Buckwheat Sourdough Bread

Ingredients

The Dough

A 15% buckwheat blend. High enough to taste it, low enough to keep structure.

• 340g (2 3/4 cups) bread flour (12%+ protein)
• 60g (1/2 cup) buckwheat flour (light or whole)
• 300g (1 1/4 cups) water, room temperature
• 80g (1/3 cup) active sourdough starter, fed and at peak
• 9g (1 1/2 tsp) fine sea salt

Total flour: 400g

Hydration: 75%

Pro tip: Light buckwheat flour gives a milder, nuttier flavor. Whole buckwheat flour goes deeper and earthier. Both work — it's personal preference.

Equipment

Method

Feed Your Starter

You want your starter active, domed, and ready to work. Feed it 6-8 hours before you plan to mix.

1. Feed at Peak. Feed your starter using your normal ratio and let it rise at room temperature. It should be domed, bubbly, and just at or past peak when you mix. If it's already deflating, it's too late — feed it again and wait.

Tip: Not sure it's ready? The float test is your quick check: drop a small spoonful into water. If it floats, it's ready to leaven bread.

Autolyse

Combining the flours and water before adding starter gives gluten a head start and helps the buckwheat fully hydrate. Don't skip this with buckwheat — it absorbs water differently than wheat flour.

1. Combine Flours and Water. Add bread flour and buckwheat flour to a large bowl and whisk briefly to combine. Pour in the water and mix with your hand or a dough whisk until no dry flour remains. The dough will look rough and slightly stiff. That's fine.
2. Rest. Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 45 minutes at room temperature.

Wait: PT45M

Incorporate the Starter

Add your active starter and work it into the dough using the squeeze-and-fold method.

1. Add Starter to Dough. Pour your active starter over the rested dough. Using your fingers, pinch the starter into the dough — squeeze it through, then fold the dough over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat. Do this for 2-3 minutes until the starter is fully incorporated and the dough feels cohesive again.
2. Rest. Cover and rest 30 minutes.

Wait: PT30M

Add the Salt

Salt goes in last. It tightens the gluten and controls fermentation — you don't want it competing with the starter during those first 30 minutes.

1. Incorporate Salt. Sprinkle the salt evenly over the dough. Add a small splash of water (about 5g) to help it dissolve if you like. Fold and squeeze it in the same way you added the starter, working for 1-2 minutes until the salt is fully integrated and the dough feels smooth.
2. Rest. Cover and rest 30 minutes before beginning stretch and folds.

Wait: PT30M

Stretch and Fold

Four sets of stretch and fold, spaced 30 minutes apart. Because buckwheat weakens the gluten network slightly compared to a pure wheat dough, all four sets matter. Don't cut this short.

1. Perform 4 Sets. For each set: wet your hand, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up as high as it will go without tearing, and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees. Repeat 4 times per set (all four sides). You'll feel the dough getting noticeably tighter and stronger by set 3. That's exactly what you want.

Wait: PT2H

Tip: The dough should feel noticeably more elastic and hold its shape better with each set. If it's still slack and spreading flat after set 4, give it one more.

Bulk Fermentation

After your last fold, leave the dough alone and let bulk fermentation do its work. At 74-76°F (23-24°C), this takes about 2-3 more hours.

1. Watch the Dough, Not the Clock. Cover and let the dough ferment undisturbed. You're looking for a 50-70% rise in volume, bubbles around the edges and on the surface, and a dough that jiggles like jello when you shake the bowl. With buckwheat in the mix, it won't double the way a pure wheat loaf does — that's completely normal. Don't wait for a full double or you'll overferment it.

Wait: PT3H

Tip: Warmer kitchen? Bulk moves faster. Cooler? Give it more time. The visual cues are the real guide here, not the clock.

Pre-Shape

Turn the dough out and build the initial structure before the final shape.

1. Turn Out and Pre-Shape. Lightly flour your work surface. Use a bench scraper to gently coax the dough out of the bowl onto the surface. Using the bench scraper in one hand and your other hand, work the dough into a rough round by dragging it toward you in short strokes. You're building surface tension, not deflating the dough. Leave it uncovered on the bench.
2. Bench Rest. Let the pre-shaped dough rest uncovered for 20-30 minutes. It'll relax and spread slightly. That's fine — it makes the final shape easier.

