There is something incredibly satisfying about pulling a loaf of homemade sourdough from the oven.

The crackling crust. The smell of freshly baked bread filling the kitchen. And, of course, that little moment of anticipation when you finally cut into the loaf and see how it turned out.

Over time, I’ve learned that sourdough doesn’t have to be complicated to be beautiful.

This is the recipe I use when I want two dependable artisan loaves with a crisp, blistered crust and a beautiful rise. It is primarily naturally leavened with sourdough starter, but I add one tiny helper:

¼ teaspoon of active dry yeast.

Yes, yeast in sourdough. 😉

And before the sourdough purists come for me, hear me out.

That tiny amount gives my dough just a little extra boost and makes my bake more predictable without replacing the sourdough starter or the long fermentation that gives this bread its character.

The result is the loaf you see here: rustic, golden, beautifully scored, and made right in my own kitchen.

Why I Add ¼ Teaspoon of Yeast to My Sourdough

Traditional sourdough relies entirely on wild yeast and bacteria living in your starter.

And I love traditional sourdough.

But starters are living things. Their activity can change depending on the temperature of your kitchen, when they were last fed, the flour you’re using, and even the season.

Adding just ¼ teaspoon of active dry yeast to two entire loaves gives the fermentation a gentle helping hand.

It isn’t enough yeast to take over the recipe. My 250 grams of active sourdough starter is still the primary leavening, and I still give the dough plenty of time to ferment.

Think of the yeast as a little insurance policy.

It’s especially helpful if you’re:

Still learning sourdough
Working with a cooler kitchen
Not completely sure whether your starter is at peak activity
Baking for someone else and really need those loaves to turn out
Simply tired of wondering whether today’s loaf is going to cooperate 😂

Sourdough is supposed to be something we enjoy making not something we’re afraid to get wrong.

Two-Loaf Artisan Sourdough Recipe

Makes: 2 large artisan loaves

Ingredients

250 g active sourdough starter
700 g warm water
1,000 g bread flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
20 g fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon active dry yeast

That’s it.

Five simple ingredients.

Step 1: Mix the Starter, Water & Yeast

Add 700 grams of warm water to a large mixing bowl.

Add:

250 g active sourdough starter
¼ teaspoon active dry yeast

Stir everything together.

Don’t worry about completely dissolving the starter. We’re just distributing it throughout the water before adding our flour.

A note about water temperature:You want pleasantly warm water, not hot water. Hot water can damage both the wild yeast in your starter and the commercial yeast we’re adding.

Step 2: Add the Flour

Add 1,000 grams of flour.

Mix until the flour has absorbed the water and you no longer see large pockets of dry flour.

At this point, your dough may look shaggy, sticky and honestly a little unimpressive.

That’s perfectly fine.

Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rest for approximately 30 minutes.

This little rest gives the flour time to hydrate before we add our salt and begin developing the dough’s strength.

Step 3: Add the Salt

After the initial rest, sprinkle 20 grams of fine sea salt over the dough.

With damp hands, work the salt into the dough.

I like to pinch, squeeze and fold the dough until I can tell the salt has been evenly incorporated.

Don’t worry about making it beautiful yet.

That’s what our stretch and folds are for.

Step 4: Stretch & Fold

Now we’re going to build strength in our dough without traditional kneading.

Grab one side of the dough and gently stretch it upward without tearing it.

Fold it over the center.

Turn the bowl and repeat.

Continue until you’ve stretched and folded all four sides.

Cover the bowl and rest for approximately 30 minutes.

Repeat this process for a total of 3–4 sets of stretch and folds, approximately 30 minutes apart.

You’ll notice something pretty amazing happen during this process.

That shaggy dough you started with will gradually become smoother, stronger and much more elastic.

Step 5: Bulk Fermentation

After your final stretch and fold, cover the dough and allow it to continue fermenting at room temperature.

This is one place where I don’t recommend becoming obsessed with an exact number of hours.

Watch your dough, not just your clock.

You’re looking for dough that:

Has noticeably increased in volume
Looks slightly domed
Has bubbles developing around the sides and surface
Feels airy
Has a gentle jiggle when you move the bowl

Because this recipe contains that small amount of active dry yeast, fermentation can move faster than a 100% naturally leavened loaf.

Don’t wait for the dough to completely double in size.

If your kitchen is warm, check it earlier. If your house is cool, it may take longer.

Step 6: Divide & Pre-Shape

Turn your fermented dough onto a lightly floured work surface.

