Breads (Sourdough) - Open Crumb
Sun-Dried Tomato and Olive Sourdough Bread
August 19, 2019
| Recipe by Bake with Paws
Last Updated on 14 January 2026
By Bake with Paws
A Bread That Brings the Mediterranean Home
I first developed this Sun-Dried Tomato & Olive Sourdough Bread recipe because my husband loves Mediterranean flavors — salty olives, sweet sun-dried tomatoes, and the tang of sourdough. After adapting my basic sourdough loaf to include these savory add-ins, this became a family favorite we bake again and again. The result? A loaf with a crisp crust, moist tender crumb, and bursts of flavor in every slice.
Why You’ll Love This Bread
- Bold and savory flavor that pairs with cheese, soups, or simple olive oil.
- Moist crumb with crisp crust — perfect for sandwiches or dipping.
- Customizable and versatile — add herbs, feta, or different olives for variation.
Ingredient Substitutions & Variations
✨ Cheese Addition: Add crumbled feta or parmesan with the tomatoes for a cheesy twist.
✨ Herbs: Rosemary, oregano, or thyme pair beautifully with the Mediterranean profile.
✨ Olive Types: Kalamata, Castelvetrano, or mixed olives each bring unique flavor.
✨ Extra Flavor: Add garlic or sun-dried tomato oil drizzle for richer taste.
How To Make Sun-Dried Tomato and Olive Sourdough Bread
Ingrediens (Yields 1 Loaf):
240g bread flour (I used Japanese high gluten flour) - 80%
30g whole wheat flour - 10%
30g rye flour - 10%
230g water - 78.78% final hydration
6g sea salt - 2%
60g active sourdough starter/levain (100% hydration) - 20%
10g sun dried tomato, cut into small pieces
10g black olive, cut into ring
60g active sourdough starter/levain (100% hydration) - 20%
10g sun dried tomato, cut into small pieces
10g black olive, cut into ring
- Please refresh your starter several times before baking day in order to get a better result if you do not feed your starter daily or regularly.
- Please reserve some liquid and not add it all in one go as each flour absorbs water and hydrates differently.
Ambient temperature after adding in levain: 25C
Total bulk fermentation: Approx. 6 hours (could be raining day, the dough proof slower)
Step-By-Step Method:
- Feed starter - Feed ratio of 1:1:1, keep at room temperature (28C – 30C) and wait until tripled, around 3 – 4 hours. Please feed your starter at the ratio that fit your schedule as long as the starter is at its peak when use.
- Autolyse - Mix flour and water (reserve 10g for salt), stir until there is no more dry flour with a spatula. Cover and leave for 1 to 3 hours.
- Levain & Salt- Wet your hand, add 60g sourdough starter to the dough and mix in with hand. Half way mixing, sprinkle in the salt and mix until incorporated, about 6 - 8 minutes. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and Fold (S&F) - Please see S&F diagram here. Perform 1 set of S&F and round up. Cover and rest for about 30 minutes or until the dough spread.
- Lamination - Please watch Lamination video here. Lightly mist the counter top with water and wet your hand. Pull from centre out to form a rectangle shape. Sprinkle the sun-dried tomato and olive pieces all over the dough. Pick up one edge and fold into the center. Pick up other edge and fold into the center over first section. Fold the top down half way. Fold the bottom up. Put dough in a new dish (square pyrex dish). Cover and rest for about 30+- minutes or until the dough spread.
- Coil Fold 1 - At this stage, the dough is weak and extensible. Fold the dough in the dish. Cover and rest for about 40 - 45 minutes or until dough spreads.
- Coil Fold 2 - At this stage the dough still extensible but stronger compare with the dough before the 1st coil fold. Fold the dough in the dish. Cover and rest for about 40 - 60 minutes or until dough spreads.
- Coil Fold 3 - At this stage, the dough is quite strong and not so extensible and will be the last coil fold. However, if the dough is still quite extensible and spread a lot, then you will need one or two more coil folds. Fold the dough in the dish. Cover and rest for 60 - 90 minutes or until dough rise 50% in size since you added the levain.
