How to make Sourdough Starter

This No Discard Sourdough Starter is the EASIEST sourdough starter you will make. It’s a no fuss sourdough starter and not as messy as sourdough starters that you have to discard. This is perfect for beginners and experts alike. In no time at all you will be making your own fresh sourdough bread loaves, sourdough bagels, and many more!

Sourdough feels intimidating, just like traditional yeast bread making, but guess what?! It’s EASY and probably one of the easiest things you can make in the baking world. Sourdough requires time, a lot more time than traditional yeast bread, but that’s what makes sourdough, sourdough. The time gives the sourdough bread its characteristic delicious taste and the gorgeous open crumb structure.

If you’ve been debating about making your own starter, this is your sign to make it! After reading through this article you will have all the tips and tricks on how to make a starter and maintain it. I promise it will be worth it!

Let me just say that I do sourdough a bit differently than others. With 4 little kids, my life is BUSY and I don’t always have a ton of time to tend to and wait for sourdough. So, all of my sourdough recipes are EASY and you will find have less work involved than a lot of other recipes you see. This starter has proven to be effective, resilient, easy to make and consistent.

The Basics

What is sourdough?

A sourdough starter is made by mixing flour and water together. That’s it! No fancy ingredients needed. After time, a living culture of a mix of wild yeast and good bacteria are formed. This makes the bread rise and adds flavor.

where does the wild yeast and bacteria come from?

Each starter will be different, which can give each loaf of bread a slightly different taste. Neat, right!? So where exactly does this wild yeast and good bacteria come from?

Well, the main source for the wild yeast is within the flour, so the type of flour you choose can be important for this. Yeast is also present in the air around us. Other sources include your hands, the jar and the utensils you use to measure and stir together the starter.

What is the difference between discard and no discard sourdough starter?

discard

A discard sourdough starter means that you must discard part of your starter before you feed the sourdough starter with more flour and water. If you don’t discard the starter it would grow to be too large and unmanageable.

no discard

A no discard sourdough starter means that you do not have to discard any starter. You may be wondering how exactly you can get away with this. Well, a no discard starter starts with a smaller amount of flour and water than a traditional sourdough starter.

How often do I need to feed sourdough starter?

I promise that sourdough starter is not as finicky as you may think. Of course, you need to stick to a schedule, but don’t fret if your feedings aren’t exactly on time.

It is recommended to feed a starter every 24 hours. However, if you are an hour or two late, or a touch early, your starter will be fine. Now, if you forget a day, again, don’t worry (I’ve done this already). Just resume the next day, and feed it twice – once in the morning and once at night, spacing the feedings roughly 12 hours apart. The next day resume around your normal feeding time, feeding the starter just once.

How to make sourdough starter (no discard)

Okay, now that we’ve made it this far, it’s finally time for me to tell you how to make sourdough starter.

  • Days 1-4: 2 tablespoons all purpose flour + 1 tablespoon water
  • Days 5-6: ¼ cup all purpose flour + 2 tablespoons water
  • Day 7: ready; add ¼ cup all-purpose flour and 2 tablespoons warm water 4-6 hours before you plan to use it
  • After using your starter in your recipe you want to have approximately 1/4 cup starter left. It is okay if there is a little less.

So, on days 1 through 4, you will add 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour PLUS 1 tablespoon water to your jar. Mix with your rubber spatula. Don’t worry about the extra stuck on the spatula. You don’t want to scrape it off at the rim, because then you will have sourdough starter stuck on the rim of the jar. Make sure you cover with a breathable cover, or a piece of plastic wrap secured by a rubber band. I usually just try to get as much off in the bottom of the jar, then rinse off the spatula/discard the rest. The sourdough starter will be fairly thick on days 1 through 4.

On days 5-6 you will add ¼ cup all-purpose flour with 2 tablespoons water to your jar. Use a spatula to stir and combine. Again, don’t worry about the excess stuck on the spatula. Just discard it. At this point, your sourdough starter will appear more like a thick pancake batter in texture.

On day 7, your sourdough starter will be ready to use! Of course, if you don’t want to use it this day, you don’t have to. Just add 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour with 1 tablespoon water and continue to do so until you are ready to use it. With that being said, I wouldn’t do this for more than a few days. You don’t want your starter to grow too large.

