Our Favorite Slow, Sourdough Recipes
Sourghdough making is a slow art and patient science. It’s a process that won’t be rushed. In a world where time often feels scarce and patience is in short supply, who has time to spend on a days-long process of bread making?
And yet. When life whispers at me to hurry. When the weight of all the undone tasks settles on my chest—that’s my cue to turn towards slowness. That’s my cue to crack open the starter and set to work on a loaf.
Sourdough—the Ultimate Slow Food
When I’m making bread, there’s no better reminder that time pressue, for the most part, is completely made up. In fact, when I pause and breathe and give things their due time and attention, magic happens. In sourdough making, flour, water, and wild yeast come together in a living, breathing starter that thrives on patience and attention.
Every feeding, every rise, every bake becomes an opportunity to notice, to wait, and to savor. And when the time is right—there’s warm bread for all.
Our Favorite Recipes & How-Tos
Whether you’re brand new to sourdough or looking to expand your repertoire, we’ve gathered our favorite recipes and resources to help you enjoy the journey.
How to Create Your Starter
Before you bake bread, you’ll need a thriving sourdough starter. Think of it as the heart of your sourdough practice.
Beginner’s Guide to Sourdough Starter — A step-by-step explainer from The Perfect Loaf, clear enough for total beginners.
How to Make a Sourdough Starter — The ever-reliable King Arthur Baking method, complete with troubleshooting tips.
Gluten Free Starter — Did you know you can make a gluten free starter? You can!
Our Favorite Sourdough Bread Recipes
Once your starter is strong and bubbly, it’s time to bake. These three recipes stand out for their clarity, reliability, and beautiful results.
Basic Sourdough Bread — The Clever Carrot’s approachable guide makes artisan bread possible for beginners, with a chewy crumb and golden crust.
Everyday Sourdough — This “house loaf” from The Perfect Loaf is a reliable staple with just the right balance of tang and texture.
Whole Wheat Sourdough — For a heartier, more nourishing loaf, King Arthur Baking combines whole wheat flour with sourdough’s natural depth of flavor.
Gluten Free Sourdough — We highly recommend the new book The Art of Gluten Free Bread, by Aran Goyoaga of Cannelle et Vanille fame. Sign up for her newsletter while you’re at it.
Don’t Toss Your Discard
I try to keep the smallest possible starter to avoid the issue of too much discard, but discard happens. Instead of throwing it away, turn it into deliciousness.
Sourdough Discard Pizza Crust— This is my go-to way of using up discard. It’s super easy and we always have pizza dough in the freezer or fridge for a quick dinner. I like to spread the dough super thin on a large sheet pan and top with whatever veggie and sauce we have available.
So Many Discard Recipes — Am I cheating by listing King Arthur twice for discard recipes? Maybe, but this collection has produced some reliably yummy results. So, choose your own adventure! (And the pizza dough was worth its own call out.)
Slow Bread, Slow Life
Sourdough isn’t just about bread—it’s about presence. And realy, really good bread.
The hours of waiting, shaping, and resting bring a rhythm of patience that modern life too often lacks.
So feed your starter, let it rise, and when the time comes, pull your loaf from the oven and try to savor it as slowly as you made it.