Same Day Sourdough Bread Recipe

I’ve been baking sourdough for years, and while I love long fermented loaves, sometimes you just need fresh bread on the table the same day. That’s where this recipe comes in. My Same Day Sourdough Bread is the one I turn to week after week. It’s simple, reliable, and bakes up beautifully without a complicated schedule. If you’re looking for a way to enjoy homemade sourdough for dinner any night of the week, this is truly my go-to recipe.

Making sourdough recipes especially sourdough bread can be so fulfilling and fun! It can take a really long time though to make the perfect loaf, but this recipe is mixed together and baked same day!

When wondering if you can make sourdough in one day, the answer is yes! You don't need any commercial yeast either, just a really active bubbly starter. This loaf of sourdough bread is perfect for the beginner baker! Once you get the hang of sourdough, Dutch oven sourdough bread is another basic recipe that is always a crowd pleaser!

When making sourdough bread, there are a few essential sourdough tools and a sourdough glossary that would be helpful when making bread to make your life easier.

Can You Make Sourdough Bread in One Day?

Yes! It's one of my favorite ways to make sourdough bread! You only need 4 simple ingredients to make this crusty bread. You'll need water, flour, salt, and active sourdough starter. Surprisingly, you can make sourdough French bread in one day too!

The key to success for this recipe is to make sure you have an active starter on hand. The best way to make sure that happens is to feed your starter the night before and let it hand on the counter until you are ready to mix it with the rest of the ingredients the next morning.

Same Day Sourdough Recipe Ingredients

You only need a few simple ingredients to make this loaf of bread.

• Flour. White bread flour is the best type of flour to use to make bread. If you only have all purpose flour on hand, you can use that. In this post about bread flour vs all purpose flour I explain all the differences and between the two flours and what is best to use.
• Sourdough Starter. The key to making sure this bread gets the proper rise, active starter is necessary. How to keep a sourdough starter is helpful in making sure that you always have an active, healthy starter ready to make bread at any time. You can make your own sourdough starter, buy one, or get one from a friend.
• Water. This is a relatively high hydration bread, meaning that is more water in the dough than in a normal sourdough bread recipe. This leads to a more airy crumb and a soft interior.
• Salt. Salt adds flavor to the bread but it also keeps the yeast from going crazy in the bread dough.

See printable recipe card for full recipe information on ingredients and quantities.

How To Make Same Day Sourdough Bread

Step 1: In a large bowl, add the flour.

Step 2: Add the sourdough starter, salt, and water to the mixing bowl. Mix well until a shaggy dough forms. You can mix the dough with your hands or with a wooden spoon.

Step 3: Cover with a damp kitchen towel, a shower cap, or plastic wrap. Let it rest for one hour.

Step 4: After 1 hour, perform a set of stretch and folds. Let the dough rest for another hour. Do one more set of stretch and folds after an hour. Then let the dough rest for 4-6 hours in a warm place in your kitchen.

Step 5: Once the dough has rested for 4-6 hours, place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Shape the dough by folding it onto itself. How to shape a sourdough boule is an important step and the dough should be a tight ball. Let it rest on the work surface for 15 minutes. While the dough rests, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and place the Dutch Oven in the oven to preheat.

Step 6: When the oven is preheated, place the dough on a piece of parchment paper. Score the top of the dough and place the dough into the hot Dutch oven. Bake for 30 minutes covered, and then for another 30 minutes uncovered. The bread should be golden brown and sound hollow inside when tapped on.

Baking Schedule

• 8am- Mix the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl until the shaggy dough forms.
• 9am- Do a stretch and fold to the dough.
• 10am- Do a second stretch and fold to the dough. Let the dough rise for 4-6 hours in a warm spot in your kitchen.
• 4:30pm- Place the dough on a floured surface. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
• 4:45pm- Bake for 30 minutes covered and 30 minutes uncovered.

Tips and Tricks

Make sure the bread is cooled to room temperature on a cooling rack before cutting into it. This will make sure that the crumb of the bread is cooked fully and properly set.

It is really important that your starter is active and bubbly. Inactive starter will not let the dough rise properly.

When scoring the top of the loaf, using a razor blade, really sharp knife, or a bread lame is best. You want a pretty deep cut to allow the bread to expand in the oven.

How To Store One Day Sourdough Bread

Store leftover sourdough bread in a plastic bag on the counter. A gallon sized Ziploc bag is great.

This is also a great recipe to freeze! Freeze the bread in a Ziploc plastic bag once it has come to room temperature. It will stay fresh for up to 3 months. When you are ready to serve, take the bread out of the freezer and let it come to room temperature on the counter.

Don't throw out bread that has gone stale! You can use it to make sourdough stuffing , Cinnamon roll french bread toast, or Italian sausage stuffing!

Same Day Sourdough Recipe FAQs

More Sourdough Recipes