How-To Make a Sourdough Starter from Scratch

Sourdough Starter Recipe

Creating a sourdough starter is a simple process that involves just flour and water. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started:

Equipment

• Clean Glass Jar

• Rubber band (optional)

• Cloth or plastic wrap

  
  

Ingredients

• 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour

• 1/2 cup (120ml) water (preferably filtered or distilled)

  
  

Instructions

Day 1

1. In a clean glass or plastic container, mix 1 cup of flour with 1/2 cup of water.

2. Stir until there are no dry flour pockets. The mixture should be thick but pourable.

3. Cover the container loosely with a cloth or plastic wrap to allow airflow while keeping contaminants out.

4. Let it sit at room temperature (about 70°F to 75°F or 21°C to 24°C) for 24 hours.

   
   

Day 2

1. Check for any bubbles. If you see some, that’s a good sign! If not, don’t worry; it can take time.

2. Add another 1/2 cup of flour and 1/4 cup of water to the mixture. Stir well.

3. Cover loosely and let it sit for another 24 hours.

   
   

Days 3-7

1. Continue the feeding process every 24 hours. Discard half of the starter (about 1/2 cup) before each feeding to maintain the right balance of flour and water.

2. Each day, add 1/2 cup of flour and 1/4 cup of water to the remaining starter.

3. By day 5 to 7, you should see bubbles and the starter should start to rise and fall. It should also have a pleasant, tangy smell.

   

   Active bubbly sourdough starter

   
   

Maintenance

• Once your starter is bubbly and doubles in size within 4-6 hours after feeding, it is ready to use.

• To maintain your starter, continue feeding it daily if kept at room temperature or refrigerate it and feed it once a week.

  
  

Tips

• Use whole wheat or rye flour for the initial days to help jumpstart fermentation.

• Keep your starter in a warm place, but away from direct sunlight.

• Make sure your containers and utensils are clean to avoid contamination.

• Use a rubber band to track how much it expands each time you feed it

  
  

With patience and care, you'll have a thriving sourdough starter ready for baking delicious bread! Next step, making bread- you'll need to feed your starter the night before baking. Check out this Ultimate Simple Sourdough Bread Recipe