This sourdough sandwich bread recipe makes an amazingly super-soft bread that kids absolutely love. Once you make this easy no-knead sourdough bread recipe, buying it from the store will be a thing of the past!
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Why This Recipe for Sourdough Sandwich Bread Works
- It’s super soft inside and out – so everyone loves it!
Sourdough loaves typically have a crunchy, chewy exterior that some people (and kids) dislike. However, this recipe is baked in a loaf pan for a wonderfully light crust and soft interior. - There is no kneading required!
Since this is a no-knead bread recipe, there’s no worry about “Have I kneaded the dough enough?” The recipe is literally fail-proof. - It tastes like “regular” sandwich bread – without the “sour” taste.
Even if your kids aren’t sourdough fans, they’ll love it! They probably won’t even notice the difference between it and store-bought.
Learn more about how sourdough is fermented in my overnight sourdough bread post.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Make this yummy soft loaf with just a handful of simple ingredients. As I mentioned, here’s no yeast, eggs, or milk required!
- Sourdough starter – active and bubbly and fed 12-24 hours before starting the recipe.
- Bread flour – I prefer using King Arthur flour that’s unbleached. You can also use organic flour, too!
- Sugar – either granulated sugar. You can substitute the sugar with 2 rounded tablespoons of honey.
Do you lack a sourdough starter? My quick and easy sourdough starter recipe can make a fast starter in just five days. You can also make a loaf of our classic sandwich bread or whole wheat sandwich bread recipe, which uses yeast instead.
Here are my favorite sourdough tools for this recipe
How to Make Sourdough Loaf Bread
This sourdough bread recipe requires just a few basic steps. Spoiler alert: the overnight rise makes a soft sandwich loaf that’s far better than anything you’ll find at the grocery store.
Start the recipe on a relaxing Saturday or Sunday evening, and then bake the next day. It will be ready to slice and stack with your favorite sandwich ingredients during the week.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
I recommend using a clear glass mixing bowl. This allows you to see the activity on the dough’s top and bottom. Often, the bottom of the dough will show a lot of activity, reassuring you that it’s properly fermented.
Follow these easy steps:
- Feed your starter 12-24 hours before starting the recipe.
- In a medium bowl, combine the starter with warm water, and then add flour, sugar, oil, and salt. I like using a dough whisk for mixing. Mix well to form a shaggy, sticky dough.
- Flour or wet your clean hands and use them to mix the dough. Then, cover the bowl with a damp towel and allow it to rise for 30-45 minutes.
- Coax the dough from the bowl, place it on a clean and lightly floured surface, then stretch and fold it a few times.
Recover with a damp towel, and now allow the sourdough to rise at room temperature overnight, approximately 8-10 hours.
- In the morning, lightly flour your countertop. Remove the dough from the bowl and roll up the dough into a log shape (as shown below). Cover with a damp towel and let the dough rest for about 10 minutes.
Baking Instructions
- Lightly spray a 9” x 5” loaf pan with nonstick spray. Then tighten the loaf by gently rolling and pulling the dough, and transfer it to the prepared loaf pan seam side down.
Cover with a towel and let the loaf rise for another hour or two.
- When you’re ready to bake your loaf, preheat the oven to 375ºF. Then bake the for 40 minutes, until the crust is a lovely golden brown color.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before carefully tipping it out of the pan onto a cooling rack.
Let the sourdough cool for at least one hour before storing it whole or sliced and enjoyed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour, using the same amount of flour.
The dough needs a warm area for the bulk (overnight) fermented rise. Find a warm place (75º – 85º F) like an oven with the light on, a warm window, or above the dryer to set the bread for 2 more hours.
When the baking time is up, I check to see if the top of the loaf is golden and it sounds hollow when tapped on. If you are unsure, check the internal temperature which should be around 195º – 200ºF.
If stored in a plastic bag at room temperature, it will stay fresh for up to 5 days. For the softest crust, we recommend leaving it out of the fridge. However, you can seal it in an airtight plastic bag and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Allow the to defrost at room temperature before slicing and using.
For more storing tips, see how to store sourdough bread.
