Name: Make Sourdough Bread (Without Yeast) Using a Bread Machine
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 basic 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 a bread machine without commercial yeast! Use the DOUGH cycle for effortless mixing and kneading, then handle the fun parts—stretching, shaping, and baking in a conventional oven. With patience, you’ll enjoy a crusty, airy loaf with beautifully distributed holes.

Quick Facts About This Recipe:

Loaf Size: 1¾ pounds
Equipment: Works with most bread machines (no sourdough cycle needed)
Time Commitment: ~24 hours, including overnight fridge rise
Tools Needed: Digital scale, bench knife, banneton or round bowl, and Dutch oven

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.

Ingredients and Substitutions:

STARTER:
- Flour and water-based starter preferred (recipe here)
- Active and bubbly
- 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:
- Tap water for 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.
FLOUR:
- Bread flour
- (Optional) A small amount of whole wheat flour enhances taste and eases handling, as it absorbs more water than white flour.
SALT:
- Use fine sea salt or table salt for quick dissolving.
- Add extra if using Kosher salt.

ingredients needed to make this sourdough bread recipe

How to make Bread Machine Sourdough Bread – No Commercial Yeast

Mixing and Kneading in the Bread Machine

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 — Kneading time depends on your machine, but aim for a windowpane test: stretch a bit of dough between your fingers until it’s thin enough to see through without tearing. For me, 13 minutes works well.
When kneading is done, either transfer the dough to a flat surface or bowl or let the DOUGH cycle complete, including the rise, if you prefer.

Bulk Rise

moving the dough from the bread machine to proofing bowl. — Transfer the dough into a clear container that gives the dough room to grow.

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.)

sourdough when it has finished the bulk rise. — Allow the dough to rise until light and airy. This can take 5-8 hours depending on temperature. 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📌

1. Dough rises slowly at first but speeds up later, with bubbles forming near the end. Rise time varies (4-7+ hours) depending on temperature.

2. Focus on the dough’s appearance, not the clock; mastering sourdough timing takes practice.

3. Under-proofed dough results in dense spots and large holes in the finished loaf.

4. Over-proofed dough spreads, is harder to shape, and loses flavor, color, and oven rise.

Mistakes happen—each one helps you improve!

Shape 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.

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 the Sourdough

Preheat your oven and Dutch oven to 500°F for 45-60 minutes.

sprinkling semolina over the top of the crust — Remove dough from the fridge, sprinkle semolina or cornmeal over the dough, flip it onto parchment, and score the top.

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

FAQ

Q: What is the “sourdough setting” on some bread machines for?
A: It’s typically designed to maintain the right temperature for creating or feeding a sourdough starter, not for baking traditional sourdough bread.

Q: Does my bread machine’s sourdough recipe include instant yeast?
A: Likely, yes. Many bread machine manuals suggest recipes with instant yeast to ensure consistent results alongside the starter.

Q: Why not bake sourdough in a bread machine?
A: Bread machines can’t reach the high temperatures or create enough steam required for a thin, crispy crust and a good oven rise.

Q: What’s the advantage of a conventional oven for sourdough shaping?
A: A bread machine limits the loaf to its pan’s shape, but an oven allows for bakery-style boules or batards.

Q: Can artistic scoring be done in a bread machine?
A: No, artistic scoring is best achieved with a conventional oven, resulting in loaves with ‘ears’ and dramatic expansion cracks.

Q: What’s the best way to bake sourdough without a Dutch oven?
A: Use a baking stone and add a pan of boiling water for steam.

Parting Thoughts: Don’t be discouraged if your bread doesn’t turn out perfect the first time. It’s not as easy as you might think. Enjoy the challenge and keep practicing. Meanwhile, don’t hesitate to send me pictures and questions if you want somebody to celebrate or commiserate with you.

Make Sourdough Bread (Without Yeast) Using a Bread Machine

By Paula Rhodes

Make no-yeast sourdough bread effortlessly with your bread machine’s DOUGH cycle for mixing and kneading. Shape the dough by hand and bake it in a conventional oven to achieve a crisp crust and artisan-style appearance. With a 72% hydration level (excluding the starter), this recipe delivers a light, airy loaf with classic sourdough character.

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 and Kneading in the Bread Machine

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.
Select the DOUGH cycle and press START. Set a timer to check dough. Stop kneading when you can make a windowpane with your fingers and the dough is smooth and silky.

Bulk Rise

Transfer dough to a clear container with a cover. Let rest for 30-60 minutes.
Perform stretch-and-folds or coil folds (see images in the post and video) every 30-45 minutes, 3-4 times, to strengthen the dough. This technique builds strength so your bread won’t spread out like a pancake when you bake it.
Shape the dough into a smooth ball with the smooth side up. Allow the dough to continue to rise until light and airy. This can take 5-8 hours depending on the temperature of the dough and the vitality of your starter. 75-77˚F is ideal.
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 the Dough

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.
Final Shaping: Uncover the dough. Use a lightly oiled bench scraper to flip the relaxed dough upside down. Use your damp 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 and Dutch oven to 500°F (260°C) for 45-60 minutes.
Remove the dough from the fridge, flip it onto parchment paper, and score the top.
Bake at 450°F (230°C) for 20 minutes with the lid on.
Remove the lid and bake at 425°F (220°C) for another 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the internal temperature reaches 210°F (99°C).
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:

at

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.

Make Sourdough Bread (Without Yeast) Using a Bread Machine