Azorean Sourdough Starter Recipe – A Taste of Portuguese Tradition from Oak Bluffs to New Bedford
If you’ve ever dreamed of baking authentic Portuguese sourdough bread, this Azorean Sourdough Starter Recipe connects you directly to over a century of culinary history. Passed down through generations, our heirloom starter traces its roots from São Miguel, Azores, to Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts, and finally to the heart of New Bedford, where it continues to rise—literally and culturally.
🌊 A Legacy of Portuguese Immigration and Breadmaking
Portuguese immigration to Oak Bluffs, MA, began in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The first settlers were sailors and whalers from the Azores, bringing not only their skills but also their recipes and traditions.
By 1871, a New Bedford newspaper described the growing Portuguese presence as living in an “Eden-like city by the sea.” Among the many traditions carried across the Atlantic, sourdough bread stood out as a symbol of community, sustenance, and shared heritage.
🍞 The 154-Year-Old Azorean Sourdough Starter
Our 154-year-old sourdough starter has been lovingly maintained through generations, preserving the original culture brought from São Miguel. This heirloom starter delivers a distinctive depth of flavor—rich, tangy, and deeply aromatic—true to its Azorean roots.
No added yeast, no added sugar - Crafted through natural fermentation.
View Product HERE Azorean Sourdough Starter – Organic Dehydrated Heirloom Culture - Each order includes:
- 15 grams of active Azorean sourdough starter
With proper feeding, your starter will be ready to bake within 4 days.
🕰️ Directions on How to Revive and Feed Your Azorean Sourdough Starter
Day 1 Morning
In a clean glass jar or bowl, mix:
- 1 packet of our sourdough starter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons room-temperature bottled spring water
Stir well and store in a warm spot (around 75°F). Cover loosely to allow gases to escape.
Day 1 Evening (After 12 Hours)
Add:
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup water
Mix well and cover lightly.
Day 2 Morning
Add:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup spring water
Mix thoroughly and lightly cover.
Day 3 Morning
Stir the starter and mix well. Discard half the starter and feed with:
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup spring water
Day 4 Morning
Stir the starter and mix well. Discard half again and feed with:
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup rye flour
- ½ cup spring water
After feeding, monitor your starter. Within 4–5 hours, it should double in size—that’s a sign that it’s ready to bake authentic sourdough bread.
Same Day Sourdough Bread Recipe
420 grams of bread flour
294 grams of spring water
84 grams active sourdough starter
8 grams of salt
Prepare Dough: In a large mixing bowl, place 84g of active sourdough starter. Add 294g of warm spring water. Mix until the starter is dissolved. Add 420g of flour and 8g of salt. Mix until the dough is the same consistency and there are no pockets of dry flour remaining.
Stretch and Folds: Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes. Then perform stretches and folds every 30 minutes for four rounds.
Bulk Fermentation: * After the fourth round, cover the dough and let it bulk ferment at 75°F for approximately 4-5 hours, aiming for an 80% rise. You may see recipes looking for a lower % rise at 75 degrees. That is because they are continuing with overnight cold proof.
Shaping: Lightly flour the counter. Shape the dough into a large rectangle, then fold one side toward the middle, and repeat with the other side. Roll up your dough into a ball shape. Shape it into a round ball by pushing your dough out in a circular motion and pulling it in about 3-4 times (tucking in the underside). Let it rest for 20 minutes.
Proofing: Place your dough upside down (seam side up) into a floured banneton. Cover your dough with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and cold-proof in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
*Poke Test: This helps you determine if your bulk fermentation is ready. With a floured finger, poke the dough. If it bounces back fast, it's not ready. If the hole stays there, it is overproofed. If the hole pulls back slowly, it's ready!
Cold Proof Preheat the oven early. When you have a 1/2 hour left into your 2 hour cold proof, set your oven to 450°F for at least 30 minutes to ensure even heat.
Prepare for baking Take your dough out of the fridge and gently put it on a flat surface. Dust with flour. Score the top (a single deep slash or decorative scoring — whatever
you like).
Bake Carefully transfer the dough into your Dutch oven. Cover and bake for 20–25 minutes, then uncover and bake another 20–25 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
Cool completely: Remove from the Dutch oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour (ideally 2) before slicing. Cutting too early can make the crumb gummy inside.
💡 Pro Tip: Don’t Waste Your Discards!
Each time you discard your starter, save it in your refrigerator! Use it for:
Sourdough Portuguese Sweet Rolls or Sweet Bread: Recipes for adapting the classic Portuguese sweet bread (massa sovada) to include sourdough discard can be found online. The discard adds extra moisture and a mild tangy depth to the rich, buttery dough. TikTok users have shared specific techniques for making "Sourdough Discard Portuguese Sweet Rolls," including a version ready in an hour.
Malasadas: This is a type of Portuguese doughnut made from fermented dough. Bakers have shared recipes and tips for adapting traditional malasadas to use sourdough discard, which gives them a soft, tangy flavor.
Sourdough Portuguese Buns (Papo Secos): Several bakers have adapted the recipe for these crusty, individual dinner rolls to use sourdough discard. The starter adds a complex flavor profile while producing a softer final product.
Sausage Bread (Pão com Chouriço): Portuguese sausage bread is traditionally baked with chourico. Some home bakers and enthusiasts have experimented with incorporating sourdough discard into the recipe to add flavor and a different texture to the dough.
Bolo do caco: This traditional flatbread from the Portuguese island of Madeira is typically cooked on a tile or griddle. A modern adaptation incorporates sourdough discard, alongside mashed sweet potato, to create a soft, fluffy dough with a crispy exterior. It is commonly served with garlic butter or used for sandwiches.
Broa de milho (corn bread): Leavened with yeast, a sourdough discard can be added to broa for a tangier, more complex flavor. The discard adds character to this hearty bread, made from a mixture of cornmeal and rye or wheat flour.
General uses in cooking:
Beyond specific Portuguese recipes, sourdough discard can be used in a variety of other culinary applications that align with cooking techniques found in Portuguese homes:
Thickening sauces: Sourdough discard can be used as a thickener in sauces and gravies, much like flour or cornstarch. This adds a subtle tang and reduces food waste.
Fish or chicken batter: Adding sourdough discard to a batter for frying or pan-frying fish or chicken is a great way to add flavor and use up excess starter.
Baked goods: Discard can be used to make a variety of sweet and savory recipes, including muffins, crackers, brownies, and cookies.
Or, with the discard at the same fermentation stage, start another batch of Azorean starter and keep it in your fridge until you are ready to feed.
This way, every part of your sourdough tradition continues to grow.
🌾 Preserving Portuguese Heritage Through Every Loaf
Our Azorean Sourdough Starter is more than just a baking ingredient—it’s a living link to the Portuguese past, nurtured for generations and carried across oceans. From the whalers of the 1800s to the kitchens of today, this recipe continues to honor our ancestors and their enduring love of breadmaking.
Bring history to your home kitchen. Bake, share, and taste the story of Portuguese Azorean sourdough.