Sourdough French Bread (2024)

You can make deliciously crusty, light, and flavorful sourdough French bread with your sourdough discard and a few simple ingredients. It’s an easy dough to make and rests overnight to get just the right rise without any yeast needed. Then just shape, score, and bake to perfection! This is a tried-and-true rustic sourdough bread recipe you will surely love.

We’ve been making and feeding sourdough starter for many years. Making artisan sourdough bread or soft sandwich bread with sourdough is easy! And, we love the slightly tangy taste and great texture you get with sourdough recipes.

Did you know that the discard can be used to create all sorts of sourdough recipes?

Our slew of sourdough recipes includes leftover starters, like this French bread with sourdough starter recipe! It easily makes a flavorful baguette that is crusty on the outside and terrifically tender and fluffy on the inside.

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Baking with Sourdough

Anyone who has tried making bread with sourdough discard knows that you need these 2 key things for the perfect loaf: a starter (be sure to make this quick sourdough starter before you get, well, started. It’s homemade with flour and water, and is ready in a week thanks to my no-fail tips!) and patience.

And true to form, this fantastic sourdough French bread recipe also requires these. However, unlike many other sourdough discard recipes, this one doesn’t use any yeast.

Instead, it ferments overnight to get just the right rise. So you’ll certainly need that patience, but I promise this bread is so worth it,

Let’s get started with this easy french sourdough bread recipe!

Sourdough French Bread Recipe Ingredients

Sourdough starter (see link above for the best foolproof starter recipe)
Warm water
Sugar
Olive oil or other vegetable oil
All-purpose flour (I use King Arthur flour)
Salt

This is a sourdough discard recipe, but your discard should come from an active starter fed within the last day (if stored on the counter) or the last week (if stored in the refrigerator).

The sugar helps activate the sourdough sponge. The small amount of sugar won’t give this bread a sweet taste.

I prefer using King Arthur flour for my recipes. For me, KA flour is readily available locally, or on Amazon, so it’s easy to get. Find a quality brand that you like and stick with it. Using the same brand of flour will provide the most consistent results in your bread making.

Recipe Tips

We’re presuming that you already have sourdough starter on hand. Feed your starter 12-24 hours before starting the dough.

Although it does take some time to prepare, there are only 5 simple steps to make a perfect sourdough French bread with no yeast:

Mix the dough either by hand or with a standing mixer.

Cover the dough and let it rise (ferment) overnight.

Shape the dough, cover it with plastic wrap on a baking sheet and let rise one more time.

Score the loaves with a sharp knife.

Bake for 25-30 minutes in a preheated oven to 400 degrees F.

Serve it with Herb Garlic Butter for a tasty loaf of garlic bread with dinner.

Keep reading for foolproof tips!

Because there is no yeast used, this sourdough bread recipe needs kneading to get that classic French bread texture. (For no knead sourdough recipes, see my easy overnight sourdough bread or soft crust sourdough sandwich bread recipes.)

My favorite way to knead any bread dough is with my stand mixer.

However, if you don’t have a stand mixer, you can knead the dough by hand. Use a timer to keep track of how long you knead the bread. If your arms get tired, take a break for a moment or two and resume.

This video shows how to knead bread:

Here are some signs your sourdough has finished proofing.

The dough should be smooth and pliable.
It should stretch easily for several inches without holes or tears when stretched.

If not, the dough needs further kneading to make it as soft and pliable as it should be.

After a minute of hand kneading, it should look like this:

The dough above is soft and stretchy. When stretched, it was thin enough to see through without holes.

Tips for Proper Proofing of French Bread Sourdough

Sourdough undergoes a fermentation process during the overnight proofing. Here are a few signs that your sourdough has finished proofing (and is fermented):

It has doubled in size. In cooler temperatures (less than 75º) this may take longer.
You can see bubbles in the dough. There are finger-tip-sized bubbles on the top and sides of the dough and smaller bubbles underneath.

Sourdough fermentation takes hours, and your dough will need at least 6 hours and possibly 12 hours until the sourdough has proofed. Keeping the dough between 75º and 85º will speed up the fermentation process.

Under proofed dough is stiff and the surface of the dough is smooth.

Properly proofed dough shows bubbles on or below the surface. It’s soft, and the impression stays when you press your finger into it.

Over-proofed sourdough may spill over the sides of the bowl during proofing. To avoid over-proofed sourdough, set a timer per the recipe card and keep the dough at 85º or lower.

The scoring for this sourdough bread recipe is simple but necessary to keep the bread from cracking. Use a very sharp knife or lamé for sourdough scoring. I prefer to use a lamé or a serrated knife.

🎯 TFN Pro Tip

For a clean score, use quick, even motions. Sourdough scoring is only about 1/4″ to 1/2″ in depth. Side slashes work best for scoring loaves of French bread.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I make a quick French bread loaf?

Since you can’t skip the overnight fermentation process in this sourdough bread recipe, I recommend you instead try this Easy Homemade French Bread recipe. It uses yeast and is not a sourdough discard recipe, so it’s quite faster but equally tasty.

How will I know when my dough had proofed?

When it’s ready to bake the dough should be doubled in size with visible bubbles in the dough. See above signs your sourdough has finished proofing where I explain this a bit more.

Can I use bread flour instead of all purpose flour?

Yes! Bread flour has a bit more protein in it, which will add more gluten to the recipe.

Why do you show ingredients in grams?

Weighing your baking ingredients is more reliable for baking. For those of you without kitchen scales, I’ve listed the cup measurements in the full recipe card below.

What can I do with leftover sourdough that is going stale?

When my sourdough bread is past its prime, I slice it into cubes and dry or toast it to make sourdough stuffing. I always have a bag of cubed sourdough in the pantry ready to use.

