Muscle Momma Sourdough

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My Theory…

Do you remember the Olive Theory from the show How I Met Your Mother? It goes something like this… a couple is said to be more compatible if one person loves olives and the other doesn’t.

Well, I have my own Olive Theory—olives and sourdough were meant to be together. I’m a big olive lover, but I’ve never loved them more than in this bread. The combination of tangy Kalamata olives, sweet sun-dried tomatoes, and optional melted cheese makes this loaf absolutely irresistible.

The key to a great sun dried tomato and olive loaf is getting them evenly distributed throughout the crumb. In this post, I’ll share my recipe and how I achieve this even distribution. Let’s get started!

Ingredients:

• 100g active sourdough starter
• 360g warm filtered water (80°F)
• 500g unbleached bread flour
• 10g salt
• Finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes and Kalamata olives (dry any wet ingredients before adding to the dough)
• Any other inclusions you’d like to add- Feta would be an amazing addition! (I just didn’t have any so I used mozzarella)

Instructions:

1. Mix the Dough

In a large mixing bowl, combine the 100g starter and 360g warm water, stirring until you achieve a milky consistency. Add the 500g flour and 10g salt, and mix until you form a shaggy dough. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for one hour. This gives the flour time to absorb water for a stronger dough.

2. Stretch and folds + Add Inclusions

• Before adding your sun dried tomatoes and olives (inclusions), perform one stretch and folds to start building strength in the dough. Let it rest for 30 minutes.
• During the second stretch and fold, gradually incorporate the finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes and Kalamata olives, plus any other inclusions you want to add. To do this, sprinkle a portion of them over the dough before each stretch-and-fold motion. Stretch, fold, add more sun-dried tomatoes and olives, and continue until they are evenly distributed in layers throughout the dough. I make sure my inclusions are finely chopped to prevent big bubbles from forming in the dough.

• Complete a total of 3-4 stretch and folds, spaced 30 minutes apart. For the third and fourth rounds, I like to switch to coil folds to gently strengthen the dough while evenly distributing the inclusions and keeping them inside the dough.

3. Bulk Fermentation

Allow the dough to bulk ferment on the counter until it’s bubbly and airy. Time depends on dough temperature, this is a good guideline I like to follow. Remember time starts when you mixed your dough back in step 1. Dough temp vs. Bulk Ferment time

80°F → ~5-6 hours

75°F → ~7-8 hours

70°F → ~12 hours

65°F → ~16 hours

4. Shape & Cold Proof

Once your dough has finished bulk fermentation:

• Shape the dough into a round or oval shape.
• Place it into a rice-floured banneton basket seam-side up.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight for 14-24 hours. This long cold proof deepens the flavor and makes scoring easier.

5. Bake Your Loaf

• Preheat your oven to 450°F with a Dutch oven inside.
• Take the dough out of the fridge and carefully turn it out onto parchment paper or silicon sling.
• Score the top with a bread lame or sharp knife.
• Transfer the dough into the preheated Dutch oven and bake:
  • 30 minutes covered
  • 15 minutes uncovered (for a golden, crispy crust)

6. Cool & Enjoy

Let the bread cool completely before slicing to allow the crumb to fully set. Then, slice, serve, and enjoy!

If you loved this Sun-Dried Tomato & Kalamata Olive Sourdough, you might enjoy these other delicious sourdough recipes:

• Overnight Sourdough Focaccia – A crispy, airy, and flavor-packed focaccia that’s perfect for dipping or sandwiches.
• Hot Honey, Cheddar, and Jalapeno Soft Sandwich bread – A sweet, spicy, and cheesy loaf with the perfect kick.
• Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread – A tender, fluffy sourdough loaf that’s great for everyday sandwiches.

Give them a try and let me know which one becomes your new favorite!