Don't have a Dutch oven? Don't let that stop you from baking sourdough. There are other ways to create a hot, steamy baking environment for beautiful homemade bread.
Yes—you absolutely can make sourdough without a Dutch oven.
A Dutch oven is convenient, but it isn't a requirement for making delicious sourdough bread at home.
A Dutch oven is popular for sourdough because it creates a contained, steamy environment during the early part of baking.
That steam helps keep the dough's surface flexible while the loaf expands in the oven. The result can be excellent oven spring and a beautifully developed crust.
If you're just starting out, don't overcomplicate things. Your goal is simply to create a hot oven and provide steam during the early stage of baking.
A Dutch oven can make sourdough baking easier, but equipment isn't the whole story.
If you eventually decide you love sourdough, a Dutch oven can certainly be a useful addition to your kitchen.
But if you're wondering whether you need to buy one before making your first loaf, the answer is no.
Start baking first. You can always upgrade your equipment later.
The equipment is only one piece of the puzzle. Learn the fundamentals behind successful sourdough baking in the Sourdough Academy.
Squirrelly Girl Sourdough Starter gives you a living sourdough culture to begin your baking journey with—without making sourdough more complicated than it needs to be.
Follow the activation instructions and if your starter doesn't activate, we'll make it right.
Zero Risk. Zero Guesswork. Just Real Sourdough.
Bake or Get Covered: If your starter fails to activate into a bubbly, active, bake-ready culture.
We’ll either send you a fresh replacement batch completely free or issue a 100% refund.
No hoops to jump through, no complicated returns, and no hard feelings.