When you are ready to use the starter, 4-6 hours BEFORE you plan to use it, you’ll need to feed it. Add 1/4 cup all-purpose flour PLUS 2 tablespoons water to your jar. Use a spatula to mix and combine. Essentially you are feeding the starter with JUST enough starter to make your recipe.

Most sourdough recipes use approximately 1/2 cup in the recipe. You want to have approximately 1/4 cup left of starter after using for your recipe. It’s okay if there is a little less.

Maintaining your starter

From here on out, you will maintain your starter based on how often you bake.

once a week baking

If you bake once a week, after using your starter, feed it 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour + 1 tablespoons water. Stir to combine, then cover with a lid. Place in the fridge until you are ready to use it. Once you are ready to use it, take it out the night before and let it warm up for 1 hour. Then, feed it 1/4 cup all-purpose flour + 2 tablespoons water. The next morning, 4-6 hours before you plan to bake, feed the starter 1/4 cup all-purpose flour + 2 tablespoons water.

baking every few days

If you are baking every few days, keep your sourdough starter out on the counter. After using your starter, feed it 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour + 1 tablespoon water. Stir to combine. Cover with a breathable cover or plastic wrap, secured with a rubber band. When you are ready to bake, feed the starter 4-6 hours BEFORE you plan to bake. Feed with 1/2 cup all-purpose flour + 1/4 cup water.

baking on back to back days

If you plan to bake on back to back days, right after using it, feed it 1/4 cup all-purpose flour + 2 tablespoons water. Stir to combine. Cover with a breathable cover or plastic wrap secured with a rubber band. The next morning, 4-6 hours BEFORE you plan to bake, feed your sourdough starter with 1/4 cup all-purpose flour + 2 tablespoons water.

FAQ

What type of flour should I use for my sourdough starter?

I personally love using unbleached all-purpose flour, because it’s a flour I always have on hand. This is my go to flour, but you can also use bread flour or a rye and whole wheat flour combo.

What equipment do I need?

You don’t need fancy equipment to make a sourdough starter. All you need is a jar (make sure you find one with straight sides), plastic wrap and a rubber spatula.

I actually got a sourdough starter kit on Amazon, because it came with a nice straight sided jar, a spatula, as well as a bread lame, for making the slit in your loaves of bread and a Danish dough whisk, which you will need when you make your sourdough recipes. Of course, you will also need measuring cups to measure out how much flour and water to add to your starter.

What if I my sourdough doesn’t rise and fall?

Okay, I’m sure you’ve seen or heard of people talking about their starters rising and falling and some of them I see bubbling out of the jars! Mine have never done this, and it is okay if they don’t. This, again, is a no discard starter, which means you will NOT have as much starter as the traditional sourdough starter. Personally, though I feel this no discard starter is WAY easier to maintain.

You should see some bubbles on the surface of your sourdough and if you catch it roughly 4-6 hours after you feed it, you should see some rise and fall in the starter, meaning that it should rise up or appear as though there is more in the jar for a certain amount of time. This is due to the wild yeast and good bacteria actively working and producing carbon dioxide, causing the starter to rise.

What if I forgot to feed my starter for more than a week?

here’s what you need to do

If you forget to feed your starter for longer than a week, remove your starter from the fridge. Remove the hard skin on the surface, if there is one. Allow it to come to room temperature for 1 hour. After 1 hour, feed your starter 1/4 cup all-purpose flour + 2 tablespoons water. Stir to combine. Allow the starter to sit at room temperature overnight.

This big feed should be a good amount to jumpstart the starter. Feed your starter for another 3 days prior to using, to allow it the bacteria to fully wake up and begin working. Plus it gives time for more of that sour flavor to develop. For the next 3 days, feed the sourdough starter 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour PLUS 1 tablespoon water.

Make sure you check your starter for bubbles on the surface. The bubbles mean that the starter is active and that carbon dioxide is being produced. You want this, as the carbon dioxide creates air bubbles in the dough, and thus makes the bread rise.

