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Pack a flavor filled punch into your next sourdough bread loaf, by adding in sun dried tomatoes and crumbled goat cheese. It might be my favorite combo yet!

Like everyone else, I’m in my Sourdough Era. My kids are rolling their eyes at “another sourdough”, while I’m happy as a clam getting my proofing on. After working my way through variation after variation, and learning what works best for me in my corner on the PNW, I found that Heartbeet Recipes Everyday Sourdough was the perfect base combination for me to begin my journey. 

There is a lot of information out there about the necessity to do multiple stretch and folds, how long the dough has to rest in the fridge, what racks to use and more. I think this can put people off making their own by drowing them in information and upping the intimidation factor. It’s just bread! It’s NOT THAT SERIOUS. Yes, technique matters, but so does just doing the thing and seeing what works for you. I think this recipe is perfect for beginners.

What is Sourdough Bread? 

Sourdough bread is a leavened bread using a “starter” that accumulates wild airborne yeasts, live microbes and bacteria, within the yeasted dough “slurry” to create the base for a new loaf of bread. Each region has their own version of sourdough bread, with a distinct look, feel, texture, and taste due to the environment and wild yeasts and flours used. 

In America, you will find regionally specific sourdough breads, like San Francisco sourdough, Seattle Waterfront, or Alaskan sourdough to name a few. Each one imparts a taste and texture akin to where they are fermented and baked. 

What is a Sourdough Starter? 

The sourdough starter is a key ingredient to any sourdough loaf. Because the dough does not use a commercial yeast, and uses a live maintained starter to activate the rising of the loaves, the aged and active starter imparts flavor and leavening to each loaf. 

You can create your own sourdough starter at home, either by using a purchased or gifted starter, and maintaining (or feeding) it routinely until it is active enough to use in recipes. Or you can create a active sourdough starter from scratch using flour and water, routinely discarding a portion of the mix, and feeding it again with equal portions of water and flour until enough wild yeasts have developed and it is active – showcased by the bubbly nature of the starter. 

How to Feed a Sourdough Starter

I keep my sourdough starter in a pint wide mouth mason jar, covered with a paper towel and a canning ring. This allows maximum air circulation and the capturing of wild yeasts from the environment. 

With an active starter, you will need to discard a portion of the old starter, and feed it with new flour and water to keep it active. The yeasts that have been developed will consume the sugars in the new flour and water, creating carbon dioxide and bubbles. Once those are completely consumed, the bubbles will disappear and eventually the yeasts will die. So feeding routinely is required. 

There are storage techniques that can essentially hit “pause” of your starter if needed. 

How Do I Know if My Starter is Ready to be Used? 

You will knwo if your starter is ready to use when the starter is active enough to double in size within 4-6 hours. If you have not reached this level of activity yet, your doughs may come out too dense, and not get the desired result. If your starter is still slow, discard and feed once or twice more to ensure it is bubbly.

Some people utilize a float test. If you drop a teaspoon of starter into a cup of water and it floats, it is considered ready to use. 

What Equipment Do I Need? 

For this sun dried tomato and goat cheese sourdough recipe, you will need the following equipment.

What is the Best Dutch Oven for Sourdough Bread?

My favorite way to make sourdough is with my dutch oven. The size of the cast iron dutch oven will mater, and I recommend one at least 6 quarts in size. You can use a standard black cast iron dutch oven, or an enameled one. My choice is a 6 quart enameled Lodge Dutch Oven. 

Using one less than 6 quarts, will not allow enough air and steam to circulate around the bread to create a good solid crust. 

How to Make Sourdough Bread: A 5-Step Overview

Making Dough

This is the longest pole in the proverbial tent. Not because it’s the most hands on, but it’s getting the dough to a place where the yeast and starter will be active enough, and when you perform your “long ferment” it will take 10-12 hours. Generally, consider making one loaf of sourdough a two day process. 

I follow the basic tenants of Heartbeet Kitchen’s Everyday Sourdough and ratios. Assume the following times to help you plan when you need to start making your dough and when you need to bake it. 

