Sourdough Sandwich Bread

This easy sourdough sandwich bread recipe is soft and tender with a hint of sweetness and sourdough tang! A flavorful white bread recipe using active sourdough starter or discard! 

This recipe makes a white sandwich bread leavened exclusively by sourdough starter that resembles white sandwich loaves in both taste and texture. It can be made using either active starter or discard and it can be sped up by adding 1-2 teaspoons of instant yeast like I do for my sourdough dinner rolls!

It is an incredibly versatile sourdough recipe that is equally delicious as toast as it is on sandwiches. Depending on the state of your starter, you can make a bread with mild sourdough flavor or a delightful tang. 

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Whole Milk: I use whole milk for the best flavor, texture and added shelf-life, but you could use your preferred alternative milk or warm water.  
• Active Sourdough Starter: You can use sourdough discard or starter at its peak for this recipe. This does assume that you have an active sourdough starter. If you are lost or just beginning your journey, start with my sourdough starter recipe and learn how to feed sourdough starter. Enjoy sourdough waffles as a reward along the way! 

• All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour will give you the softest, most tender bread. It has the right amount of protein to develop a strong gluten network for support. You can use bread flour but it will be chewier. 
• Kosher Salt: Salt strengthens and tenderizes the gluten, so it helps with structure, texture and flavor! 
• Granulated Sugar: There is just a hint of sweetness from the granulated sugar. You could use honey or omit it completely. It also tempers a bit of the tang from the sourdough. For a tangier loaf, proof overnight and omit the sugar!
• Unsalted Butter: Just 3 tablespoons of butter add the right amount of tenderness, a little buttery flavor and keeps the bread soft. You could also substitute vegetable oil or olive oil. 

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations 

• Make it whole wheat. You can substitute up to half of the all-purpose flour in this recipe for whole wheat flour; however, if you are looking for a 100% whole wheat sandwich bread, I recommend making my whole wheat bread or whole wheat sourdough bread instead! 
• Make the top shiny. You could brush the top of the loaf with egg wash right before baking to achieve a shiny top like this brioche loaf or to adhere flaked sea salt or seeds like brioche buns. 
• Add a swirl. It could be a simple cinnamon swirl like this cinnamon swirl bread or you could get creative with a sweeter spiced brown sugar filling like making this eggnog swirl bread with this homemade pumpkin spice recipe! 

Pro Tips for Making this Sourdough Sandwich Loaf

• The timing in this recipe varies greatly by the stage of liveliness of your sourdough starter. I have written the recipe for active sourdough starter used at its peak, but I have included instructions for using sourdough discard and for speeding up both options by adding a teaspoon of instant yeast. 
• I was surprised to find that this sourdough variation on my white sandwich bread recipe dries out faster. Typically sourdough breads like no knead sourdough bread, retain their moisture for longer because of the acidity in the starter. Even the tests using true discard, which had a longer proof time, dried out within a day after baking. 
• There is minimal to no oven spring during baking, so keep that in mind when proofing! A higher temperature would allow for more rise in the oven, but I don’t feel it would add to the texture or flavor of the final loaf. 

How to Make White Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Use these instructions to make soft white sandwich bread with sourdough starter or discard! Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Mix and Knead the Dough

Step 1: Combine ingredients in stand mixer. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine all-purpose flour, milk, sourdough starter, salt, and sugar (photo 1). Mix on low speed until the dough is hydrated and all the ingredients have incorporated. It will only take a minute or two. 

Step 2: Knead until elastic. Increase the mixer to medium speed and continue kneading for 6-8 minutes, or until a soft, strong, elastic dough forms (photo 2). Use the window-pane test to assess the dough. It should pull a smooth, thin window similar to a brioche dough. 

Step 3: Add the pieces of butter to the mixer bowl and reduce the speed to low (photo 3). Mix on low speed until all the butter has worked into the dough. Room temperature butter will incorporate faster, but it isn’t essential. 

Bulk Fermentation

Step 4: Proof until doubled. Turn the dough out into a lightly oiled medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and proof at room temperature about 4 hours or until the dough doubles (photo 4). 

Shape the Dough

Step 5: Preshape the dough into a round (boule) by flipping it over and folding each of the four sides towards the center (photo 5). Flip back over (seam-side-down) and gently shape it into a round by pulling it towards you with both hands. Rotate a quarter turn and repeat until you have a round dough ball that sits upright on your work surface (photo 6). 

I do not use any bench flour when working with this dough. I lightly oil my hands from the proof bowl and this dough does not stick. If you add more flour at this point not only will the dough be difficult to shape but the resulting bread will be dry. 

Step 6: Rest the dough. Cover the dough with your plastic wrap or the overturned bowl and allow to bench rest 15-20 minutes. This is longer than most bench rests because it needs that time to relax. 

Step 7: Final shaping. Flip the dough back over, stretch gently into a rectangle, and take the side furthest from you and fold it down to the center (photo 7). Rotate the dough 180 degrees and repeat by folding the other side down towards the center (photo 8). Perform 2 thumb folds by wrapping the dough around the thumb of the left hand and sealing the edge with the heel of the right hand (photo 9). Start this motion towards the right side and gradually move left, rolling and sealing as you go.  The first thumb fold will not fully close the dough log. Perform 1 more thumb fold to fully create a cylinder or log shape. 

Final Proof and Bake

Step 8: Transfer to loaf pan and proof. Place seam side down in a 8-9 inch loaf pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Cover loosely with plastic wrap (spray it if you would like with nonstick cooking spray) and allow to proof in a warm spot for 4-5 hours or until the dough has risen above the edge of the loaf pan in most places (photo 10). 

Step 9: Preheat and bake. While the dough undergoes its second rise, preheat the oven to 375°F conventional (no fan). Bake in a preheated oven for 28-30 minutes to an internal temperature of 185°F or until the top is golden brown (photo 11). 

Step 10: Cool before slicing. Remove the loaf from the oven and turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing (photo 12). 

Sample Bread Baker’s Schedule

This sample schedule uses active sourdough starter used at its peak. My room was fairly cool, so your proofing will go faster if your kitchen is closer to 72-75°F. 

9:00 PM: feed starter, make sure you have enough to feed and also to make the sourdough discard sandwich bread recipe! 

8:00 AM: Mix dough and bulk proof in oiled bowl.

1:00 PM: Pre-shape dough.

1:15 PM: Final Shape and proof in loaf pan. 

5:00 PM: Bake

Frequently Asked Questions

Before You Go

I hope you enjoyed this versatile white sourdough bread recipe. Check out our other delicious sandwich bread recipes or all our sourdough recipes like this sourdough bread bowl!