This easy seeded sourdough bread recipe is packed with sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, and poppy seeds for a flavorful, crunchy loaf. Makes two loaves—perfect for sharing or freezing!

seeded sourdough loaf with second loaf in background and seeds sprinkled around

This seeded sourdough bread is everything a hearty, rustic loaf should be—deeply flavorful, nutty, and packed with texture. Soaked sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, and poppy seeds add layers of crunch and earthy richness that elevate every bite. Whether you’re slicing it for sandwiches, toasting it for breakfast, or tearing into it warm with a smear of butter, this is a loaf that gets people talking.

And the best part? It’s surprisingly simple. With a flexible fermentation schedule and no fancy shaping required, it’s a great project for weekend baking or any time you’re craving a feel-good kitchen win. You’ll soak the seeds overnight, fold them into a beautifully elastic dough, and let time and a hot Dutch oven do the rest.

This recipe makes two loaves—perfect for sharing or freezing. Want just one? You can easily halve everything.

seeded sourdough bread loaf cut in half, with one half showing seeds on top and one half rotated to show inside texture

Why you’ll love this recipe

Loaded with Crunch and Flavor – The mix of soaked seeds adds a satisfying texture and nutty flavor to every slice.
Great for Meal Prep or Gifting – Two loaves mean double the joy. Freeze one, gift one, or stash both for the best toast of your life.
Beginner-Friendly with Big Results – Stretch-and-folds and a long fermentation schedule make this bread manageable and forgiving, even if you’re new to baking.

If you loved baking this seeded sourdough, you’ll definitely want to try a few more flavorful loaves from your sourdough starter. My roasted garlic sourdough bread is packed with slow-roasted garlic and optional rosemary—perfect for dipping in olive oil or pairing with soup. You can also try my olive sourdough bread for a briny, Mediterranean-style loaf that’s perfect for savory sandwiches or charcuterie boards. These recipes are all about using simple mix-ins to transform your basic sourdough into something really special—and they’re a great way to keep your baking routine exciting.

ingredients for seeded sourdough bread on marble counter

How to make a seeded sourdough bread loaf

Here is a brief overview so you know what to expect when making this bread. For the full set of directions, please scroll down to the recipe card below.

Step One: Soak the seeds

The night before baking, stir together your sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, and poppy seeds with warm water in a bowl. Cover and let them soak overnight at room temperature. This hydrates the seeds so they don’t steal moisture from your dough later. In the morning, drain them in a fine mesh strainer and set aside.

Step Two: Mix the dough

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the water and the active sourdough starter until mostly dissolved. Add the flour and stir until no dry bits remain. Cover and let the dough rest for 30 to 60 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate—this is called the autolyse.

Sprinkle the salt over the dough and use your hands to pinch and fold it in until fully incorporated.

glass mixing bowl with water and sourdough starter

Step Three: Stretch and fold

Begin folding in the drained seeds a little at a time during your first few rounds of stretch and folds. This helps them distribute evenly without clumping. Using wet hands, stretch and fold the dough every 30 minutes for the next 2 hours. To do this, lift and stretch one side of the dough upward, then fold it over onto itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat three more times. You can also do gentle coil folds if you prefer. After four sets, your dough should feel stronger and more elastic.

sourdough dough in glass mixing bowl being stretched and folded with a blend of seeds

Step Four: Bulk fermentation

After the last fold, let the dough rise undisturbed at room temperature (ideally around 75–78°F) until it’s puffed and has grown by about 50–60%, with visible bubbles along the edges. This usually takes 4–6 hours, depending on your kitchen environment.

seeded sourdough bread dough in glass mixing bowl after stretch and folds but before bulk fermentation

seeded sourdough dough in glass bowl after bulk fermentation and having doubled in size

Step Five: Divide and shape

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and divide it into two equal portions. Gently shape each piece into a round, cover with a towel, and let rest for 20–30 minutes

Reshape each round more tightly to build surface tension. If using extra seeds for topping, lightly brush the top of each loaf with water and sprinkle with seeds. Place seam side up in floured bannetons (or bowls lined with a well-floured towel).

sourdough bread dough with seeds cut in half on counter

two balls of seeded sourdough bread dough

Step Six: Final proof

Cover and allow the loaves to rest at room temperature for 1–2 hours, or transfer them to the fridge for a cold overnight proof (8–16 hours). This slow fermentation improves both texture and flavor.

Step Seven: Bake

When you’re ready to bake, place your Dutch ovens into the oven and preheat. Let the Dutch ovens preheat for at least 45 minutes to ensure a good crust.

Gently turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper. Score the top with a sharp knife or lame. Carefully transfer to your preheated Dutch oven, cover, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid, reduce the heat to 450°F (230°C), and bake for another 20–25 minutes until deeply golden brown.

