Easy Sourdough Skillet Bread Recipe (No Dutch Oven)

Updated content October 6, 2026

Looking for a new way to bake sourdough bread? Make Sourdough Skillet Bread with this easy-to-follow recipe. This is one of the few recipes that I did not get from my grandma, but it was because of her that I was inspired to even bake in the first place. This is one of the easiest sourdough recipes you will find. I love baking bread in a cast-iron skillet, but This recipe is very versatile, it can also be made in for the shape and flavor! But this recipe can also be made in 2 loaf pans, or the classic way of baking sourdough bread: in a dutch oven.

Sourdough is one of my favorite things to make and this recipe is the easiest and most fool-proof bread recipe that I have found. Nothing tastes better than a fresh-cut slice of sourdough bread. It also makes a great egg sandwich or jelly toast! Sourdough also has lots of health benefits.

Why this recipe works

A cast iron skillet holds heat evenly, so the loaf bakes up with a crisp crust and a soft, airy middle without a Dutch oven. The starter does all the rising, so you won’t need any commercial yeast. The whole process takes two days, but the dough spends most of that time sitting in a bowl while you go about your day.

Easy Sourdough Skillet Bread Recipe (No Dutch Oven)

What Makes This Sourdough Skillet Bread Special

Most sourdough recipes assume you own a Dutch oven. This one doesn’t. I bake it in a 10-inch cast iron skillet, and I love what the skillet does to the bread. The loaf spreads into a wide, rounded shape with plenty of golden crust, and the cast iron gives the bottom a crisp, toasty finish I can’t get from a sheet pan.

The dough also comes together in two easy stages. First you build a levain, a small batch of starter, flour and water that wakes everything up and gets it bubbling. Then you mix in the rest of the flour, water and salt to make the dough. That first stage gives your starter a head start, so the dough rises reliably even when your starter feels a little sluggish.

If you’d rather have sandwich slices, the same dough bakes in two loaf pans. I make it both ways depending on what I am in the mood for.

Ingredients You Will Need

Sourdough Starter
Water
Flour
Salt

Equipment I use for Sourdough Skillet Bread

A 10-inch cast iron skillet does the heavy lifting here. This is the one I use. A stand mixer with a dough hook makes the mixing step quick, and either I use my KitchenAid stand mixer or my dough whisk depending on the day. You’ll also want a large non-metal bowl for rising. If you’d rather make sandwich loaves, grab two loaf pans instead of the skillet.

Tips for the Best Sourdough Skillet Bread

Start with an active starter. A starter that’s bubbly and lively gives you a stronger rise and a lighter loaf.
Don’t fight the stickiness. This dough stays soft and a little sticky after mixing. Resist adding extra flour, because that softness gives you the airy interior.
Find a warm spot. On a warm day, I set the bowl of dough in my car, and it rises beautifully. Any warm, draft-free spot in your house will help it along too.
Let it double. The dough needs 10 to 12 hours on Day 1, and it should look about twice its original size before you move on.
Dust the skillet with flour. A light coating of flour keeps the loaf from sticking and gives the bottom crust a rustic look.
Wait the full hour. The bread keeps cooking as it cools. If you cut it early, the inside turns gummy, so let it rest on a rack for at least an hour.

If you are intimidatd about keeping a sourdough starter, check out my hassle-free way of maintaining a sourdough starter here!

What to serve with Sourdough Skillet Bread

A thick slice of this bread makes a great egg sandwich, and it’s my favorite base for jelly toast. Spread it with homemade butter and a spoonful of Grandma’s raspberry freezer jam, and you have breakfast. It also holds up well next to a bowl of soup, especially my Instant Pot salmon clam chowder, because the crust stands up to dunking. If you love baking with your starter, try my sourdough dinner rolls for your next holiday table or my sourdough pancakes for a weekend breakfast. Once your cast iron skillet is out, keep it busy with a cast iron apple crisp for dessert.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. This recipe bakes in a 10-inch cast iron skillet, which holds heat well enough to give you a crisp crust and a soft middle without a Dutch oven.

Yes. Divide the dough between two loaf pans instead of using the skillet, and bake at the same 400°F. Keep an eye on the loaves toward the end of the bake, since smaller loaves can finish a little sooner.

Sourdough uses the wild yeast in your starter instead of commercial yeast, and that natural yeast works slowly. You build the levain and mix the dough on Day 1, let it rise overnight, then bake on Day 2.

Your starter should look bubbly and active, usually a few hours after a feeding. A flat starter that hasn’t been fed in a while won’t give you a good rise.

Yes. All-purpose flour works great in this recipe. Bread flour gives you a slightly chewier texture, but either one makes a good loaf.

No. A stand mixer with a dough hook takes 2 to 3 minutes, but you can knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured surface for 7 to 8 minutes instead.

This dough stays soft and a little sticky on purpose. That moisture gives the bread its airy interior, so try not to add extra flour.

Let it cool on a rack for at least 1 hour. The inside keeps setting as it cools, and slicing too early leaves the crumb gummy.

How to Make Sourdough Skillet Bread

Day 1

Build the levain. In a large non-metal bowl, stir together ¼ cup sourdough starter, 1 cup water and 1¾ cups flour. Let it sit for 1 hour.
Mix the dough. Add the remaining 4½ cups flour, 1¾ cups water and 2½ tablespoons salt to the levain.
Knead. Mix in a stand mixer with the dough hook for 2 to 3 minutes, or knead on a lightly floured surface for 7 to 8 minutes. The dough will feel soft and a little sticky.
Let it rise. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and let it rise until doubled, about 10 to 12 hours.

Day 2

Prep the skillet. Dust a 10-inch cast iron skillet with flour and place the dough in the skillet.
Bake. Bake at 400°F for 35 to 40 minutes, until the crust turns deep golden brown.
Cool. Move the bread to a cooling rack and let it cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Save