  • Make dough base – 35 Minutes
    • Make dough using starter, room temperature filtered water, flour, and kosher salt. You can use a large bowl and wooden spoon, or I prefer a dough whisk for this step. 
    • Allow this to rest for 30 minutes. 
  • First Dough Rest – 4 hours
    • After the dough base has rested for 30 minutes, I cover my bowl with a wet towel to retain the moisture in the dough, and place it into my toaster oven set to “proof”. You can also use your oven with the oven light on. This will generate just enough heat to give the yeast the proper temperature to activate. 
    • When the top of the dough is slightly puffy and has a few large bubbles you have reached the point of your next step, shaping.

Shaping Dough

There seem to be two schools of thought on shaping dough. Some people are very delicate with shaping their loaves, and I’m of the “it’s dough, just shape it!” approach. I prefer using a silicone pasty mat and a plastic dough scraper to shape my dough. 

  • Dust pastry mat with flour. 
  • Add in bubbled dough base. Gently spread or stretch the dough out to an even-ish thickness. Here is where I begin adding in my additional ingredients – sundried tomatoes, and goat cheese. Use about 1/2 of the ingredients and evenly sprinkle them over the center of the dough. 
  • Fold the edges back to the middle to cover the added in ingredients. Seal the edges back together. This does not have to be perfect. Gently repeat the process of stretching out the dough again, and repeat the process of adding the ingredients evenly through the middle of the dough. and fold the edges back over, pinching closed where possible. 
  • Flip the dough over and begin shaping the dough, using the plastic dough scaper. Run the scraper under the dough gently pushing it to the side, to create surface tension and a taught ball of dough. Repeat this process from the bottom, and then the opposite side, then the top. The dough may stick slightly to the pastry mat and that is okay, you want to use the tension and stickiness to your advantage when shaping, so help achieve that tight top of the loaf. 
  • After this, I heavily flour a lined proofing basket or banneton, or bowl lined with a well floured clean kitchen towel, and place the dough top-side down into the bowl. The bottom of the loaf will now be facing upward. Pinch/seal the bottom of the loaf where possible. Sprinkle liberally with additional flour, then cover with plastic wrap and place into the fridge for a “bulk fermentation” or proof. This is where the flavor will really begin taking shape. 
  • The bulk fermentation or proof will be about 10-12 hours in the fridge.

Scoring Loaves

This is where you can be super simple, or go balls to the wall with uber decorative designs on your sourdough loaves. Me, I’m a simple girl. I like just having the iconic “ear flap” and a few extra venting slices to make sure the loaf can vent while baking and not blow out. Some people make super intricate designs but that life ain’t for me. ha! 

I use a traditional lame with replaceable blades. 

Make two to three large slashes to ensure that your bread will vent steam properly while baking and not cause undesired ruptures. 

If you can not find a bread lame, you can use a very sharp knife or razor blade, though it may require additional passes to achieve proper depth. 

Turn out your dough from the banaton onto a large piece of parchment paper. Do not use waxed paper. There are also silicone mats specific for bread baking too. 

Baking Loaves

Preheating your oven is KEY to a superior baked loaf of bread, especially sourdough. I recommend preheating your oven for at least one hour, with the Dutch Oven inside to ensure the proper temperature has been reached and your dutch oven is heated thoroughly. Preheat at 450 degrees fahrenheit. 

To create the perfect outter crust on your loaves, you will also want to keep a couple of ice cubes on hand to add in just as you place your dough into the dutch oven. This will give off steam and create a beautiful baked crust. 

When ready to bake, score your bread and lift the whole loaf, on it’s parchment paper liner, into the dutch oven. Add in the ice cubes, and immediately place the lid on top to seal the container. The ice will melt inside and create steam. 

Bake for 20 minutes at 450 degrees. Then remove the lid, and lower the temperature to 430 to bake another 20 minutes. 

Using an instant read thermometer, ensure the bread has baked to 205-215 degrees to ensure doneness. Remove it from the dutch oven and place on a wire rack to cool at least two hours before slicing. 

