Name: Classic Bread Machine Sourdough Bread Recipe - No Yeast
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 43 min
Total time: 1375 min
Ingredients: 1½ cups water; ⅓ cup whole wheat flour (substitute with bread flour if preferred); 3⅔ cups bread flour; ⅓-½ cup bubbly and active sourdough starter; 1½ teaspoons table or sea salt

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Sneak Preview: Create yeast-free Sourdough Bread using your bread machine’s DOUGH cycle. This easy recipe requires just four ingredients: starter, water, flour, and salt.

Fully baked artisan Sourdough bread made with a classic recipe.

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Yes, you can make sourdough bread in your bread machine without commercial yeast! This method uses the machine’s DOUGH cycle for mixing and kneading, sparing you the hard work.

Your role is simply to do the fun parts—a few stretch-and-folds, shaping the dough, and baking it in a conventional oven. Remember, patience is key in this process. The reward for your wait is a loaf with a superior crust full of blisters, a light and airy texture, and beautifully distributed holes throughout.

Four Reasons To Use a Bread Maker To Mix and Knead Sourdough

More effective dough kneading than manually
Convenient: add ingredients, press START, wait 21 minutes
Timer on DOUGH cycle allows for automatic autolyse (optional for whole grains)
Ideal for individuals with arthritic hands

Sliced bread showing the even but open crumb.

No one will ever guess you used a bread machine to mix and knead this tasty sourdough bread.

Happy Bakers Speak Up

“I followed your recipe step-by-step. I used the Zo and did boost my starter with a little rye starter. Marvelously easy instructions to follow.” — VANESSA F.

Two Reasons Why Bread Machines Are Not Suited for Making a Traditional Sourdough Loaf from Beginning to End

Sourdough loaves vary due to natural leavening, so using a timer for a uniform process is difficult.
Bread machine ovens don’t heat up enough to produce the strong oven spring and crisp crust typical in sourdough bread.

Why Do I See Other Recipes To Make and Bake Sourdough in a Bread Machine?

Most bread machine sourdough recipes online are not traditional, often including extra ingredients like sugar or butter, and usually some instant yeast, resulting in a hybrid sourdough bread.

While some bread machines have a sourdough setting, it’s typically for creating a starter by maintaining the right temperature. If your machine’s manual suggests making sourdough bread, the recipe likely includes instant yeast along with the starter.

Can I Use the Artisan Cycle on a Bread Machine with a Longer Rise?

For the best bread, the gluten in sourdough needs strengthening through “stretch-and-pulls” executed by hand. A bread machine can’t do this.

The process is quick and easy, usually requiring only three to four sessions. I’ll demonstrate below, or you can watch the video.

Additionally, each sourdough loaf requires a different rise time, which can be unpredictable.

Three Reasons Why I Prefer a Conventional Oven for Baking Naturally Leavened Sourdough Bread

I prefer using the oven over a bread machine for baking because:

Bread machines don’t reach high enough temperatures or contain enough steam for a thin, blistered, crispy crust or a good oven rise.
The shape of the bread is limited to the pan, preventing bakery-style boules or batards.
A conventional oven allows for artistic scoring, creating satisfying sourdough loaves with ‘ears’ and large expansion cracks.

Five things To know about this recipe

Produces a 1¾-pound sourdough loaf
Suitable for most home bread machines
Time required: 24 hours, which includes an overnight rise in the fridge
No “sourdough cycle” required
Recommended utensils: A digital kitchen scale, bench knife, a large container or bowl to hold the dough while it rises, a banneton or bowl to hold the dough after it has been shaped, and a covered Dutch oven for baking.