- Shaping - Transfer dough on the floured top. Shape then transfer to a slightly flour banneton.
- Proofing - Proof at room temperature (RT) for 15 minutes.
- Cold Retard - Retard in the fridge for 12 - 16 hours.
- Baking -
- Preheat oven with the dutch oven (cast iron) at 250C (top and bottom heat) for 45 - 60 minutes before baking.
- Take bread dough out from the fridge, invert onto a parchment paper and scoring.(Slash the dough approximately 0.5 inches deep at 45-degree angle). Immediately transfer the dough with the parchment paper to your preheated dutch oven.
- Lower the temperature to 240C (top and bottom heat) and bake with cover on for 20 minutes. Remove the cover and continue bake for another 10 - 15 minutes at 230C (top and bottom heat).
- Remove bread from oven and dutch oven. Let it cool on rack before slicing.
Expert Tips For Better Open Crumb Sourdough Bread
- Start with a Healthy Sourdough Starter
- Your starter is the engine of your sourdough. For a good rise and open crumb, it should be:
- Bubbly and able to triple in 3–5 hours after feeding
- Mildly sweet in aroma, not overly sour or acidic
- Light and airy when stirred
- Tip: If your starter has been refrigerated and not feeding every day, feed it several times before baking to reactivate it fully. Please check out the Sourdough Maintenance "here".
- Watch the Temperature
- Ambient temperature plays a huge role in fermentation speed and gluten development. It will affect the dough temperature and eventually affect your fermentation time. Warmer ambient ferments faster, while cooler ambient takes longer. The ideal ambient temperature is around 24°C–26°C (75°F–79°F). If your environment is cold, you can use a warm spot like inside the oven with the light on, or a proofing box.
- Baking in a Tropical Country:
- In a warm kitchen (above 28°C/82°F), fermentation can move very quickly, which may lead to over-proofed dough. To control the temperature:
- Use cooler water when mixing your dough.
- Bulk ferment in a cooler room if possible, or use an air-conditioned room.
- Shorten the bulk fermentation time and watch the dough, not the clock.
- You can also place the dough in a cooler box (without ice) to create a slightly cooler and more stable environment.
- Tip: Warmer temperatures can create faster fermentation, but be careful — if it’s too warm, you risk over-proofing and weakening the dough.
- Nail the Bulk Fermentation
- Bulk fermentation is where most of the magic happens for an open crumb.
- The dough should rise about 50% to 75% — not double at the end of bulk fermentation.
- You should see bubbles forming on the surface and edges.
- The dough should feel lighter and slightly jiggly.
- In a Warm Kitchen:
- In tropical climates, bulk fermentation can finish much faster — sometimes in just 3 to 5 hours (or less), depending on your dough temperature.
- Always observe the dough’s behavior rather than sticking strictly to a timeline. It's better to slightly under-proof than over-proof when aiming for an open crumb.
- Tip: Stretch and folds (or coil folds) during bulk fermentation help strengthen the dough without deflating it. Typically, 3 to 4 sets spaced 30–45 minutes apart work well, but you may need to adjust depending on how quickly your dough is fermenting.
- Build Good Dough Strength
- For a beautifully open crumb, the dough needs enough strength to trap the gases formed during fermentation, but not be overworked. Too strong (tension or elastic) dough will take a longer time to increase (proof) in volume. So too strong dough may not have good oven spring and open crumb. While too weak dough (extensibility) dough may not hold it shape and rise with good oven spring too.
- Proper gluten development is key. This starts with gentle mixing and continues with lamination and folds during bulk fermentation. Over-handling can knock out the precious gas bubbles you're trying to keep.
- Tip: Think “gentle but firm.” Handle the dough carefully at shaping to maintain the gas pockets inside.
- High Oven Heat with Steam
- This gives the bread better oven spring and crust.
- Your starter is the engine of your sourdough. For a good rise and open crumb, it should be:
- Bubbly and able to triple in 3–5 hours after feeding
- Mildly sweet in aroma, not overly sour or acidic
- Light and airy when stirred
- Tip: If your starter has been refrigerated and not feeding every day, feed it several times before baking to reactivate it fully. Please check out the Sourdough Maintenance "here".