More Easy Sourdough Recipes…
- Chocolate Sourdough Bread
- Jalapeno Cheddar Sourdough Bread
- Sourdough Bread Bowl
- Sourdough Garlic Toast
If you tried this Sourdough recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Sourdough No Knead Sandwich Bread
Equipment
- Loaf pan, 9" x 5" - See notes for a 12' x 4.5" pan
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (65 grams) sourdough starter, bubbly and active fed within 12-24 hours
- 1⅓ cups (300 grams) warm water, filtered 95º to 100º F
- ¼ cup (56 grams) granulated sugar can substitute with 2 rounded tablespoons of honey
- 3½ -4 cups (500 grams) bread flour or all-purpose flour. I recommend weighing your flour, see notes for using measuring cups
- 1½ tablespoons (20 grams) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons (9 grams) salt
Instructions
- Add the starter to a large bowl. Mix in warm water and sugar, stirring until dissolved. Add flour, oil, and salt. Stir with a dough whisk or wooden spoon until a thick, shaggy dough forms.
- Flour your hands or wet your hands, and finish mixing dough by hand until most of the flour has been absorbed. Don't worry if there is flour on the sides or bottom of the bowl. Cover with a clean, damp kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 30 to 45 minutes.
- Coax the dough from the bowl and stretch and fold the dough by stretching 4 inches then pushing it down the middle and turning 1/4 until you make a circle (see video below for how to do this).Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise at room temperature overnight (at least 8-10 hours) until double in size. Do not refrigerate dough.
- In the morning, lightly flour your counter top. Remove the dough from the bowl, gently stretching it into a rectangle, then your fingers to dimple the rough to release the air from the dough (as shown in photo). Roll up dough into a log shape. Cover and let the dough rest 10 minutes.
- Spray loaf pan with cooking spray. Tighten the dough log by gently pulling it towards you along the countertop for 5-8". Place it in your loaf pan, seam side down. Cover and let rise for 1-2 hours, until the dough is about double in size.Press the corner edge of the dough in 1/2" and if the indentation remains, it's ready to bake.
- Preheat your oven to 375ºF.
- Bake in the center of the oven for 40 minutes. The top of the loaf should be golden in color. Remove from oven.After 10 minutes, tilt the pan to remove the bread to cool on a cooling rack.
- Wait at least 1 hour before cutting (to prevent the loaf from deflating).
Video
Notes
The recipe ingredients call for 3 1/2 to 4 cups of flour because cup measuring is less reliable than using a food scale to weigh the flour. Be sure to stir the flour, then use a spoon to add it into the measuring cup, and level it with a knife. Start with the lower amount of flour and add up to 4 cups, but only if needed. Troubleshooting (Updated 6/26/2023) If your bread “blows out on one side,” we recommend using a larger loaf pan, 12″ x 4.5″ in size, or a 1.5-pound bread pan. Then bake at 375ºF for 30 minutes.
Allow the bread to defrost at room temperature before slicing and using.
Cole says
We love this bread! I would like more sour flavor though. I just made a double batch with 1 loaf using half the sugar. Sitting for the first rise now. How can I make this taste like sour dough
Kim says
If you leave it in the fridge for the first rise (can be overnight if needed) it will take longer for the rise and will produce a more sour flavor.
Alyse says
The sour flavor comes from your starter. I do 1/2 all purpose flour and 1/2 rye to get that real sour flavor. You’ll know it’s ready because your starter will smell like vinegar, almost burn your nose.
Franchesca says
Use cold water. It will be a longer bulk ferment process and will create a more sour, complex flavor.
Darla Car says
I did less salt in one batch and it was more sour. Maybe that’s the trick.
Roni says
I have a question about active starter. Is the starter still active after it has started to drop back down in level? Is it better to start the recipe before the decline?
Renae says
Yes, an active starter is considered one that doubles in size within about 6 hours after a feeding. Most of my recipes call for sourdough starters that have been fed within the last 12-24 hours (at room temperature) or within a week if kept in the refrigerator.
Allison says
I woke up late this morning and didn’t have time to bake the bread. I ended up just having to put the bowl in the fridge, to hopefully slow the fermentation process. The dough looked like it rose pretty well. I know putting it in the fridge has worked for other recipes, but not sure how it will affect this one. Any tips?
Renae says
Just ensure the dough is about double in size for the long rise. Then let it warm for at least two hours at room temperature before continuing on with the recipe.
Cindy says
This was my first time baking bread and this recipe is just amazing. I appreciate all the detailed steps and pictures along with the side notes. My loaf turned out perfectly and I can’t wait to make it again.
Janet says
Very happy with the results! Nice soft texture, just enough sweetness to add to the flavor of sourdough. The timing of this worked out great for me: mix up after dinner, then shape and final proof after delivering grand to school, baked and cooled by lunch!