Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Everyone loves Sourdough White Sandwich Bread, a loaf that rises without any extra yeast. It’s an everyday recipe you’ll make repeatedly, and while it takes some time, the results are worth the wait.
You’ll have bread that has a great texture and a tangy flavor. It’s perfect for everything from a classic BLT to your morning toast.
Sourdough White Sandwich Bread
Ingredients
- ¾ cup sourdough starter (active and mature)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup powdered milk
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons water may need a bit more depending on how hydrated your starter is
- 1 egg
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Instructions
- Mix. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir until the texture is slightly sticky and looks "shaggy." Adjust flour or water if needed. Allow to rest for 20 minutes at room temperature.
- Knead. Knead the dough using a bread machine, stand mixer, or hand until smooth and elastic for at least 10 minutes.
- First rise. Allow the dough to rise, covered, in a warm place for 4 hours or until it is very puffy and has doubled in bulk.
- Shape a sandwich loaf. Shape the dough into a loaf by lightly stretching it into a 9 x 18-inch rectangle. Tuck in the corners and then roll down. Remember the saying, “shoulders in, head down.”
- Roll it up. Roll it up like a log with seams on one side. Pinch all seams closed. Then, put it seam-side down into an oiled loaf pan.
- Cover. Cover with heavily greased plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until the dough rises 1-2 inches above the top of the pan. (If it's getting late, you can place the loaf in the fridge and continue the rising process in the morning.) Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake. Dust the dough generously with flour and gently rub it in. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a rack before slicing.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
More Tips:
Using a kitchen scale to measure ingredients gives more accurate results than using cups and spoons.
To make sure the dough rises optimally, keep the room temperature around 75°F.
To help the dough rise, you can place it in a warm spot like a turned-off oven with the light on or put a bowl of hot water in the oven with your dough to create a warm, humid environment.
Take your time with the rising process. Sourdough bread needs time to develop flavor and texture. If the dough hasn’t doubled in size, give it more time.
Before baking, lightly score the top of your dough with a sharp knife to let steam escape and help the bread expand evenly.
Allow the bread to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Cutting into hot bread can make it gummy and less pleasant to eat.
About the Ingredients
Here are some ingredient substitutions you can try:
- Sourdough Starter: Use 2 teaspoons instant yeast + 1 cup warm water and adjust flour as needed.
- All-Purpose Flour: Bread flour is a good alternative for a chewier texture.
- Powdered Milk: Replace with regular milk, and reduce the water by the same amount.
- Butter: Swap with margarine or vegetable oil.
- Egg: Try ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce or 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water as a substitute.
Remember that these substitutions will alter the texture and flavor of the bread, but feel free to experiment!
Sourdough white sandwich bread is such a delightful treat for any home baker. Its soft texture and rich flavor make it perfect for everyday enjoyment.
Follow these simple steps and tips to create a delicious loaf that your family will love.
By Katie Shaw
Katie shares simple, reliable recipes from her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens.
This sourdough loaf came out perfect! I used KA bread flour, no yeast, and left the loaf in its pan in the fridge overnight as it was late. It took a couple of hours to warm up and rise over that pan edge. Heated the oven to 500, then lowered to 350 when I put the loaf in to bake. It is a beautiful loaf 🙂
I have 2 questions cause I’m new to Sourdough!). First of all, what size loaf pan are you using? And second, do I feed all of my Sourdough starter or just the amount I’m adding to the recipe?? Thank you.
hi donna, i feel all of it, but some people do remove a portion and feed just that. loaf pan is 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.5
I use this along with the yeast as per recipe. Absolutely love this recipe and use it all the time!
I have been using this recipe to make a loaf every week for a year. Always a success. Much softer crust than previous recipe was using. I have been making sourdough bread for 5 years, same starter. This is best most reliable recipe have used.
hi curt, thank you so much for letting me know that! I really appreciate it 🙂
Hi Katie! I’m a sourdough “newbie”. Roughly how long is the rise in step 4, once the bread is in the loaf pan? Excited to try this one! Thank you, Christine
hey christine, if you’re using yeast about 1-2 hours. otherwise. up to 8 hours! it’s just soooo variable!
I can’t say enough about this recipe! Very pleased with how it turned out. A few days later and it is still soft and fresh for sandwiches. Thank you!
Hi Barb! I am so glad to hear it! Thank you so much for letting me know 🙂
Can I replace the sugar with honey?
Great recipe and very easy to make! My loaf turned out awesome.