If you do not see any bubbles, your starter may not be active. You can try feeding the starter for a few more days with 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour + 1 tablespoon water.

my story and experience

Okay, we’ve all been there, our lives got busy and everything got put on hold, or the items in the back of the fridge got forgotten about. I left my starter in my fridge for 2 months, unfed. The worst part? I accidentally put on the wrong cover and left my breathable cover, rather than a solid lid on top of the sourdough.

My starter had developed a thick skin on the surface, but underneath the surface, there was active starter that smelled just like sourdough. After removing the thick, hardened starter that had formed on the surface, I fed my starter with 1/4 cup all-purpose flour + 2 tablespoons water. I stirred the starter together and roughly 4 hours after feeding the starter, bubbles appeared throughout my starter.

The next day I fed my starter 1/4 cup all-purpose flour + 2 tablespoons water 4-6 hours. I noticed more bubbles on the surface after this feeding. However, the starter did not smell particularly sour to me, so I fed it for a few more days before using at a lower feeding amount (I didn’t want the starter to get too large, otherwise.) I fed the starter 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour + 1 tablespoon water.

I proceeded to make my easy focaccia recipe and to my excitement it turned out perfectly. This goes to show that sourdough is resilient, and not as finicky as we may believe. Now, I wouldn’t recommend not feeding your starter for two months, but if you do by chance forget about it sitting in the back of your fridge, don’t discard it! Try reviving it first.

Here are a few sourdough recipes to get you started:

Let me know what you thought!

If you enjoyed this how to make sourdough starter tutorial, let me know what you thought in the ratings and comments below. I absolutely love reading all of your comments! Also, make sure to snap a picture and tag me @simplebakingwithpep on instagram. It truly makes my day to see all of your wonderful creations.

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No Discard Sourdough Starter


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  • Author: Jolene
  • Total Time: 168 hours
  • Yield: 1

Description

This No Discard Sourdough Starter is the EASIEST sourdough starter you will make. It’s a no fuss sourdough starter and not as messy as sourdough starters that you have to discard. This is perfect for beginners and experts alike. In no time at all you will be making your own fresh sourdough bread loaves, sourdough bagels, and many more!


Ingredients

  • all-purpose flour
  • water

Instructions

1. Days 1-4: Add 2 tablespoons all purpose flour + 1 tablespoon water to your jar. Mix with a rubber spatula to combine. Cover with a breathable cover, or plastic wrap. 

2. Days 5-6: ¼ cup all purpose flour + 2 tablespoons water to your jar. Mix with a rubber spatula to combine. Cover with a breathable cover, or plastic wrap. 

3. Day 7: ready; add ¼ cup all-purpose flour and 2 tablespoons warm water, 4-6 hours BEFORE using. You should have roughly 1/4 cup starter left after using for your recipe. It is okay if it is a little less.

4. On day 7, your sourdough starter is ready to use! Of course, if you don’t want to use it this day, you don’t have to. Just add 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour with 1 tablespoon water and continue to do so until you are ready to use it. With that being said, I wouldn’t do this for longer than a few more days. You don’t want your starter to grow too large.

Notes

Maintaining your starter

Baking once a week: after using your starter, feed it ¼ cup all-purpose flour + 1 tablespoons water. Stir to combine, then cover with a lid. Place in the fridge until you are ready to use it. Once you are ready to use it, take it out the night before and let it warm up for 1 hour. Then, feed it 1/4 cup all-purpose flour + 2 tablespoons water. The next morning, 4-6 hours before you plan to bake, feed the starter 1/4 cup all-purpose flour + 2 tablespoons water.

Baking every few days, keep your sourdough starter out on the counter. After using your starter, feed it 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour + 1 tablespoon water. Stir to combine. Cover with a breathable cover or plastic wrap, secured with a rubber band. When you are ready to bake, feed the starter 4-6 hours BEFORE you plan to bake. Feed with 1/4 cup all-purpose flour + 2 tablespoons water.

Baking on back to back days: right after using it, feed it 1/4 cup all-purpose flour + 2 tablespoons water. Stir to combine. Cover with a breathable cover or plastic wrap secured with a rubber band. The next morning, 4-6 hours BEFORE you plan to bake, feed your sourdough starter with 1/4 cup all-purpose flour + 2 tablespoons water.

  • Prep Time: 7 days
  • Category: Sourdough Bread
  • Method: No Bake
  • Cuisine: American

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