500g Sourdough at 70% Hydration
Exact ingredient weights for your sourdough recipe
A 500g mix at 70% hydration yields about 860g of finished dough, enough for one large boule or two 450g loaves. Expect a balanced open crumb — this hydration is intermediate and best suits classic batards and boules. Ratios use 20% starter and 2% salt by flour weight.
The classic sourdough hydration
70% hydration is the sweet spot for most bakers - wet enough for an open crumb and good oven spring, but dry enough to shape confidently. This 500g recipe produces a standard loaf that's versatile for everyday eating, from toast to sandwiches to dipping in soup.
How do I scale this recipe?
Multiply every ingredient by the same factor and the baker's percentages stay the same — that's why sourdough formulas scale cleanly. Pick the loaf count below and the flour, water, starter, and salt all update in lockstep.
What are the exact ingredient weights?
These four weights are what you actually measure on the scale. Flour and salt come straight from baker's percentages; water is the hydration percent of the flour; the starter contribution is already factored in, so the numbers below are what goes in the bowl.
Flour
450g
Water
300g
Starter
100g
Salt
10g
Note: This recipe uses 20% starter (at 100% hydration) and 2% salt based on total flour weight. Adjust these ratios based on your preference.
What does this hydration level give me?
Hydration sets the trade-off between handling ease and crumb openness. The breakdown below shows what to expect on the counter and in the finished loaf at this specific ratio, plus which shaping styles and flours suit it best.
Target Hydration
70%
Dough Texture
Standard sourdough texture with moderate stickiness. Manageable with wet hands.
Handling Difficulty
Standard difficulty. Suitable for most bakers.
What baking tips help at this hydration?
The tips below are the small adjustments that tend to matter most at this particular hydration — the handling cues, temperature assumptions, and shaping moves that keep the dough on track rather than generic advice.
Use Wet Hands for Folds
Keep a bowl of water nearby during stretch and folds. Wet hands prevent sticking and make handling the dough much easier.
Watch for Windowpane
At 70% hydration, you should be able to stretch a small piece of dough thin enough to see light through it. This indicates good gluten development.
What questions come up at this hydration?
Is 70% hydration good for my first sourdough loaf?
70% is a great starting point for beginners who have some basic dough-handling experience. It's forgiving enough to shape successfully but wet enough to produce that classic sourdough texture. If you're brand new, consider starting at 65% for your first few loaves.
How open will my crumb be at 70% hydration?
You'll get a nice, moderately open crumb with irregular holes - what most people picture when they think of sourdough. It won't be as wild as high-hydration loaves, but it will have good structure and be perfect for butter or jam.
Can I use 70% hydration with whole wheat flour?
Whole wheat absorbs more water than white flour, so at 70% hydration with significant whole wheat content, your dough will feel drier. Consider increasing to 75% if using more than 20% whole wheat.
What other recipes should I try?
The recipes below shift either the flour weight or the hydration percent by one step, so you can see how the ingredient numbers and the crumb expectations change without starting over from the hub.