- Ambient temperature plays a huge role in fermentation speed and gluten development. It will affect the dough temperature and eventually affect your fermentation time. Warmer ambient ferments faster, while cooler ambient takes longer. The ideal ambient temperature is around 24°C–26°C (75°F–79°F). If your environment is cold, you can use a warm spot like inside the oven with the light on, or a proofing box.
- Baking in a Tropical Country:
- In a warm kitchen (above 28°C/82°F), fermentation can move very quickly, which may lead to over-proofed dough. To control the temperature:
- Use cooler water when mixing your dough.
- Bulk ferment in a cooler room if possible, or use an air-conditioned room.
- Shorten the bulk fermentation time and watch the dough, not the clock.
- You can also place the dough in a cooler box (without ice) to create a slightly cooler and more stable environment.
- Tip: Warmer temperatures can create faster fermentation, but be careful — if it’s too warm, you risk over-proofing and weakening the dough.
- Bulk fermentation is where most of the magic happens for an open crumb.
- The dough should rise about 50% to 75% — not double at the end of bulk fermentation.
- You should see bubbles forming on the surface and edges.
- The dough should feel lighter and slightly jiggly.
- In a Warm Kitchen:
- In tropical climates, bulk fermentation can finish much faster — sometimes in just 3 to 5 hours (or less), depending on your dough temperature.
- Always observe the dough’s behavior rather than sticking strictly to a timeline. It's better to slightly under-proof than over-proof when aiming for an open crumb.
- Tip: Stretch and folds (or coil folds) during bulk fermentation help strengthen the dough without deflating it. Typically, 3 to 4 sets spaced 30–45 minutes apart work well, but you may need to adjust depending on how quickly your dough is fermenting.
- For a beautifully open crumb, the dough needs enough strength to trap the gases formed during fermentation, but not be overworked. Too strong (tension or elastic) dough will take a longer time to increase (proof) in volume. So too strong dough may not have good oven spring and open crumb. While too weak dough (extensibility) dough may not hold it shape and rise with good oven spring too.
- Proper gluten development is key. This starts with gentle mixing and continues with lamination and folds during bulk fermentation. Over-handling can knock out the precious gas bubbles you're trying to keep.
- Tip: Think “gentle but firm.” Handle the dough carefully at shaping to maintain the gas pockets inside.
- This gives the bread better oven spring and crust.
Troubleshooting Guide
- If your sourdough turns out dense or heavy, the most common reason is an inactive starter or dough that was handled too much during shaping. Make sure your starter is bubbly and at its peak before mixing, and handle the dough gently to preserve the gas bubbles.
- Gummy or wet spots in the crumb are usually caused by excess moisture from the sun-dried tomatoes or olives. Always drain them well and pat dry with paper towels before adding them to the dough.
- If the loaf has very little oven spring, it may be under-proofed or the dough was too cold during fermentation. Allow the dough to rise until it increases by about 50% in volume and ensure it is fermenting at a warm, comfortable room temperature.
- A pale or soft crust often means the oven or Dutch oven was not preheated long enough. Always preheat thoroughly so the bread gets an initial burst of heat for good crust development.
- If the crumb feels gummy even after cooling, the bread may have been sliced too soon. Let the loaf cool completely before cutting to allow the crumb structure to set properly.
Serving Suggestions & Storage
- Serve with: olive oil & balsamic, soups, cheese boards, bruschetta, or grilled veggies.
- Store: Wrap cooled loaf in a cotton bag at room temp up to 2-3 days. Freeze up to 1 month.
- Freeze Tips: Slice first so you can defrost just what you need.
FAQ
Q: Can I bake this same day without cold proof?
A: Yes — a shorter room temperature proof still works, but flavor deepens with cold retard.
Q: How much sun-dried tomato & olives can I add?
A: Up to ~20-25% add-ins by dough weight for balanced texture.
Q: Can I use store-bought oil-packed tomatoes?
