BEGIN YOUR EINKORN SOURDOUGH BREAD JOURNEY

Don’t have a sourdough starter yet? This new einkorn sourdough starter might just become a favorite ingredient in your kitchen. It’ll do the heavy lifting for all the hearty whole wheat einkorn sourdough bread, all the maple-soaked sourdough pancakes, and all the sea-salted crunchy sourdough crackers you want. You’ll love the health benefits and loads of options it provides.

If you already have a starter and need a good method for keeping it alive and refreshed between baking sessions try HoneySalt and Olive’s 20-60-100 method.

new einkorn sourdough starter - whole wheat

Jump to Recipe

EINKORN SOURDOUGH BREAD STARTER RECIPE

So, the fastest (and easiest) path toward a successful sourdough starter is to ask a friend for some of theirs. If asking a friend for starter isn’t an option, don’t worry, this recipe has you covered. Besides, there’s something fun about starting it from scratch.

This whole wheat, einkorn, easy sourdough starter recipe launches you into the HoneySalt and Olive Sourdough system of baking. Developing a new sourdough starter doesn’t have to be overwhelming. This simple start recipe avoids throwing away “discard” starter, sticks with whole wheat einkorn flour, and quickly propels us from flatbread to artisan loaves. You’re on your way to an endless supply of sourdough goodness with the five steps you find below!

But, first let’s take a brief look at our equipment and ingredients…

HELPFUL EQUIPMENT

Grain Mill – I grind einkorn flour using an Austrian made stone burr grain mill.
Digital Kitchen Scale – The Ozeri Pronto Digital Scale has worked well for me. I’d like to try a couple other scales as well. What scale do you like to use?
Small Pan for Water – I have a small butter warmer I use to heat the water. My daughter bought me the tiny pan from Made In as a gift. It’s one of my favorite little pans.

SOURDOUGH STARTER INGREDIENTS

Einkorn Whole Wheat Flour – I developed this recipe with fresh milled einkorn wheat berries. I grind them into fine flour at the time of mixing.
Raw Honey – Use raw honey. We want the enzymes and nutrients intact.
Filtered Water – Don’t use tap water.
Optional – For a snack along the way (see step 4 of the recipe below) grab several mozzarella slices, a tomato, a few fresh basil leaves, and olive oil to drizzle.

WARNING!

I developed this recipe with fresh milled whole grain EINKORN flour. Using another type of flour will change the outcome!

SET UP YOUR SPACE WITH:
A Grain Mill (if you plan to grind your own flour)
A Quart Size Wide-Mouth Mason Jar with a Lid
A Digital Kitchen Scale
A Long Fork or Wooden Spoon
A Small Warming Pan for Water
A Thermometer
A Teaspoon

HOW TO MAKE EINKORN SOURDOUGH STARTER:

Start this process in the morning or evening.

Step 1:

First, place 40 grams of 90° filtered water in a wide-mouthed quart size mason jar. Next, add 1 teaspoon of raw honey and then 40 grams of fresh ground einkorn flour to the same jar. Stir everything together to form a creamy dough. Make sure to incorporate all the flour. Cover the jar with a lid and let it sit in a warm, dark place for 48 hours. Throw a kitchen towel over the jar if your warm place isn’t dark.

new whole wheat einkorn sourdough starter

Step 2:

After the initial 48 hours, add 40 grams of filtered water and 40 grams fresh milled einkorn flour to the same quart size jar. Stir well. Cover and let it sit in a warm, dark place again for 12 hours.

new einkorn sourdough starter honeysalt and olive version

Step 3:

If the starter is bubbly, switch recipes now and use the 20-60-100 sourdough starter recipe to refresh it again and let it rise for 6-12 hours. (If it’s not bubbly, repeat step two before moving to step 3)

honeysalt and olive new einkorn sourdough starter with whole wheat

Step 4 (Optional):

While the 20-60-100 recipe is rising, go ahead and use up the leftover original starter—you won’t need it any more. Ladle 4 small rounds of the dough onto an oiled hot griddle to make sourdough fry bread. Be sure to sprinkle the top of each round with coarse salt and a sprinkle of crushed oregano. Flip the round to brown the top side (the seasoned side). When it’s brown on each side, and no longer doughy in the middle, remove it from the griddle and top it with shredded mozzarella, a slice of tomato, basil, and a drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy!

