This sourdough French bread gives you two gorgeous, bakery-style loaves with a crispy crust, chewy crumb, and just the right amount of tang. All you need is an active starter and a little patience.
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Why I Love This Recipe
Sourdough French bread is the best of my homemade French bread and my beginner’s sourdough bread recipe, giving you a soft, chewy interior, a golden crust, and unmistakable tangy flavor.
Pulling a freshly baked loaf out of the oven, golden and hollow-sounding, always reminds me why I’ll never go back to store-bought again!
Ingredients Notes
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Warm water and active sourdough starter: Make sure your water temperature is about 105°F. Any hotter and it will destroy the starter, and any colder and it’ll slow the fermentation. Use a thermometer for accuracy.
- Sugar, bread flour, salt, olive oil: Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, for a chewier crumb.
- Egg and water: Brushing the loaf with egg wash before it bakes is what gives it a nice golden crust.
- Salted butter: Brushing melted salted butter on top is an optional way to finish the loaf just before serving.
Can I use sourdough discard? This recipe has only been tested using active sourdough starter. Using discard would require adding instant yeast to ensure the bread rises properly. “Active” means your starter has been recently fed and is bubbly, doubled in size, and ready to leaven bread.
How to Make Sourdough French Bread
Stir the warm water and sourdough starter together, then mix in the flour until no dry spots remain. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes (this autolyse process jumpstarts the gluten development). Then, add the salt and sugar and knead for a few minutes until smooth and elastic.
Rub with olive oil, cover, and let it rise for about 4-5 hours until the dough is about 50% larger.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it in half and roll each piece into a 15-inch rectangle. Roll the dough into a cylinder and tuck the ends underneath to pinch the seams.
Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, score three diagonal slashes across the top, and let them rise for about 60 minutes until puffed up.
Brush the loaves with the egg wash and bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 17-23 minutes until the crust is deeply golden. A hollow sound means they’re done.
Finish with a brush of melted butter straight out of the oven, if desired. Enjoy!
French Sourdough Bread Tips
- Use an active sourdough starter. If it’s past its peak or hasn’t been fed in a while, feed it 4-8 hours before you plan to bake.
- If loaves are browning too quickly, tent with foil and lower the oven temperature to 375°F.
- Don’t rush the bulk rise. This is a naturally leavened bread, which means it rises on its own schedule. A slower rise actually develops more flavor!
- For a crispier crust. Brush the loaves with whisked egg white (instead of whole egg) before baking. You can also add a few ice cubes to the bottom of the oven right when you put the bread in. Steam helps create a crunchier, shinier exterior. Add a few extra minutes to the bake time if you go this route.
- Shape into rolls or hoagies: This dough is versatile! You can divide it into smaller portions and shape it into French bread rolls or hoagie buns. Keep in mind that baking time will be shorter for smaller pieces, so start checking them at around 12–15 minutes.
Sample Baking Timeline
9:00 AM – Mix water + starter; add flour (rest for 30 minutes)
9:30 AM – Knead in salt + sugar; shape dough ball, begin bulk rise.
2:00 – 3:00 PM – Divide bulked up dough and shape into loaves.
3:00 PM – Begin final rise for 1 hour.
4:00 PM – Brush with egg wash and preheat the oven to 400°F.
4:15-4:30 PM – Bake for 17-23 minutes.
4:45 PM – Remove from the oven, brush with butter, cool slightly, and enjoy!
More bread recipes to try include homemade Italian bread, my homemade bread recipe and my best dinner rolls recipe.
More Sourdough Recipes
Sourdough French Bread Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups (473g) warm water , about 105°F
- ½ cup (100g) active sourdough starter
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 5 cups (675 g) bread flour , or all-purpose flour (add more as needed)
- 1 Tablespoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon water
- Melted salted butter , optional
Instructions
- Mix: In a large bowl, stir together the warm water and sourdough starter until mostly combined.
- Add flour (autolyse): Mix in the flour just until no dry spots remain. Cover and let rest 30 minutes.
- Knead: Add the salt and sugar if desired. Knead a few minutes until smooth and elastic. Rub the olive oil around the dough ball, cover the bowl with a towel and let rise about 50%, about 4 – 5 hours.
- Roll out: Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface and divide it in half. Set one half aside. Roll the other half into a rectangle (about 15 inches). Starting from the long side, roll the dough into a cylinder.
- Rise: Turn both ends in and pinch the seams closed. Round the edges and place onto a baking sheet. Repeat with the second dough ball. Make three diagonal cuts across the top of each loaf. Cover loaves lightly with a towel. Let rise 60 minutes or until puffed up a bit.
- Egg wash: Whisk the egg and 1 teaspoon water until well combined. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash over the loaves.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Bake 17 to 23 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. When you knock on it, it should sound hollow. If it's browning too fast, lightly cover with foil and lower the temperature to 375°F.
- Serve: Brush the top with melted butter, if desired. Slice and serve while warm.
Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
