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Hey there, friend!
If you’re here, it means you’re ready to start your sourdough journey—but maybe you’re feeling a little overwhelmed. I get it. Sourdough can seem complicated, with all the talk of hydration percentages, fermentation times, and feeding schedules- blah blah blah. But here’s the truth: it doesn’t have to be hard.
I’m all about keeping things simple and doable, and I promise you—if you can mix flour and water, and have a bit of patience- you can make sourdough!
So, take a deep breath and relax your shoulders. Let’s break this down step by step.
Step 1: Start with a Healthy Sourdough Starter
Before you can bake sourdough bread, you need an active starter. Your starter is the foundation of your bread—it’s what makes it rise naturally without commercial yeast.
If you don’t have a starter yet, you have a few options:
- Make your own – However, I do not recommend this. It can take weeks (sometimes months) to develop a strong, active starter and when you’re a beginner- that adds even more confusion to the equation.
- Get one from a friend – If you know someone with a healthy starter, this is a great option. You’ll start out on the right foot and ahead of the game.
- Buy a dehydrated starter – This is a great way to get baking with a strong, established starter. Most come with instructions on how to feed it! I offer my own dehydrated sourdough starter, an Etsy best-seller that has helped thousands of people get started with sourdough. You can check it out here!
Whatever way you choose, I’ve got you covered!
Once you have your starter, you’ll need to feed it daily (or store it in the fridge and feed it weekly if you’re not baking often). I’ll walk you through everything step by step in my Sourdough Starter Care page.
Step 2: Gather Your Essentials
You don’t need a ton of fancy tools, but a few key things will make sourdough much easier:
✔️ A kitchen scale (measuring by weight is way more accurate and easier than cups!)
✔️ A mixing bowl and a bench scraper
✔️ A Dutch oven or bread pan to bake in
✔️ A towel lined bowl or banneton basket for proofing
That’s it! No need to overcomplicate things.
If you’re planning to bake sourdough regularly, a sourdough kit can be a great investment. Amazon offers kits that bundle essential tools at a discounted price, making it an easy and cost-effective option for beginners. While these items aren’t absolutely necessary, they can make the process much smoother.
I have also put together a Sourdough Basics: Tools to get started page with all the tools I recommend, use, and love.
Step 3: Mix, Strengthen, and Rest
To make it less complicated, I like to look at sourdough in 5 stages or steps:
- Mix your dough (flour, water, starter, and salt).
- Stretch and folds to develop strength.
- Let it rise (Bulk ferment) at room temp.
- Shape and second rise (proof).
- Bake.
That’s it! No crazy kneading, no guesswork. Just simple, repeatable steps that I’ll walk you through.
I have a Beginner’s Sourdough Recipe that walks you through the entire process with easy-to-follow steps. It includes a step-by-step video for visual learners and has helped hundreds of thousands of bakers make their first loaf!
Step 4: Bake Your First Loaf
You don’t have to be perfect, you just have to start. Sourdough is a learned skill. Its not as simple as following a cookie recipe you found online. There are visual cues to look for and terminology that may sound confusing at first. Once you start baking regularly it will all start to click! That’s why it is such a popular hobby. You’ll learn new things every time you bake!
Your first sourdough loaf might not be perfect, and that’s okay! Even if it’s a little wonky, it will taste amazing. And each time you bake, you’ll learn a little more about your dough, and soon, you’ll be making loaves that you can’t help but post on Instagram!
Step 5: Enjoy the Process!
Sourdough isn’t just about the bread—it’s about the experience. It’s about slowing down in a fast-paced world, working with your hands, and creating something real.
So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, just remember: you don’t have to be perfect—you just have to start. And I’m here to help you every step of the way!
I hope this helped you get a head start and feel less overwhelmed. You’ve got this, and I can’t wait to see what you create!
– Hayley
Muscle Momma Sourdough
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