How To Make A Sourdough Starter (From Scratch Recipe)

My How To Make A Sourdough Starter From Scratch Recipe is an easy guide to help you create a sourdough starter that will make the most incredible, flavorful, and well-risen sourdough bread and baked goods, just like my favorite Crusty Sourdough or Sandwich Bread. This recipe has simple step-by-step instructions for making a sourdough starter, a sourdough starter feeding schedule, and how to feed and store your starter to easily maintain a healthy, active, starter that’s very beginner-friendly!

What is a sourdough starter?

It begins with making a culture of water and flour, and capturing wild yeasts and bacteria in the flour, but also in the air and even on our hands. Once the yeast is captured it starts to ferment spontaneously.

Once the starter has begun fermenting, then you can feed the live culture so that it begins to rise and fall predictably.

What you’ll love about this recipe:

• IT’SEASILY MAINTAINED –You’ll be able to feed it, then keep it in the fridge for up to 1 week before you even need to feed it again. It’s the perfect low-maintenance starter if you only bake a couple of times a week like I do.

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For this recipe you’ll need

• 2 large glass jars:Weck Jars, Mason Jars, or pickle jars work well
• A loose-fitting lid(to allow fermentation gases to escape)
• A wooden spoon or spurtle to stir the starter and scrape down the sides of the jar.
• A digital kitchen scale– I’ve used this one for years and love it.
• Optional: Grain mill: https://nutrimill.com/HEALTHYELIZABETH Use code: HEALTHYELIZABETH20 For $20 off your order at Nutrimill.com

Ingredient list

To get started making this recipe, you’ll want to gather these ingredients:

• Filtered, unchlorinated, room temperature water
• 100% whole wheat flour or 100% rye flour
• Unbleached all-purpose flour, must be unbleached or unbleached bread flour

Here’s How To Make A Sourdough Starter From Scratch

Step by Step Instructions for How To Make A Sourdough Starter From Scratch Recipe

To make a sourdough starter that is active, bubbly, and ready to bake with, can take anywhere from 5- 10 days depending on your environment.

Sourdough Starter Schedule

Day 1 – Start the culture: 50g whole wheat flour, 50g unbleached, all-purpose flour, 150g room temperature water.

Day 2 & 3 Feedings: Discard any liquid (hooch) on the top of the starter culture. In a clean glass jar add 70g sourdough starter, 50g whole wheat flour, 50g unbleached, all-purpose flour, and 115g room temperature water.

Day 4 & 5 Feedings : Discard any liquid (hooch) on the top of the starter culture. In a clean glass jar add 70g sourdough starter, 50g whole wheat flour, 50g unbleached, all-purpose flour, and 100g room temperature water.

Day 6 Feeding: Discard any liquid (hooch) on the top of the starter culture. In a clean glass jar add 50g sourdough starter, 50g whole wheat flour, 50g unbleached, all-purpose flour, and 100g room temperature water.

Day 7 – Regular Maintenance Feeding: Discard any liquid (hooch) on the top of the starter culture. In a clean glass jar add 35g sourdough starter, 140g unbleached, all-purpose flour, and 140g room temperature water.

Once your starter is active you will only need to perform this feeding once a week to keep your starter healthy.