Why do you cover the dough with a damp towel for the overnight rise?

Your dough will dry out during the fermentation overnight, especially in areas with low humidity. The top layer of the dough will get a hard crust that prevents the dough from rising.

How do you make sourdough bread with no yeast?

Sourdough starters create their own wild or natural yeast, so an active starter is all your need for this easy no yeast sourdough French bread recipe.

Sourdough French Bread Recipe

Renae

5 from 14 votes

Turn your sourdough discard into amazingly French bread that's crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. With just a few ingredients, you can bake this crusty, airy, savory French bread that's perfect for dipping and spreading.

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Course: Bread

Cuisine: French, American

Servings: 20 slices

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

overnight rise: 10 hours hours

Total Time: 10 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Calories: 142

Equipment

lamé - or sharp serrated knife
French bread pans - or baking sheets

Ingredients

1 cup (240 grams) sourdough starter
1 ½ cups (283 grams) warm water
2 Tbsp (25 grams) sugar
⅓ cup (80 grams) olive oil or any plant-based cooking oil
4 cups (500 grams) all-purpose flour divided, or bread flour
2 tsp (15 grams) salt

Instructions

Mixing the sourdough bread sponge

Combine starter, water, sugar, oil, and 3 c flour in a medium bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. Stir using a dough whisk or flat beater until a thick, sticky dough forms. This is called a sponge. Cover and let rest for 30 mins.
Add salt to the dough, and slowly add the last 1 cup of flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Kneading by hand

Add 1 cup of flour on the countertop and knead in one cup of flour at a time until the dough is no longer sticky. Then knead for 10 minutes by hand until the dough is soft, smooth, and elastic. See video below for more tips. You should be able to stretch the dough for 4-5" without it tearing. Use a timer to time kneading and take short breaks if your arms get sore.

Stand mixer kneading

Use the dough hook at low speed to mix the dough until it cleans the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl. Knead in mixer for 5-7 minutes, until a soft, smooth, and elastic dough forms. You should be able to stretch the dough for 4-5" without it tearing.

Overnight rise (fermentation)

Place dough into a large greased bowl turning the dough over, and cover with a clean damp towel or plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place (75º to 85º is ideal) overnight or for 8 hours (or until dough is bubbly and has doubled in size).

Preparing the Sourdough French Bread loaves

Cut the dough in half. Flatten each half to a 5" x 7" rectangle (i use my fingertips to gently deflate or degas the dough). Then tightly roll on the long side. Pinch the ends to seal them.
Place dough on lightly greased french bread pans, or place length-wise on a large parchment lined baking sheet. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise for 1 1/2 – 2 hours, until the loaves have increased in size and look puffy.
Preheat oven to 400ºF (205º celcius). Using a very sharp knife or lamé quickly score loaves with 3 – 4 diagonal slashes. Make scores about 1/4" to 1/2" deep.
Bake for 25 – 30 minutes. The loaves should be golden on the outside and sound hollow when tapped.

Notes

See video for hand kneading method and tips. Baked bread will read about 195º when checked with an instant read thermometer.

Nutrition

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As a seasoned baking enthusiast with years of experience in working with sourdough, I can assure you that crafting the perfect sourdough French bread requires a combination of skill, knowledge, and dedication. I have successfully baked numerous batches of artisan sourdough bread, experimenting with various techniques and recipes to achieve that delightful crusty exterior and tender, flavorful interior.

Now, let's delve into the concepts covered in the provided article:

Sourdough Starter:
- A critical component for sourdough baking, the starter is a mixture of flour and water that captures wild yeast and bacteria from the environment.
- The article emphasizes the importance of a healthy and active sourdough starter for the recipe.
Overnight Fermentation:
- Unlike recipes that use commercial yeast for a quicker rise, this sourdough French bread relies on an overnight fermentation process. This allows the natural yeast in the sourdough starter to leaven the dough gradually.
No Yeast Used:
- Highlighting a distinctive feature of this recipe, it proudly declares that no additional yeast is required. Instead, the bread depends on the fermentation of the sourdough starter for leavening.
Ingredients:
- The ingredients include sourdough starter, warm water, sugar, olive oil, all-purpose flour, and salt. The choice of flour is specifically mentioned (King Arthur flour), highlighting the importance of consistency in results.
Recipe Tips:
- Stress is placed on the need to feed the sourdough starter 12-24 hours before starting the dough, ensuring its optimal activity.
- The article provides a step-by-step guide with five simple steps for making the sourdough French bread, including mixing the dough, letting it rise overnight, shaping, scoring, and baking.
Kneading Technique:
- Acknowledging that kneading is necessary for achieving the classic French bread texture, the article recommends using a stand mixer or kneading by hand. A video is even included to demonstrate proper hand-kneading techniques.
Proofing Tips:
- The article offers signs to determine when the sourdough has finished proofing, such as the dough being smooth and pliable, stretching easily, and doubling in size. It also provides information on under-proofed and over-proofed dough.
Scoring Technique:
- Scoring is emphasized as a crucial step to prevent the bread from cracking during baking. Tips include using a very sharp knife or lamé for sourdough scoring, and side slashes are recommended for French bread.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Common queries are addressed, such as making a quick French bread loaf, knowing when the dough has proofed, using bread flour instead of all-purpose flour, and why ingredients are listed in grams.
Nutrition Information:
- The article includes nutritional details per slice, providing information on calories, carbohydrates, protein, fat, and other components.

In conclusion, this sourdough French bread recipe is not just a set of instructions; it's a comprehensive guide that reflects a deep understanding of sourdough baking principles and techniques. Following these guidelines should lead to the creation of a delightful and authentic sourdough French bread.