Perfect overnight sourdough bread
This overnight sourdough bread has a beautifully crisp crust and a soft, airy interior, perfect every single time. Although it takes a bit of time and effort over two days, the end result is always worth it.
I’ve been baking bread since I was around 12, when my mother passed down the recipe she and my grandma had used for years. There is something magical about pulling a warm loaf from the oven, slicing into it, and watching my family enjoy it.
My love for sourdough began about five years ago during Covid. My journey started with learning how to make a Poilâne-style wheat loaf, then diving into The Perfect Loaf book, and eventually developing my own version.
We often enjoy this overnight sourdough bread for a Sunday brunch, enjoying both the incredible smell of a freshly baked bread that fills the house and the unbeatable taste. There’s truly nothing better than homemade sourdough bread.
This is a Dutch oven sourdough bread recipe, meaning it requires a Dutch oven for baking. It creates the perfect environment by trapping steam, which prevents the crust from forming too early. This allows the bread to rise properly.
If you love baking with sourdough, you might also like our Best Overnight Sourdough Bagels and Fluffy Sourdough Banana Muffins.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this overnight sourdough bread recipe
- Rustic and crunchy crust – The crackling of the crust when gently squeezed is such a satisfying feeling. It has nutty flavour and satisfying bite to it.
- Light and airy crumb – The interior has evenly distributed air pockets that give each slice a beautiful texture.
- Easy to freeze – I typically bake two or more loaves at a time, slice them up, and freeze them. That way, we always have homemade sourdough ready whenever we need it.
Ingredients
- Bread flour – We’re using bread flour with a 13% protein content.
- Whole spelt flour – I like to add a small percentage of whole spelt flour to the mix as it give the bread slightly nutty flavour and a bit more moist crumb.
- Salt – We are using fine grained sea salt. Salt enhances flavor, strengthens the dough’s structure and slows down fermentation.
- Active sourdough starter – That was feed with 1:1:1 ratio. That means equal amount of water, flour and starter.
- Water – This recipe has hydration level of approximately 62% which makes the dough easier to work with and great for beginners.
Step-by-step process of making overnight sourdough bread
Combine the ingredients and rest
Mix all the ingredients in a mixing bowl until no dry pieces are left. The dough will not have any shape at this moment, but don’t worry we will get there. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 10-30 minutes at room temperature.
Knead the dough
Place the dough to a working surface and knead it for about 10 minutes. This will strengthen the dough, it will begin to hold its shape and will be easier to handle.
Bulk fermentation and stretch and fold
Place the dough into a clean bowl, preferably transparent one. Let the dough proof at room temperature for about 4–5 hours. Take a note of the current time and set a timer for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, perform the first set of stretch and folds. Repeat this process two more times, for a total of three stretch and folds. To make handling easier, use wet hands. Lift one side of the dough, stretch it upward, and fold it over the opposite side. Rotate the bowl and repeat on all four sides, then cover the bowl.
After completing the final stretch and fold, let the dough rest for the remainder of the bulk fermentation.
By the end of bulk fermentation, the dough should have increased in size, with bubbles on the surface and at the sides. If that is not the case, let it proof a little longer.
Keep in mind that if you have a cooler kitchen it can take more time. If needed, place the dough in a slightly warmer spot, such as inside the oven with the light on.
Shape
Place kitchen towel in a proofing basket and dust it with flour. Transfer the dough to a slightly dusted working surface and divide it into two pieces. Now there are different ways to shape the dough based on what type of bread proofing basket you have and the shape of the bread you want. Here we are going to use oval shaped baskets and shape the dough into a bâtard. If you want to have circular shape, take a look at this article that describes how to shape a boule.
Oval shape is my favourite and I almost always use this method of shaping the loaf. Below is a collage of images that show the process.
First take one piece of dough and place it on your work surface with the floured side facing down. Gently pull and stretch the edges to even out the shape, forming a rough oval or rectangle.
Next, fold the bottom third of the dough up toward the center. Then, take each bottom corner and fold them forming an envelope shape.
Fold the top part of the dough down to close the “envelope.” Use a stitching method to tighten the structure – pinch and fold the dough in small overlapping sections to seal it.
Finally, roll the dough up like a roulade, gently pulling it toward you to tighten the surface. Place the shaped loaf seam-side up into a proofing basket, and pinch the seam to seal it.
Cold fermentation
Place the dough in proofing basket inside the fridge for cold fermentation over night. Cover it with plastic or place it in a plastic bag so that the dough doesn’t dry out.
