Sourdough onion bread

If you’re looking for a beginner sourdough recipe that is not a traditional loaf, you absolutely want to try our sourdough onion bread. This cheese bread has a soft crumb with a sweet caramelized onion filling and a crunchy crust.

Slices of sourdough onion bread.

Why you will love this recipe

  • This sourdough onion bread is the perfect side for your Christmas and Thanksgiving dinner.
  • I LOVE the classic combination of the caramelized onions and the savory Gouda cheese.
  • Who doesn’t want homemade cheesy bread with an amazing crunchy crust?

Ingredient notes

Sourdough starter: For the best results, it is important that you use an active, bubbly sourdough starter. I recommend feeding your starter a few hours before you want to make the recipe to ensure your bread will rise properly.

If you don’t have a starter yet, you can often buy one at your local bakery, or check out our guide on how to make a sourdough starter from scratch!

Flour: You don’t need special flour to make sourdough onion bread. All-purpose flour will work perfectly. To add more depth of flavor, I like to substitute half of the flour with whole wheat flour.

Onions: Yellow or white onions are best for caramelizing onions. These already have a mild, sweet flavor that is great with the cheese. You can use red onions, but keep in mind that they will be a lot darker.

Gouda cheese: I love Gouda cheese and I always use this when I make sourdough onion bread. If you don’t like Gouda, feel free to use grated cheddar instead.

Bakers schedule

Bakers scedule for aourdough onion bread.

How to make sourdough onion bread

On day one, you start with collecting your ingredients for the bread and mixing everything into a quick dough. No need to knead the dough because we want to let it ferment overnight.

After mixing the ingredients for a few minutes,, you need to cover your bowl and let it ferment for at least 12 hours.

Caramelizing onions collage.

To make the caramelized onions, you want to cut your onions in half and in about 1/2 inch thick slices. This will ensure they are thin enough to caramelize quickly b, butot so thin they fall apart while cooking.

Cook the onions slowly in a heavy-bottomed pan so that they release all their sugars and your onions develop a sweet caramel flavor. It’s really important to take your time with this, so don’t set the heat too high.

A collage on how to fold a sourdough onion bread.

There are two ways to make sure your onion cheese filling is well distributed through the bread. I always make a large square of the dough first and spread half of the filling on top. Then I fold 1/3 of the dough over it and put more filling on top. Finally, I fold the other empty side of the dough over that again and start stretching and folding the dough.

Another way is to spread all the filling over the large square, but keep in mind to leave a 1-inch border. Then, fold the dough in the same way before continuing with shaping your bread.

How to fold an onion sourdough bread.

Now it’s time to stretch and fold your dough. Because we use a sourdough starter, you don’t have to knead the dough like you would when you use yeast.

I’ve explained all the steps in the recipe card below, but I think adding the step-by-step photos helps when you first make this recipe.

Collage with unbaked and baked bread.

When you’ve folded the dough, it’s time for the second rise. Cover your proofing basket with flour to prevent the bread from sticking to the basket, and let it rise for half an hour.

Now, let’s talk about scoring your onion bread. I like to add one slash at the side and a wheat pattern on the other, but you can use any design you like. After scoring, we bake our bread, and once cooled, you can cut it into slices and serve it with some butter or jam.

Our tips for this recipe

  • Take your time when you make the caramelized onions. Caramelizing the onions may take some time, but it is totally worth it! This is because the longer you fry the onions, the sweeter they become. So, it’s important that you don’t set your heat too high to give the onions time to develop their flavor.
  • Use a kitchen scale. To make sure you achieve the same result every time, it’s a good idea to use a kitchen scale instead of cups. That way, you’ll weigh your ingredients a lot more accurately and bake a perfect sourdough onion bread time after time.
  • Feed your starter before starting with the recipe. Since your starter is the only rising agent, it is essential that it is active enough to have an airy texture. If you are unsure if your starter is active enough, I recommend feeding your starter a few hours before you begin, but don’t throw away your discard! You can use it to make sourdough discard cheese crackers or sourdough granola bars!
  • Make your caramelized onions on day one. To save some time on day two, you can also caramelize your onions the day before and keep them in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake the bread.
  • For an extra crispy crust, you can place a small heatproof bowl of hot water in the oven with the bread for the first 20 minutes. The steam not only makes the crust nice and crispy, but it also gives it a nice gloss.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use a different cheese?