A: Yes — drain thoroughly to avoid extra moisture.
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Labels:
Breads (Sourdough) - Open Crumb,
Looks good and I am going to bake this bread tomorrow. Finger crossed that I will get it right.
ReplyDeleteHi there,
DeleteThank you for your comment. Did you get it?
Cheers:)
Thanks for sharing. I am trying this recipe now. It goes into the oven tomorrow morning :-)
ReplyDeleteHi, you are most welcome.. Good luck and happy baking :)
DeleteI never do sourdough bread. Like to. I don’t understand the levain part. It is 80g sourdough starter. So to make that 80g sourdough starter, I have to f feed the starter which is 30g with 30g bread flour and 30 water to get 80g sourdough starter?
ReplyDeleteHi there,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your interest in sourdough bread. Levain is actually sourdough starter. Sometime we called it levain. Do you have the starter dough already? If you do not have yet, you need to cultivate your own and it is best to understand first before starting sourdough baking.
I learnt from here. You may want to watch it as it is very helpful.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6pGkOuZnrk
Cheers :)
What are the substitute for spelt and rye flour?
ReplyDeleteHi, thank you for your question. You can replace with bread flour.
DeleteCheers :)
80g sourdough starter (100% hydration) - 20%
ReplyDeleteFeed 30g sourdough starter + 30g bread flour + 30g water, keep at room temperature, wait until tripled, around 3 - 4 hours)
Hi there, should this be 90g starter (30 + 30 + 30)?
Excited to make this recipe this weekend!
Hi there,
DeleteThank you for asking. I usually make more levain because a percentage will be lost from sticking on the bottle and spatula. But, use only 80g.
Cheers :)
Cheers :)
But you need to make a bit extra for leftover to be fed for starter for next sourdough bake isn't it? We need to always maintain starter for next bake isn't it? Taking this into consideration is 90 gram starter dough enough leaving 10gram only to feed?
DeleteDon't u need to make more to feedfor next bake?
DeleteYou should feed according to your needs. This is just a guideline and you do not have to follow exactly.
DeleteHi! Step 9 calls for sesame seeds but I don't see any in the recipe? Shape - Flour the counter top. Shape and coat the dough with sesame seeds then transfer to a slightly flour banetton.
ReplyDeleteHi, Thank you for clarification. There is no sesame seeds used in this recipe. Sorry, It was an error. I have already amended it.
DeleteCheers :)
thank you for the recipe.. can I use sun dried tomatoes in oil?
ReplyDeleteHi, thanks for visiting my post. Yes, of course. But, please make sure you drain the tomatoes first.
DeleteCheers :)
Do I use 65g of starter or 80g? ,Your ingredients portion u mentioned ,80g but your point 3 mentioned just 65g. Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
ReplyDeleteHi, Thanks for visiting and reading this recipe. Sorry for the confusion and error. It's 80g sourdough starter (levain).
DeleteCheers :)
Just tried this recipes yesterday and it was super yummy!
ReplyDeleteHi, thanks for trying this recipe and your kind feedback. Glad that you like it. It is one of my hubby favourite bread.
DeleteCheers :)
Hi, can this be a same day bake i.e cold retard for 3-4 hours instead of the usual 12-16 hours? thank you.
ReplyDeleteHi, thanks for asking. Yes, it is fine. Long retard is just to develop the flavour.
DeleteCheers :)
Hi, thank you for your prompt reply. Have a great weekend!!
DeleteMost welcome :)
DeleteHello. When you make 1:10:10 overnight starter can you use it straight away in the morning as the levain or must you use it to make a new 1:1:1 levain and wait 3 hours or so to triple then use it. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHi, I used it straight when its peak. But, if let say you miss the peak and you use after its fall then chances are your crumb will not be so open and nice. But, of course other factors contribute to the open crumb too.
DeleteCheers :)
Thanks for prompt response.. Will try with your 1:10:10.
DeleteYou are most welcome :)
DeleteYou also can try 1:7:7 too. I used 1:10:10 so that I have enough time to autolyse the flour so I won't miss the peak time.
Cheers :)