Step 5:

Now, back to the 20-60-100 Sourdough Starter you refreshed. ALWAYS KEEP 20 GRAMS OF THIS to refresh! It’s now your official starter and you’re ready to use it to make sourdough flatbread.

sourdough fry bread rounds with tomato, mozzarella, oregano, and olive oil

ADDITIONAL TIPS

If it doesn’t have bubbles by step #3 repeat step #2 until it does. You may just have to make a few extra fry breads to use up the immature starter dough.
If you don’t have time to make the flatbread recipe (step #5) immediately you can refrigerate the refreshed starter overnight and then continue the next morning (within 12 hours).
The first week with your new einkorn sourdough starter: After step 4, use the Sourdough Starter 20-60-100 recipe to refresh the starter daily, and bake flatbread (step #5) daily, for at least 3 days in a row (they freeze well—and you’ll gain a nice little stash). After that you can refrigerate the starter for a few days at a time without it giving out on you.
Once the starter has been refreshed multiple times, then move on to recipes like Whole Wheat Einkorn Artisan Sourdough Bread (Coming Soon).

Jump to Recipe

FAQ’S:

HOW DO I REFRESH MY STARTER?

Use the 20-60-100 method to refresh your starter before baking.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I REFRESH MY STARTER?

Refresh your starter once a week or more. Continue with this practice to maintain a healthy starter. Yes, sometimes I let it sit in the refrigerator a bit longer, but aim for at least once a week.

CAN I USE ALL OF MY STARTER?

No. Reserve 20 grams of your starter AT ALL TIMES in order to refresh it using the Sourdough Starter 20-60-100 method.

HOW LONG IS MY STARTER CONSIDERED REFRESHED?

Once your starter finishes rising it is considered refreshed. If you don’t have time to bake immediately then refrigerate your starter after refreshing it. It can still be considered refreshed and ready for baking for up to 12ish hours. Otherwise, refresh the starter again before baking or choose a Discard friendly recipe.

WHERE SHOULD I STORE MY STARTER?

When the starter finishes rising use it (remember to save 20 grams) or refrigerate it. If you keep it at room temperature, you’ll need to refresh it every 12 hours (or sooner).

IS THIS THE RECIPE I USE TO REFRESH MY STARTER EACH TIME?

No. This recipe develops a new starter from scratch. You only need to use this recipe once if you keep 20 grams of starter and maintain it using the following recipe: 20-60-100 Sourdough Starter, Whole Wheat, Einkorn

DO I HAVE TO THROW MY STARTER AWAY IF THE TOP TURNS GRAY?

Not usually, unless there’s mold growing. Try and push the discolored starter aside to get your 20 grams of starter and then refresh it again. You’re back in business!

WHAT IS DISCARD STARTER?

Discard starter is the starter left behind after you take 20 grams away and mix it with new ingredients in order to refresh your starter. It generally hasn’t been refreshed for over 12 hours past the last time it finished rising.

DO I HAVE TO THROW AWAY DISCARD STARTER WITH THE HONEYSALT AND OLIVE METHOD OF BAKING?

No. There’s no need to discard any unused starter. Use it to make recipes labeled “discard friendly” recipes.

CAN I USE A STARTER I ALREADY HAVE TO BAKE HONEYSALT AND OLIVE RECIPES?

I developed these recipes with specific ratios and a specific wheat (einkorn). I recommend taking 20 grams of your starter and refreshing it using the HoneySalt and Olive 20-60-100 Sourdough Starter recipe and whole grain einkorn wheat. Continue to do this as you continue to bake.

Continue to refresh your starter with whole grain einkorn flour even if you choose to make an all-purpose einkorn flour loaf at some point.

STORAGE OPTIONS

It’s easy to start this recipe by placing the starter ingredients in a quart size, wide mouth, glass mason jar. It offers plenty of space to keep adding ingredients when necessary.

Once I move on to the 20-60-100 refresh stage, I prefer to store my starter in a small glass container with short sides and a snap on lid (airtight). I keep two designated sourdough starter containers on hand and rotate them.

LEFTOVER TIPS

As mentioned in the recipe, you can use up the leftover starter (sometimes called discard sourdough starter) by making mini fry bread on an oiled cast iron griddle.

Sprinkle the top of each piece of fry bread with sea salt, and crushed oregano while cooking them. Sea salt flakes shine on these simple fry breads. After cooking, add a slice of mozzarella cheese, a slice of tomato, a basil leaf, and a drizzle of olive oil.

New Einkorn Sourdough Starter

BEGIN YOUR EINKORN SOURDOUGH BREAD JOURNEY

EINKORN SOURDOUGH BREAD STARTER RECIPE

HELPFUL EQUIPMENT

SOURDOUGH STARTER INGREDIENTS