Flour, water, and time are all you need to make a beautiful, bubbly sourdough starter that you can use to make delicious baked goods for years!
Recipe by anita | wild thistle kitchen on April 10, 2024
Prep time: PT-495411H19M33S
Cook time: PT-495411H19M33S
Total time: PT-495411H19M33S
Rating
5 stars ( reviews)
Keywords
How to Make a Sourdough Starter, Sourdough Starter Guide, Sourdough Starter Recipe
Ingredients
1 5lb bag of organic, unbleached all-purpose flour
water
glass jar with lid - (the jar should be able to hold about 2 cups, 16-ounces, 470 ml)
additional glass jar for discard if keeping
wooden spoon
silicone or rubber spatula
rubber band or wet-erase marker
Categories
sourdough
Cuisine
American
Steps
Day 1: Place 1/2 cup (60 grams) of flour and 1/4 cup (60 grams) of water in a glass jar and mix very well. Cover and let sit in a warm room temperature spot for 24 hours. In the oven with the light on is my go-to spot when I want a warm environment for my starter or for rising doughs. On top of the refrigerator is a great spot too.
Day 2: Remove half of starter mixture from jar and replenish the starter with 1/2 cup (60 grams) of flour and 1/4 cup (60 grams) of water. Stir well, scrape down sides, cover and leave in a warm room temperature spot for 24 hours.
Day 3-7: Repeat the same process as Day 2 each day.
Day 7-14: Continue with the same process and monitor for doubling in size after 4-12 hours (a rubber band or marker can be very useful for this and fun if you have kids helping) and for a pleasantly tangy, sour smell.
Once your starter doubles in size after feeding, has a pleasantly sour aroma, lots of bubbles and webbing when you stir it at peak, you can begin to experiment with sourdough baking! For long term feeding and maintenance head over to my How to Feed and Maintain a Sourdough Starter post and when you are ready to start baking, give my Artisan Sourdough Bread for Beginners recipe a try.
Reviews
Suzi on 2025-05-31 (5 stars): I started my starter on Sunday of last week. Every evening, I take out about 3 tablespoons of starter, then replenish with the 60 grams of flour and 60 grams of room temp water. It doubles somewhat by the next day. If my recipe needs 100 grams of starter, do I start adding more flour and water until it doubles? Then remove 100 grams and start back with the 60/60 ratio?
Andrea Natalia Camargo Lopez on 2025-07-18 (5 stars): Hi Anita, quick question. Can I use rye flour for my starter? I bought it before I found your blog, and if so, can I use the same measurements you have in your recipe?
Thank you! This is my first time trying sourdough, and I'm very happy I found your blog :)
Natalie F. on 2025-07-22 (5 stars): This was my first time working with sourdough, and boy was I scared starting out. It sounded like such a finicky commitment, so I never did it. This recipe yielded a starter that gave us bakery quality sourdough bread in 7 days! Way sooner than I expected. Seriously can’t recommend this enough, it’s been so empowering and I’m so super proud of myself for being brave enough to try making this sourdough.
Kim on 2025-08-25 (5 stars): Day 3 and my starter grew!! I’m so excited. Should I continue to feed with a 1/2 whole wheat, 1/2 unbleached flour mixture for the remainder of the feeds? Thanks!
Zoe on 2025-08-30 (5 stars): Hi Anita,
I wanted to ask if the starter has a very strong smell, because this is the second time I’ve attempted making it and they’ve both had a very unpleasant smell, I couldn’t even describe what it smells similar to. My mum gagged the first time she smelled it, she did say she reckons that’s what it is meant to smell like but considering she’s never made a sourdough starter I figured I’d ask.
Also what’s the consistency meant to be like? When I first started it was like cake batter but as I’ve continued it’s been more liquid like than I feel it should be.
Jean Jacobi Heidcamp on 2025-09-27 (5 stars): Hi, Anita!
I’ve never made sourdough bread, nor even a starter, but I’m going to try! I’ve bought all the supplies (I think) that I’ll need. My question is a very basic one. When I combine the first 1/2 cup flour with the 1/4 cup water, do I mix it up in a bowl or in my new Weck jar? There’re in the dishwasher right now, waiting to be run tomorrow after breakfast. I’m guessing it probably doesn’t make much difference, as long as I put it in the jar right after combining. I’m just thinking I’d have a better sense of mixing thoroughly if it’s done in the bowl. I could see dry spots of flour easier in the bowl. But, then I remembered that I’m supposed to scrape down the sides as soon as I’ve mixed it up. Help! I’m not even to point I could say I’m a newbie, and I’m really almost afraid to start! My husband thinks I’m overthinking, and he’s probably right. Thanks for your help.
jas on 2025-10-17 (5 stars): This recipe is so simple to follow and it resulted in a beautiful starter for me. Discarding and feeding once a day worked perfectly for me. Thank you for posting this!
Debbie on 2025-11-22 (5 stars): Just wanted to thank you. Your recipe and instructions were perfect and I finally have successfully created starter! Today is the day I begin my baking journey.