Wait: PT25M

Final Shape and Proof

Shape the dough into a batard or boule and set it for the overnight cold proof.

1. Shape the Loaf. For a batard: flip the rested dough seam-side up. Fold the top third down and the bottom third up, like a letter. Then roll it toward you while pulling back slightly to build tension on the surface. Pinch the seam. For a boule: pull the edges of the dough toward the center all the way around, then flip it seam-side down and drag it toward you until the surface is taut.
2. Transfer to Banneton. Generously flour your banneton with rice flour (preferred) or a 50/50 mix of rice flour and bread flour. Place the shaped dough seam-side UP into the banneton. Pinch the seam closed if it opened during transfer.

Tip: Rice flour releases better than bread flour from the banneton. If you've had dough stick before, rice flour is the fix.

Overnight Cold Proof

Into the refrigerator for 10-16 hours. This is where the flavor of this loaf really develops. The cold slows fermentation and lets the buckwheat earthiness and sourdough tang layer on each other.

1. Cover and Refrigerate. Cover the banneton with a shower cap, reusable plastic wrap, or a plastic bag. Place it in the refrigerator. Bake directly from the fridge the next morning — no need to bring it to room temperature first.

Wait: PT13H

Preheat the Dutch Oven

A fully heat-soaked Dutch oven is what gives you oven spring and crust. Don't rush this.

1. Preheat Oven and Dutch Oven. Place your Dutch oven with the lid on into a cold oven, then preheat to 500°F (260°C). Let it heat for at least 45 minutes once the oven reaches temperature. The Dutch oven itself needs to be fully saturated with heat, not just the air around it.

Wait: PT45M

Score and Bake

The moment it all comes together. Work quickly — the Dutch oven loses heat fast when the lid is off.

1. Turn Out and Score. Cut a piece of parchment paper slightly larger than your loaf. Place it over the banneton and flip — the dough lands seam-side down on the parchment. Score with a single curved slash about 1/2 inch deep at a 45-degree angle. Work fast.
2. Lower Into Dutch Oven. Using the parchment paper as a sling, carefully lower the scored dough into the screaming-hot Dutch oven. Cover with the lid. Bake at 500°F (260°C) for 20 minutes with the lid on.
3. Finish Uncovered. Remove the lid, reduce temperature to 450°F (230°C), and bake another 20-25 minutes until deep brown. Because buckwheat flour gives the crumb a gray hue, this loaf will look darker than a standard sourdough. Don't pull it too early — aim for an internal temperature of 205-210°F (96-99°C).

Cool Before Cutting

This is the hardest part. The crumb is still setting while the loaf cools. Cut too early and it'll be gummy inside.

1. Cool on a Wire Rack. Transfer the baked loaf to a wire rack and let it cool for at least 2 hours before slicing. The internal temperature needs to drop below 90°F (32°C) for the crumb to fully set. You'll hear it crackle and sing as it cools. That sound means you did it right.

Wait: PT2H

Tip: Toast a slice with good butter and you'll understand why this loaf is worth the wait.

Shaping Options

This dough works as either a batard or a boule. The batard gives you a taller loaf with a better ear from scoring. The boule is more forgiving if you're still building your shaping skills.

Batard (Oval) (recommended)

The recommended shape for this loaf — gives a taller profile and a dramatic score opening.

1. Flip Seam Up. Flip the rested pre-shaped dough so the seam faces up.
2. Fold Like a Letter. Fold the top third down and the bottom third up.
3. Roll and Tension. Roll the dough toward you while pulling back slightly to build surface tension. Pinch the seam closed.

Boule (Round)

More forgiving, great for beginners. The open crumb is slightly less dramatic but the flavor is identical.

1. Pull Edges to Center. Pull all edges toward the center of the dough, working all the way around.
2. Flip and Drag. Flip seam-side down and drag toward you on an unfloured surface to build tension on the top.

