How To Convert Any Recipe To Sourdough (2024)

Learn how to convert any recipe to sourdough with a few easy tricks. Eating healthy fermented grains doesn’t have to be challenging. Just use this simple process to convert your favorite recipes to sourdough.

How To Convert Any Recipe To Sourdough (1)

If I had a food love language, I’m sure it would be sourdough. And by this point, you’ve all figured this out.

It’s been a 10-year love affair with this healthy, ancient way of eating grains. Once converted, it is truly hard to go back. Our family is never going back.

Honestly though, sourdough doesn’t have the best reputation. People have a misconception that sourdough is difficult and takes a long time.

You might be imagining yourself spending several hours a day kneading dough, or even hunkered over your bread bowl with your sourdough instructions, trying to troubleshoot your dough like a bad chemist.

That is just not the case. Sourdough has simplified meal making and food prep dramatically for our family.

Converting a recipe is actually quite simple. You may have to tweak it a bit, but it is really worth it. Between the health benefit of easier digestion and the greater depth of flavor, you’ll be thankful you made the switch.

There are multiple factors when considering converting a recipe to sourdough. Consider the type of recipe, how much liquid and flour, and whether or not another leavener may be added.

Why would you want to convert a recipe to sourdough?

  • Flavor:Sourdough adds a delicious tang and complexity to grain products. From savory to sweet, the dimension added can’t compare with regular wheat products. Once you switch to eating traditionally fermented grains, regular grains seem sub-par and lacking flavor.
  • Health: Switching to grains fermented with sourdough starter reduces the amount of phytic acid present in the grains, and allows the nutrients (like folate) to become more bio-available. Your body then can more easily absorb these nutrients.
  • Digestibility:Fermented grains actually contain less gluten than unfermented. The good bacteria and yeast help break down the gluten, making it easier for your body to digest. Those who have difficulty digesting grains may be able to tolerate long-fermented sourdough products. Those with celiac disease still should avoid any glutinous grains, even fermented ones.

How To Convert Any Recipe To Sourdough:

How To Convert Any Recipe To Sourdough (3)

Yeast Recipes:

When I started my sourdough journey, I took the yeast bread recipe I had been using and adjusted to work with sourdough.

So, I know it is possible to take your favorite yeast bread recipe and make it using the wild yeast from sourdough starter instead!

If you’d like to do this with any of your go-to recipes, there are three basic rules I follow.

  1. Swap out one packet of yeast for a half cup of starter.
  2. Reduce the liquid by ⅓ cup + one tablespoon and reduce the flour by ⅓ cup + one tablespoon.
  3. Increase rise time, usually double.

Want to know how I came up with this super scientific recipe conversion? I simply added ⅓ cup + one tablespoon of flour and water to a bowl, and measured it. This combination equals exactly a half cup of “sourdough starter”, so we are simply adding the starter to the recipe and taking the liquid and flour volume back out.

You can use this same process to work with your own conversions for different types of flours and recipes.

How To Convert Any Recipe To Sourdough (4)

Non-Yeast Recipes:

There are many quick-bread recipes that work well when converted to sourdough, likepancakes,crepes,muffins, and other quick breads (hello,banana bread).

Now this can be a little trickier since many non-yeast recipes (like cookies, quick breads, etc) don’t contain a lot of liquid. For recipes like this, I would suggest adding a half a cup of sourdough starter, and possibly increasing the amount of flour a bit.

I say possibly because you may be able to get away with adding 1/2 cup of starter and not having to do any else differently to the recipe.

For other recipes, you could possibly reduce the amount of oil added while also adding more flour. I would suggest trying 1/3 cup for both.

Honestly, this conversion works best for yeast breads, but can be done with others as well. If all else fails, I have just about every sourdough recipe you could think of on the blog.

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The hydration of your starter matters when making these adjustments!

The conversion example above is based on a sourdough starter fed at 100% hydration. I feed my starter equal parts flour and water.

