If you are just beginning your sourdough journey, start by learning how to make different types of sourdough starters so that you can choose the one that will best suit your needs and lifestyle.
If you know anything about me, you know that I love to bake with sourdough! Sourdough offers such a delicious depth of flavor to baked goods, while also being easier to digest. You can make recipes that use the natural yeast from the starter instead of commercial baker’s yeast to achieve a rise while adding long fermentation benefits. You can also use sourdough discard to add flavor and probiotics without the long preparation time.
Once you have your own sourdough starter, you can make things like sourdough oatmeal bread, sourdough brioche rolls, sourdough blueberry pancakes, sourdough pumpkin coffee cake and so much more!
I have fed my starter with a variety of different flours, including bread flour, all purpose, whole wheat, and so many more. and so can you. This includes gluten free options and even a potato flake starter.
As soon as you settle on the type of sourdough starter recipe you want to make and use, you will be baking up delicious breads and treats while reaping all the health benefits in no time! I’ve included a round up of a few of my favorite flours to use for starter below.
What is a Sourdough Starter?
Traditional sourdough starter is essentially flour and water that has been fermented and contains wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria. When fed, it becomes active and bubbly and acts as leavening agent that allows baked goods to rise, replacing the need to use commercial yeast. Starter adds a sour tang to your finished product and makes it easier to digest by breaking down some of the carbohydrates and proteins in the flour.
Once you have either made your own sourdough starter or bought one, you can see how to use a sourdough starter here.
General Feeding Instructions For Sourdough Starter
To feed my starter, I start by eyeballing approximately how much sourdough starter I already have and feed it at least that much in equal amounts of flour and water. For example, if you have about 1 cup of sourdough starter, you will want to feed it at least 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup flour.
My goal is to get a pancake batter consistency. So, the amount of water and flour will vary, especially based on the type of flour you use.
Cover with either a tea towel with a rubber band or a glass lid.
Allow your starter to sit out at room temperature for 4-12 hours after feeding and let it about double in volume before using it in a recipe. If you are not using it for baking, feed it about 12-24 hours after its last feeding or place it in the fridge.
These instructions apply to most of the starter recipes below, except for the potato flake starter.
Why You’ll Love Baking Sourdough
Easy – Following the steps within the various recipes makes it easy to make a good sourdough starter at home.
Accommodating – We all have different needs, and these different types of sourdough starter options are accommodating. Make a gluten free starter if that is a dietary need, or make an einkorn starter if you would like to reap the benefits of ancient grains. Choose the type of flour that will best suit your lifestyle!
Endless baking potential – Once you have a mature starter, there is endless potential to make all of the delicious sourdough baked goods you want.
Ingredients for Different Types of Sourdough Starters
Water – Make sure to use good quality water such as filtered water when making your starter. Using water with chlorine in it can negatively impact the growth of your starter.
Flour – You don’t just have to use all purpose flour for your sourdough starter. The key difference in these different recipes is the choice of flour used. Read through the posts below to determine which flour will be best for you to use for your personal starter.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe cards for each recipe linked below.
Different Types of Sourdough Starters
Basic Sourdough Starter
Whole Wheat Sourdough Starter
Rye Sourdough Starter
Einkorn Sourdough Starter
Gluten Free Sourdough Starter
Potato Flake Sourdough Starter
Tips for Making Sourdough Starter
- Don’t use an airtight container for your sourdough starter. Instead, use a loose covering to keep stuff out while allowing it to breathe. I love these jars for mine.
- Making a new sourdough starter from scratch takes time, so be patient with yourself! Not sure when your starter is ready? I walk you through how to tell if your sourdough starter is ready to use here. One of my favorites way to test your different types of sourdough starters is with the float test.
- Check out my post on maintaining and caring for a sourdough starter for more information.
FAQs
A stiff starter has more flour in the flour to water ratio. A liquid starter has more water in the flour to water ratio. A stiff sourdough starter is low hydration with a dough like consistency. A liquid sourdough starter is high hydration with a batter like consistency.
Some of the biggest mistakes you can make with sourdough starter are using unfiltered tap water when feeding it, not sticking to a consistent feeding schedule, and not maintaining an ideal temperature. This is a warm place that is around 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit for best performance.
Every sourdough starter tastes different. A new starter may have less intensity of flavor while a mature starter has a little bit more depth and tang. Flour types used in your starter, it’s feeding ratio and its feeding schedule also play a roll in flavor.
The hydration of your sourdough starter depends on the ratio of how much water and flour it is fed. Lower hydration starter may create a denser tighter crumb and can be easier to work with, while a higher hydration creates a softer open crumb and may be a bit trickier to work with. Each type has its pros and cons, and the route you go depends on the results you are going for.
A levain is a small amount of your sourdough starter that is being prepared for a specific recipe. You can make one by taking a small portion of your starter and feeding it according to the type of recipe you are making. Alter the hydration and flour type used in a levain depending on the results you are going for.
