Sourdough Bread Recipe Without Starter

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1888	Calories
44g	Fat
334g	Carbs
39g	Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3
Amount per serving
Calories	1888
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 44g	57%
Saturated Fat 4g	20%
Cholesterol 4mg	1%
Sodium 2203mg	96%
Total Carbohydrate 334g	121%
Dietary Fiber 11g	38%
Total Sugars 101g
Protein 39g
Vitamin C 2mg	8%
Calcium 72mg	6%
Iron 4mg	24%
Potassium 438mg	9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Homemade sourdough bread has to begin with a sourdough starter. This is often just water, yeast, and flour, but it can also be made with potato flakes. The potato flakes result in a very soft dough with a slightly sweet taste, adding another dimension to typical sourdough bread.

With attention, you can keep this sourdough starter with potato flakes going for an extended period of time; it will continue to gather wild yeast from the air and just get better. Use this starter to make Amish sourdough, also known as Friendship sourdough bread, or any other sourdough bread.

For the Starter:

1 cup warm water
1/2 cup sugar
1 package dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
3 tablespoons instant potato flakes

For the Starter Feeder:

1 cup warm water
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons instant potato flakes

For the Bread:

1 cup starter
6 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 1/4 cups warm water

Make the Starter

Gather the ingredients.

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
In a small bowl, mix together the warm water, sugar, yeast, and potato flakes. Let ferment on the counter for two days.

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Make the Starter Feeder

Gather the ingredients.

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
In a small bowl, mix together the warm water, sugar, and potato flakes. Add to the starter, mixing well.

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Let the mixture stand on the countertop for 8 hours, stirring every so often. Refrigerate for three to five days before making the bread.

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Make the Bread

Gather the ingredients.

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Remove the starter from the fridge and let it come to room temperature. To a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, add 1 cup starter, bread flour, salt, sugar, oil, and warm water. Mix well. Using a dough hook or by hand, knead for 5 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Put the dough into a greased bowl. Cover with a wet dish towel and let it rise in a warm place overnight or all day (about 12 hours).

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Punch down the dough. Knead on a floured surface to remove any air bubbles.

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Spray 3 loaf pans with cooking spray and divide the dough equally among the pans (shaping into loaf form). Cover loosely and let rise for 6 to 8 hours.

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Bake at 350 F for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack.

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Feeding the Starter

After using 1 cup of the starter for the bread, reserve 1 cup of the remaining starter and refrigerate (discard the rest).

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
When you are ready to make more bread, or every three to five days, add the starter feeder mixture again to the starter. Stir well and leave on the counter overnight or all day (about 12 hours) and then refrigerate.

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Why Discard Most of the Starter?

When feeding the starter, you are instructed to toss out all but 1 cup. This is because if you kept all of the starter, you would end up with more than a home baker could handle, as it grows exponentially. There are a few ways you can use excess starter in recipes that aren't bread—you can also freeze it.

Recipe Variation

After the first rise, punch down the dough and roll it into a 1/2-inch rectangle. Spread with confectioners' sugar and cinnamon, sprinkle with nuts and raisins, and roll it up jelly roll style. Then continue with the recipe's baking instructions.

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