Resting Finished Loaves

When the freshly baked loaf is completely baked, it is important to allow the bread to rest until almost completely cooled. Cutting it too early will not allow the structure to fully set, and lead to a gummy interior, which is zero percent fun. 

I recommend a good quality bread knife to slice the bread. 

Frequently Asked Recipes

Can I use bread flour, or whole wheat flour in this recipe?

 Yes, absolutely. I recommend this basic all purpose flour recipe as a perfect starter recipe for those who are new to sourdough. As you progress, you can swap out bread flour, or whole wheat flour for a portion of the all purpose flour. I recommend no more than 25% whole wheat flour, or else the loaf will get too stodgy, and hard. 

What can I make with sourdough discard?

This blueberry sourdough coffee cake is my most favorite recipe to use my discard on! There are lots of discard recipes on the internet. My sourdough banana pancakes are another option!

Where can I buy a sourdough starter?

King Arthur Baking has a very reliable starter that you can purchase, and it comes with instructions on how to activate and feed it once it arrives on your doorstep. 

Do I need rice flour?

Some people dust their banneton with rice flour. I opt for just all purpose flour. I’m cheap.

Tools for Perfect Sourdough

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Sun Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Sourdough Bread Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Megan Keno
  • Prep Time: 16 Hours
  • Cook Time: 40 Minutes
  • Total Time: 16 hours 40 minutes
  • Yield: 1 Loaf 1x
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Cast Iron
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Description

An Italian inspired sourdough loaf.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 50 grams active sourdough starter
  • 305 grams filtered water at room temperature
  • 400 grams all purpose flour
  • 7 grams fine sea salt
  • 1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese

Instructions

Sourdough Base Dough

  1. Using a digital scale, measure out the active starter and water. Using a whisk or dough whisk, mix together until a slurry forms. 
  2. Tare (zero out) the scale, and add in flour. Using dough whisk, mix until a shaggy dough forms. Then using hands or plastic scraper, mix until a dough ball forms. 
  3. Tare the scale again, and sprinkle over kosher salt. Cover bowl with clean wet kitchen towel and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
  4. Using hands or plastic scraper, stretch and fold the dough, mixing in the salt. About 1-2 minutes. Cover again with towel and rest for 30 minutes. Repeat process. 
  5. Cover bowl with towel, and allow to go through first proof in an oven with the light on, or an oven with a proofing function. You can also set it in a draft-free place that is about 80-90 degrees. Allow to proof until the dough looks slightly puff, and a couple of large bubbles form. About 4 hours. 

Shaping Dough and Add Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

  1. Sprinkle flour lightly over a pastry mat on the counter. Pour out the dough, and stretch it into a rough square shape. Into the center, evenly spirnkle half of the tomatoes and goat cheese. Fold the corners back over the dough into the center to cover the tomatoes and cheese. Shape the dough gently with a bench scraper, to essentially create a surface tension on the top of the bread and seal it underneath. 
  2. Starting on one side, using the bench scraper, push the dough to the left, then right, then top of the mat, and then away from you on the bottom of the mat. 
  3. Using the bench scraper then lift the dough and place it top-side down into a floured banneton. The bottom of the loaf will now be on the top. Dust the loaf with additional flour. Cover the banneton with plastic wrap and place it into the fridge for 10-12 hours for bulk fermentation.

Scoring and Baking Sourdough

  1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Place the Dutch Oven into the oven as well to preheat. 
  2. Pour the fermented sourdough loaf onto a piece of parchment paper, and score using a bread lame, razor, or very sharp knife. This will allow the bread to release steam during the baking process.
  3. Using the parchment paper as a sling, place it into the Dutch Oven, and between the parchment paper and side of the dutch oven add in 2-3 ice cubes. Immediately close the dutch oven and bake for 20 minutes. 
  4. After 20 minutes is up, remove the lid from the Dutch Oven, and reduce oven temperature to 430 degrees. Bake another 20 minutes.
  5. Using an instant read thermometer, check the doneness of the bread with the internal temperature reaching 205-210 degrees. 
  6. Place on a wire rack and cool at least 2 hours before slicing. 

Equipment