Easy Sourdough Starter
This Easy Sourdough Starter recipe creates gorgeously fluffy homemade products such as Sourdough Baguettes. Included are simple step by step instructions on how to start, feed and Maintain Sourdough Starter that is perfect for beginners.
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What is Sourdough Starter
Very simply, sourdough starter is a fermented mixture of two ingredients, water and flour. Wild yeast found in flour flourishes when added to water and is allowed to rest in between feedings. This approach is the old fashioned way of making bread that has been done for centuries. It does require more time than active-dry or instant yeast but produces exceptional taste and textured baked goods.
Tools Needed
In addittion to the flour and water a few tools are needed to make your own from scratch Sourdough Starter.
- Kitchen Scale- It is highly encouraged to use a kitchen scale to weigh the flour and water in equals parts to achieve the best results. This is the scale shown in the picture above. However, my next kitchen scale will be a little larger to accommodate the large bowl needed to make sourdough bread.
- Chopsticks– This makes stirring the starter in a glass jar much easier.
- Glass Measuring Cup– Makes for easy pouring of water.
- Scoop or Spoon– Helps with the addittion of flour.
- Medium Sized Glass Bowl– The first few days of a starters life is easier done in a medium size glass bowl.
- Plastic Wrap or Reusable Food Wraps– For the first few days of the starters life.
- Glass Jar (see below)
Sourdough Starter Container
The type of glass jar needed will depend on which type of flour you use to make your starter and how rapidly your starter ferments. This is the jar seen in the photo below and it works beautifully when using white all-purpose flour. Please see section directly below (White Flour vs Wheat Flour) for more explanation.
White Flour vs Wheat Flour
The type of flour used will have a great influence on how your Stater ferments and the final product that you make with it. However, it is most important to not choose bleached flour as this will impede the fermentation.
All-Purpose White Flour
I adore sourdough bread that bites me back when I eat it. In other words, extra sour with a tang. However, my husband HATES that kind of bread. That is why I use all-purpose white flour for my Starter.
This type of flour yields breads that are very much like a crusty Italian loaf that he and I both go crazy for. Additionally, I use the Starter from this type of flour for making baguettes that then make incredible Homemade Breadcrumbs and croutons. The final products are never overly sour.
Wheat or Rye Flour
Wheat and rye flour has more naturally occurring wild yeast. Because of this, the starter made from these types of flours will ferment faster and with more intensity. It is very important to keep a closer eye on Starters made from these flours and to use a glass jar that has a lid that is looser or can be left slightly open. The reason for this, a tight fitting lid could be a recipe for an exploding jar.
In conclusion, wheat and rye flours will make much stronger sourdough products and all-purpose white flours (unbleached) will yield more mild final products.
How To Make
To make Sourdough Starter that is ready to bake with will take approximately 7 days, give or take a day or two. Here are the instructions for each day.
Day 1
In a medium sized glass bowl mix together 50 grams of water and 50 grams of flour. Stir well and cover. Let sit at room temperature.
Pro Tip#1– To accurately weigh the flour and water start by making sure the scale is weighing in grams vs ounces. Place the bowl on the scale and turn on. The scale should read zero with the the bowl on top. Add enough flour to equal 50 grams. Calibrate the scale back to zero again and repeat with water.
Pro Tip#2– In the making and feeding of this starter there will always be equal parts of flour and water added to it.
Day 2
To yesterday’s mixture add 50 grams of flour and 50 grams of water. Stir well and cover. Let sit at room temperature.
Day 3
Throw away half of the Starter. To the remaining Starter add 100 grams of flour and 100 grams of water. Stir well and cover. Let sit at room temperature.
Pro Tip#3– The discarded Starter from day 3- day 6 is not fully developed enough to have any uses. Simply throw it away.
Day 4
Throw away half of the starter. Add 150 grams of flour and 150 grams of water to the bowl and stir well. Cover and let sit at room temperature.