Once baked, the loaves should sound hollow when tapped and register 205–208°F (96–98°C) internally. Remove from the Dutch oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing. The wait is hard—but worth it!

seeded sourdough dough in circle banneton basket

seeded sourdough dough on counter with seeds on top and cross hatch cut onto top of dough

Storage & Reheating

Storing: Once the bread is fully cooled, store it at room temperature in a bread bag for up to 3 days.

Freezing: Tightly wrap the bread in foil or saran wrap and place it in a freezer bag. Freeze whole or sliced loaves for a maximum of 3 months. I recommend that you slice the bread before freezing.

Reheating: To refresh the crust, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), place the loaf (or slices) directly on the rack, and warm them for 10–15 minutes. If they are frozen, allow them to thaw first or extend the reheating time to 20 minutes.

slices of sourdough seeded bread stacked at an angle to show off inside texture and seeds

Baker’s Schedule

Knowing how to fit baking into your schedule is a really important part of knowing when and how to make this bread! I like to start backwards from when I want to be done and then see when I need to start feeding my starter. The below times are estimates of how long each phase of this recipe should take you.

The night before:

Feed your starter
Soak the seeds

The next day:

Mix the dough – 1 hour
Stretch and Folds – 2 hours
Bulk Fermentation – 4-6 hours
Shaping – 30 minutes
Final Proofing – 1-2 hours OR overnight cold fermentation
Oven Preheating – 45 minutes
Baking – 40 minutes
Cooling – 1 hour

Remember that the temperature and humidity of your house will affect your starter and dough. If your house is hot or humid, the times will be faster. If your house is cold or dry, the times could be longer. Remember ot please watch the dough, not the clock.

overhead view of two loaves of seeded sourdough bread with seeds scattered around

Sourdough is better when shared

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and rating below.

Love and links are always appreciated! If you’d like to share this recipe, please link to the post directly for the recipe, please do not copy and paste or screenshot. Thank you so much for supporting me. XOXO – Jenni

Seeded Sourdough Bread

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This easy seeded sourdough bread recipe is packed with sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, and poppy seeds for a flavorful, crunchy loaf. Makes two loaves—perfect for sharing or freezing!

Author: Jenni Ward – Sourdough Surprises
Prep Time: 15 hours
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 15 hours 40 minutes
Yield: 2 loaves 1x
Category: Bread
Method: Bake
Cuisine: American

Instructions

The night before, mix the seeds with warm water in a bowl. Cover and let them sit at room temperature.
The next morning, they’ll be perfectly hydrated. Drain the seeds using a fine mesh strainer and set aside.
In a large bowl, stir together the water and the starter for the dough. Add the flour and mix until no dry bits remain.
Cover and allow a 30-minute to 1-hour dough rest. This rest period is called the autolyse.
Sprinkle the salt over the dough. Use wet hands to pinch and fold it in until the salt is fully incorporated.
Gently incorporate the drained seed mixture about a 1/4 cup at a time into the dough during the stretch and folds.
To stretch and fold, wet one of your hands, and then lift one part of the dough, stretch and lift the dough, and then fold it over to the opposite part of the dough. Turn the bowl and then do the same thing three more times. Perform four sets of stretches and folds every 30 minutes for two hours. Aim for a dough temperature of 75–79°F (24–26°C).
After the last fold, let the dough rise undisturbed in a warm place. This first rise is a very important part of the fermentation process. The dough should grow by 50–60% and look puffy with bubbles at the edges. This typically takes 4-6 hours at room temperature, depending on how warm or cold your kitchen is.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it into two equal parts using a bench knife.
Shape each into a round and let them rest uncovered for 20–30 minutes for another short dough rest.
Reshape each round more tightly to build surface tension. If you are using the reserved seeds for topping, lightly spray or brush the top of the dough with water and sprinkle extra seeds on top.
Place the shaped dough seam side up in floured bannetons (I usually use rice flour or gluten-free flour). Cover them loosely with a damp tea towel and either let them rise for 1–2 hours at room temperature until they become puffy, or refrigerate them for 8–16 hours for more flavor development.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 480°F (250°C) with your Dutch oven(s) inside. Let them heat for at least 45 minutes.
Turn the proofed dough out onto a piece of parchment paper.
Score the top of the loaf with a razor or sharp knife about ¼ inch deep and then place it into the hot Dutch oven, cover, and bake for 20 minutes to maximize oven spring.
If you are baking both loaves simultaneously, repeat with the second loaf in a second Dutch oven. If you are using one Dutch oven, keep the second loaf refrigerated until you are ready to bake it. After 20 minutes, remove the lids, reduce the temperature to 450°F (230°C), and bake for 20 minutes more to develop a crunchy crust.
The crust should be deep golden brown. The bread should sound hollow when tapped. The internal temp should be 205–208°F (96–98°C).
Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Notes

Once the bread is fully cooled, store it at room temperature in a bread bag for up to 3 days.