Best Recipe for Sourdough Starter

1. Making a sourdough starter is super easy! You’ll feed it every 24 hours for the first 5 days, then switch to every 12 hours to build strength. It doesn’t have to be exact—give or take an hour or two and your starter will be fine. Here’s the step by step:

Day 1: Begin the Starter (Equipment: Clean Large Jar, Kitchen Scale, Spatula)

1. Place a clean, wide-mouth jar (at least 4 cups/1L capacity) on your kitchen scale and press the "tare" button to zero out the jar's weight. Add 120 grams of flour (see Note 3 for US measurements and Note 1 for flour variations). I used a mix of 60 grams of whole wheat and 60 grams of rye flour, combined with 100-120 grams of water. Stir vigorously to fully combine, scraping down the sides and bottom of the jar. Cover loosely with a clean tea towel or a non-airtight lid, and place the jar in a warm spot (70-75°F) for 24 to 48 hours. You want to see a few bubbles before moving on to day 2, even if it takes 48 hours. If you don't see much activity, give the mixture a stir to incorporate some air, then let it rest again. (See note 4)
2. WARM SPOT TIP: Place your starter on a sheet pan on the center rack of your (turned-off) oven with the light on for about an hour—but be careful, those oven lights can get HOT! Other great options include using a proofing setting on your oven, an Instant Pot, or a countertop oven set to the right temperature. You can also try a microwave with the door slightly ajar and the light on, or the top of your fridge.

Day 2: Feed starter every 24 hours

1. Discard half of the starter (this prevents it from getting too big too fast). Add 120 grams of flour* and 100 grams of water and stir well. Cover and put it back in the warm spot for 24 hours.*At this point, you can switch to bread flour if desired.

Day 3: Feed Starter every 24 hours

1. Discard half of the starter again, add 120 grams of flour and 100 grams of water and stir well. Cover and let it rest for 24 hours.By now, it might rise until doubled or more than doubled and then collapse, this is a sign your starter is becoming active and the wild yeast is growing. But don't be fooled, it's not ready to use yet, you need to build it's strength.

Day 4: Feed Starter every 24 hours

1. Repeat the same process as Day 3. The bubbles should be more noticeable and your starter should have a tangy smell. Sometimes the starter stalls around day 4 or 5, this is normal, keep going.

Day 5: Feed Starter one more 24 hour feeding

1. One more 24 hour feeding cycle! Discard half of the starter, feed it 120 grams of flour and 100 grams of water, stir and cover. Tomorrow you’ll be feeding it every 12 hours so plan your schedule accordingly.

Day 6: Feed every 12 hours

1. Now you can feed your starter every 12 hours. Morning and evening feedings are a good rhythm.Discard half, feed it 120 grams of flour and 100 grams of water, stir well and cover loosely. I did 6 am and 6 pm which worked for my schedule.

Day 7: Feed your starter every 12 hours one last time

1. Start by discarding half your starter and do one more round of feeding every 12 hours.Discard half, feed it 120 grams of flour and 100 grams of water, stir well and cover loosely. You'll do this twice a day, it should rise and fall throughout the day.Your starter should be bubbly, tangy and doubling in size between feedings—it’s ready to bake!
2. Give it one more feeding before you start your sourdough adventures. If it’s still sluggish don’t worry! Keep up the feeding process and have patience—it’s a living thing and sometimes needs more time. Some have said it takes up to two weeks.

Ready to Use

1. By the end of day 7, your starter should be ready to use! If you're ready to bake, go ahead and dive in. If not, store it covered in the fridge until you're ready. I recommend feeding it once a week if possible. The more often you feed your starter, the quicker and easier it will be to get it active and ready for baking when you need it.