No Knead Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread

This no knead Dutch oven sourdough bread is the sourdough recipe I come back to again and again. It makes two loaves with a crisp golden crust and a soft, chewy inside, and honestly, I’m always glad it makes two because the first one rarely lasts very long.

Sourdough can feel intimidating at first, but once you understand the rhythm of feeding your starter, stretching and folding the dough, letting it rise, and baking it in a hot Dutch oven, the process becomes much easier.

This recipe does take time, but most of that time is hands-off while the dough ferments and rests. You don’t need to stand over it all day or knead the dough for 20 minutes.

Why You’ll Love This Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread

This is the recipe I use when I want that classic homemade sourdough loaf with a crisp crust and chewy center.

A few reasons I love it:

• There’s no traditional kneading required.
• The dough makes two loaves.
• Most of the process is hands-off.
• Baking in a Dutch oven helps create a crisp, bakery-style crust.
• It’s a great way to turn a healthy sourdough starter into homemade bread you can use all week.

And there is really nothing better than cutting into a fresh loaf and eating a warm slice with butter and a little flaky sea salt.

What You Need to Make Sourdough Bread

You don’t need a ton of special equipment, but a few things make sourdough baking much easier.

I like to use a digital kitchen scale because sourdough is much more consistent when the ingredients are measured by weight.

A dough scraper makes shaping and dividing the dough easier, and a proofing basket or bowl gives the loaf support while it rests in the refrigerator.

You’ll also need parchment paper and a heavy Dutch oven with a lid for baking.

If you’re just getting started, don’t feel like you need to buy every sourdough tool you see. A bowl, kitchen scale, Dutch oven, and something sharp for scoring will get you a long way.

These can all be found in the baking section of may amazon store here.

If you don’t have a sourdough starter you can buy a dehydrated one here or use this recipe to make your own. All you need is flour and water!

What Kind of Flour Do You Need?

This recipe uses a combination of:

• all-purpose flour
• whole wheat flour
• bread flour

I like the combination because it gives the bread good structure while still keeping the inside tender and flavorful.

If you don’t have all three flours, I also linked below to a simpler sourdough recipe that uses bread flour.

How Do You Know When Your Sourdough Starter Is Ready?

Before making the dough, you’ll want an active starter.

I mix sourdough starter with flour and lukewarm water in a clear container, then mark the level with a rubber band. When the starter has roughly doubled and looks bubbly and active, it’s ready to use.

How long this takes depends on your starter and the temperature of your kitchen. Mine often takes around four hours, but yours may be faster or slower.

If you don’t have a sourdough starter yet, you can make one with just flour and water or start with a dehydrated starter.

How to Make No Knead Sourdough Bread

The full measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below, but here’s what the process looks like.

1. Make your active starter

Feed your starter and let it sit until it has doubled and is bubbly and active.

2. Mix the flour and water

Mix the flours with water and let the mixture rest for about 30 minutes.

This resting period gives the flour time to hydrate before you add the starter and salt.

3. Add the starter and salt

Mix in the mature sourdough starter and salt until everything is well combined.

4. Stretch and fold the dough

Instead of kneading, you’ll strengthen the dough by stretching and folding it several times.

Pull one side of the dough up and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat around the dough.

You’ll do several rounds of stretch and folds, first about 15 minutes apart and then about 30 minutes apart.

5. Let the dough rise

Cover the dough and allow it to ferment until it has noticeably risen and roughly doubled in size.

For me, this is often an overnight process, but sourdough timing can vary quite a bit based on the strength of your starter and how warm your kitchen is.

6. Divide and shape

Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into two loaves.

Shape each piece gently so you don’t knock out all of the air you worked so hard to create.

7. Refrigerate the dough

Place the shaped loaves into floured proofing baskets or bowls, cover them, and refrigerate for about 12–15 hours.

8. Bake in a hot Dutch oven

Preheat your Dutch oven thoroughly before baking.

Score the dough, place it onto parchment paper, and carefully lower it into the hot Dutch oven.

Bake covered first to trap steam, then remove the lid and continue baking until the crust is deeply golden.

Why Bake Sourdough Bread in a Dutch Oven?

A Dutch oven traps steam around the bread while it bakes.

That steam keeps the outside of the dough from setting too quickly, giving the loaf time to rise before the crust forms. Once the lid is removed, the crust can brown and become crisp.

It’s one of the easiest ways to get that beautiful crust you expect from artisan sourdough bread at home.

How Long Does Sourdough Bread Take?

This is not a quick bread, but most of the time is waiting.

You’ll spend some time feeding the starter, doing stretch and folds, shaping the dough, and baking, but the long fermentation and refrigerator rest happen mostly without you.

I usually plan to make the dough one day and bake the bread the next.

Sourdough is much easier when you stop thinking about it as one long recipe and instead think of it as a few short steps spread across a day or two.

How Do You Know When Sourdough Is Done?

The outside should be deeply golden brown and crisp.

Once it comes out of the Dutch oven, transfer it to a cooling rack and let it cool before slicing.

I know it’s tempting to cut into it immediately, but allowing the bread to cool helps the inside finish setting so you don’t end up with a gummy crumb.

Tips for Better Sourdough Bread

Watch your dough, not just the clock. Sourdough fermentation depends heavily on temperature and starter activity.

Use a scale. Measuring by weight gives you much more consistent results than measuring flour by cups.

Use rice flour for your proofing basket. I love rice flour because it helps prevent sticking and also gives the finished loaf that pretty floured look.

Preheat the Dutch oven well. A very hot Dutch oven helps create good oven spring and a crisp crust.

Let the bread cool. This might be the hardest part, but it really does make a difference.

What to Serve With Homemade Sourdough Bread

Most of the time, I don’t think homemade sourdough needs anything more complicated than butter and sea salt.

But it’s also perfect with soups, stews, eggs, toast, sandwiches, or alongside dinner.

And if you bake two loaves like this recipe makes, you can keep one for slicing and use the other for toast or sandwiches throughout the week.

Watch Me Make This Sourdough Bread

Sometimes sourdough techniques are easier to understand when you can actually see them.

In my YouTube video, I show you how I stretch and fold the dough, shape the loaves, and score the bread before baking.

I also mentioned in my youtube video that I’d share a different recipe that doesn’t require as many flours, here is one you can try if you only have bread flour.

And for more pantry cooking check out these videos:

• The Ultimate Pantry Challenge
• $0 Meal Prep (meal prepping straight from the pantry)
• 4 Shelf Stable Meals

More Pantry Friendly Recipes To Try

• 5 Canned Chicken Recipes
• 25 of the best rice and beans recipes
• 7 Can Slow Cooker Soup

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This recipe was inspired by the No Kneed Sourdough Recipe from the website Farmhouse on Boone.

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