No-Knead Sourdough Bread Recipe
W&S Home and Living Editorial Staff
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Why No-Knead Sourdough Bread Rocks
Okay, so you probably don’t really need any explanation as to why no-knead sourdough bread rocks. But, we’re gonna do it anyway. Sourdough bread is arguably one of the best breads out there, rising in popularity in the last decade due to its simplicity.
Unlike most breads available and regularly made in the US, it’s almost always dairy free and vegan. Traditional sourdough uses only flour, salt, and water. That’s it, no yeast necessary. This small ingredient list is what makes sourdough stand out, giving it its unique taste and texture.
Sourdough bread doesn’t depend on yeast to rise and instead rises through a natural fermentation process between the flour and water. A sourdough “starter” is made, using equal parts water and flour, turning into a live fermented culture that’s fed daily for about a week.
Once the starter has doubled in size, it’s ready to be used! While the process may seem a bit tedious to some, it’s still super easy. Most involvement is hands-off. Especially our no-knead version that cuts down prep time.
No-knead style breads are also sometimes referred to as “bulk rise”. The doughs for these types of recipes are therefore not stretched or folded. Still, the final result has minimal differences in taste and texture (at least in our experience) when compared to kneaded bread doughs.
Good bread can be made without kneading. Making bread doesn’t have to be something super involved or difficult, and mastering no-knead recipes can help many people eat healthier and save money doing so!
Our Tips for Mastering No-Knead Sourdough Bread
Use the Right Flour
We stand by our position that kneading bread isn't a necessary step in making delicious bread. However, this means that you have to use the right ingredients. To explain, kneading is a process that helps develop gluten content.
Hydrated flour, a fancy term for flour that has water in it, needs help transforming into a loaf of bread. This transformation can only happen once a strong network of gluten is developed, either done by leaving hydrated flour to sit for a while OR kneading the bread.
Kneading is quicker as it quickly agitates the dough to get the gluten to develop. Still, allowing the dough to sit starts fermentation that’s just as effective at making this strong network of gluten when the right flour is used.
Our recipe for no-knead sourdough, and practically all no-knead bread recipes out there, calls for white flour for a reason! Whole grain flours are a big no-no because they tend to reduce the bonds of gluten strands.
So, if you must use whole grain flour because you like the taste or you for health reasons, be sure to use only a little bit. We suggest that you mix white flour with whole wheat flour at about a 1:3 ratio maximum for optimal results.
Don’t Be Afraid of Salt
When it comes to no-knead bread making, salt is your best friend. For starters, salt does a lot of work to develop the taste of your final bread product. Salt acts as a natural antioxidant, bringing out the flavor and aromas of your flour. Trust us when we say, going easy on the salt will make your bread taste terrible.
Salt does more than add flavor, however. Salt helps strengthen the gluten structure of your bread, making it rise more efficiently and your final product smoother. Salt also balances the moisture content within recipes, contributing to your bread staying moist and not becoming stale.
Lastly, and probably most importantly in a no-knead sourdough recipe, salt regulates the fermentation process of dough. Without salt, your bread might ferment too quickly, creating a final product that lacks flavor.
So, be sure to not skimp on the salt. Obviously, don’t go crazy. We always recommend that salt should always be around 2% of the total amount of flour. Nothing more and nothing less.
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No-Knead Sourdough Bread Recipe: The W&S Version
Prep Time:
5 minutes
Cook Time:
10 minutes
Servings:
8
Ingredients:
½ cup sourdough starter (proofed and bubbly)
1 ⅓ cups of room temperature water
1 ¾ teaspoons of fine non-iodized salt*
4 cups White Bread Flour
Optional: Coursed oats or sesame seeds for topping; spices for flavoring (e.g., fresh or dried rosemary, basil, thyme, etc.)
Instructions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the salt and flour. If using spices for flavoring, add them now until fully incorporated.
In a separate small bowl, mix water and starter until cloudy and no parts of starter remain.
In another large bowl, transfer starter mixture inside. Proceed to add in flour mixture until fully incorporated*. This step isn’t easy and should take a couple of minutes.
Once the dough comes together, it should be shaggy. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for an hour.
Uncover the dough and fold it a couple of times using a dough scraper.*
Cover the dough again and let it sit overnight (8-12 hours) at room temperature.
Check the dough in the morning, making sure it’s expanded in size with a top that resembles a spongy dome.
Scoop the dough out and repeat the folding process from the night before, shaping the dough into a ball.
Dust a tea towel with flour and place the dough back into the bowl with the towel over it. Let it rest for 90 minutes. Meanwhile, set the oven to 450°F*.
Check the dough again to make sure it has doubled in size. Once it has, transfer the dough into a dutch oven lined with parchment paper.
Score the dough using a very sharp knife or bread lame. Feel free to get creative with this or do the classic 1-inch slice down the middle.
Bake the bread covered for 20 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for another 30 minutes or until deep golden brown.
Enjoy!
Notes:
* Though active prep isn’t long, this is an overnight recipe. Be sure to start this the night before you intend to eat the bread!
* Bread baking is a delicate process. We, therefore, recommend using a kitchen scale when measuring ingredients for optimal results.
* We suggest either sea salt, pink Himalayan salt, or kosher salt.
*Wooden tools are best when mixing starter mix with flour mixture.
*We borrowed this technique from YouTube.
* We suggest using an oven thermometer as some home ovens may not heat evenly, and using this tool will help you make sure your bread bakes in the ideal spot and temperature.
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