The Best Cheesy Garlic Dill Sourdough Bread

If you love that nostolgic cheesy dill flavor combination then this Cheesy Garlic Dill Sourdough bread is for you! It loaded with fresh dill, garlic and chunks of melty cheese. Absolute heaven!

Baking sourdough bread is a weekly occurance in this house and I am always trying out new flavor combinations to add into my loaves. While my husbands favorite loaf is a good old Jalepeno Cheddar, this one takes the cake for me!

There is something so fresh and vibrant tasting about fresh dill and when it is added along side garlic and sharp cheddar to an already delicious loaf, it is even better.

You can make this sourdough bread with whatever sourdough bread recipe you typically use or you can use my staple recipe! Simply make the dough as you would, allow it to bulk ferment then fold in all the add ins as you shape your bread. This Cheesy Garlic Dill Sourdough is perfect on its own or makes the most amazing sandwiches!!

Tips for PErfect Cheesy Garlic DIll sourdough Bread

1. Use a nice and strong active starter that is at its peak. I always recommend feeding your starter a 1:5:5 ratio about 8-10 hours before you want to make your bread. It should be nice and bubbly, doubled in size and half a flat top when it is ready to use.
2. Be sure to allow the dough to bulkd ferment long enough. If your dough is underproofed it will yield a dense and gummy bread. Typically a bulk ferment on the counter will take anywhere from 5-8 hours depending on the temperature in your home. You will know it has ferementedlong enough when it is niced and fluffy looking, at leas doubled in size and not so sticky to the touch.
3. Do not stretch your dough too thin before adding all of the ad ins. If the dough is too thin, when you fold it into your loaf shape, it may tear and your ad ins will spill out.

Cheesy Garlic Dill Sourodugh Ingredients

Sourdough Starter– As mentioned above, you want to use a nice and active, strong sourdough starter for this recipe that has reached its peak.

Salt– Any salt you have will work. I use pink Himalayan salt.

Flour– Bread flour or unbleached all purpose flour are my top recommendations. USe whichever you typically like to make your sourdough loaves with.

Cheddar Cheese– You can use any type of cheddar cheese you like. I personally love a sharp cheddar for a bolder flavor.

Dill– Use fresh dill for a fresh a vibrant flavor.

Garlic- Fresh chopped garlic adds the perfect extra kick to this bread. I always recommend using fresh not pre minced garlic.

The Steps

Make The Dough

1.Start by mixing the water and sourdough starter in a large mixing bowl. You can do this with a wooden spoon or a dough whisk.

2. Then, add in the flour and the salt. Mix gently until a dough start to form, then I like to finish mixing it by hand until its a shaggy dough with no dry spots remaining. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let rest at rom temperature for 45 minutes.

3. Once rested, perform the first set of stretch and folds or coil folds . Cover the bowl and let rest for another 30 minutes.

4. Repeat step 4, 2-3 more times. If you have the time, do it 3 more times but if you don’t, you can have great bread with just the 2.

5. When you are done all the folds, cover the bowl back up and let it rest at room temperature for 4-6 hour or up to 8. I like to finish my folds right before bed so that my bread can rise for 8 hours while I sleep. Our house stays around 18 degrees Celsius. If your home is warmer than that, I recommend starting with 4-6 hours. You will know your bread is done rising when it has doubles in size and is no locker sticky to touch. It should be domed on the top and look soft and fluffy.

Shape It

6. Next, its time to shape the bread. Dump the dough out onto the counter and gently stretch into a rectangle. Sprinkle a generous layer of the cubed cheese, dill and garlic all over the dough.

7. Fold the top third of the dough into the middle and add more cheese, dill and garlic on top of that folded piece. Then fold the bottom third into the middle over top and sprinkle the remaining cheese, dill and garlic all along the now log of dough.

8. Start from one end of the folded dough, and roll it up. Then take the open sides of the rolled dough and gently pinch them together.

9. Using the heel of your hands, gently push the ball of dough away from you on the counter, then pull it back toward you. Imagine you are drawing a candy cane shape on the counter with your ball of dough. Repeat this 4-6 times, until the top of your dough is tight and smooth. This whole step, is to build surface tension on top of your loaf.

10. Gently flour the inside of your banneton or place tea towel inside a bowl and flour that. Flip the dough upside down placing the smooth side inside the banneton or bowl.

11. Next you are going to stitch the bread. This is where you pinch the dough and pull it into the center to create more tension on the top of your bread. You will do this around the whole ball of dough. Sprinkle some flour over top of the dough, then cover each banneton or bowl loosely with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge to ferment for minimum 8 hours or up to 2 days.

Bake It

12. When you are ready to bake the bread, preheat your oven, with your empty Dutch oven inside to 450F. You want the Dutch oven to get nice and hot.

13. Pull the bread out of the fridge and flip it out onto a piece of parchment or a bread sling. Using a sharp knife or a bread lame, score the top of the bread. You can do any pattern you choose, but the most important thing is that you score one big cut (about 1/4-1/2 inch deep). This is called an expansion score, which allows your bread space to grow while it bakes.

14. Lift the bread into the hot Dutch oven and bake with the lid on for 20 minutes then remove the lid, turn the oven down to 410F and bake for another 20-25 minutes or until desired color. I typically like about 22 minutes for a loaf that is not too brown and crispy.

15. Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool for 1-2 hours before slicing with a sharp bread knife.

If you try this recipe, let us know your thoughts in the comments or leave the recipe a review 🙂

Find my tried and true plain Sourdough Bread Recipe here https://cmbarndominium.com/how-to-make-perfect-sourdough-bread-from-start-to-finish/#mv-creation-16-jtr