Grape Sourdough Starter Recipe (2024)

A fool proof and easy method of making a grape sourdough starter with organic grapes, flour, and water so you can make your own sourdough bread at home!

When I first started baking with sourdough, I remember starting out with flour and water. I named him “Sid” and fed him every day (sometimes twice a day). I enjoyed making everything with Sid – sourdough bagels, sourdough English muffins and even sourdough bread.

It wasn’t but a few months later that I heard of sourdough bakers using grapes to make a sourdough starter.

I wasn’t so sure I understood why grapes were used; nonetheless, I knew I wanted to give it a try. Wild grape sourdough starter doesn’t perform any differently than regular sourdough starter but it does become active quite a bit faster.

Out here in Arizona, grapes grow beautifully. When I first determined I wanted to make grape sourdough starter, I didn’t have wild grapes growing in our garden. So I picked up a bag of red, seedless grapes at our local market and came home ready to get started.

Now, a year later, we have several grape plants in our home garden. They won’t bear fruit until next year, but we’re fortunate enough to live near a local, organic family farm that has grapes available for the local community (for donation).

The kids and I picked a whopping 17 lbs of grapes just a few weeks ago – what a wild adventure that was!

What’s up with wild grapes?

Why are they such a wonderful base for sourdough starter? The skin of wild grapes is perfect for wild yeast. Wild yeast floating in the air will collect on grape skins.

By burying wild grapes in flour you will transfer some of the yeast to the sourdough starter you will make with the flour.

Getting Started – Grapes to Flour

Getting started with grape sourdough starter is as simple as grapes and flour. Grab a few handfuls of grapes, give them a rinse in water and remove from the stems. Slice the grapes in half and put them in a large jar.

I alternate between a gallon, glass kombucha jar and a quart canning jar to make my sourdough starter. I prefer a larger jar though because it gives me ample room to stir and work.

After your starter is established, you’ll want to feed it (1-2 times each day). Each time you feed your starter with new flour and water, your starter may seem to lull. Within 2-3 hours, it’ll grow in size.

It might sometimes even try to escape the jar (see my jar above!) I would suggest using something that will provide ample room so you don’t have these mishaps.

Wait 3 days then feed

To the sliced grapes in the jar, add equal parts unbleached white flour and room temperature water. Give it a good stir with a wood spoon. Then cover the container and allow to sit for three days at room temperature.

**This isn’t exact. I did not weigh the grapes.. nor did I use any type of a measuring cup. I just used seedless, red grapes that I sliced in half. The slices weren’t perfect, I just did it as quickly as I could.

After three days, pluck out the grapes using a wood spoon (save them for your Vermicompost). Discard half the mixture (don’t throw it — use it to make sourdough crackers or sourdough popovers).

Then feed the remainder left in the jar with equal parts water and flour (1 C flour and 1 C water). Stir well, until the mixture is thoroughly combined, then cover the container.

Let that starter sit for another 24 hours and it should be ready to use.

Using your Sourdough Starter

If you are using the starter regularly (every week or every few days), then discard half and feed with equal parts flour and water each day. Depending on how much you bake, you may need to feed it twice each day.

If you are making sourdough bread, you will need to feed your starter 4-5 hours before using the starter. (For example – if you want to make bread at 12 p.m., then feed your starter at 8 a.m.) After using your starter for bread, make sure you feed your starter again.

Store your starter at room temperature if you are using it regularly. However, if you are using the starter to make bread once a month, keep it in the fridge (covered).

Just return it to room temperature the night before you wish to use it. Then feed it 4 hours before you plan to start making bread.

This sourdough starter is a fabulous way to start making your own sourdough bread!

Sourdough recipes you don’t want to miss:

Everything Sourdough Bagels Recipe

Sourdough Popovers

No Yeast Sourdough Pretzels