Ingredients and Substitutions

STARTER:
- To start making sourdough, you’ll need a starter—typically just flour and water, though I used yogurt whey to kickstart mine. Building a strong starter takes 5 days to several weeks.
- For a quicker option, consider King Arthur Flour’s fresh starter, which is affordable and ready in a few days, or get some starter from a friend.
WATER:
- I use tap water for my dough, letting it sit out for 24 hours to dissipate the chlorine.
- Water doesn’t need to be warm since the friction caused by the bread machine paddles will quickly heat the dough. d will have an open crumb.
FLOUR:
- The high protein in bread flour aids in the oven spring.
- A small amount of whole wheat flour enhances taste and eases handling, as it absorbs more water than white flour.
- Substitute bread flour for the whole wheat flour, if desired.
SALT:
- Use fine sea salt or table salt for quick dissolving.
- Add extra if using Kosher salt.
- You can reduce the amount of salt but don’t eliminate it entirely.

ingredients needed to make this sourdough bread recipe

How to make Bread Machine Sourdough Bread – No Commercial Yeast

Mixing and Kneading the Dough

Measure your active, bubbly starter into the bread machine pan, zeroing the scales between each ingredient.

All ingredients are added to the bread machine at once. — Add your starter, water, flour, and salt to the machine. Select the DOUGH cycle, and press START.

After one minute the dough should look clumpy. — After one minute of mixing, the dough should be clumpy.

dough after kneading for 10-15 minutes — As soon as the kneading is finished, you can remove the dough to a flat surface or bowl. (Skip to the “Bulk Rise” section below. Another option is to allow the DOUGH cycle to finish, including the rise time. This will buy you more time if you need to leave the house.

sourdough at the end of the DOUGH cycle. the dough should look puffy. — If you leave the dough in the bread machine for the entire DOUGH cycle, it will become puffy and sticky. Move on to the next step.

moving the dough from the bread machine to proofing bowl. — Move the dough from the bread machine into a clear container that gives it room to grow. (I like this 8-inch casserole dish because it is easy to manipulate and has a cover.) Allow the covered dough to rest for 30 minutes to an hour.

Bulk Rise

performing a stretch and pull. — Dampen your hands with water and execute a round of stretch-and-folds by pulling up each side as far as you can without tearing the dough and laying it over the middle. Move to the next side and repeat until you have gone all the way around.

Expect the dough to be slack and sticky. Although the bread machine kneads the dough quite nicely, the stretch and folds build dough strength. If you leave this out, your bread will likely flatten out when baked.

dough looks like this after the first stretch-and-pull — Round the dough and place it smooth side up back into the greased bowl or dish. Cover and let rest for 30-45 minutes.

performing a coil fold. — To strengthen the dough, execute the coil maneuver 2-4 times, with 30 minutes between each time. (See the video.)

How To Determine When the Bulk Rise Is Complete

5-8 hours later (depending on the temperature of the dough): When your dough is ready, it will be light and airy. You’ll see big bubbles on top and small ones on the bottom and the sides. When you shake the pan, it will wiggle like jello. The jiggling is my favorite sign.

📌Kitchen Tips📌 about the Bulk Rise

1. For the first hour or two, your dough won’t change much. Then, it starts to grow more quickly. Most bubbles will show up near the end. The time it takes can vary a lot, maybe 4-7 hours or more, depending on how warm it is around the dough.

2. Don’t worry so much about time; just watch the dough. This is one of the trickiest parts of making sourdough without yeast.

3. If the bread doesn’t rise enough (under proofed), the inner texture will be dense in some areas with huge holes in the middle.

4. If it rises too much (over proofed), the bread will spread out and be difficult to shape and manage. The taste, color, and rise in the oven will also suffer.

Both under-rising and over-rising can negatively affect your bread, but don’t worry—mistakes are part of the learning process.

Shaping the Dough

releasing dough from the bowl — Turn the bowl upside down to let the dough slowly fall onto a damp surface.

using a bench scraper to manipulate the dough to create tension — Use the bench scraper to manipulate the dough and flip it over. Use your hands and bench scraper to make a smooth ball and create tension. Leave uncovered and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

after the bench rest, flipping the dough and reshaping it. — Take the cover off and turn the dough so the rough side is up. Use wet fingers and a bench scraper to gently stretch it into a rough rectangle.

folding dough on top of itself — Gently stretch the dough and fold it like an envelope (see the video), patting the dough after each fold to push out any large air bubbles and seal it to the dough underneath.

using a bench press to make the batard shape and add tension — Use a scraper and your hands to increase tension and shape it into a batard.

Place the dough into a lined banneton or a similar basket with the smooth side facing down. Let it rest for 30 to 60 minutes.

