Sourdough Bread
Sourdough is bread leavened naturally by a wild yeast and bacteria culture rather than commercial yeast, giving it a tangy flavor, chewy crumb, and crackly crust. This page covers how to pick a genuine loaf, keep it fresh, and put stale bread to good use.
How to buy
Look for a deeply browned, crackly crust and an open, irregular crumb when you slice into it -- signs of a long, slow fermentation. Many grocery-store loaves labeled 'sourdough' are actually made with commercial yeast plus a splash of vinegar for tang, so check the ingredient list: true sourdough should list just flour, water, salt, and a starter (sometimes listed as 'culture'). A loaf that smells faintly tangy or beery is a good sign.
How to store
Store cut-side-down at room temperature in a paper bag or bread box for 2-3 days; a plastic bag traps moisture and turns the crust soft and gummy, and invites mold faster. For longer storage, slice and freeze -- toast straight from frozen. Day-old sourdough that's gone a bit stale is actually ideal for croutons, bread pudding, or panzanella.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Tangy and slightly sour from the lactic and acetic acid produced during fermentation, with a nutty, wheaty depth underneath. The crust caramelizes into deep, malty, almost toasted notes that plainer breads don't develop.
- Texture
- A chewy, dense-but-airy crumb full of irregular holes, wrapped in a crisp, shattering crust. As it stales, it dries out rather than going mushy, which is exactly what makes it so good toasted or turned into croutons.
- Aroma
- A yeasty, faintly vinegary tang from the fermentation byproducts, deepening into a toasted, malty smell once baked.
How to prepare
- Toasted — Sliced and toasted to crisp the crumb and deepen the tangy flavor, the default way most people eat it.
- Cubed for croutons — Stale or day-old bread cubed, oiled, and baked until crunchy for salads and soups.
- Torn for bread salad — Torn into chunks and tossed with tomatoes, oil, and vinegar so the bread soaks up the dressing without disintegrating.
- Soaked for bread pudding — Cubed and soaked in custard, then baked -- a classic use for bread that's gone past its fresh prime.
Classic dishes
American
- Avocado toast — Toasted sourdough topped with smashed avocado, a brunch staple that relies on sourdough's crust and tang.
- Grilled cheese — Buttered sourdough griddled around melted cheese, prized for the extra-crisp crust it develops.
- Sourdough bread bowl clam chowder — A San Francisco specialty: a hollowed sourdough loaf used as an edible bowl for creamy clam chowder.
- French toast — Thick slices soaked in egg custard and griddled, using sourdough's sturdy crumb to hold up without falling apart.
- Caesar salad croutons — Cubed and toasted sourdough tossed into Caesar salad for crunch against the creamy dressing.
- Eggs in a basket — A slice with a hole cut in the center, fried with an egg nestled inside until the crust crisps and the yolk sets.
Italian
- Bruschetta — Grilled sourdough rubbed with garlic and topped with tomatoes, olive oil, and basil.
- Crostini — Thin toasted sourdough rounds used as a base for cheese, pâté, or vegetable toppings.
- Panzanella — A Tuscan salad of stale sourdough chunks tossed with ripe tomatoes, onion, and vinegar until the bread softens slightly.
- Ribollita — A Tuscan vegetable and bean soup thickened and bulked out with layers of stale sourdough.
- Pappa al pomodoro — A rustic Tuscan soup of stale bread simmered with tomatoes, garlic, and basil until thick and porridge-like.
French
- French onion soup — A sourdough slice floated on top of the soup and broiled under melted Gruyère.
- Cheese fondue dippers — Cubed sourdough speared and dipped into melted cheese fondue, chosen for its sturdy crust and chew.
Spanish
- Migas de pan — A Spanish dish of stale bread fried with garlic, paprika, and chorizo until crisp, a classic use for leftover loaves.
- Gazpacho — Some traditional versions blend in soaked stale bread to thicken the cold tomato soup.
British & Irish
- Bread and butter pudding — Stale sourdough layered with butter and dried fruit, then baked in a sweet custard.