Proof test: After the cold proof, the dough should feel firm but not frozen. It should hold a light finger poke — a small indentation that springs back slowly. If it springs back immediately, it may be slightly underproofed (still fine to bake). If it doesn't spring back at all, bake it right away.

Bake

Dutch oven baking creates the steam environment this loaf needs for oven spring and a shattering crust.

Oven: 260°C / 500°F. Internal temperature when done: 96-99°C / 205-210°F.

Dutch Oven (recommended)

The recommended method. The lid traps steam from the dough itself for the first 20 minutes, giving you maximum oven spring before the crust sets.

Equipment: 5 qt or larger Dutch oven

1. Preheat. Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) with Dutch oven inside for at least 45 minutes.
2. Score and Load. Turn dough onto parchment, score, and lower into the hot Dutch oven using the parchment as a sling.
3. Covered Bake. Bake covered at 500°F (260°C) for 20 minutes.
4. Uncovered Finish. Remove lid, reduce to 450°F (230°C), bake 20-25 more minutes until deep brown and internal temp reaches 205-210°F (96-99°C).

Baking Stone with Steam

If you don't have a Dutch oven, a baking stone with a steam pan works well.

Equipment: Baking stone or steel, metal pan for steam

1. Preheat Stone. Place baking stone on the middle rack and a metal pan on the lower rack. Preheat to 500°F (260°C) for 45 minutes.
2. Load and Steam. Score the dough and place on the stone. Pour 1 cup of boiling water into the metal pan below and close the oven immediately.
3. Bake. Bake 20 minutes with steam, then 20-25 minutes more until done.

Note: The gray buckwheat crumb makes the crust look darker than a standard sourdough. Don't pull it early. Trust your thermometer — 205-210°F (96-99°C) internal is the target.

Storage

• Room temperature: 2 days cut-side down on a cutting board, loosely covered with a kitchen towel
• Refrigerated: Not recommended — refrigeration accelerates staling in sourdough
• Frozen: Up to 3 months. Slice first, then freeze in a zip bag. Pull individual slices as needed.
• Refresh: Toast straight from frozen or warm a full slice at 350°F (175°C) for 8-10 minutes

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use more than 15% buckwheat flour?

You can push to 20%, but expect a denser loaf with slightly less oven spring. Above 20% and the buckwheat actively interferes with gluten development — the dough gets slack, spreads during shaping, and the crumb closes up. 15% is the sweet spot where you get full flavor without sacrificing structure.

My bulk fermentation doesn't look like it doubled. Is that normal?

Yes, completely. Buckwheat flour has no gluten, so when you add 15% to a bread dough, the overall network traps gas less efficiently. Look for a 50-70% rise with visible bubbles at the edges and a jello-like jiggle when you shake the bowl. Waiting for a full double will overferment the dough.

What's the difference between light and whole buckwheat flour?

Light buckwheat flour is hulled before milling, giving you a milder, nuttier flavor and a lighter gray crumb. Whole buckwheat flour includes the hull and delivers a more intense, earthy, slightly bitter flavor with a deeper gray color. Both work in this recipe. Bob's Red Mill makes a widely available light buckwheat flour that works well.

My loaf came out gummy inside. What went wrong?

Almost always one of two things: the crumb didn't cool fully before slicing, or the dough was slightly overfermented going into the oven. Let the loaf cool at least 2 hours — the crumb is still setting as it cools. If gumminess is persistent, shorten your bulk fermentation by 30 minutes next bake.

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour?

Yes, all-purpose works but you'll get a slightly less open crumb and less dramatic oven spring. Bread flour's higher protein content gives the gluten network more strength to compensate for the buckwheat. If all-purpose is what you have, use it — just don't expect the same ear.

My starter is active but the loaf didn't rise much. What happened?

Two likely causes: the starter wasn't at peak when you mixed (feed it and wait for the dome before using it), or the bulk fermentation ended too early. Buckwheat dough doesn't double, but it still needs to show clear fermentation signs before you shape. Look for bubbles, jiggle, and at least 50% volume increase.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 slice (80g)): 195 calories, 38g carbohydrates, 7g protein, 1g fat, 3g fiber, 210mg sodium. Makes 10 servings.