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Stitching the dough with fingers to create tension — Stitch (pull the outer edges of the dough together and overlap them) the dough to add more tension. Cover and place in the fridge for 8-16 hours for the final rise.

Baking

Before removing your dough from the fridge, preheat your oven with the Dutch oven inside at 500°F or the highest safe temperature. Let it heat for 45-60 minutes.

Caution: Do not exceed the manufacturer’s recommended temperature. If advised against heating an empty pan, preheat the oven first, then place the bread in the pan before putting it in the oven. Preheating the Dutch oven is optional but generally gives better results.

sprinkling semolina over the top of the crust

When your oven is fully hot, remove the dough from the fridge. Sprinkle the dough with semolina or cornmeal, then flip it onto a piece of parchment paper. Note: I use a grill sheet (paid link) cut to fit my Dutch oven. It seems to protect the bottom from burning better than parchment paper.

brushing and spraying the loaf with water--hoping for blisters — If you want blisters, spray the loaf with refrigerator-cold water.

Scoring the loaf with a serrated knife — To slash the bread, use a sharp knife or razor blade. For an “ear,” cut at a 45-degree angle. Or, just make a simple “X” or “+” sign. The cut should be about 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep.

using a Challenger bread pan to bake the sourdough loaf — Place the dough into your Dutch oven and cover. Turn the oven thermostat back to 450˚F and bake for 20 minutes.

taking the lid off halfway through the bake — Remove the lid. Turn the oven temperature back to 425˚F. Continue to cook for 30 more minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 210˚F and the crust is a burnished golden brown. Check with a quick-read digital thermometer (paid link).

sliced classic sourdough recipe made only with water, flour, salt, and a sourdough starter

The secret to sourdough bread with no yeast is learning to read and handle the starter and dough. It takes experience. Knowing when to proceed is crucial and difficult to learn from pictures.

The reward for persistence with sourdough baking is one of the most satisfying feelings I’ve ever experienced in the kitchen.

Note to readers as of 3/24/23: I continue to modify and simplify this recipe as I refine my sourdough process. Check the recipe for the latest version. Paula

Classic Bread Machine Sourdough Bread Recipe – No Yeast

By Paula Rhodes

Make this no-yeast sourdough bread in your bread machine using the DOUGH cycle for mixing and kneading. Shape and bake it in a conventional oven for a superior crust and traditional look. This recipe is 72% hydration if you don’t consider the starter.

5 from 9 votes

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Video

Prep time: 15

Cook time: 43

Rising Time: 22

Total time: 22 55

Ingredients

1½ cups (345 g) water
⅓ cup (40 g) whole wheat flour (substitute with bread flour if preferred)
3⅔ cups (440 g) bread flour
⅓-½ cup (70 g) bubbly and active sourdough starter
1½ teaspoons (9 g) table or sea salt

Instructions

Mixing

Add 1½ cups (345 g) water, ⅓ cup (40 g) whole wheat flour (substitute with bread flour if preferred), 3⅔ cups (440 g) bread flour, ⅓-½ cup (70 g) bubbly and active sourdough starter, and 1½ teaspoons (9 g) table or sea salt to the bread machine pan.

Kneading

Select the DOUGH cycle and press START.
When the DOUGH cycle is complete, transfer the dough to a damp surface.

Stretch and Folds

Stretch and fold the dough on a damp surface (spritz with water) using a damp bench scraper and damp hands. Use your hands to pull up one side and fold it halfway over to the opposite side. Pat it down lightly. Working your way around the dough, go to the next side, pull it up with both hands, and fold it halfway to the opposite side. Continue until you have worked your way around to where you started. Use the bench knife to help roll it over until you see a smooth surface on top. Cover and let rest for 15-30 minutes This technique builds strength so your bread won’t spread out like a pancake when you bake it.
Repeat the above exercise with the dough at least two more times with a 30- minute rest period after each “stretch and fold” session.
Shape the dough into a smooth ball with the smooth side up. Place into an oiled bowl or a 1½-quart clear casserole dish. Cover.