Score and Bake
When you’re ready to bake the bread the next morning, preheat your oven with the Dutch oven inside to 230 Celsius (446 Fahrenheit) – fan on. It’s important that the Dutch oven is hot when you place the dough in, as this helps to create a beautiful rise and crust.
Place a sheet of parchment paper on your work surface, then turn the dough out onto it and slowly remove the proofing basket. Next take a tool that you will use for scoring the dough. I use a simple razor blade with a wooden handle. My favorite way to score is a single, clean slash down the length of the loaf. Hold the blade at an angle and cut deep enough to reveal the inner dough.
There are many ways to score bread, if you need inspiration check out this article that shows different scoring techniques.
Transfer the bread to preheated Dutch oven, cover it with the lid and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the lid and bake for another 20-30 minutes until golden brown crust has formed.
Recipe video
FAQs
Can you freeze sourdough bread?
Yes this sourdough bread freezes perfectly. We usually eat one loaf fresh over 2–3 days and freeze the other. Before freezing, I slice the bread and pop the slices into zip bags. When we’re ready to eat, we either defrost a slice in the microwave for about a minute or warm it up in a covered pan if we’re in the mood for a toasty slice.
How long does sourdough bread last?
We usually store it at room temperature for 2–3 days, wrapped in a kitchen towel. If it starts drying out too quickly, we transfer it to a zip-top bag to keep it fresh a bit longer.
What to eat with sourdough bread?
The possibilities are endless! It pairs perfectly with most savory meals, and when it’s still slightly warm, we love it with just some vegan butter and flaky salt. One of my absolute favorites is making a vegan grilled cheese sandwich with kimchi.
Overnight Sourdough Bread
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Razor blade or other tools for scoring the bread
- 1 Dough scraper
- 2 Proofing baskets
- 1 Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 650 grams bread flour 13% protein content
- 150 grams whole spelt flour
- 160 grams active sourdough starter
- 16 grams salt
- 500 grams water lukewarm
Instructions
Mix and rest
- Mix all the ingredients together until no dry pieces are left. Start with adding flour to the mixing bowl, combine 16 grams salt with 650 grams bread flour and 150 grams whole spelt flour, add 160 grams active sourdough starter and 500 grams water (lukewarm).
- Cover the dough and rest it for 10-30 minutes.
Knead the dough
- Place the dough to a working surface and knead it for about 10 minutes.
Bulk fermentation and stretch and fold
- Let the dough proof at room temperature for about 4–5 hours. Every 30 minutes perform stretch and folds. Repeat this process two more times, for a total of three stretch and folds.
- After completing the final stretch and fold, let the dough rest for the remainder of the bulk fermentation.
Shape
- Place kitchen towel in a proofing basket and dust it with flour.
- Transfer the dough to a slightly dusted working surface and divide it into two pieces.
- Shape each piece of the dough and place it in proofing basket. Cover it with plastic or place it in a plastic bag so that the dough doesn’t dry out.
Cold fermentation
- Place the dough in proofing basket inside the fridge for cold fermentation over night.
Score and Bake
- Preheat your oven with the Dutch oven inside to 230 Celsius (446 Fahrenheit) – fan on.
- Place a sheet of parchment paper on your work surface, then turn the dough out onto it and slowly remove the proofing basket.
- Score the dough.
- Transfer the dough to preheated Dutch oven, cover it with the lid and bake for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, remove the lid and bake for another 20-30 minutes until golden brown crust has formed.
Notes
- Make sure your starter is fully active—feed it the night before you plan to start the recipe. To prepare the levain, mix 100g of starter, flour, and water. It should double in size and have bubbles on the top and sides when ready.
- Knead the dough until you can really feel it gaining strength and resistance.
- Don’t skip the stretch and folds! They help build extra strength in the dough and improve the final texture.
- One thing I’ve learned: you really can’t over-strengthen the dough.
- Let the dough bulk ferment long enough. It should noticeably increase in size and have bubbles forming on the top and along the sides – that’s a good sign it’s ready.
This sourdough bread recipe has been my go-to recipe for over a year, and it never fails me.
I’ve been baking bread since I was around 12, when my mother passed down the recipe she and my grandma had used for years. There is something magical about pulling a warm loaf from the oven, slicing into it, and watching my family enjoy it. If you’ve tried this recipe please leave us a reply and a rating – we love hearing from you!