Beginner Sourdough Starter
A step-by-step recipe to create your own sourdough starter from scratch using just flour and water. It takes about 7 days of daily feedings to yield a bubbly, active sourdough starter ready for baking.
Equipment
- Scale
- Jar (3/4L or larger)
- Rubber spatula
Ingredients
Day 1 Ingredients
- 60 g whole wheat flour about 1/2 cup
- 60 g water about 1/4 cup, warm
Feed Ingredients (Days 3-7)
- 60 g unbleached all purpose flour or bread flour about 1/2 cup
- 60 g water about 1/4 cup, warm
Instructions
- Day 1: Discard half. Feed with 60 g flour and 60 g water, mix, cover, and rest. Starter should now be bubbly, doubled, and ready to use.
- Day 2: Check for bubbles. If none, stir once or twice but otherwise rest another 24 hours.
- Day 3: Discard half of the starter. Add 60 g flour and 60 g water, mix until smooth, cover, and rest another 24 hours.
- Day 4: Discard half. Feed with 60 g flour and 60 g water, mix, cover, and rest.
- Day 5: Discard half. Feed with 60 g flour and 60 g water, mix, cover, and rest.
- Day 6: Discard half. Feed with 60 g flour and 60 g water, mix, cover, and rest.
- Day 7: Discard half. Feed with 60 g flour and 60 g water, mix, cover, and rest. Starter should now be bubbly, doubled, and ready to use.
Notes
Once established, your starter will be active and ready for baking (look for doubling and plenty of bubbles). Continue feeding or refrigerate and feed weekly for maintenance.