Get Baking Today: Beginner Sourdough Starter Recipe

Sourdough, sourdough FAQ, sourdough starter

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Beginner Sourdough Starter Recipe

Making your sourdough starter at home is an easy and rewarding process requiring only flour, water, and a little patience. In this step-by-step beginner sourdough starter recipe guide, you will learn how to create your own bubbly, an active starter that can be used to make a variety of delicious sourdough baked goods, including bread, focaccia, pizza crust, and more. Learn how to bake your own sourdough bread HERE!

What is a Sourdough Starter?

A sourdough starter is a live fermented culture of fresh flour and water that naturally cultivates the yeasts found in our environment.

It is used as a leavening agent in sourdough baking, and commercial yeast is not required.

How Long Will It Take?

Creating a sourdough starter from scratch typically takes about 7 days or more, depending on various factors such as temperature and humidity.

The process involves creating the starter with whole wheat flour to jumpstart fermentation and then feeding it with regular all-purpose flour to cultivate the wild yeasts and friendly bacteria.

When Will it Be Ready To Use?

Your sourdough starter will be ready to use when it has doubled in size, with plenty of bubbles on the surface and throughout the culture. It’s not uncommon for it to take up to two weeks or more for the starter to become active, so it’s important to be patient and allow the process to take its time.

Is it Difficult to Do?

Absolutely not! Making a sourdough starter is a simple process that involves adding flour and water to a jar, feeding it with more flour and water over time, and waiting for it to become bubbly and double in size. Most of the time involvement is hands-off, and it’s important not to overthink the process.

You will Need:

To create your sourdough starter, you will need a 3/4 L jar, 60 g (1/2 cup) whole wheat flour, 60 g (1/4 cup) water, and for daily feedings on Days 3-7, 60 g (1/2 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour or bread flour and 60 g (1/4 cup) water.

Day 1: Make the Starter

To begin, combine 60 g (1⁄2 cup) of whole wheat flour and 60 g (1⁄4 cup) of warm water in a large jar. Mix with a fork until smooth, cover with plastic wrap or a lid, and let it rest in a warm spot for 24 hours.

Day 2: Got Bubbles?

Check to see if any small bubbles have appeared on the surface of your starter. If not, don’t worry – the bubbles may have appeared and dissolved overnight. If bubbles are present, let the starter rest in a warm spot for another 24 hours without adding any flour or water.

Day 2 Continued: What’s that brown liquid?

During the creation process, and even after your starter has been established, a dark liquid called “hooch” may appear on the starter. This is an indication that your starter needs to be fed, and it’s normal for the liquid to have a strong smell. On Day 2, leave the hooch alone and wait until Day 3 to start feeding your starter.

Day 3: Feed Your Starter

Remove and discard approximately half of your starter from the jar, and feed it with 60 g (1⁄2 cup) of all-purpose flour and 60 g (1/4 cup) of warm water. Mix with a fork until smooth, cover, and let it rest in a warm spot for another 24 hours.

DAYS 4, 5, & 6: Keep on Feeding!

Repeat the same feeding process as outlined on Day 3, removing and discarding half of the starter and feeding it with 60 g (1⁄2 cup) of all-purpose flour and 60 g (1/4 cup) of warm water.

As the yeast begins to develop, your starter will rise, and bubbles will form on the surface and throughout the culture.

Day 7: A Sourdough Starter is Born!

By now, your sourdough starter should have doubled in size and be spongy, fluffy, and full of bubbles. If these conditions are met, your starter is now active and ready to use.

Transfer it to a clean jar and give it a name, then start baking!

What’s Next? Let’s Make Bread!

Now that you have an active sourdough starter, it’s time to start baking!

This blog post is all about a beginner sourdough starter recipe and how to make your own sourdough starter as a beginner!

Try out our beginner sourdough bread recipe!

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In this step-by-step beginner sourdough starter recipe guide, you learned how to create your own bubbly, active starter that can be used to make a variety of delicious sourdough baked goods, including bread, focaccia, pizza crust, and more.