Bulk Rise

Let the covered container of dough sit in a warm place to rise. The ideal temperature of the warm place should be 75-80˚F (27˚C). Test the air with your instant-read thermometer. The proofing process may take 3-10 hours, depending on the temperature, the vitality of your starter, and the amount of starter you use. You can control the timing somewhat by moving the dough to a warmer or cooler location, but don’t let the temperature go above 85˚F(29.4 C).
How to tell if the dough has risen enough: The dough should approach almost but not double its original size. Look for giant bubbles on top and many bubbles covering the sides and bottom of the dough. (This is why a clear container is helpful.) It should jiggle slightly when you shake it. The dough should slope downward at the edges of the bowl or dish.

Shaping

Preshaping: Lay the bowl of dough upside down onto a damp surface. Allow gravity to help the dough fall out gently on its own. Shape into a rough circle with a push-and-pull motion of your palms and a bench scraper. Continue folding like an envelope to form a rough ball. Flip the ball over so the smooth surface is on top. Cover the dough with a damp towel and let it rest 15-30 minutes.
Uncover the dough and sprinkle lightly with flour. Use a lightly oiled bench scraper to flip the relaxed dough upside down. Use your lightly floured fingers to gently stretch the dough into a rectangle approximately 10 inches in diameter.
Next, pick up the dough closest to you and fold up and toward the center like an envelope. Use your fingertips to gently tap the seams to “glue” it down. Continue folding each side to the middle like an envelope. (See the video.) Flip it over with the bench knife.
Use a push-and-pull motion with your hands and a bench scraper to make the dough more compact and create tension.
NOTE: If your dough turns into a gooey mess, the dough may be overproofed. (Recovery tip: Scrape the dough into a greased 8½ x 4½-inch bread pan and make a sandwich loaf.)
Place the dough with the smooth side down into a lined banneton, small mixing bowl, or a small colander. (Line the bowl with a well-floured linen or cotton tea towel. Rice flour works best.) Cover and allow the dough to rest in the banneton for 15 minutes to an hour. If you like bubbles on the crust, “stitch” the dough in the banneton to create more tension. (See video.)

Final Rise

Refrigerate your covered loaf for 8 to 24 hrs.

Bake

Preheat your oven to 500˚F (260˚C)for 45 minutes before you want to bake.
If using a Dutch oven, put the lid on and place it into your oven while preheating (unless the manufacturer recommends against heating the pan empty). In my oven, I place my broiler pan on the rack below the Dutch oven so the bottom of the bread won’t get too dark.
Remove the bread from the refrigerator immediately before you’re ready to bake. Sprinkle the top of the dough (which will become the bottom of the loaf) with semolina or cornmeal while still in the banneton or bowl so it won’t stick to your parchment paper. Use a toothpick to poke any large bubbles you see in the dough. Turn the dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Brush off excess flour with a brush.
Turn the dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Brush off excess flour with a brush.
Slash the bread with a sharp knife or razor blade using any design you like. The primary slash should be at least 1/2 to 1 inch deep. Keep it simple if you are a beginner. An ‘X’ works fine. Move the shaped dough with the parchment paper under it to your preheated Dutch oven.
Put the lid on the Dutch oven and place it into your oven.
Turn the temperature back to 450˚F (230˚C). After 20 minutes, remove the cover.
Lower the temperature of your oven to 425˚F. Bake for 27-30 additional minutes. The total time in the oven should be 46-50 minutes.
Bake bread until it registers 207-210˚F (97-88˚C) in the middle using a quick-read thermometer. The crust should be dark brown for maximum caramelization.
Cool the baked bread on a rack for an hour or more before slicing. Cutting the loaf too early or underbaking the bread may result in gumminess.

Notes

Possible Adjustments:

Beginners: If the dough is too sticky to handle, decrease the amount of water in your next loaf.
Warm kitchens: If you want a longer bulk rise period, decrease the starter back to 40-60 grams.
Burned Crust: If your crust is burning on the bottom, place a cookie sheet or broiler pan on the bottom rack below the Dutch oven rack. A grill sheet cut to size in the bottom of your pan or parchment paper also helps.
Larger Batch: Use the 1½X button in the upper right corner of the recipe to make two loaves. If your machine struggles or starts smoking, stop the process immediately.

