My Beautiful Friends,

I have a confession to make.

Because of my ARFID kiddos, I make a surprising number of things that only Ken and I eat. Sometimes it’s just Ken and me. Sometimes it’s just…me. Such is the glamorous life of developing recipes for a family with selective eaters.

This bread falls squarely into that category.

And you know what? I regret absolutely nothing.

Because this No-Knead Sourdough White Cheddar Bread is so ridiculously good that keeping it to myself would have been downright selfish.

If there was ever a loaf destined to become the world’s greatest grilled cheese, the perfect turkey sandwich, or the bread that mysteriously disappears while you’re standing over a pot of soup “just tasting,” this is it.

I mean, sourdough is already one of life’s greatest accomplishments. (Right up there with matching all the socks after laundry.) But then you add white cheddar?

Whew.

Now we’re cooking with gas.

Or…baking with starter.

The funny thing is, you don’t end up with obvious pockets of cheese throughout the loaf. The cheddar melts right into the dough, leaving behind this incredible savory flavor in every bite. The crust turns the most beautiful deep golden color, the aroma is enough to make you hover impatiently by the oven, and every slice somehow tastes buttery without adding any butter at all.

Now, I should probably manage your expectations.

Is this recipe easy?

Absolutely.

Is it fast?

Well…no.

Good sourdough is a lesson in delayed gratification. The actual hands-on work is minimal—you’ll spend more time waiting than working—but your patience gets rewarded with a loaf that looks like it came straight from your favorite bakery.

And honestly? Those little breaks between stretch-and-folds are kind of lovely. Fold the dough, fold a load of laundry. Fold the dough, drink your coffee. Fold the dough, chase a child, pull some weeds, answer a few emails…life keeps happening while your bread quietly becomes something magical.

My family still thinks I’m a little ridiculous because they don’t worship at the altar of cheese the way I do.

Weirdos.

That just means I get this loaf mostly to myself, which I’ve decided isn’t selfish at all. It’s called meal planning.

“I’m just making sure I have sandwiches for lunch.”

See? Completely responsible adult behavior.

No-Knead Sourdough White Cheddar Bread

Ingredients

100 g active sourdough starter, room temperature
300 g water
500 g bread flour
10 g pink Himalayan salt (or fine sea salt)
1 to 1½ cups shredded white cheddar cheese

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the active sourdough starter and water. Whisk until the starter is fully dissolved and the mixture is bubbly.
Add the bread flour and salt. Stir with a dough whisk or sturdy spoon until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains. It doesn’t have to be perfectly smooth.
Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
Perform your first set of stretch and folds. Pull one side of the dough up as far as it comfortably stretches, then fold it back over itself. Rotate the bowl about a quarter turn and repeat until you’ve completed 4–5 folds.
Cover and let rest for another 30 minutes.
Repeat the stretch-and-fold process every 30 minutes until you’ve completed four total sets.
During the fourth set of stretch and folds, gently work in the shredded white cheddar. Add about half during the first few folds and the remaining cheese during the last few folds so it’s evenly distributed.
Cover the dough and allow it to bulk ferment for 4–5 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. You’re looking for the dough to increase by about 50–75% in volume. It should look puffy, feel jiggly, and have bubbles throughout.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a tight boule by gently tucking the edges underneath while creating surface tension.
Place the shaped dough seam-side up into a well-floured banneton or proofing basket. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
The next day, place your Dutch oven with the lid on into the oven and preheat to 450°F. Allow the Dutch oven to continue heating for about 45 minutes so it’s thoroughly hot.
Carefully turn the dough onto parchment paper or a silicone bread sling. Score the top with a sharp lame or razor blade to allow the bread to expand while baking.
Carefully lower the dough into the hot Dutch oven. Cover with the lid.
Bake covered for 30 minutes.
Remove the lid and continue baking for 15–20 minutes, or until the crust is a rich deep golden brown.
For an extra crisp crust, turn the oven off and leave the loaf inside for an additional 10 minutes with the door closed.
Remove the bread and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. (I know. This is the hardest part.)

Notes

Kitchen temperature will affect rise time, so watch your dough rather than the clock.
The cheese melts into the crumb rather than staying in distinct pockets, giving the bread incredible flavor throughout.
This loaf is amazing for grilled cheese, turkey sandwiches, toasted with butter, or alongside tomato soup.
For the best texture, wait until the loaf has cooled completely before slicing.

So wake up your starter, shred some good white cheddar, and let’s make a loaf that’s worthy of hiding in the bread box behind the plain sandwich bread.

No judgment here.

I won’t tell if you don’t.

No-Knead Sourdough White Cheddar Bread

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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

100 g active sourdough starter room temperature
300 g water
500 g bread flour
10 g pink Himalayan salt or fine sea salt
1 to 1½ cups shredded white cheddar cheese

Method

In a large bowl, combine the active sourdough starter and water. Whisk until the starter is fully dissolved and the mixture is bubbly.
Add the bread flour and salt. Stir with a dough whisk or sturdy spoon until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains. It doesn’t have to be perfectly smooth.
Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
Perform your first set of stretch and folds. Pull one side of the dough up as far as it comfortably stretches, then fold it back over itself. Rotate the bowl about a quarter turn and repeat until you’ve completed 4–5 folds.
Cover and let rest for another 30 minutes.
Repeat the stretch-and-fold process every 30 minutes until you’ve completed four total sets.
During the fourth set of stretch and folds, gently work in the shredded white cheddar. Add about half during the first few folds and the remaining cheese during the last few folds so it’s evenly distributed.
Cover the dough and allow it to bulk ferment for 4–5 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. You’re looking for the dough to increase by about 50–75% in volume. It should look puffy, feel jiggly, and have bubbles throughout.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a tight boule by gently tucking the edges underneath while creating surface tension.
Place the shaped dough seam-side up into a well-floured banneton or proofing basket. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
The next day, place your Dutch oven with the lid on into the oven and preheat to 450°F. Allow the Dutch oven to continue heating for about 45 minutes so it’s thoroughly hot.
Carefully turn the dough onto parchment paper or a silicone bread sling. Score the top with a sharp lame or razor blade to allow the bread to expand while baking.
Carefully lower the dough into the hot Dutch oven. Cover with the lid.
Bake covered for 30 minutes.
Remove the lid and continue baking for 15–20 minutes, or until the crust is a rich deep golden brown.
For an extra crisp crust, turn the oven off and leave the loaf inside for an additional 10 minutes with the door closed.
Remove the bread and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. (I know. This is the hardest part.)