Pro Tip#4– Day 4 is the day that you will notice the mixture starting to take on the personality of a Sourdough Starter. There should be small bubbles and a slight sour smell will start to take shape.
Day 5
Similar to the previous days, throw away half of the Starter and add 150 grams of flour and 150 grams of water. Stir well, cover and let sit at room temperature.
Pro Tip#5– The Starter should begin to look very similar to picture A below. If not do not worry, it will very soon. Also, feel free to transfer to the glass jar once the new flour and water its mixed in on day 5.
Day 6
Throw away half of the starter and add 200 grams of flour and 200 grams of water. Stir well, cover and let sit at room temperature.
Pro Tip#6– By day 6 the Starter should look similar to photo A below and very possibly look like photo B.
Day 7
On day 7 the Starter should at the least look like photo B if not like photo C. If it has a similar appearance to photo C, it is ready to use. If it looks like photo B, let it sit at room temperature for one additional day.
Feeding and Reviving Sourdough Starter
Above all, if your Starter looks like photo C it is ready to be used for making all kinds of sourdough products. If it looks like photo B, you can still use it for baking. However, it will slow down the rising of bread dough. When it looks like photo A, it is time to feed the Starter.
To feed the Sourdough Starter, discard half of it and add 150 grams of flour and 150 grams of water to the remaining Starter. Stir well and let sit at room temperature overnight. If on the second day the Starter has the appearance of photo B, let it sit at room temperature for one additional day before using it in recipes.
Pro Tip#7– If storing the Starter at room temperature it will need to be fed every 2-3 days. If storing in the refrigerator, it can be kept safely for up to 10 days before feeding. Please note that if storing in the refrigerator 2 feedings will most likely be needed before the Starter will look like photo C.
Starter Smell and How to Know if it has Gone Bad
A healthy Sourdough Starter is going to smell sour. Therefore, it is not the best way to judge whether it has gone bad. However, the best way to know is by its appearance. If there are any visible signs of mold or red/orange spots it is time to throw the Starter out and begin again. Take heart though, Sourdough Starters are full of good bacteria. Because of this, chances of it going bad are much lower.
Maintaining Sourdough Starter
For anyone new to sourdough baking, it is incredibly normal to have many questions and concerns about maintaining your sourdough starter. How To Maintain Sourdough Starter has a complete breakdown of the feeding schedule, common concerns and questions so that you can enjoy your sourdough starter for decades to come.
If you enjoyed this Sourdough Starter please let me know by leaving a comment and review below. Doing so helps to encourage others to make the recipe also. Thank you!
Easy Sourdough Starter
Ingredients
- 700 grams white all-purpose flour
- 700 grams filtered water
Instructions
Day 1
- In a medium sized glass bowl mix together 50 grams of water and 50 grams of flour. Stir well and cover. Let sit at room temperature.See Note #1 and Note #2 below.
Day 2
- To yesterday’s mixture add 50 grams of flour and 50 grams of water. Stir well and cover. Let sit at room temperature.
Day 3
- Throw away half of the Starter. To the remaining Starter add 100 grams of flour and 100 grams of water. Stir well and cover. Let sit at room temperature.See Note #3 below.
Day 4
- Throw away half of the starter. Add 150 grams of flour and 150 grams of water to the bowl and stir well. Cover and let sit at room temperature. See Note #4 below.
Day 5
- Similar to the previous days, throw away half of the Starter and add 150 grams of flour and 150 grams of water. Stir well, cover and let sit at room temperature. See Note #5 below.
Day 6
- Throw away half of the starter and add 200 grams of flour and 200 grams of water. Stir well, cover and let sit at room temperature. See Note #6 below.
Day 7
- On day 7 the Starter should at the least look like photo B above if not like photo C. If it has a similar appearance to photo C, it is ready to use. If it looks like photo B, let it sit at room temperature for one additional day.
