Chef John’s Artisan Sourdough Loaf
Chef John’s Artisan Sourdough Loaf delivers a crackling, deeply caramelized crust with a light, open crumb and gentle tang from natural fermentation. It’s special for its minimalist ingredients and patient rise, highlighting the pure flavor of flour and starter. Serve warm with butter at dinner or alongside a hearty soup on a weekend afternoon.
- Prep30 mins
- Cook25 mins
- Serves8
- DifficultyHard
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Chef John’s Artisan Sourdough Loaf, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 57 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 16 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityFair
- 48 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
- 1 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 72
- Heart Health
- 53
- Metabolic
- 26
- Digestive
- 39
- Inflammatory
- 29
- Performance
- 37
- General Wellness
- 1
Assemble all the ingredients.
- 2
Put the starter in a bowl. Add the bread flour, water, and salt; stir until the mixture is well combined and sticky.
- 3
Cover with aluminum foil and let it sit for 4 hours at 70 to 75 degrees F (21 to 24 degrees C).
- 4
Uncover the dough and, with wet hands, fold it over onto itself three to four times. Cover again with foil and let it ferment for 2 more hours.
- 5
Generously dust a proofing basket (banneton) with rice flour.
- 6
Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Shape it into a ball with a smooth, unbroken surface, using just enough flour on the surface to prevent sticking. Place the dough into the prepared basket smooth side down. Pinch the rougher edges on the surface toward the center to smooth them while keeping a round ball shape.
- 7
Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours to slow the fermentation.
- 8
Take the banneton out of the refrigerator. Let it rest in a warm place until the dough springs back slowly and keeps a slight indentation when gently poked with a finger, about 3 to 5 hours.
- 9
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 10
Dust the surface of the dough with flour. Carefully invert the banneton over the center of the baking sheet and turn the dough out onto the parchment. Gently brush off excess rice flour. Score the top of the dough about 1/8 inch deep with a sharp knife to make a shallow slit across the center. Lightly mist the entire surface with water.
- 11
Bake in the center of the preheated oven until nicely browned, 25 to 30 minutes.
- 12
Move the loaf to a wire rack and let it cool completely before slicing.
- Calories 219.43 kcal Moderate 11%
- Protein 7.36 g Moderate 15%
- Carbohydrate 44.7 g 16%
- Total Fat 0.17 g Low Source 0%
- Saturated Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 0.0 mg Low Source 0%
- Sodium 73.36 mg Low Source 3%
- Dietary Fiber 2.55 g Low Source 9%
- Total Sugars 1.34 g --
- Added Sugars 1.31 g Low Source 3%
- Calcium 2.44 mg Low Source 0%
- Iron 2.11 mg Moderate 12%
- Potassium 12.61 mg Low Source 0%
- Vitamin A 0.49 mcg Low Source 0%
- Vitamin C 0.0 mg Low Source 0%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
About This Recipe
Chef John's Artisan Sourdough Loaf is made with 5 ingredients and serves 8. It takes about 55 mins and is rated hard. Key ingredients include Bread Flour, Rice Flour, Salt, and Sourdough Starter. Each serving provides about 219.43 kcal.
Recipe Questions
- What is Chef John’s Artisan Sourdough Loaf made of?
- The main ingredients are Bread Flour, Rice Flour, Salt, Sourdough Starter, Water. The full list of 5 is above.
- How long does it take to make Chef John’s Artisan Sourdough Loaf?
- About 55 mins in total: 30 mins to prepare and 25 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 219.43 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Chef John’s Artisan Sourdough Loaf easy to make?
- This recipe is rated hard, with 5 ingredients and 12 steps.
- Is Chef John’s Artisan Sourdough Loaf healthy?
- Chef John’s Artisan Sourdough Loaf has an easyChef Pro health score of 45/100. Per serving, it provides 219.43 calories and 7.36 g of protein, or 15% of the Daily Value. It contains Wheat and Gluten, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
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