Using a bench scraper, divide it into two equal pieces.

Each portion should weigh approximately 985 grams, although small variations are completely fine.

Gently shape each piece into a loose round.

Allow the dough to rest on the counter for approximately 20 minutes.

This gives the gluten a chance to relax before the final shaping.

Step 7: Shape Your Loaves

Shape each piece of dough into a boule or batard, creating enough surface tension that the outside feels smooth and taut without tearing.

Place each loaf seam-side up into a well-floured banneton.

Cover your bannetons and transfer them to the refrigerator.

Allow the loaves to cold ferment overnight.

This overnight rest develops flavor, but it also gives us another wonderful benefit:

Cold sourdough is much easier to score.

Step 8: Score & Bake

The next day, preheat your oven to 450°F with your Dutch oven inside.

You want the Dutch oven thoroughly heated before adding the bread.

When you’re ready to bake, remove one loaf at a time from the refrigerator.

Turn the cold dough onto parchment paper.

Dust the top lightly with flour if you’d like that beautiful contrast in your scoring.

Using a bread lame or very sharp razor, make one deeper expansion score along the loaf.

Then add any decorative scoring you’d like.

For the loaf pictured here, I used a simple leaf-inspired pattern alongside the main score.

Don’t overthink decorative scoring.

Homemade bread isn’t supposed to look factory-perfect. That’s part of what makes each loaf beautiful.

Baking Time

Carefully lower your scored loaf into the hot Dutch oven.

Cover and bake:

25 minutes at 450°F with the lid ON

Then remove the lid and bake:

20–25 minutes at 450°F with the lid OFF

The uncovered portion is where that gorgeous golden crust really develops.

I like my artisan bread deeply golden rather than pale, so don’t be afraid to give it another few minutes if needed.

Repeat with your second loaf.

The Secret to That Blistered Sourdough Crust

Those tiny bubbles covering the crust are one of my favorite parts of a good loaf.

A long, cold overnight fermentation helps create that beautiful blistering.

The covered Dutch oven also traps the steam naturally released from the dough during the beginning of the bake. That humid environment allows the loaf to fully expand before the crust becomes firm.

Once the lid comes off, the moisture escapes and the crust begins to brown and crisp.

No complicated steam trays required.

Please Let Your Bread Cool

I know.

You’ve waited all this time, your kitchen smells incredible, and now I’m telling you not to cut it.

But give your loaf at least one hour to cool before slicing.

The inside of the bread is still finishing its work when it comes out of the oven. Cutting into it immediately can leave the crumb gummy or compressed.

Put it on a cooling rack.

Admire your handiwork.

Then go find something else to do. 😂

It will be worth the wait.

A Few Things I’ve Learned About Sourdough

Sourdough has a way of teaching you to pay attention.

A recipe can tell you to ferment something for five hours, but your dough may be ready in four or it may need seven.

Your kitchen isn’t my kitchen.

Your starter isn’t my starter.

Your flour, water and even the temperature outside can change how your dough behaves.

That’s why one of the best things you can learn as a sourdough baker is simply what ready dough looks and feels like.

And if adding ¼ teaspoon of yeast makes your bread more reliable while you’re learning?

Add the yeast.

There are no sourdough police hiding in your pantry. 😉

Two-Loaf Artisan Sourdough — Quick Recipe

250 g active sourdough starter
700 g warm water
1,000 g flour
20 g fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon active dry yeast

Mix starter, water and yeast.

Add flour and mix until no dry flour remains.

Rest 30 minutes.

Add salt.

Complete 3–4 sets of stretch and folds approximately 30 minutes apart.

Bulk ferment until noticeably risen, airy and jiggly.

Divide into two loaves.

Pre-shape and rest 20 minutes.

Final shape and place into bannetons.

Cold ferment overnight.

Bake in a preheated Dutch oven at 450°F for 25 minutes covered + 20–25 minutes uncovered.

Cool at least one hour before slicing.

From My Kitchen to Yours

There is a reason breadmaking has survived generations.

Flour, water, salt and time can become something that feeds your family, fills your home with the most incredible smell, and connects us to a way of cooking that existed long before convenience foods filled grocery-store shelves.

It doesn’t have to be perfect.

It doesn’t have to follow someone else’s sourdough rules.

It just needs to work for your home and your family.

And this little ¼-teaspoon trick has earned a permanent place in my sourdough routine.

Happy baking. 🤎

— Sandrock Apothecary