Easy Sourdough Sandwich Bread (Same-Day, Beginner Friendly Recipe)
If you are looking for an easy sourdough sandwich bread recipe that is soft and fluffy, look no further! When I first started making sourdough, I was intimidated by sandwich bread, but now I know how easy it is to make. This sourdough sandwich bread is simple, delicious, and approved by even the pickiest eaters. It is made with pantry staples and your sourdough starter, resulting in this soft, fluffy bread that is perfect for toast or sandwiches. It receives bonus points because you get the benefits of sourdough without the hard crust that can sometimes cut the roof of your mouth! You can also make this loaf in ONE DAY!
Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Sandwich Bread
There is SO much to love about this sourdough sandwich bread!
- Beginner friendly
- Made without a stand mixer
- Doesn’t require overnight fermentation
- The crumb is so soft, and the crust is thin and amazing
- THE FLAVOUR!!! Thank you, sourdough starter, you taste amazing
- You can freeze it
Ingredients You’ll Need for Sourdough Sandwich Bread
To make this sourdough sandwich bread, you need:
- Active sourdough starter (150 grams). I feed my sourdough starter the night before.
- Filtered water (325 grams)- room-temperature water helps speed up the fermentation and makes your starter happy.
- Honey (20 grams)- This gives the loaf such a soft texture and adds a very subtle sweetness to the loaf
- Olive oil– makes the loaf so tender and amazing + makes it easy to slice
- Flour (500 grams) – I use unbleached all-purpose flour, but bread flour can also be used.
- Salt (10 grams)- ESSENTIAL for the flavour
- Believe me, don’t ever forget the salt
Tools You Will Need
For this sourdough sandwich loaf pan recipe, I use a standard 9×5 loaf pan. I like to use a second loaf pan as a lid over the dough-filled loaf pan. This helps create a nice, steamy environment that gives it a super soft crust.
- Mixing bowl
- Kitchen Scale
- Dough Scraper (I use this to help mix the dough/ keep the bowl clean)
- Clean towel or plastic wrap (I use disposable shower caps)
- Parchment paper or avocado oil spray (you can use whatever spray you would like)
- Optional: bread lame for scoring or you can use any knife
Step- by- Step Instructions
This sandwich bread sourdough recipe is so easy and you will love it, I promise!
- Mix all of your wet ingredients into a large bowl: starter, water, honey, and olive oil.
- Add flour and salt, and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Let it rest for an hour (covered with a towel or plastic wrap).
- Stretch and fold the dough every 30 minutes for 3-4 sets (2 hours).
- Let the dough bulk ferment on the counter until it has risen and has bubbles on the sides.
- Shape into a loaf and place into your greased or lined loaf pan
- Final proof for 1-2 hours at room temp or until it has filled out the loaf pan
- Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes with the lid on, then remove the lid and reduce the heat to 350°F. Let it bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Let it cool completely before slicing into it.
What Makes This Bread Work Same-Day?
Now you might be wondering how you can do this in one day. For this recipe, I like to feed my starter the night before, so that once I wake up, I can prep the dough, let it proof, shape it, and bake that day.
Tips for success
- Use room temperature water to speed up fermentation
- Don’t rush your final proof; you want the dough to fill out the loaf pan
- Use a second loaf pan as a lid while baking. The steam helps to create a super soft crust.
Storing/ Freezing
Store your sourdough sandwich bread in a bread bag, plastic wrap, or an airtight container for 1-3 days at room temperature. For longer storage, slice it up and freeze it in a ziploc bag. I like to freeze half of my loaves the day after I bake, then I will take out individual slices and toast them when I need!
FAQS
Can I use this dough to make dinner rolls?
Yes! I like to shape them into rolls and proof them the same way. The only thing I change is the baking time; I reduce it by 25 minutes, and I don’t cover them.
Do I need a sandwich loaf pan?
No! You can bake this in a Dutch oven; it will result in a more rustic loaf.
What is the difference between sandwich bread, sourdough, and artisan sourdough?
Sandwich bread has oil and a sweetener to give it a softer crust. Artisan loaves are baked freeform and have a harder crust.
More recipes you will love!
- Lemon Blueberry Sourdough
- Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough
- S’mores Sourdough
- Sourdough Bagels
- Original Bread Recipe
- Banana chocolate chip muffins (sourdough discard)
- Same Day Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Buns with Brown Butter Frosting
- Brown Butter Sourdough Discard Brownies
- Easy Chocolate Sourdough Bread Recipe
Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Kitchen scale
- Dough whisk or spoon
- Bench scraper (optional but helpful)
- Two loaf pans (one for baking, one inverted on top to act as a lid for steam)
- Parchment paper or avocado oil spray (to prevent sticking)
- Clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap (for covering dough during bulk ferment)
- Cooling rack
- Oven mitts
Ingredients
- 150 g sourdough starter active and bubbly
- 325 g filtered water room temperature
- 20 g honey
- 20 g olive oil
- 500 g bread flour or all-purpose
- 10 g salt
Instructions
Mix the dough:
- In a large mixing bowl (I prefer to use a glass bowl so I can see when bubbles form on the sides), combine 150 grams of your active sourdough starter, 325 grams of room-temperature filtered water (I use water from my Brita and microwave it for 30-40 seconds), 20 grams of honey, and 20 grams of olive oil. Use a dough whisk or whatever utensil you prefer to stir until everything is combined and the starter is dissolved.
- Add 500 grams of flour (you can use all-purpose unbleached or bread flour) and 10 grams of salt. Mix this until you don't have any flour pockets and you are left with a nice shaggy dough.
- Cover your bowl with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it sit for an hour. I use disposable shower caps that I get at my local beauty supply store.
Stretch and folds:
- After your dough has been resting for one hour, you will do 3-4 sets of stretch and folds every 30 minutes. This is what is building the stretch in your dough.
- What is a stretch and fold? Grab one side of the dough, stretch it upward, then fold it over onto the opposite side. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat 30 more times (4 folds total). After each set cover your dough.
- After your final set, cover the dough and let it rise on your counter or in a temperature-stable environment until it has puffed up noticeably and has bubbles on the sides of the dough (this is where using a glass bowl comes in handy).
Shape:
- You can lightly flour your surface (I don't because I don't like how my dough feels when I do this, but it is up to you and how sticky your dough is)
- Dump your dough onto the counter and gently shape it into a loaf. You can laminate your dough, or you can do push and pulls until you are happy with the shape of your dough. Place it into a lightly greased or parchment-lined loaf pan. Cover the dough with your kitchen tea towel or plastic wrap.
Final proof:
- Let the dough rise for 1-2 hours at room temperature or until the dough has risen and is filling out the loaf pan. You can also let it proof overnight in the fridge. If I let it proof overnight in the fridge, I will bring it to room temperature before I bake it.
Preheat the oven:
- 30 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 4°00 F.
Bake:
- Place a second loaf pan on top of your loaf pan with the dough to create a lid. Bake covered for 30 minutes and then remove the top pan and reduce the temperature to 350 F. Bake for another 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool:
- Remove the bread from the loaf pan and place it on a cooling rack. Let it cool for at least one hour before slicing. If you slice into it too early, you will be left with gummy bread. I promise the wait is worth it.
Hi, I was wondering if some or all the flour could be replaced with whole wheat flour and if so what other adjustments would you suggest making?
Thanks
Love your videos by the way! Very informative and always entertaining!
Delicious and easy to make!