Holiday Herb & Feta Sourdough: Cozy, Clean, and Totally Addictive

Name: Holiday Herb & Feta Sourdough
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Ingredients: 500 g Bread flour; 100 g Active Starter; 350 g water (Room temp); 10 g Sea Salt; ½-¾ c Crumbled Feta (pat dry if extra wet ); ½ tsp Dried Sage; ⅛ tsp Dried Thyme; ⅛ tsp Dried Rosemary; ⅛ tsp White Pepper

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This Sourdough Is the Main Character (Sorry, Turkey)

There’s just something about sourdough that makes the holidays feel a little more special. That warm, tangy smell drifting through the house, the golden crust crackling as it cools — it’s pure comfort. And this loaf? It’s not your average bake.

My Holiday Herb & Feta Sourdough is the glow-up your bread basket deserves — soft and flavorful on the inside, crisp on the outside, and loaded with savory herbs and melty feta. It’s perfect on its own, but even better stacked high with leftover turkey or dipped in my Cranberry Kick Sauce.

Wholesome, cozy, and clean — this sourdough checks every box.

Why You’ll Love It

Meet the loaf that makes leftovers feel brand new — herby, tangy, and perfectly chewy
Clean, real ingredients. Just flour, water, salt, and the good stuff (herbs + feta).

No weird yeast packets — just your happy, bubbly starter doing her thing.

Flavor that works for the season. Rosemary, sage, and thyme bring that cozy holiday vibe without being heavy.

Built for leftovers. This bread practically begs to be toasted and piled high with turkey, cranberry sauce, or whatever magic came out of your oven. Try it with My Leftover Turkey Melt

Holiday Herb & Feta Sourdough

Amber Fitzek

Golden crust, tangy crumb, herby pockets, and melty feta surprises — the kind of bread that doesn’t just hold your leftovers, it upgrades them.

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 45

Course Bread, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Rustic

Servings 1 Loaf

Calories 190 kcal

Equipment

Mixing Bowl
Dutch oven or a simple bread pan will do
Parchment paper
Digital scale

Ingredients

Base Dough

500 g Bread flour
100 g Active Starter
350 g water Room temp
10 g Sea Salt

Add-Ins

½-¾ c Crumbled Feta pat dry if extra wet
½ tsp Dried Sage
⅛ tsp Dried Thyme
⅛ tsp Dried Rosemary
⅛ tsp White Pepper

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the starter, water, and flour. Mix until the dough looks shaggy and sticky.Cover and let rest for 30–45 minutes (autolyse)
Sprinkle in the sea salt, sage, thyme, rosemary, and black pepper.Mix or pinch everything together until fully combined.
Let the dough rise at room temp for 4–6 hours.During the first 2–3 hours, do 3–4 stretch-and-folds every 30–45 minutes to build structure.
During your last fold or lamination, gently spread the dough out and scatter the crumbled feta across the surface.Fold it over itself to lock the feta in — aim for little cheese pockets throughout.
Once the dough has finished bulk fermenting, shape it into a round or oval loaf.Place seam side up in a floured banneton or towel-lined bowl.Cover and refrigerate for 8–12 hours.
Preheat your oven to 475°F with your Dutch oven inside.Flip the dough onto parchment paper, score the top, and place it in the hot Dutch oven.Bake covered for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake another 20–25 minutes until golden brown.
Let it cool completely — at least 1 hour.The feta keeps the crumb slightly creamy, so patience pays off here.

Notes

For a softer, slightly chewier loaf with a hint of warmth, add 1–2 teaspoons of honey to the dough when mixing.
For a crustier, more rustic loaf, skip the honey — it will bake up golden and crisp.
If using fresh herbs, double the amount for the best flavor.
For extra crunch and color, lightly brush the crust with olive oil before baking uncovered.

Keyword baking, bread, clean, feta, herbs, holiday, sourdough

Ingredient Highlights

Real food, real flavor — that’s the rule around here.

We’re keeping it classic but adding just enough flair to make it sparkle:

Base Dough:

500g bread flour (or a mix of 400g bread + 100g whole wheat)

100g active sourdough starter (100% hydration)

350g water

10g sea salt

Add-ins:

½–¾ cup crumbled feta (patted dry if too wet)

2 tsp dried sage

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary (or ½ tsp dried)

½ tsp cracked black pepper (optional, but trust me — adds the warmth)

How to Make It

This is one of those bakes that looks fancy but doesn’t require chaos in the kitchen. Here’s how to make it happen:

— Feed your starter a few hours before baking so it’s nice and bubbly. You want it to float in water — that’s your sign she’s ready.

— Mix the dough. In a large bowl, combine your flour, water, and starter. Mix until no dry flour remains. Let it rest (autolyse) for 30–45 minutes.

— Add salt and herbs. Sprinkle in salt, sage, thyme, rosemary, and pepper. Mix by hand or use stretch-and-folds until everything’s incorporated.

— Bulk ferment. Cover and let rise at room temperature for 4–5 hours, giving a few gentle stretch-and-folds during the first 2 hours.

— Add the feta. During your last fold, gently tuck in the feta so it’s evenly scattered but not mashed in.

— Shape the loaf. Once dough has risen about 50%, shape into a round and place seam-side up in a floured banneton or bowl lined with parchment.

— Cold proof overnight. Cover and refrigerate 8–12 hours — this deepens the flavor and makes baking easier in the morning.

— Bake time! Preheat oven (with Dutch oven inside) to 450°F. Once hot, add your loaf, score the top, cover, and bake 25 minutes.

— Uncover and brown. Remove the lid and bake another 20 minutes until golden and crisp, with some feta peeking through.

— Cool completely on a rack before slicing (hardest part, I know).

SERVING IDEAS

This loaf does everything:

Slice and toast with grass-fed butter or drizzle of olive oil.

Stack it high with leftover turkey, cranberry sauce, and greens for the ultimate clean sandwich.

Cube it into a festive stuffing or toss it on your next charcuterie board — she’s a show-off.

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