Can you really make sourdough without kneading?

Yes. No-knead sourdough relies on time and a few gentle stretch-and-folds instead of kneading to develop gluten. Long fermentation lets the gluten network build on its own, so a handful of folds during bulk fermentation is enough to produce a strong dough with an open crumb.

How much starter do I need for no-knead sourdough?

This recipe uses 100g of active starter for 500g of flour — about 20% of the flour weight. Make sure the starter is bubbly and has roughly doubled before you mix. If your kitchen is cold or you want a slower rise, you can drop to 50–75g and ferment longer.

Do I still need stretch-and-folds for no-knead bread?

A few sets help. No-knead does not mean no-touch — three or four sets of stretch-and-folds in the first couple of hours of bulk fermentation build strength and even out the dough. After that, the dough ferments untouched until it has risen and looks puffy and domed.

How long does no-knead sourdough take?

Plan on a full day plus an overnight. Bulk fermentation runs roughly 4–8 hours at room temperature depending on warmth, then shaping, then a cold proof in the fridge for 8–16 hours. The cold proof develops flavour and makes the dough easier to score and bake.

Why is my no-knead sourdough flat and dense?

The two most common causes are under-fermentation and weak dough. Make sure the starter is fully active, give bulk fermentation enough time for the dough to rise and look puffy, and do at least three sets of stretch-and-folds. Too much water for your flour can also cause spreading — try lowering hydration slightly.

Do I need a Dutch oven to bake no-knead sourdough?

A Dutch oven is the easiest way to trap steam for a crackly crust and good oven spring, but it is not the only way. You can bake on a stone or steel with a tray of boiling water or an inverted roasting pan to create steam for the first 20 minutes, then finish uncovered.

Easy No-Knead Sourdough Recipe — Ferment Calculator

No-knead sourdough is the easiest way into real artisan baking. Instead of working the dough by hand, you let time and a few gentle folds do the work. The result is a loaf with an open, airy crumb and a deeply crackly crust — made with nothing more than flour, water, salt, and an active starter. This recipe is built for beginners: simple ratios, a forgiving schedule, and a Dutch oven for reliable results.

Why no-knead works

Kneading develops gluten quickly by physically stretching and aligning the proteins in flour. No-knead bread reaches the same place through time: as the dough rests during a long fermentation, the gluten network organizes itself, and a handful of stretch-and-folds give it the final strength it needs.

Because sourdough already ferments slowly, it is a natural fit for the method — the wild yeast and bacteria in your starter need hours to leaven the dough anyway, and that same time builds the gluten. You trade active effort for patience. The only real requirement is an active starter: if it’s sluggish, the dough will under-ferment and bake dense no matter how perfectly you fold it.

Ingredients

This makes one medium loaf at roughly 75% hydration — wet enough for an open crumb but still manageable for a beginner.

500g bread flour

375g water (room temp)

100g active starter

Plus 10g fine sea salt. To scale the recipe up or down, or dial the hydration precisely, run the numbers through the hydration calculator so your flour and water stay in balance.

Before you start: feed your starter

The single most important step happens the night before. Your starter must be active and at peak when you mix — bubbly, roughly doubled, and passing the float test. Feed it 4–12 hours ahead depending on its strength and your kitchen temperature.

If you’re unsure about the ratio, the feeding calculator helps you build exactly the amount you need at peak time without wasting flour, and the active sourdough starter guide shows what “active” looks like.

Step-by-step recipe

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1. Mix (5 min) Combine 500g flour and 375g water until no dry flour remains — shaggy and rough. Rest 30–60 min (the autolyse). Then add 100g starter and 10g salt and squeeze-fold until worked in. It will feel slack and sticky — normal.
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2. Bulk with folds (4–8h) Over the first 2 hours, do 3–4 sets of stretch-and-folds ~30 min apart: wet a hand, stretch the dough up, fold over, rotate a quarter turn, repeat. Then leave it covered until risen ~50%, puffy, domed, and bubbly.
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3. Shape (10 min) Turn onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a taut round or oval, building surface tension. See the [shaping guide](/sourdough/how-to-shape-sourdough/). Place seam-side up in a floured banneton.
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4. Cold proof (8–16h) Cover and refrigerate overnight. The cold retard slows fermentation, deepens flavour, and firms the dough so it scores and springs better.
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5. Bake (45 min) Preheat a lidded Dutch oven to 250°C for 30–45 min. Turn the cold dough onto parchment, score ~1cm deep, lower in. Bake 20 min covered, then 20–25 min uncovered until deeply golden.
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6. Cool (1–2h) Cool fully on a wire rack for at least an hour. The crumb is still setting — slicing early makes it gummy.

Timing depends heavily on temperature — see the bulk fermentation guide for judging by feel, and the internal temperature guide for the target finish temperature.

No Dutch oven? No problem

The Dutch oven traps steam, but you can replicate it. Bake on a preheated stone or steel and create steam another way: slide a metal tray onto the bottom rack while preheating, then pour a cup of boiling water into it as you load the loaf. Or invert a deep roasting pan over the loaf for the first 20 minutes, then remove it to brown. Steam for the first stage, dry heat to finish — that’s the whole trick.

Troubleshooting

! Watch for

Flat, dense loaf — almost always under-fermentation or a weak starter; confirm the starter doubles, extend bulk, do enough folds.
Dough spreads and won't hold shape — hydration too high for your flour or over-fermented; drop water 2–4% and shape with more tension.
No oven spring — cold oven, not enough steam, or over-proofed dough; preheat fully and bake straight from the fridge.
Crust too pale or soft — bake longer uncovered at high heat; the crust needs dry, intense heat to darken and crisp.

A loaf proofed too far loses its rise, and the hydration calculator helps you dial water back if the dough spreads.

Make it your own

Once this recipe works for you, it becomes a base to experiment with. Swap 10–20% of the bread flour for whole wheat or rye for more flavour, or lean into fiber with the high-fiber approach. Adjust hydration up for a more open crumb once you’re comfortable with wetter dough, and shift the schedule — a longer, cooler bulk for a more sour loaf, or more starter for a faster rise. No-knead sourdough rewards patience over technique: get the starter active, give fermentation its time, and the bread mostly makes itself.

Try the calculator

Hydration Calculator

Scale the loaf or change hydration and keep flour and water perfectly balanced.

Open calculator →