Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread (No-Knead Sandwich Bread)

a square photo of a slice whole wheat sourdough sandwich bread on top of a wooden board.

4.97 from 27 votes

Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread (No-Knead Sandwich Bread)

Learn how to make a slightly tangy, perfectly sweet, and fluffy loaf! This whole wheat sourdough sandwich bread recipe has everything you need.

Prep Time1

Cook Time45

Combined rises are approx. 12 hours12

Total Time13 45

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Breads, Sourdough, sourdough bread, homemade bread, sandwich, sandwich bread, whole wheat sourdough bread

Servings: slices

Calories: 190kcal

Author: Renae Gerhardstein

Equipment

loaf pan standard sized, for other sizes see recipe notes below
dough whisk
large bowl
kitchen scale (optional)

Ingredients

⅓ cup sourdough starter fed 12-24 hours prior *see notes below
1⅓ cups warm water, filtered 95º to 100º F
¼ cup sugar or 2 rounded tablespoons honey
3 cups bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1½ Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp sea salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Add the starter to a large bowl. Mix in warm water and sugar, stirring until dissolved. Add the bread flour and whole wheat flour, oil, and salt. Stir with a dough whisk or wooden spoon until a thick, shaggy dough forms.
Flour your hands, and finish mixing dough by hand until all the flour has been absorbed. Cover with a clean, damp kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 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.
Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a damp towel (or plastic wrap if you live in a dry area) and and let rise at room temperature or a warm area 4-12 hours (see chart in notes) to ferment.
After the bulk fermentation rise, lightly flour your countertop.
Remove the dough from the bowl, gently stretching it into a rectangle, then use your fingers to dimple the dough to release the air from the dough.
Roll the dough up, into a log shape. Cover and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
Spray bread pan with cooking spray.
Tighten the dough log by gently pulling it towards you along the counter top for 5-8". Place it in your loaf pan, seam side down.
Cover and let rise for 1-2 hours, until dough has doubled 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 375º.
Bake sandwich bread in the center of the oven for 40 minutes. The top of the loaf should be golden in color. 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).

Notes

FOR GRAMS MEASUREMENTS click on METRIC tab above ingredients.

This recipe uses an unfed sourdough starter, which means one that was fed 12-24 hours before starting the recipe. Our recipe does not use a starter that's at its peak when mixing the dough. A 100% hydration sourdough starter works best for this recipe.

I recommend using a clear glass mixing bowl for fermentation (rising). 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.

Do not refrigerate the dough! Our recipe does not use a refrigerated rise. If it gets too cold, the dough will not ferment (rise) properly.

Bulk Fermentation Rising guidelines:

Rising times will vary according to your room temperature and humidity:

80ºF about 4-5 hours
75ºF about 6-7 hours
70ºF about 8-9 hours
For temperatures under 70ºF it can take up to 12 hours or more

Check out our tips on proofing sourdough for the best rise and flavor.

TFN Pro Tips for keeping dough warm during colder months:

Place the bowl in the oven with the door closed and light on to create a slightly warmer climate without actually turning the oven on.
Use a heated mat (like those used for germinating seeds) for rising.
Use the "proof" setting of your oven (I set mine to 85ºF) and set a timer. This will speed up the rising process, so check it at 4 and 6 hours.
If there is a sunny room in the house that stays warm, keep the dough covered in that area.

To bake in a 12" x 4.5" pan: bake for 30-35 minutes.

To bake smaller loaves:

If your loaf pans are 4″ x 8″ or 4′ x 9″ then divide the sandwich dough into two equal pieces. Bake at 375ºF for 25-30 minutes.

How will I know if my bread is done baking?

Check to see if the top of the loaf is golden and if it sounds hollow when tapped on.
Check the internal temperature in the center of the bread. It should 195º – 200ºF when done.

Bread Storage Instructions:

Let the bread cool completely. Store it in a plastic bag at room temperature. I use a plastic bread bag with a twist tie to seal it and it stays fresh for about 5 days.
This sandwich bread is also great to freeze. Place in an airtight bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the loaf at room temperature, then slice and enjoy.
Check out our in-depth guide on how to store fresh sourdough bread for more storage tips.

Nutrition