Laura T Sainz on 2025-11-24 (5 stars): Thank you!
Kenny VanHouten on 2025-11-25 (5 stars): Hello! Your guidance says to remove half, then add 60g and 60g. Are we supposed to be keeping a 1:1:1 ratio with feeding? Or are we supposed to be only removing half the starter and then only adding the 60g and 60g?
I started out by removing half the starter, so after day 2 I removed 90g then added the 60g and 60g. Then on day 3, I removed half of that (105 g) and then added the 60g and 60g. But I think I’ve read part of your website every day for the last week, and it had me thinking maybe I was supposed to be keeping the 1:1:1 ratio, so I have since been doing 60g of starter, 60g water and 60g flour at each feeding.
We’ve tried a few of your discard recipes though and they are all excellent! Thanks for sharing all your knowledge.
Sherrill Salom on 2025-11-27 (5 stars): Hi Anita,
First-time sourdough maker here. Actually I haven't even made it yet. I'm still building my starter and so far it seems to be going well. It doubled in size yesterday after feeding but it still does not have enough of that distinctive sourdough smell, so I'm letting it go 3-4 more days at least before trying your basic sourdough recipe. I'm currently using King Arthur basic white flour but will be switching over to the much-less-expensive Costco Organic Unbleached White flour. I'm currently on day 6 of the starter and have been keeping it in a glass jar by my stove.
Question...I've been "informed" by a family member that I should never ever use metal utensils when making my new starter or when working with sourdough bread dough. In other words, don't stir the wet starter with metal utensils and don't make the bread dough in metal bowls. I was told it can "ruin" the leaven. I doubt this, but I don't want to ruin all my hard word so decided to ask the professional here...being you! Thank you for all this info, by the way. It's really helpful, and I am going to try your "discard" recipes because I also abhor waste. Thanks!
Laura T Sainz on 2025-12-02 (5 stars): So far so good I’ve already tried a few of the discard recipes.
Jerry Hash on 2025-12-29 (5 stars): I am just starting with making sourdough items. Have been baking for years but never sourdough. I do like sourdough bread but the other items sound very interesting.
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Lisa on 2026-01-13 (5 stars): I have read ur insight and instructions about how to start sourdough starter. my mom, many many years ago worked for the State Of New York as a Nutritional Aide. her primary role was to travel to homes of struggling families and teach them how to feed their families and stretch the meals as far as they could with what they had in the house. she used this starter as one of the best ways to stretch the dollar. the participants would share their discards to other families and it became a very popular among families and friends. i do have some of the recipes they used to use back then, this was in the 70's. sadly I've never done it myself and would love to now and I basically wanted to let u know that u have inspired me due to ur knowledge and experience. I appreciate the time u took to write this all down to help others. now I must ho did out my mom's old recipes to compare, I want to say they they called it friendship bread back then, not positive though until I find it. lol. thank you so much.
Jennifer Moore on 2026-01-14 (5 stars): This was a great resource. I will be saving it and referencing it I’m sure a few times.
Christine on 2026-01-16 (5 stars): I am so glad I found this site, I am a novice in the sourdough starter world. I saved this and will absolutely be referring to all of your very helpful information. I greatly appreciate your comments that it doesn’t have to be so stressful , Thank You!
Lope Ramos on 2026-01-16 (5 stars): Very satisfying and very well executed,I can’t wait to see more from you in the near future!
Torrie on 2026-01-23 (5 stars): Everything has been really helpful but I do have a few questions. I’ve been doing the feeds every 24 hours, day 3 it had tripled in size. I know around that time it can do that and nothing again until day 7 or so. About the 12 hour mark of day 3 into day 4 it had already doubled in size. When I went to feed it at the 24 hour mark it had liquid at the bottom. Was that okay to mix in and keep feeding? Also do I need to feed it every 12 hours if it’s this active? Thank you in advance!
Jane Smith on 2026-01-26 (5 stars): Anita, Thank you so much for this post and your amazing instructions!
Jane S
Ellie Davidson on 2026-01-27 (5 stars): Hi im worried mine is not growing right, i looked at the comments and it said they feed every 12 hours, i do 24. Mine if small and not a lot of growth has happened, any tips? Thanks a bunch!!
Linda on 2026-01-28 (5 stars): Excellent instructions. Day 3 and things are lookibg good!
Sharon Cauble Holliday on 2026-02-24 (5 stars): Hi Anita. I’m really trying to do this right I’m on day 7 and not much seems to be happening. I’m going to keep on working on it. Thanks so much for the recipe and you being willing to share with us.
Amy on 2026-05-03 (5 stars): I really appreciate your simple, straightforward direction. Very easy to follow and makes me feel more comfortable with learning.
Leia Wang on 2026-05-31 (5 stars): Hey so I am just getting started with my starter and am wondering how to keep it active after it is ready. Do I just feed it every week or so by discarding half and keep it on the counter? If so, how do I feed it? Thank you!