The amount of flour and water used is based on the amount of starter I already have. But the ratio of flour to water never changes.

If you feed your starter a different ratio of flour to water, your recipes will need to be adjusted accordingly.

You can also use sourdough starter in your quick bread recipes as well!

The basic principle given previously still works here: add starter, reduce flour and water to equal the volume of the starter added. ½ cup starter at 100% hydration = ⅓ cup + one tablespoon of flour and water.

Try Some Of Our Favorite Recipes

  • Sourdough Brownies
  • Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
  • Sourdough Strawberry Cream Cheese Cobbler
  • Easy Artisan Bread
  • Sourdough Banana Bread
How To Convert Any Recipe To Sourdough (6)

Why does sourdough need a longer rise time?

Typically, rise time will take about double the time, as the natural yeasts and bacteria take more time to develop than commercially developed yeast. While a yeast bread may take 1-2 hours to rise, give your sourdough recipe at least 4 hours.

If you are making a bread recipe, make sure to double both rises. The bulk rise, and the second rise after shaping.

With sourdough, you can even do longer rises in the refrigerator to help develop flavor without over fermenting.

For bread, you would allow a bulk ferment after starting the dough, and then a second ferment in the fridge, covered with plastic, for up to 24 hours.

Differences in rising time will change substantially depending on the type of recipe, if it contains other leaveners like baking soda, the environment it is rising in, etc.

FAQ:

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How much sourdough starter equals a packet of yeast?

A packet of yeast roughly equals 1/2 cup of sourdough starter in a recipe.

Is it cheaper to buy or make sourdough?

It is much cheaper to make your own sourdough bread compared to buying it.

What is the ratio of sourdough starter to baking?

While many bakers may choose a different ratio, the most common is one part flour to one part water, to one part sourdough starter (1:1:1)

Sourdough might sound complicated, but most new processes do. Take some time to read and learn about sourdough, give your own starter a try, and I promise, you’ll find it to be a simpler skill than expected.

It’s an incredibly beneficial practice, both for your health, and for the depth of flavors you build into your recipes.

How To Convert Any Recipe To Sourdough (2024)

FAQs

How To Convert Any Recipe To Sourdough? ›

So, a sourdough feeding ratio is the relative amount (referring to weight) of old sourdough compared to fresh flour and water. Typical feeding ratios are 1:2:2 or 1:3:3 (old sourdough: fresh flour: water). However, even extreme ratios like 1:50:50 would still work.

How do you calculate sourdough ratio? ›

So, a sourdough feeding ratio is the relative amount (referring to weight) of old sourdough compared to fresh flour and water. Typical feeding ratios are 1:2:2 or 1:3:3 (old sourdough: fresh flour: water). However, even extreme ratios like 1:50:50 would still work.

How do you make enough sourdough starter? ›

There is no single best ratio, but I've found a ratio of 1:5:5 fed twice daily at 12-hour intervals to produce a sourdough starter that's strong and healthy. This ratio corresponds to 20% ripe starter carryover, 100% water, and 100% flour (a mix of whole grain rye and white flour) at each feeding.

What is the secret to sourdough? ›

The secret to sourdough is simple: water. The more water you add to your dough will affect how open the crumb (bigger holes and softer texture) will be once it's baked.

How much sourdough starter is equal to one package of yeast? ›

How much sourdough starter equals a packet of yeast? As a general rule, 100g of sourdough starter can be used to replace one packet of yeast (a packet usually contains 5-7g of commercial yeast).

How do you calculate bread dough? ›

The calculation is:
  1. Actual Tin Volume (in grams) / Magic Number = Target Dough Weight (in grams)
  2. Ingredient Quantity / Actual Dough Weight x Target dough weight =
  3. New Ingredient Quantity.
Mar 23, 2023

What is the 1/2/2 ratio for sourdough starter? ›

A 1:2:2 feeding ratio would consist of one part existing starter, two parts flour and two parts water. For example, if you have 30g of existing starter, you would feed it 60g of flour and 60g of flour. The most common feeding ratios for daily maintenance are 1:1:1 or 1:2:2.

