You mixed flour and water, it bubbled on day two, and by day four it went flat. Most people throw it out right there. You do not have to.
Here is how to make sourdough starter: mix 50 g of whole wheat or rye flour with 50 g of water in a clean jar. Keep it at 70 to 75°F. From day three, discard all but 30 to 50 g and feed it 50 g flour and 50 g water each day. In about seven days it doubles after a feed and is ready.
This guide shows how to make sourdough starter from scratch, one day at a time. You will see what to expect each day, how to tell when it is ready, and what to do when it stalls. We also share the small mistakes we made in our own kitchen.
What is a sourdough starter?
A sourdough starter is a mix of flour and water that holds wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria. The yeast makes gas, and that gas raises the bread. The bacteria make the sour taste.
You do not add any yeast from a packet. The yeast is already in the flour and in the air of your kitchen. Feeding the mix every day helps the good microbes take over. Wikipedia's page on sourdough covers the history, which goes back thousands of years.
Why make your own? It costs almost nothing. And once it is going, you can bake with it for years.
What do you need to make sourdough starter?
You need very little. Here is the short list:
- Flour. Whole wheat or rye for the first days, then plain unbleached flour.
- Water. Room temperature. If your tap water smells of chlorine, let it sit out overnight.
- A glass jar. About a quart, with a wide mouth so you can stir and scrape it.
- A kitchen scale. Grams are more reliable than cups.
- A spatula and a cover. A loose lid or a cloth lets the starter breathe.
A band or a strip of tape on the jar helps a lot. Mark the level after each feed. Then you can see how high it rises.
The recipe fits on a sticky note. The hard part is days three and four.
How to make sourdough starter, day by day
Day 1: Mix
Stir 50 g of whole wheat or rye flour with 50 g of water in the jar. Scrape down the sides. Cover it loosely and mark the level. Set it somewhere warm, around 70 to 75°F.
Day 2: Wait
You may see a few bubbles, or none. Both are fine. Give it a stir and leave it alone.
Day 3: First feed
Remove all but 30 to 50 g of the starter. Add 50 g of flour and 50 g of water. Stir well, scrape the sides and mark the new level. From here, you repeat this every day.
Days 4 and 5: The quiet stretch
This is where the hook at the top comes in. The early bubbles often came from bacteria that die off. The mix can look flat and smell odd for a day or two. Keep feeding on schedule.
Days 6 and 7: The rise
The starter should start to rise and fall each day. Look for lots of bubbles and a clean, sour smell. When it doubles within four to eight hours of a feed, it is nearly ready.
The kit we use for this guide
Free US shipping over $40 · ships from our California studio
Day seven is not a deadline. The jar tells you when it is ready, and the signs are easy to read.
How do you know when your starter is ready?
Use three simple checks. Does it double in size within four to eight hours of a feed? Is it full of bubbles, top to bottom? Does it smell pleasantly sour, like yogurt? If the answer is yes for a few days in a row, you can bake.
Some bakers also drop a spoonful into water. If it floats, it is active. This test is handy, but the rise is the better sign.
Not there yet after a week? That is common. Some starters take up to two weeks, especially in a cool kitchen. King Arthur's sourdough starter recipe walks through the same timeline in more detail.
Whole wheat, rye or white flour: which works best?
| Flour | Speed to start | Best use | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rye | Fast | Days 1 to 3 | Very active, a little sticky |
| Whole wheat | Fast | Days 1 to 3 | Easy to find, good flavor |
| Unbleached white | Slower | Daily feeding | Clean taste, easy to read the rise |
| Bleached white | Slowest | Not ideal | Fewer wild microbes |
Our pick is rye or whole wheat for the first three days, then unbleached white. That gives a quick start and a starter that is easy to watch.
Most starters that fail are not dead. They are just too cold.
Common sourdough starter mistakes
- A cold kitchen. Below about 68°F, everything slows down. Try the top of the fridge or an oven with only the light on.
- Not discarding. Without a discard, the jar fills up and the food runs out. Keep only 30 to 50 g before each feed.
- A tight lid. The starter needs some air. Use a cloth or a loose lid.
- Giving up early. Days four and five often look dead. Keep going.
- Guessing the amounts. A scale takes the guesswork out of each feed.
Seeing a gray liquid on top? That is called hooch. It means the starter is hungry. Pour it off or stir it in, then feed.
What do you do with sourdough discard?
Do not throw it away. Discard works in pancakes, waffles, crackers and flatbreads. It adds flavor, even when it is not active enough to raise a loaf.
Keep a second jar in the fridge and add discard to it all week. Use it within about a week. The Clever Carrot has a good set of beginner sourdough and discard recipes.
From starter to your first loaf
Once the starter is ready, the bread follows the same steps every time. Mix, rest, fold, shape, proof, score and bake.
A few tools make this easier. A Danish whisk mixes stiff dough without clumps. A proofing basket holds the shape while the dough rises. A lame scores the top so the loaf opens where you want. Our sourdough starter kit puts a 34 oz glass jar, round and oval silicone proofing baskets, a bread sling and those tools in one box.
Not sure which kitchen tools are worth the space? Our list of kitchen must-haves for home cooks covers the basics. And if you are weighing silicone against wood, see beechwood vs bamboo vs silicone utensils.
Once it is alive, the question changes. How little can you feed it and still bake every week?
How to keep your starter going
Bake often? Keep the starter on the counter and feed it once a day. Bake once a week or less? Keep it in the fridge and feed it once a week.
Before you bake, take it out of the fridge and give it one or two feeds at room temperature. When it doubles again, it is ready to use.
Going away for a while? A fed starter can sit in the fridge for a few weeks. It may need two or three feeds to wake up when you return.
FAQ
How long does sourdough starter last?
With regular feeding, a starter can keep going for years. On the counter it wants a feed every day. In the fridge, once a week is usually enough.
What is the biggest mistake you can make with your sourdough starter?
Giving up on day three or four. The early burst of bubbles often fades for a few days. That quiet stretch is normal, so keep feeding.
How do you know when starter is ready?
It doubles within about four to eight hours of a feed, it is full of bubbles, and it smells pleasantly sour. When it does that a few days in a row, it is ready to bake with.
Does it matter what kind of flour you use to make a sourdough starter?
Yes. Whole wheat or rye gives a faster start because it carries more of the wild yeast and bacteria. After the first days, plain unbleached flour works fine.
Can you buy starter for sourdough bread?
Yes, some bakeries and online shops sell dried or fresh starter. Making your own costs only flour and water, and it takes about a week.
Flour, water, a warm corner and a week of patience. That is all a starter asks. — Lisa
Thank you. A note from Lisa with your 10% code is on its way.
Leave a comment