Tomorrow will be my day 3 to get rid of half. I can use this as discard for discard recipes like pretzel bites, pancakes, cookies, cinnamon rolls, etc, right?? And if so, can I use that discard right away tomorrow?
On day 3, your starter is still in its early stages, so I recommend holding off on using the discard until day 7. Waiting a few more days gives your starter time to develop that signature tangy flavor and the fermentation power needed to make recipes like pretzel bites, pancakes, and cookies shine. Once it’s more mature, you’ll notice a big difference in the taste and texture of your baked goods. It’s definitely worth the wait!
How do I maintain it after day 7?
Hi Megan! For the first 6 months I recommend a fairly consistent feeding schedule depending on how often you plan to bake. For detailed instructions, check out my post on maintaining sourdough starter as it has everything you need. I hope this helps! https://www.thefedupfoodie.com/how-to-maintain-sourdough-starter/
Hi! When you say discard half of the started – are we to be measuring what the starter weighs then remove half from that or just eyeball half?
Hi Rachel! Great question! Discarding half is just eyeballing it, there’s no need to measure exactly. Sourdough is pretty forgiving at this stage, so as long as you’re removing roughly half, your starter will thrive. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions along the way.
Thanks for your easy-to-follow directions and pictures! Two questions:
(1) Once the starter process is completed after 7 days, how long before I can bake a loaf of sourdough bread? I have read conflicting info. One recipe poster said it’s not good to use for actual sourdough loafs until it has matured for 30 days. Yikes! I was ready to bake tomorrow.
(2) When maintaining starter and feeding it before using, should the amounts of starter and subsequent feeding be a 1:1:1 ratio; for example, 100g starter, 100g flour, 100g water? The recipe did not seem to maintain a 1:1:1 ratio after day 5, with the starter being a bit more grams than to water and flour ratios.
Hi Natalie! I’m so glad you found the directions and pictures helpful! Here’s what you need to know:
1) Yes, you can bake with your starter as long as it’s active, bubbly, and passes the float test (a small bit floats in water). While some bakers prefer to wait 30 days for more developed flavor, you’ll still get delicious bread now. The classic sourdough tang will just deepen as your starter matures.
2) For maintaining your starter, I recommend feeding it with equal amounts of flour and water (150g each) after discarding. This helps keep it healthy and active, even if it’s slightly more than a 1:1:1 ratio.
I hope this clears things up—happy baking!
Sorry for so many questions! (Can you tell I’m in the thick of it.) QUESTION 1: Do you ALWAYS discard 1/2 before feeding? Many baking recipes say to feed your starter before you want to bake (4-6 hours is mentioned a lot). The instructions often just say “feed”” and don’t mention discarding, so I was wondering if discarding is a given. QUESTION 2: My starter that I made from your recipe was doing great (actually I had two). Doubled on days 4-6. But by day 7, Starter A didn’t expand at all. Starter B did and went into the fridge as my backup. I took Starter B out last night, discarded and fed, and 12 hours later, nada. Little bubbling, no rise in the jar. Starter B, I discarded 1/2 and fed last night, it’s making progress but slow; only expanded about 20%. I don’t know what I am doing wrong. Or maybe I am just inpatient, but I only have so much free time to bake and I am going to miss my window this weekend.
Hi Natalie! No need to apologize, I love your enthusiasm! Here’s what I recommend:
1) Yes, you’ll always discard half before feeding. Discarding is essential to keep the starter healthy and active, so think of it as a normal part of the process. When recipes say to ‘feed’ before baking, discarding is typically implied.
2) It’s completely normal for starters to vary, especially in the early stages. Make sure you’re stirring it well before discarding to redistribute the yeast and bacteria. If progress feels slow, it could be due to temperature, water quality, or even the flour type. Try feeding every 12 hours for a day or two to boost activity. Starters are usually very forgiving so they should bounce with a few more feedings.
Hang in there, you’re doing great, and your starter will catch up soon!