Is there salt in sourdough? The Complete Guide

December 27, 2025 •

3 min read

Over 95% of sourdough recipes include salt, which is a fundamental ingredient, not an optional one. Beyond just flavor, salt in sourdough plays a pivotal role in the biochemical processes that make the bread what it is, influencing everything from texture to shelf life.

Quick Summary

Salt is an essential ingredient for sourdough bread, performing key functions like controlling fermentation, strengthening gluten, and adding flavor. Its omission leads to a sticky, unmanageable dough and a bland, pale loaf. The amount of salt is typically determined by baker's percentages, ensuring consistency and quality.

Key Points

Essential Ingredient: Salt is a core component of almost every sourdough recipe and is not an optional additive.
Flavor Balancer: It enhances the flavor of the final loaf and balances the natural sourness produced by fermentation.
Gluten Strengthener: Salt tightens the gluten structure, which is crucial for dough elasticity and good oven spring.
Fermentation Regulator: By slowing down yeast activity, salt prevents the dough from over-proofing and allows for richer flavor development.
Texture and Crust: It aids in moisture retention and promotes better browning for a desirable crust and chewy texture.
Bland and Weak Loaf without Salt: Omitting salt results in a sticky, unmanageable dough and a bland, pale, and dense final bread.
Controlled Quantity: Bakers typically add salt as 1.8% to 2.2% of the total flour weight, following standard baker's percentages.

The Core Role of Salt in Sourdough

Far from a simple seasoning, salt is a workhorse in sourdough baking. It interacts with the other ingredients—flour, water, and starter—in several critical ways to produce a balanced, well-structured, and delicious loaf. Understanding its functions is key to successful sourdough baking.

Flavor Enhancer and Balancer

Salt’s most immediately recognizable role is as a flavor enhancer. A loaf baked without salt is incredibly bland and unappealing. In sourdough, salt is particularly important because it balances the characteristic sourness produced by the lactic acid bacteria in the starter. By counteracting this acidity, salt helps bring out the complex, earthy flavors of the fermented flour, resulting in a more nuanced and enjoyable taste.

Gluten Strengthening

Gluten is the protein network in dough that gives bread its structure and elasticity. Salt plays a crucial part in strengthening this network. By tightening the gluten structure, salt allows the dough to retain the carbon dioxide gases released during fermentation. This results in a better oven spring, a higher rise, and a more open, chewy crumb. Without salt, the dough is slack and sticky, making it difficult to handle and resulting in a dense, flat loaf.

Fermentation Control

Salt acts as a regulator for the yeast and bacteria activity in sourdough. It slows down fermentation, preventing the dough from over-proofing too quickly. This extended, slower fermentation period allows for deeper flavor development. In a dough without salt, fermentation can be so rapid that the yeast consumes all the available sugars, leading to a pale crust and a less flavorful result. It is a common myth that salt kills yeast; it simply slows it down, allowing for a more controlled process.

Moisture Retention and Browning

Salt is hygroscopic, meaning it attracts and retains moisture. This property helps keep the bread fresh for longer by preventing it from becoming stale too quickly. Additionally, by slowing the yeast’s consumption of sugars, salt ensures there are residual sugars left in the dough when it enters the oven. These sugars contribute to the Maillard reaction, a chemical process that creates the deep, golden-brown, flavorful crust that is a hallmark of good sourdough.

Troubleshooting: What Happens if You Forget the Salt?

Forgetting the salt is a common baking mistake with noticeable consequences. Here’s what you can expect:

Faster and Uncontrolled Rise: Without salt to regulate the yeast, your dough will ferment much faster and may over-proof, leading to a collapsed loaf.
Sticky, Weak Dough: The lack of gluten strengthening from the salt will result in a very wet, sticky, and weak dough that is hard to handle and shape.
Pale Crust: Since the yeast has consumed most of the sugars during the accelerated fermentation, the crust will not brown properly, resulting in a paler, under-baked appearance.
Bland Flavor: The final bread will lack the balanced, deep flavor profile that salt provides.

Sourdough Salt Comparison: Homemade vs. Store-Bought


Feature	Homemade Sourdough (controlled salt)	Store-Bought Sourdough (packaged)
Salt Content	Controlled by the baker, typically 1.8% to 2.2% of flour weight.	Varies widely; can be higher on average than other breads.
Flavor Control	The baker can adjust the salt level to personal preference and balance the sour notes.	Less control over flavor profile and saltiness.
Ingredients	Flour, water, starter, and salt. No additives or preservatives.	May contain additional preservatives or dough conditioners.
Texture	Optimal gluten development results in a chewy crumb and good structure.	Can vary significantly depending on the manufacturer and baking process.
Health Implications	Allows for control of sodium intake, which is beneficial for those on low-sodium diets.	Sodium levels should be checked on the nutrition label, especially for health-conscious consumers.

Conclusion: Salt's Indispensable Role

Yes, there is salt in sourdough, and it is a non-negotiable ingredient for achieving a superior loaf. Its functions extend far beyond simply adding flavor; it is essential for regulating fermentation, strengthening the gluten network, and producing a desirable crust and crumb. For home bakers, understanding the role of salt empowers you to troubleshoot problems and adjust recipes to suit your personal taste preferences. When it comes to sourdough, salt is not just a component, but a crucial piece of the puzzle that ensures a successful and delicious outcome. For more expert insights on baking science, consider exploring resources like the King Arthur Baking Blog.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, salt will not kill a mature sourdough starter, but adding it directly to the starter can slow down its activity. Salt should be added to the final dough mixture, not the starter itself.

While technically possible, baking sourdough without salt is not recommended. The resulting loaf will be bland, have a poor structure, a pale crust, and a weak, sticky dough that is difficult to handle.

Salt can be added at the beginning of the mixing process, along with the flour, water, and starter (known as fermentolyse). It is safe to add it at the same time as the starter, despite some myths.

If you forget the salt, your dough will ferment much faster and become sticky and hard to handle. The final bread will be pale, flat, and lacking in flavor.

If you catch the mistake before shaping, you can dissolve the salt in a small amount of water and work it into the dough. If you don't realize until after the final rise, it's too late to mix it in without damaging the gluten structure.

A standard baker's percentage for salt in sourdough is between 1.8% and 2.2% of the total flour weight. For a recipe using 500g of flour, this would be 9g to 11g of salt.

For most baking, standard fine cooking salt is sufficient. While artisanal salts like sea salt can add trace minerals, the effect on taste is generally minimal in the final loaf. The key is ensuring it dissolves evenly.