If there’s one thing I never thought I’d say, it’s this: I am obsessed with gluten-free sourdough. Yep, you heard that right. Not the dense, dry, sad excuse for bread that crumbles when you so much as look at it. I’m talking about a golden-crusted, tangy, gut-loving, absolutely divine loaf that has completely changed my mornings (and my digestion!).
Sourdough has long been the queen of better-for-you bread, thanks to its fermentation process that breaks down anti-nutrients and makes it easier to digest. But if you’re someone who has sworn off gluten (hi, me too!), you might think real, chewy sourdough is off the table. Not anymore. I’ve cracked the code on a gluten-free version that actually delivers that signature sourdough taste without the bloating, the blood sugar spikes, or the gut distress.
And guess what? I’m sharing my go-to recipe right here in this post. So if you’ve been missing bread—or just want to give your gut some extra love—keep reading below!
Dr. Beth’s Gluten Free Sourdough
Feeding the starter:
The starter can be fed every 24ish hours. Mixture should be like pancake batter and can be a little lumpy. I then keep it warm in the oven with just a light on for 1-3 hours until it increases in size (some things say it needs to double, but I don’t follow that exactly) It should have some bubbles in it
3 Tbsp warm Spring water (tap water just doesn’t have the same impact)
2 Tbsp GF Flour (I use 1 Tbsp of the GF Bread flour and 1 Tbsp of 1:1 GF baking flour, but not necessary)
When feeding the starter, you can discard almost 1/2 of it before adding new water and flour, just to keep it the same size until ready to use.
Starter can be fed and then warmed and placed in the fridge for up to 2 weeks without feeding. When ready to use it again, just take it out and let it warm up on the counter overnight before feeding and warming it.
(Sometimes I add a little dish of water to the oven as it’s warming to also create a more humid environment that bacteria love)
Schedule for Baking:
Feed Starter: (and you don’t need to discard with this round) 3/4 C water, 3/4 C flour – (flour option: 1/4 is 1:1 GF and 1/2 is GF bread “King Arthur“)
Let warm in oven for at least 3-4 hours or until the starter is close to double the size. I sometimes let it sit overnight.
Full Loaf:
1 C Starter
2 C warm spring water
Mix in bowl, weird cloudy water
Add 3 3/4 C (almost 4 C) of the GF bread flour. I also got a fancy “Danish Dough Whisk” but you can use a spoon too.
It should be sticky but able to hold some form in the bowl
Cover with damp cloth and let warm in oven for about 3-4 hours
Within that 3-4 hour span do 3 “stretch and fold” sessions, they can be 30 min apart or an hour apart.
The first “stretch and fold” add 2 tsp salt and 2 Tbsp warm water. It’s ok if it doesn’t mix in all the way, it will get incorporated with the following sessions.
Keep covered in the warm oven. Dough should be sticky
When the dough looks like it has risen enough (this can be a total of 5-8 hours later, or again with whatever timing even overnight) then take it out and shape and put it in a bread bowl (you can get a kit on amazon that has the whisk and bowls and stuff) I just use the wooden bowl without the cloth lining because the dough is SOOOO sticky, it ruined a loaf. I coat the bowl with flour and let sit.
Next stage some people will put the bowl covered in a damp cloth in the fridge overnight, to increase the sourdough flavor, but I found that it flattens the loaf a bit more so I just skip it.
After the dough has sat for 20ish min, then I take it out of the bowl and smush it and pat it a bit (not quite like punching dough down but I give it the business a little)
Bake in Dutch oven at 475 (with the cover on) for 30-35 min. Then remove the cover and bake an additional 12 min (some say to lower the oven temp to 450 then but I like a crispier crust so I leave it at 475)
Give this a try and let me know what you think!! Have questions?? Leave me a comment.
Happy Baking!
