Go Back
–+ servings
Five Seed Sourdough

Five Seed Sourdough

2700kcal
No ratings yet
Share Print
Prep 30 minutes
Cook 40 minutes
Total 13 hours 40 minutes
An incredibly healthy, nutritious, and fiber-rich artisanal sourdough loaf packed with a hearty blend of wholesome seeds and oats. Designed as a convenient same-day bake, this dense and satisfying bread features an intimate, tighter interior crumb structure that optimizes rich, nutty flavors and nutritional density rather than large open air pockets—making it an exceptional option for everyday breakfast toast, sandwiches, or pairing alongside warm soups.
Servings 1 loaf
Cuisine American

Ingredients

Sourdough Levain Starter (Night Before)
  • 25 g Active sourdough starter culture
  • 155 g Water
  • 125 g Bread flour
The Nutrient Seed Soaker (Night Before)
  • 25 g Rye chops
  • 40 g Flaxseeds
  • 35 g Sunflower seeds
  • 25 g Oats
  • 135 g Water
  • 11 g Salt
The Main Dough (Next Morning)
  • 250 g Bread flour
  • 125 g Whole wheat flour
  • 145 g Water
  • 300 g Prepared liquid sourdough starter all of it
  • 270 g Prepared seed soaker all of it
  • Extra mixed seeds or rolled oats Optional, reserved purely for coating the crust

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer Or a mixing bowl for hand-mixing
  • Proofing Basket Banneton, or a loaf pan lined with a clean kitchen towel
  • Cast Iron Dutch Oven With a tight-fitting lid
  • Sharp Bread Lame or razor blade
  • Kitchen Scale
  • Parchment Paper
  • Spray Bottle Optional, for surface misting

Method

Liquid Starter and Seed Soaker Setup (Night Before)
  1. 10:00 PM: In a clean glass jar or mixing bowl, combine the 25g of active starter culture and 155g of water. Whisk together cleanly until fluid. Add the 125g of bread flour and stir thoroughly with a spatula until no dry flour pockets remain. Cover loosely and let it develop at a room temperature of 74–78°F (23–26°C) for 8 to 10 hours overnight until it triples in volume and hits its bubbly peak.
  2. Simultaneously prepare the soaker block. In a separate bowl, combine the 25g of rye chops, 40g of flaxseeds, 35g of sunflower seeds, 25g of oats, 135g of water, and 11g of salt. Stir everything thoroughly to ensure the salt dissolves and distributes evenly, then cover and let the grains hydrate completely overnight.
Same-Day Dough Assembly and Structural Folds
  1. 7:00 AM: In your stand mixer bowl or a large mixing bowl, combine the 145g of water, 250g of bread flour, 125g of whole wheat flour, all of your mature liquid starter, and all of your hydrated seed soaker. Mix thoroughly by hand or on low speed just until all the flour is fully hydrated and an uneven, shaggy dough builds. (Gluten development is not necessary at this stage; structural strength will build during the folding sequences).
  2. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest undisturbed for 30 minutes at a warm ambient temperature of 78–82°F (26–28°C) to initialize.
  3. 7:30 AM: Wet your hands thoroughly with clean water to prevent sticking, and perform your 1st stretch-and-fold session directly inside the bowl. Cover and rest.
  4. 8:15 AM: Perform your 2nd wet-handed stretch-and-fold session. Cover and rest.
  5. 9:00 AM: Perform your 3rd wet-handed stretch-and-fold session. Cover and rest.
  6. 9:45 AM: Perform your 4th and final wet-handed stretch-and-fold session. Cover the container and let the dough rise undisturbed for 30 to 45 minutes at 78–82°F (26–28°C). The dough must become visibly lighter, aerated, and increase in volume by roughly 50% to 70%.
Taut Shaping, Topping, and High-Heat Baking
  1. 10:30 AM: Lightly dust your clean workspace with flour. Turn out the puffy dough and pull the top corners outward slightly. Fold the right side over into the center, repeat on the left side, and then roll the dough tightly from top to bottom into a smooth, taut log shape.
  2. Optional Crust Coating: Spray the top surface of the shaped dough log generously with water, then roll it directly across a shallow dish filled with extra seeds or regular oats to coat it evenly.
  3. Transfer the shaped loaf seam-side up into a prepared proofing basket or a loaf pan lined with a floured kitchen towel. Cover with plastic wrap and return it to a warm 78°F (26°C) space for 1 hour for its final proofing.
  4. While the loaf undergoes its final proof, place your cast iron Dutch oven with its lid on inside the oven and preheat completely to 500°F (260°C) for 45 minutes to a full hour.
  5. Carefully invert the proofed dough log out onto a sheet of parchment paper so it sits seam-side down. Use a sharp bread lame or razor blade to score a clean line down the center.
  6. Use the parchment corners to lift and drop the loaf into the piping hot Dutch oven. Secure the lid tightly to lock in the steam and bake at 500°F (260°C) for exactly 15 minutes.
  7. Remove the lid carefully, lower the oven temperature down to 450°F (230°C), and continue baking uncovered for an additional 25 minutes until the crust turns deep golden brown and crunchy. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Nutrition

Calories2700kcalCarbohydrates477gProtein98gFat48gSaturated Fat5gPolyunsaturated Fat25gMonounsaturated Fat11gCholesterol17mgSodium827mgPotassium1813mgFiber47gSugar4gVitamin A54IUVitamin C1mgCalcium286mgIron15mg

Notes

  • Liquid Sourdough Starter Proportions: You will notice that this specific overnight starter build utilizes a higher ratio of water to flour (155g water to 125g flour) than a standard 1:1 hydration build. This yields a more fluid, liquid starter consistency that mixes into the heavy whole grains and whole wheat flours effortlessly the next morning, ensuring even yeast distribution without requiring heavy machine kneading.
  • Managing Thicker Grain Swaps: If you cannot source traditional rye chops locally, you can successfully replace them with an equal weight of other hearty choices like whole pumpkin seeds (pepitas), sesame seeds, millet, or cracked wheat. The inclusion of the overnight salt-water soaker softens any tough seeds or grains completely so they integrate into the crumb smoothly without absorbing moisture from the dough.
  • Why There Are No Big Alveolis: Artisan white sourdoughs strive for a highly open, airy crumb with massive holes. Because this loaf is heavily packed with whole wheat flour and a massive volume of dense grains and seeds, the physical weight tears fine gluten webs. Do not expect huge air pockets; the target here is a soft, moist, and uniform interior designed for supreme nutritional content and robust flavor.
  • Adapting to Cooler Kitchen Climates: The timeline of this recipe is optimized for a warm room temperature of 78 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit. If your home runs cooler (around 68 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit / 20 degrees Celsius), the natural fermentation pathways will slow down significantly. Monitor the dough rather than the clock; you may need to extend the rest periods between your stretch-and-folds up to 45 minutes to achieve the required 50% to 70% bulk rise before shaping.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!