What is the ratio of sourdough starter to bread? ›

The most common feeding ratio is 1:1:1 (sourdough starter: flour: water). This is also known as a 100% hydration starter. For example, let's say you have 40 g of sourdough starter in a jar. To feed it, you'll add 40 g of flour + 40 g of water.

What happens if you put too much sourdough starter in your dough? ›

If you have too much starter compared to the additional flour and water you're adding, your hungry starter consumes all the nutrients and then it's not as bubbly.

What is a good amount of sourdough starter to keep? ›

Once it's ripe, remove the amount you need for the recipe (I almost always use between 100-200 grams) and then save 20 grams, feeding it with 20 grams water and flour. You're back to having 60 grams of starter to keep for next time with enough to bake your bread now.

What not to do with sourdough? ›

Here are the big errors to avoid when working with sourdough.
  1. You Bake Too Soon. ...
  2. You Use Unfiltered Tap Water. ...
  3. You're Impatient. ...
  4. You Don't Let Gluten Develop Properly. ...
  5. You Don't Let the Bread Proof Long Enough. ...
  6. You Don't Score the Surface of the Bread Properly. ...
  7. The Baking Time Is Too Short. ...
  8. The Bread Doesn't Rest Long Enough.
Apr 1, 2022

What is the best flour for sourdough starter? ›

The best flour blend for creating a new sourdough starter is 50% whole-meal flour (whole wheat or whole rye) and 50% bread flour or all-purpose flour. I recommend a 50/50 mix of whole wheat flour and bread flour.

What makes sourdough more sour? ›

Whole grain and rye flours provide minerals and enzymes that can influence acid production in sourdoughs. The higher mineral content of whole grains acts as a buffer in the dough so that more acid can be produced during extended fermentation.

Is it cheaper to buy or make sourdough? ›

So if you look solely at the ingredients, it is cheaper to make your own sourdough. But if you bring other factors into it - it might not be as cheap.

What happens if you mix sourdough starter with yeast? ›

Adding yeast to a sourdough can result in a lighter, more tender crumb and a crisper crust than the same loaf without it. Now I like the texture of a crusty, chewy sourdough loaf most of the time, but there are instances where I find this effect especially useful.

How much is 1 cup of sourdough starter? ›

US to Metric
MetricUS
1/3 cup sourdough starter92 grams
1/2 cup sourdough starter138 grams
2/3 cup sourdough starter184 grams
1 cup sourdough starter276 grams
3 more rows
Aug 5, 2020

What is the ratio of 1 5 5 for sourdough? ›

Making a Sourdough Starter Work for You
RatioExample in Grams assuming 78ºFOver-ripe/ Need refreshing
1:2:210 grams ripe starter 20 grams flour 20 grams water10 hours
1:5:510 grams ripe starter 50 grams flour 50 grams water12-14 hours
1:10:1010 grams ripe starter 100 grams flour 100 grams water24 hours
1 more row
Feb 22, 2024

What is the best sourdough starter flour ratio? ›

The best flour blend for creating a new sourdough starter is 50% whole-meal flour (whole wheat or whole rye) and 50% bread flour or all-purpose flour.

What is the best sourdough hydration ratio? ›

I typically like to stick to the 70 to 75% range. This gives me a nice open crumb without being to wet of a dough that it is impossible to work with. Should sourdough starter be 100% hydration? Sourdough starter can be at right at, above, or below 100% hydration.

How do you measure flour for sourdough? ›

The most accurate way to measure flour is with a digital scale. It removes the guesswork and will help you achieve consistent baking results. All of our recipes assume 1 cup = 120g (or 4.25 oz.)

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