Sourdough French Bread Recipe
There’s just something special about homemade sourdough French bread, crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and full of that classic tangy flavor. This easy sourdough bread recipe uses simple ingredients like bread flour, warm water, and an active sourdough starter to create beautiful, golden brown loaves. This recipe is perfect for slicing and serving alongside a cozy bowl of my creamy cheeseburger soup, easy cowboy chili recipe, or my creamy sausage and sauerkraut soup recipe.
Quick Look: Sourdough French Bread Recipe
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 15 hours
- 🍳 Cook Time: 30 minutes (plus 15 minutes to rest)
- 🕒 Total Time: 15 hrs, 45 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 24
- 📊 Calories: ~38 kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- 🔥 Cook Method: Oven-baked in bread pans.
- 👩🍳 Flavor Profile: Slightly tangy, not super-sweet, not sour.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy, making it great for making weekly.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Simple - it's just as easy to make
- Delicious flavor – classic tangy taste with a golden brown and crispy crust.
- Flexible timing – works as an overnight bulk ferment or a same-day sourdough recipe.
Ingredients
How to Make This Easy Sourdough French Bread
Feed Starter
Feed your starter 4–12 hours before mixing your dough so it’s active and bubbly. This will give your bread great flavor and rise.
Mix Ingredients
In a medium bowl, combine water and your active sourdough starter. Add the flour to the wet ingredients and mix until it comes together into a shaggy dough. Let it rest for 15–30 minutes to autolyse—this gives the flour a chance to absorb the water and starter.
After autolyse, add the salt and mix it into the dough with a circular motion, as a stand mixer would. Scrape the dough off the sides of the bowl and let it rest another 15–30 minutes.
Create Structure in Your Dough
Start building strength in your dough with a series of stretch and folds, coil folds, or lamination every 15–30 minutes. You’ll know the dough has good structure when it holds its shape and starts forming bubbles on top. I usually do 2–3 sets of stretch and folds, 2–3 coil folds, and one lamination if I have time.
Bulk Ferment
Cover your bowl with a loose-fitting lid or plate and let the dough rise at room temperature for 2–3 hours. During this time, it should puff up nicely and become airy.
Shape the Dough
Divide the dough into two or three equal parts (depending on the size of loaves you want).
Take a portion and gently flatten it into a rectangle. Fold the top edge down toward the middle, pressing lightly with your fingertips or the heel of your hand. Then fold the bottom edge up over the top, creating tension on the surface of the dough. Roll the dough gently into a loaf shape, rounding the edges slightly.
Place the loaf seam side down on parchment paper or in a greased loaf pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a clean towel and cold ferment in the fridge for 2–12 hours. This slow fermentation adds flavor and makes for a soft interior and crisp crust.
Preparing to Bake
When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven and a pizza stone (if using) to 425°F (220°C). Place a baking sheet on a lower rack. Just before baking, pour boiling water into the sheet to create steam.
Score and Bake
Gently score the top of each loaf with a razor blade or lame. Mist the loaves heavily with water for extra steam and crisp crust. Place in the oven and bake for 25–30 minutes, until golden brown and crusty.
Cool and Enjoy
Remove from the oven and let your loaves cool on a rack. Serve with fresh butter or your favorite spreads and enjoy that soft, flavorful sourdough French bread.
Tips
- Keep the dough soft and slightly sticky; avoid adding much flour early, as it helps to create a soft interior.
- Bake in a Dutch oven or on a tray with ice cubes for steam to create a crisp crust.
- Cool in a paper bag to avoid sogginess.
More Recipes Like This
Sourdough French Bread Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Bosch mixer or a large mixing bowl
- 1 Bread Lame Scoring Tool or Razor Blade
- 1 Baking sheet
- 1 Measuring cups
Ingredients
- Sourdough starter learn how to make your own sourdough starter here.
- Water Non-chlorinated water is best. You can leave chlorinated water sitting out on the counter for a few hours, and the chlorine will naturally evaporate. Always use warm water when working with sourdough, as it will better activate the wild yeast in the sourdough. If you like a stronger lemon flavor, you can also use lemon juice for part of the water in this recipe.
- Salt I prefer to use Redmond Real Salt, but use whatever you have available.
- All-purpose flour I like to use bread flour when making sourdough bread, but all-purpose flour works just fine, too. I prefer to source my flour from Azure Standard, but I can sometimes get good-quality flour from Sam’s Club as well. You can also use whole wheat flour, but I prefer to mix it 50/50 with all-purpose flour.
- Sugar
- Oil
Instructions
Feed Starter
- Feed your starter 4–12 hours before mixing your dough so it’s active and bubbly. This will give your bread great flavor and rise.
Mix Ingredients
- In a medium bowl, combine water and your active sourdough starter. Add the flour to the wet ingredients and mix until it comes together into a shaggy dough. Let it rest for 15–30 minutes to autolyse—this gives the flour a chance to absorb the water and starter.
- After autolyse, add the salt and mix it into the dough with a circular motion, as a stand mixer would. Scrape the dough off the sides of the bowl and let it rest another 15–30 minutes.
Create Structure in Your Dough
- Start building strength in your dough with a series of stretch and folds, coil folds, or lamination every 15–30 minutes. You’ll know the dough has good structure when it holds its shape and starts forming bubbles on top. I usually do 2–3 sets of stretch and folds, 2–3 coil folds, and one lamination if I have time.
Bulk Ferment
- Cover your bowl with a loose-fitting lid or plate and let the dough rise at room temperature for 2–3 hours. During this time, it should puff up nicely and become airy.
Shape the Dough
- Divide the dough into two or three equal parts (depending on the size of loaves you want).
- Take a portion and gently flatten it into a rectangle. Fold the top edge down toward the middle, pressing lightly with your fingertips or the heel of your hand. Then fold the bottom edge up over the top, creating tension on the surface of the dough. Roll the dough gently into a loaf shape, rounding the edges slightly
- Place the loaf seam side down on parchment paper or in a greased loaf pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a clean towel and cold ferment in the fridge for 2–12 hours. This slow fermentation adds flavor and makes for a soft interior and crisp crust.
Preparing to Bake
- When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven and a pizza stone (if using) to 425°F (220°C). Place a baking sheet on a lower rack. Just before baking, pour boiling water into the sheet to create steam.
Score and Bake
- Gently score the top of each loaf with a razor blade or lame. Mist the loaves heavily with water for extra steam and crisp crust. Place in the oven and bake for 25–30 minutes, until golden brown and crusty.
Cool and Enjoy
- Remove from the oven and let your loaves cool on a rack. Serve with fresh butter or your favorite spreads and enjoy that soft, flavorful sourdough French bread.
