Nothing beats the aroma of fresh-baked bread filling your kitchen, and this Easy Sourdough Fluffy Italian Bread delivers all the rustic charm of a classic Italian loaf with a soft, airy crumb and golden crust—without the stress. Made with active sourdough starter, this beginner-friendly recipe creates a beautifully tall, tender loaf that’s perfect for slicing into sandwiches, serving alongside pasta dinners, or simply enjoying warm with butter. With minimal hands-on time and no commercial yeast required, you’ll achieve bakery-quality results right at home.
Notes
Tips for success:
- The dough should feel very wet and sticky — that’s normal for focaccia. Resist adding more flour.
- For extra flavour, top with flaky sea salt, rosemary, or olives just before baking.
- Leftovers keep well for 2 days and are great toasted.
Ingredients
- 500g flour
- 375g water (75% hydration)
- 130g active sourdough starter
- 10g salt
- Lots of olive oil
Method
- Mix flour + water + starter. Rest 30 min.
- Add salt & mix.
- Bulk ferment 5–8 hrs (or fridge overnight) until puffy.
- Oil pan, stretch dough in, dimple deeply & drizzle oil.
- Proof 1–2 hrs. Bake 220°C/425°F for 22–25 min until golden
Tips for success:
- Use a bubbly, active starter
- Deep dimples = classic look & texture
- Long fermentation = best flavor Cool, slice & dip. So good!
Easy Sourdough Fluffy Italian Bread
No yeast needed! This simple sourdough version gives you that light, airy, golden bakery bread with amazing tangy flavor. Perfect for dipping in olive oil & balsamic.
Ingredients
- 500g flour
- 375g water 75% hydration
- 130g active sourdough starter
- 10g salt
- lots of olive oil
Instructions
- Mix flour, water and starter. Rest 30 min. (Mix the dough: Combine 500 grams bread flour, 375 milliliters water, and 100 grams sourdough starter in a large bowl. Mix until no dry flour remains — it will be a shaggy, sticky dough.)
- Add salt (Sprinkle 10 grams salt over the dough and squeeze it through your fingers until fully incorporated. The dough will feel slippery at first — keep going until it comes together.)
- Bulk ferment 5–8 hrs (or fridge overnight) until puffy. (Cover and leave at room temperature for 5–360 minutes until the dough is noticeably puffy and airy. Alternatively, place it in the fridge overnight for a slower, more flavourful ferment.
- Oil pan, stretch dough in, dimple deeply & drizzle oil. (Pour 4 tablespoons olive oil (for pan & drizzle) into a rimmed baking tray and coat generously. Transfer the dough in and gently stretch it toward the edges — don't force it. If it springs back, let it relax for 10 minutes and try again.)
- Dimple & drizzle: Using all your fingers, press deep dimples all over the surface of the dough — don't be shy, go right to the bottom. Drizzle more olive oil over the top so the dimples pool with oil.
- Proof 1–2 hrs. ( Leave the dough uncovered at room temperature until it looks puffy, bubbly, and has risen noticeably in the pan)
- Bake 220°C/425°F for 22–25 min until golden.
Tips for success:
- Use a bubbly, active starter• Deep dimples = classic look & textureLong fermentation = best flavour Cool, slice & dip. So good!