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Best No-Knead Sourdough Boule Recipe (Easy Dutch Oven)

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This easy no-knead sourdough boule requires minimal active time and delivers a crackling crust with a soft, airy interior. Perfect for beginners and seasoned bakers alike, it’s made with simple ingredients and baked in a Dutch oven for a professional result.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 400g bread flour (about 3 cups)
  • 300g lukewarm water (about 1 ¼ cups)
  • 100g active sourdough starter, bubbly and fed (about ½ cup)
  • 10g fine sea salt (about 1 ½ teaspoons)
  • Rice flour or semolina for dusting (optional)

Instructions

  1. Mix the Dough (8:00 AM): In a large bowl, combine bread flour and water. Mix until no dry bits remain. Let rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
  2. Add Starter and Salt (8:30 AM): Sprinkle salt over dough, add bubbly starter. Wet your hand, then squeeze and fold until evenly incorporated. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap.
  3. Bulk Fermentation with Stretch and Folds (8:30 AM to 1:00 PM): Over 4-5 hours, perform stretch and folds every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours. After 4 folds, let rest undisturbed. Dough should be puffy, jiggly, and about 50% larger.
  4. Shape the Dough (1:00 PM): Lightly flour work surface. Turn dough out gently. Fold top edge toward center, then bottom, then sides to form a rough ball. Flip seam-side down, cup dough and drag in circular motion to create tension.
  5. Proof in the Basket (1:15 PM): Place shaped dough seam-side up in floured banneton. Cover and proof at room temperature for 1-2 hours, or until it passes the poke test. For deeper flavor, refrigerate overnight (8-12 hours).
  6. Preheat the Dutch Oven (Next Morning, 7:30 AM): Place Dutch oven with lid in cold oven. Preheat to 475°F (245°C) for at least 45 minutes.
  7. Score and Bake (8:15 AM): Carefully remove hot Dutch oven. Place parchment over proofed dough, invert basket to release. Score top with a deep slash (about ½ inch deep). Lower dough into pot using parchment as sling. Put lid on.
  8. Bake Covered (8:20 AM): Bake for 30 minutes with lid on.
  9. Bake Uncovered (8:50 AM): Remove lid carefully. Bake for another 15-20 minutes until deep golden brown and internal temperature reaches 200-210°F (93-99°C).
  10. Cool Completely (9:10 AM): Transfer loaf to wire rack. Cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Notes

Don’t rush bulk fermentation; temperature affects timing. Use the poke test for proofing. Handle dough gently to preserve gas bubbles. Preheat Dutch oven fully for best crust. For extra-shiny crust, spritz inside of Dutch oven with water before adding dough.

Nutrition

Keywords: sourdough, no-knead bread, Dutch oven bread, artisan bread, homemade bread, easy sourdough recipe

Find it online: https://tastypierecipes.com/best-no-knead-sourdough-boule-recipe-easy-dutch-oven/