that you’re comfortable with the recipe, try that method and I hope you’ll let me know what you think.
@Julie Menghini, thank you! I will try this!
Thank you Idet!
I created a rye/white flour starter, using equal parts of each end, equal parts of water to create this starter. Because of the different information I’m getting I’ve had to wing it on some level but have maintained equal parts when feeding the starter. Last night I split it in half and fed each half. Have not looked at it yet, but do you feel I need to wait a full 10 days before baking with it? It goes from sweet smelling to an alcohol smell… So I feed it every 12 hours. My question really is, besides waiting a full 10 days. Do you have a different recipe for a rye/white flower starter or can I use the recipe here for the bread?
No, you don’t have to wait. As soon as it’s consistently increasing in volume by approximately 40% after 6 to 8 hours after feeding it. Always test it with the float test and if it passes it’s ready regardless of how new or old it is. See my video in this post: https://hostessatheart.com/bread-starter/ to see how the float test is done. You don’t need a different starter for each type of bread that you make. I use the same starter for any variety of bread that I make. It’s a blend of AP flour and whole wheat also given in the starter post I mention above. Thank you for posting your question, Janet, and let me know if you have any more questions.
This was my first attempt and it was very successful. The taste was great, crisp crust and lots of lightness from the air bubbles. I will be making this again and perfecting my technique. Thank you!
That’s great, Janet! I’m so glad that it worked for you. I’m actually making two loaves of this bread today. Welcome to the sourdough world!
Thanks Julie! It worked! It didn’t rise as much as I’d hope but may have been my starter. Added artichoke hearts, cheddar cheese, Italian seasoning during the third way pull the 30 minute rise. Delicious
I started the dough last evening but at 7:00 pm had to leave the house. I put in the fridge instead of counter and took out this am for the counter rise and then shape. Will it still work???
Were you able to let it rise for at least 3 to 4 hours before refrigerating it? If you, yes. Otherwise, shape it and let it rise a while today before baking. When you press your thumb into the side and it springs back slowly it’s ready. If it springs back immediately let it rise for another 30 minutes. If it hardly springs back it may be getting over fermented. Let me know how it goes Val.
So far so good… but what temperature do you bake your loaf to? It’s been in for 20 min covered and 20 min uncovered and only at 165 F. Usually I bake to 200-205 F internal temp, but not sure with this recipe. For context, baking on convection at 425 per the recipe; and my oven thermometer says just over 425, so it’s not running too cool.
Internal temperature is usually 200 to 211 for mine, Laura. I bake covered for 20 minutes and then 15 to 20 minutes uncovered.
I’ve tried many different sourdough recipes and this is by far the best and easiest during this time of the year. I say that because I find that as the humidity changes, recipes don’t work the same. For now I’m loving this one! Thank you!
Thank you so much, Sharon! You’re correct that bread is impacted by so many things! It’s an easy recipe to learn on and I still make it as much as any sourdough.