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How to Make an Active Sourdough Starter from Scratch for Beginners (Day 1 to Day 7 Guide)

Overhead view of a very active sourdough starter in a glass jar, showing lots of bubbles and foam.
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Follow this simple, day-by-day guide to create your own active, bubbly sourdough starter using only flour and water. This process is straightforward for beginners starting their homemade yeast journey.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 100g Whole Wheat or Rye Flour (for initial days)
  • 100g Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (for later days)
  • 100g Unchlorinated Water (room temperature)

Instructions

  1. Day 1: Mix 50g of whole wheat or rye flour with 50g of room temperature water in a clean glass jar. Stir until no dry flour remains. Cover loosely and leave at room temperature (68-75°F) for 24 hours.
  2. Day 2: You may see small bubbles or nothing at all. Discard half of the mixture. Add 50g of whole wheat or rye flour and 50g of water to the remaining starter. Mix well, cover loosely, and wait 24 hours.
  3. Day 3: You should see some activity, perhaps small bubbles or a slight sour smell. Discard half. Feed with 50g of whole wheat or rye flour and 50g of water.
  4. Day 4: Switch to using unbleached all-purpose flour for feedings. Discard half. Feed with 50g of all-purpose flour and 50g of water. Look for more consistent bubbling.
  5. Day 5: Discard half. Feed with 50g of all-purpose flour and 50g of water. The starter should show noticeable growth after feeding.
  6. Day 6: Discard half. Feed with 50g of all-purpose flour and 50g of water. You are aiming for the starter to double in size within 6-8 hours after feeding.
  7. Day 7: Your sourdough starter should now be reliably active and bubbly. It should consistently double in size after feeding. You can now begin using it for baking or switch to maintenance feeding.

Notes

  • Use a clear jar so you can observe the rise and bubble formation easily.
  • If your kitchen is cold, find a warmer spot, like inside an oven with just the light on (do not turn the oven on).
  • If you see mold, discard the entire batch and start over.
  • Once active, you can switch to a 1:1:1 feeding ratio (starter:flour:water) when storing it in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://dishicious.com/sourdough-starter-from-scratch-for-beginners/