Equipment

Nutrition

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Paula Rhodes, owner

As a retired home economist, I created Saladinajar.com to share my belief that you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Bread machines (used in an unconventional way), homemade yogurt, and quick microwave recipes are my specialty.

4.67 from 9 votes (8 ratings without comment)

14 Comments

Jane says:

at

Thank you for a recipe that works every time!! I generally substitute the whole wheat with rye flour. I learned that rye flour helps bread stay fresh longer, and I enjoy its flavor. Recently I made cheese bread in a loaf pan with this (baked at 400 degrees) and it was delicious.
I have a question: do you know why sourdough bread takes much longer to brown in the toaster than store-bought or yeast-raised breads?

1. Paula says:
  
  at
  
  Hi Jane,
  
  Funny that you mention baking in a loaf pan. I just saw somebody on Instagram doing that and covering it with another same-size loaf pan for the first half of the bake. And now you are saying you did it. I’m taking that as encouragement to give it a try.
  
  In regards to your question–I have a theory. I think it’s because sourdough tends to contain more moisture. I’ve noticed that when I toast a slice a sourdough bread from a freshly baked loaf, it takes a lot longer to brown. With every day that passes, the bread takes less and less time to toast. Also, sugar causes bread to brown faster. If your loaf has no sugar it won’t brown as fast as a loaf that does.
  
  One more thing: Today I sliced some sourdough that was 6 days old. It was getting very dry sliding into the “too stale to eat” zone. So I ran the slice quickly under running water, squeezed out the excess water, and toasted it. It was fabulous and soft again…but it did take a little while to toast.
  
Mia says:

at

Hi Paula, my bread machine has two dough cycles–“basic dough course” (for active dry yeast; the cycle is 1 hour and 50 minutes) and a “quick dough course” (for rapid rise yeast; the cycle is 45 minutes). How long is the dough cycle that you are using? I want to make sure to select the right dough cycle. Thank you!

1. Paula says:
  
  at
  
  I would always select the basic dough course. The rapid rise cycle does not give enough time to develop the yeasty flavor. I never use it.
  
Ruth says:

at

I loved your recipe from April 2021 which made a slightly larger loaf using 500 gr of flour total. Where can I find it?

1. Paula says:
  
  at
  
  Hi Ruth,
  I added that version to the notes for you.
  
Mary says:

at

I don’t have a bread machine, and am wondering if this method is transferable to a KitchenAid with a dough hook?

1. Paula says:
  
  at
  
  Hi Mary,
  
  Absolutely yes. The bread machine is actually just a “mixing machine” in this recipe. You can do it just as well with your KitchenAid.
  
Mary says:

at

Can you substitute whey for the water for a more sour flavor as in your sourdough loaf recipe without affecting this process?

1. Paula says:
  
  at
  
  In this particular recipe, there is no added yeast. So you can not substitute whey for starter as the bread will not rise. If you want to try using whey in bread to test the flavor, I recommend my French bread recipe. It won’t be the same as sourdough, but the flavor is slightly different when using whey.
  
Tam says:

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Great idea! I will try this for my next loaf, thank you! A tip for the bulk rise is to let it rise 25% to 50% in the container. I mark the top of the dough level on the outside of the square container with a pen, measure it and put another mark where the 25% rise will be. When the dough reaches that height I know it’s ready.

1. Paula says:
  
  at
  
  Hi Tam,
  
  Thanks for leaving this tip. I have also used large rubber bands to mark where my dough is at the beginning of the bulk proof and another one where I want it to be at the end. It’s easy to forget how far the dough has come, right?
  
PattiAnn says:

at

Hi Paula,
I would like to make this recipe but put it in a pullman pan for a sandwhich loaf. Also want a soft crust. Should I put the top on the pullman pan? Any advice? I do not want to use yeast or sugar.

Thanks for your reply,
PattiAnn

1. Paula says:
  
  at
  
  Hi PattiAnn,
  
  Yes, I have done this before. I would put a top on the Pullman pan for the first half of the baking time. Then remove the top so it can brown. With some experimentation, you might decide you need to leave the top on a little less or a little more time. I would love to hear how it turns out for you.