Making sourdough bread is similar to Amish Friendship Bread ^[1], you begin with a starter that has been nurtured and fed for a few days (some have a starter “pet” for years, while others make up a batch as the itch to bake strikes). It features a lovely tangy or sour taste and the more aged your starter is, the more mature its flavor becomes.

Today’s Recipe Hit List features a handpicked collection of recipes that I’ve found around the ‘net. I made sure to include a selection of basic “white” bread recipes, but also some interesting flour & ingredient combos as well (including various grains, seeds, etc.). You’ll also find many share some tips for getting started with baking this type of bread. Have fun!

Starters May Need Some Care & Attention...But The Flavor It Gives Can't Be Beat

Note: Many of the recipes below assume you have your own starter to work with…if you don’t here are a few different options to try:

• Classic Version ^[2]: Lukewarm water, plain yogurt, unbleached bread flour, nonfat dry milk powder or dry buttermilk powder.
• Easy Version ^[3]: Commercial dry sourdough starter, unbleached bread flour, lukewarm water, plain yogurt.
• Wild Yeast ^[4]: Whole grain flour, unsweetened pineapple or orange juice, filtered or spring water.
• Sourdough Starter ^[5]: Warm water, sugar or honey (optional), active dry yeast, flour.

Bread

*Note: Descriptions below are quotes from the sources

1. With Onion ^[6]: This is a dense, chewy bread with lots of onion flavor. Very good indeed. From Israeli Kitchen.
2. Potato ^[7]: Includes recipe & instructions for starter (uses potato cooking water). From Daily Decadent.
3. Cottage Loaf ^[8]: Cottage loaves are a traditional British shaped loaf, perhaps going back to Roman times. One small ball of dough is placed on top of a larger one and it’s supposed to resemble a cottage. Traditionally they are made with a plain white or whole wheat dough. I’ve made mine with my everyday sourdough, with just a few changes. From The Nourishing Gourmet.
4. No-Knead ^[9]: From Porcini Chronicles.
5. Light Rye ^[10]: The resulting bread is completely worth the effort! It was amazing! The best loaf of bread I have ever made. A great flavoured thick crust, a soft light crumb and divine aroma. It was good enough to rival that of any bakery bought bread. Includes starter recipe & instructions. From Apple & Spice.
6. With Carrots, Linseeds & Pumpkin Seeds ^[11]: Works equally well as a round “free-style” loaf as well as baked in a loaf tin. From The Passionate Cook.
7. Extra Tangy ^[12]: This bread, with its mellow tang, is perfect for those who like their sourdough bread noticeably sour, but not mouth-puckeringly so. For extra-sour flavor, add 1/4 teaspoon sour salt (citric acid). From King Arthur Flour.
8. Whole Grain ^[13]: Whole grain sourdough bread is dense, there’s no doubt about it. From Health, Home & Happiness.
9. Honey Whole Wheat ^[14]: Includes tips and lots of pictures showing the process. From Kitchen Stewardship.
10. Bread Machine Version ^[15]: From Betty Crocker.
11. Whole Wheat ^[16]: From Canadian Living.
12. Sourdough Bread ^[17]: Recipe from Williams-Sonoma.
13. Simple & Versatile ^[18]: This is a basic, hearty, all-purpose loaf, that I call our “everyday sourdough bread” because it is so simple to make and versatile as well. It’s so nice having bread on hand because you can easily make it into a snack or add it to a meal. From The Nourishing Gourmet.
14. Fresh Tomato & Basil–Whole Wheat ^[19]: What immediately piqued my interest about this bread was that it uses chopped fresh tomatoes in place of water. Such a brilliant idea. My only concern was what color it would turn out. Using whole wheat flour, which bakes up darker than white flour, easily solves this problem. From Farmgirl Fare.
15. Norwich ^[20]: It’s a plain, honest, not-too-sour sourdough with a touch of pumpernickel for depth of flavor. With a thin, crisp crust and soft but substantial crumb, this is now my go-to bread for everyday good eating, anytime, with anything. From Wild Yeast Blog.