Making my own bread is my favorite way to save money on groceries. Here are my top 8 sourdough tips for beginners
Choose your utensils wisely.
There's much debate in the sourdough community about whether it's safe to use metal bowls and utensils while making the bread. In some instances, such as with aluminum, the metal can be corrosive, which doesn't mix well with the acidic starter.
But for the most part, 100% stainless steel won't impact your dough.
That said, stainless steel can be expensive, especially if you don't already have a good collection in your kitchen. I prefer to bypass metal entirely and use a glass or ceramic bowl, wooden spoon, and silicone spatula to mix my ingredients.
Always sift your flour.
If you're trying to achieve a fluffy, airy texture with many holes throughout your loaf — a big draw of sourdough bread — sift your flour before mixing it with the other ingredients.
This essentially aerates it and helps to create a fluffier texture in your bread. If you don't have a fine mesh strainer or sieve, you can use a whisk or fork to toss the dry flour around.
I also like to sift the flour I add to my sourdough starter each time I feed it to enhance its texture.
Water is the secret to a great sourdough loaf.
Water helps keep the bread's surface flexible. The more water you add to your recipe, the more porous and fluffy your bread should turn out.
I like to spray my loaf with a good amount of water right before throwing it in the oven to help it rise better.
This story was originally published on March 1, 2025, and most recently updated on April 2, 2026.