Absolutely! If you do not like Gouda cheese, you can swap it for cheddar or Gruyère cheese.

What can I pair this sourdough onion bread with?

I like sourdough onion bread best with just some butter, but it is also amazing paired with French onion soup or use it to make a grilled chicken sandwich.

Will this recipe work with whole wheat flour?

Yes! Other flours, such as whole wheat flour, are also great for this recipe. For the best texture, I just wouldn’t substitute all the flour but try a ratio of 1:3. By the way, spelt flour is also a delicious option for this bread.

Storage

Sourdough onion bread stays fresh for about two days, but you can eat it for up to four days if you keep it in a paper bag at room temperature. If you want to enjoy the bread longer, I recommend freezing it. In the freeze,r it will stay good for three to six months.

To thaw your bread, simply place it on your counter and let it come to temperature. The crust will be softer after freezing, but you can get your crispy crust back by placing your sourdough onion bread in a preheated oven for a few minutes.

More sourdough bread recipes you will love

Sourdough onion bread

If you're looking for a beginner sourdough recipe that is not a traditional loaf, you absolutely want to try our sourdough onion bread. This cheese bread has a soft crumb with a sweet caramelized onion filling and a crunchy crust.
5 from 4 votes
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Featured image for sourdough onion bread.
Prep Time:5 minutes
Cook Time:1 hour
Proofing & shaping the dough:12 hours
Total Time:13 hours 5 minutes

Equipment

  • 1 proofing basket

Ingredients

For the dough

  • 2 1/4 cup (300 grams) flour
  • 1 teaspoon (6 grams) salt
  • 1/4 cup (55 gram) sourdough starter active and bubbly
  • 1 cup (220 ml) water luke warm

For the caramelized onion and cheese filling

  • 3 large onions
  • 1/2 stick (50 grams) butter unsalted
  • 1 cup (100 grams) Gouda cheese grated

Instructions

Day one:

  • Add the flour, salt, and sourdough starter to a bowl and knead this for five minutes until you have a smooth dough. I like to do this in a kitchen aid with dough hooks.
  • Cover your mixing bowl with plastic wrap and let it ferment overnight. Ideally, you'll let the dough ferment for 15 hours, but at least 12 hours for the best results.

Day two:

  • Day two, we start with making the caramelized onions. These need to cool before you can use them as a filling.
  • Cut your onions into 1/2 inch thick rings.
  • Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed pot and add the onions.
  • Turn your heat down and cook the onions until they are soft and a dark brown. This will take at least 25 minutes, but the longer you let them caramelize, the sweeter they will become. If the onions start to stick to the bottom, you can add a tablespoon of water and scrape the bottom of your pot.
  • Once your onions are cooked, put them in a shallow bowl and set them aside to cool completely while you continue with the dough.
  • Turn your dough out on a well floured workspace.
  • Give your dough a gentle knead until all the drier bits are incorporated, and roll it out until you have a one-inch thick square. You can also do this without a rolling pin by gently stretching the dough.
  • Spread half of the caramelized onions in the center of your dough and add half of the cheese.
  • Fold your dough over the onions and spread the rest of the caramelized onions and cheese over the top.
  • To create a perfect loaf, you need to stretch and fold the dough. Put your index and middle fingers under the dough and together with your thumbs grab a piece of dough, pull it out slightly shaking it and fold it well inside so it sticks.
  • Repeat this step and place your dough with the seam facing up into a proofing basket.
  • Cover the dough and let it rise for another 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 440 F (230 C).
  • Turn your bread out onto an oven tray lined with parchment paper for scoring. I like to give the dough one slash at one side and a more detailed pattern on the other.
  • Place the bread into the center of the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
  • Turn your oven down to 410 F (210 C) and bake for 10 more minutes until golden.
  • Take your sourdough onion bread out of the oven and let it cool completely before serving.

Notes

There are two ways of adding the filling to the bread. I like to use the method as written in the recipe card, but if you want to try the other method, feel free to check out the blog.
Servings: 1 bread
Calories: 2058kcal
Author: Maayke

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6 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I absolutely love this recipe – it’s so simple yet so delicious! Really enjoy the combo of onion and cheese with sourdough! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe and for your wonderful collection of recipes, your work is so appreciated! ❤️

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