How To Feed Your Gluten Free Sourdough Starter
- Jessica Ruzicka
- Jan 23
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 29
Gluten free sourdough is quickly becoming a popular choice for those who want the tangy flavor and chewy texture of traditional sourdough without gluten. Whether you have celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, or simply want to try something new, gluten free sourdough offers a tasty and nutritious alternative. This post shares my top tips on how to care for your gluten free sourdough starter.
What Makes Gluten Free Sourdough Special
Gluten free sourdough uses naturally fermented gluten free flours like rice, buckwheat, sorghum, or millet. The fermentation process breaks down starches and proteins, making the bread easier to digest and giving it a complex flavor. Unlike commercial gluten free breads that rely on additives, sourdough uses wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria to rise and develop taste.
The key to great gluten free sourdough is a healthy starter, patience during fermentation, and the right flour blend. The result is bread with a crisp crust, moist crumb, and a subtle tang that pairs well with many dishes.
1. Stick with a simple 1:1:1 ratio...then adjust as needed for texture.
Maintaining your gluten free starter is a bit simpler than regular sourdough. No crazy ratios to remember. It's best to start off with all equal parts, then adjust to achieve the right texture. Since different flours absorb water differently, some feedings might need more water OR some might need more flour to get the right consistency. Gluten Free sourdough starter performs best with a thicker consistency then you might be used to. Think, mashed potatoes or hummus.
Step 1:
Start off with measuring the amount of starter you have into a CLEAN Jar. (Click the pink button for the Link to my favorite jar to keep my starter in!)
Step 2:
Once you know how much starter you have, go ahead and mix in equal amount of purified water. For example, If I start with 50g starter, I will mix in 50g water. Once that is a milky substance, mix in the same amount 50g of your flour of choice. My favorite flours to feed with are millet or sorgum flour. You can use brown rice, buckwheat, or even premixed 1:1 store bought GF flour mixes, just keep in mind it might perform different with those flours.
Tips:
Thicker STARTER consistency is BETTER with gluten free! Since gluten free grains tend to mold easier, the less moisture, the better. It also helps with structure in your actual dough once it comes down to adding it in.
Use a CLEAN jar & utencils with EVERY feed. To significantly reduce the chances of bad bacteria creeping in and mold taking over. Be EXTRA clean with a new jar at each feed.
While maintaining your starter in the fridge, always feed at minimum ONCE a week, even if you don't plan on baking with it. It will keep it happy and well fed and significantly reduce chances of mold.
If you DO plan on feeding and using your starter, keep it at a consistent warm temperature. Use warm water, and let it rise in a warm environment ( 89-85F is ideal).
If kept in that warm environment, a healthy starter will reach peak in 4 hours. If it does not, its a sign your starter is either too cold, or weak/acidic. Feed if every 8 hours in that case, until it begins to consitently double in size. Once its consistent, go ahead and stick it back in the fridge and resume the once a week maintenance feed.
Here is a video where I go into a little more detail.
If you would like to purchase a portion of my dehydrated sourdough starter, click the link below. It is a 3 yr old starter that I personally started from scratch in my home kitchen. It was started with organic brown rice flour, however has since been maintained with fresh milled millet & buckwheat flour.
Comments