This easy sourdough baguette recipe is such a fun and easy way to change it up! We love having baguettes especially for sandwiches. These ones are hard on the outside and soft in the middle. I actually prefer mine a little softer so I love how these taste. The recipe is essentially the same as making a loaf but with less hands on work and you really can’t overproof the dough too much. I’m still learning how to shape the loaves, but they taste absolutely delicious.
Some benefits of sourdough:
- It’s easier to digest than most breads. The long fermentation breaks down a lot of the starches, which means it’s already starting the digestion process for you. Also, it’s usually easier to digest even for those that are sensitive to gluten.
- It’s filled with probiotics and amazing nutrients. It has probiotics and lactic acid from the fermentation process. The probiotics are good for your gut and the lactic acid also helps you to break it down and digest it.
- It’s lower glycemic since it’s a fermented food. That means it doesn’t cause as much of a blood sugar spike when you eat it.
What you need to make this easy sourdough baguette recipe + substitutions:
- Sourdough starter- Everyone has a different way of doing their sourdough starter. I feel like it can feel so overwhelming but it doesn’t have to be. I’ve always followed the same way and it has worked every time! I feed my starter equal parts. So I will usually empty my jar so there is 50g of starter in there. I’ll typically take the discard and put it in a separate jar to save for discard recipes. Then, I’ll add in 50g of all-purpose flour, and 50g of purified water. Mix it well and leave it on the counter to rise for about 8 hours before adding it into a recipe. If I’m baking often, I’ll leave it on the counter and just feed it everyday. If not, I’ll leave it in the fridge and feed it once a week or just before when I’m going to use it. I’ve never made my starter myself because my neighbor actually shared hers with me years ago and it’s still doing wonderful! This is the one she bought!
- Water- Whenever I’m baking or feeding my sourdough starter, I use room temperature purified water. We actually have a Berkey water filter and LOVE it! So I just use my water straight from there.
- All-purpose flour- My favorite and go-to brand of flour is King Arthur. I buy organic when I can! I’ll buy the organic bag from Thrive Market or I’ll get the 5lb bag from Costco. That one isn’t organic but it’s still great and perfect for this easy sourdough baguette. Bread flour works for this recipe too, but I haven’t tried any other flour personally. I do know that gluten-free flour doesn’t work the same for these easy sourdough baguettes.
- Sea salt- Our go-to sea salt is from Redmond always. We buy it in bulk from their website. It’s unrefined sea alt meaning that it still contains the beneficial trace minerals! It’s also pure and unprocessed with is the best. You can use the code daddioskitchen for 15% off on their website.
Equipment I used:
- Food Scale- I use this for all my sourdough recipes and for feeding my starter. It really comes in handy and is more precise for measuring. That’s why most recipes use it! Also it makes less dishes because you don’t need measuring cups. I love this one, but you can use any scale for this easy sourdough baguette recipe.
- Thermometer- Another item that’s not required at all! We just already have one for all our meat but I’ve used it plenty of times for my bread to make sure it’s done. A good rule of thumb is making sure your bread reaches 200F inside when it’s done.
- Bench scraper- Having one of these is also super helpful. It makes it easy to shape your dough ball, to pick it up, and also to clean your countertop and scoop up stuff. We use it for a ton of things like transferring chopped onions to a pot, etc.
- Dough hook- This is definitely not required, but I love my dough hook. I use it for mixing everything instead of a whisk, and it works wonders. I got mine from the Food Nanny, but hers are always sold out. Most sourdough recipes call for using your hands, so that works just fine too.
- Bread lame- This is the best to have to score your sourdough. Scoring the top helps the steam to release while the bread is cooking so it can rise well. I’ve used a sharp knife and it works too, but it doesn’t work nearly as well as a bread lame.
- Shower caps- Using a shower cap is my favorite hack for covering your bowl when you let the dough rest. Since the side is elastic it fits right over the bowl perfectly. I reuse mine a ton of times instead of using plastic wrap for this homemade artisan sourdough loaf.
- Weck jars- These are the best jars. One of my favorites and my personal preference when it comes to jars. I especially love it for my sourdough starter, because of the wide top and they’re so pretty.
Sample Baking Schedule:
8am- Feed starter
4pm- Mix dough
5pm- Add salt & additional water
6pm- Stretch & fold (1)
7pm- Stretch & fold (2)
8pm- Stretch & fold (3)/ Cover & rise in the fridge
9am- Pour out onto the counter, form into a ball, let rest 30 minutes. Preheat oven.
9:30am- Cut into 3 baguettes & roll them out into baguettes. Boil water. Bake in the oven.
Other sourdough recipes you will love:
Alright, let’s get to making the recipe! Enjoy!
Easy Sourdough Baguettes
These easy sourdough baguettes are such a fun and easy way to change it up! We love having baguettes especially for sandwiches. These ones are hard on the outside and soft in the middle. I actually prefer mine a little softer so I love how these taste. The recipe is essentially the same as making a loaf but with less hands on work and you really can't overproof the dough too much. I'm still learning how to shape the loaves, but they taste absolutely delicious.
Servings 0
Ingredients
- 100 g sourdough starter (fed & active)
- 340 g water (set aside 10g for adding the salt)
- 500 g all-purpose flour
- 12 g sea salt
Instructions
Feed Starter:
- Feed your sourdough starter about 6-12 hours before you plan to use it. It's usually ready earlier in the summer than winter. I always do equal parts so I'll typically have 50g of starter in my jar and feed it 50g of all-purpose flour & 50g of filtered water. I usually feed mine the night before and then start the process in the morning.
Mix Dough:
- In a large mixing bowl, add sourdough starter, 330g of water, and flour. Mix well until you get a shaggy ball. I'll usually start mixing with my dough hook and then finishing mixing with my hands. Cover with a shower cap, plastic wrap, or a damp dish towel for 1 hour.
- Add in the sea salt and remaining 10g of water. Mix it in with your hands to get it nice and incorporated. Mix for about 3 minutes until you no longer feel the salt and you can form into more of a ball. Cover and let it rest for an hour.
- After the hour is up, perform 1 set of stretch and folds. Take one side of the dough and pull it up and fold it over itself. Turn the bowl and do that on all 4 sides of the dough. Repeat that whole process 2 more times every hour.
Bulk Rise:
- Next, you'll cover the bowl and let it rise in the fridge for 12-24 hours.
Shaping:
- When your dough has risen, dump it out onto a floured surface. Gently form into a ball and let rest 20 minutes.
- Once it's rested, cut your dough into 3 equal sized pieces. Shape into long baguettes. If your oven isn't ready to go yet, put the baguettes into the fridge until you bake.
Bake:
- When you're ready to bake your bread, preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Boil a pot of water (about 1-2 cups) and add it into a pan in the oven. This helps steam the bread.
- After your baguettes are formed, put them onto a baguette pan or a lined sheet pan. Score a few lines on the top.
- Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Enjoy!
Notes
For Storing: Store in a bread bag, plastic bag, etc on the counter for 2-3 days.
For Freezing: I usually cut the baguettes in half and then freeze them in a large plastic bag and just thaw them when we need them.