This soft sourdough sandwich bread recipe calls for just five simple ingredients, and makes an irresistible loaf with a mild tang. It’s perfect toasted with butter, and makes great sandwiches!
I LOVE a good rustic sourdough loaf made in a Dutch oven. But sometimes I want a smaller loaf so I can fit my slices in the toaster or have a regular sized sandwich. This recipe is perfect!
It’s similar to my overnight sourdough bread, but I use all purpose instead of bread flour. And a little bit of honey adds a touch of sweetness.
Because it’s not cooked in a pot with a lid, it’s more fluffy and not as chewy as regular sourdough bread. It’s kind of like sourdough and regular white bread had a baby.
If you love sourdough but don’t have a large pot to cook it in, or just want square slices, this is the perfect loaf!
Do I need commercial yeast for this bread recipe?
You do not need to add yeast to this sourdough bread. The wild yeast that exists in the sourdough start is what will give the bread its rise.
Just keep in mind that natural yeast takes much longer to create air bubbles needed for fluffy bread. The first bulk rise takes several hours, so plan ahead.
How to make fluffy sourdough sandwich bread
- MIX DOUGH – In a large mixing bowl combine the active starter, warm water, honey, salt, and 2 cups of the flour. Whisk or stir until smooth. Let dough rest for 15-30 minutes. Add enough additional flour to make a soft dough.
- KNEAD – Dump the dough out onto a floured counter. Knead just a few times, then form into a ball.
- BULK FERMENTATION – Place the dough in a greased bowl. Cover and let ferment for 8-24 hours in a warm place. It should double or triple in size.
- FORM – Punch the dough down to remove bubbles. Place on a counter that has been sprinkled with flour or sprayed with cooking spray. Tuck ends in to form a loaf. Place in an oiled loaf pan.
- SECOND RISE – Cover the pan with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray, or a damp tea towel. Let dough rise in a warm place until doubled, usually 2-3 hours.
- BAKE – Preheat your oven to 400° and place a metal pan on one side. Bring 2-3 cups of water to a boil. Pour the water into the pan and place the bread in the oven.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Brush the top with melted butter if desired.
- COOL – Let the bread sit in the pan for about 5 minutes, then dump out onto a cooling rack.
Bread slices best after it is completely cool. (But it is oh so good warm!)
You can store the loaf of bread in a large ziplock bag or other plastic bag for up to a week. If it gets a bit dry, you can use it to make fantastic French toast.
PRO TIPS:
- You need fresh active starter for this bread to work. The best way to test it is to drop a spoonful into a glass of cold water. If it rises to the top, it’s ready.
- Rise time varies great depending on the temperature of your room. If your room is cold and you want to speed up the process, set your oven temperature to the very lowest setting. Turn off the oven!! Let it cool until it feels barely warm, and place the dough inside.
- Adding boiling water to a hot pan in the oven creates steam, which will make for a moister, chewier loaf. It’s not required, but it is recommended!
SOURDOUGH SANDWICH BREAD VARIATIONS:
- Add a tablespoon or two of olive oil or coconut oil to make the bread stay soft longer.
- Instead of honey, you can use maple syrup.
- You can replace a cup of the white flour for whole wheat flour for a heartier loaf. Wheat flour absorbs more moisture, so you won’t need to add quite as much.
MORE SOURDOUGH RECIPES:
TASTY YEAST BREADS:
- Gooey Cinnamon Rolls
- Oatmeal Bread Recipe
- Soft Whole Wheat Bread Recipe
- One Hour Yeast Rolls
- Easy Naan Bread Recipe
Sourdough Sandwich Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ cup active sourdough starter
- 1 ¼ cups warm water
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 3 ½ cups all purpose flour divided
Instructions
- Whisk together the starter, water, honey, salt, and 2 cups of the flour in a large bowl. Let sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes.
- Add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. It's fine if it is slightly sticky.
- Scoop dough onto a floured counter. Knead a few times and press into a ball.
- Transfer bread dough to a greased bowl. Cover and let ferment for 8-24 hours in a warm place. It should double or triple in size.
- Punch the dough down to remove air bubbles. Dump onto a lightly floured surface.
- Keep tucking the ends of the dough under to form a loaf shape. Transfer to a large 9×5 inch bread pan.
- Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel and let rise until doubled, usually 2-3 hours.
- Place a metal loaf pan in your oven and preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Bring 2-3 cups of water to a boil.
- Pour the water into the hot metal pan. Place the loaf next to it on the oven rack.
- Bake at 400° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. The boiling water will give off steam as the bread bakes, giving it a chewy, moist texture.
- If you want a soft crust, brush the top of the bread with melted butter.
- Cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
It’s hard to go back to store-bought bread after you’ve tried this sourdough loaf. It’s so darn yummy!
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Soft sourdough sandwich bread sounds like the perfect balance of tangy and fluffy, Can’t wait to try this recipe for some cozy, homemade toast mornings.
I hope you love it as much as we do. It is so good toasted with butter and jam!