Easy Sourdough Sandwich Bread
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As I mentioned a few weeks, a number of requests about how to make my mother’s peasant bread with a sourdough starter encouraged me to dip my toe into the wonderful world of naturally leavened breads. You can read more about that experiment here, which led to this simple sourdough focaccia recipe, an adaptation of my favorite yeasted, refrigerator focaccia.
It also led to this sourdough toasting bread, which is essentially the same formula, just baked in a different vessel and without the slick of oil and sprinkling of sea salt on top. I’ve been making this bread even more often than the focaccia these days because I love the shape: it’s so nice for morning toast and for sandwiches.
PS: How to Build a Sourdough Strater from Scratch
PPS: How to Activate, Feed, and Maintain A Sourdough Starter
Simple Sourdough Toasting Bread: What You Need
- A sourdough starter. I recommend buying one (read why here). But if you’re up for it, you can make one from scratch in just about a week.
- Time. As with the focaccia, this bread rises first for about 6 to 18 hours (depending on the time of year and strength of your starter), then again for another 4 to 6.
- A large loaf pan. I’ve been using this 10 x 5-inch loaf pan. If you only have two smaller loaf pans, such as 8.5 x 4.5-inch pans, you’ll need to split the dough in half after the first rise.
That’s it! Ready? Here’s the play-by-play:
As always, when mixing sourdough doughs, it’s best to weigh everything with a digital scale. Start with 100 g starter. (If this looks familiar, it is: this is the same basic process for the sourdough focaccia.)
Add 10 g kosher (or other) salt.
Add 430 g water. (Or less, see recipe for notes.)
Stir to combine.
Add 512 g bread flour.
Stir to form a sticky dough ball.
Cover with a towel or bowl cover or, preferably, a lidded vessel, and let rest for 30 minutes. Then, perform a series of stretches and folds. See video for guidance. Repeat this 3 more times for a total of 4 sets of stretches and folds during the first two hours. Then, let rise for 6 to 18 hours* (see recipe notes) at room temperature:
After 6 – 18 hours, it will look something like this:
Drizzle the surface of the dough with a little bit of olive oil; then fold the dough inwards from the sides to deflate.
Transfer dough to loaf pan.
Let rise till dough just begins to crown the rim of the pan, about 6 hours.
Bake for about 45 minutes.
I baked this loaf in a tall-sided pullman loaf. Love the shape!
Easy Sourdough Sandwich Bread
- Total Time: 24 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf
Description
** UPDATE: VIDEO GUIDANCE IS HERE **
The makeup of this dough is the same as this sourdough focaccia. Here, the dough is baked in a loaf pan, and there is no sea salt on top.
This recipe yields one large loaf. You’ll need a 10 x 5-inch loaf pan, such as this one. If you only have two smaller loaf pans, such as 8.5 x 4.5-inch pans, you should probably split the dough in half after the first rise.
Plan ahead: This dough rises first for 6 to 18 hours (or less if it is super hot out or if you live in a humid area) or until the dough doubles in volume; then again for about 4 to 6 hour or until the dough crowns the rim of the baking vessel.
Troubleshooting: If you have issues with your dough being too sticky, please read this post: Why is my sourdough so sticky? The 4 common mistakes.
If you’re just getting started with sourdough, check out this post first. You’ll find tips there on procuring a starter as well as how to feed it and maintain it. If you’re up for making your starter from scratch, you can do so in just about 1 week.
Water: Chlorine in water can adversely affect sourdough. Leaving water at room temperature for 24 hours will allow most of the chlorine to escape. When I am in the habit of making sourdough bread, I fill a large pitcher with water and leave it out at room temperature. I use this for my sourdough breads and starter. Truth be told, I’ve used water straight from the tap and have not noticed a difference.
Water quantity: Also, depending on where you live and the time of year, you may need to cut the water back. If you live in a humid environment, for instance, I would suggest starting with 400 g or 420 g water. If you are not using bread flour, you also may need to cut the water back a bit. So much success with sourdough relies on getting the water quantity right.
Starter: I use a 100% hydration starter, meaning it is equal parts by weight flour and water. If you need guidance on how to maintain a starter, see this post.
Ingredients
- 100 g (about 1/2 cup) active starter, see notes above
- 10 g (about 2.5 teaspoons) kosher salt
- 430 g water, (or less, see notes above) room temperature
- 512 g (4 cups) bread flour, such as King Arthur Flour
- a few tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- room temperature butter, for greasing
Instructions
- Mix the dough: Place the starter, salt, and water in a large bowl. Stir with a spatula to combine — it doesn’t have to be uniformly mixed. Add the flour. Mix again until the flour is completely incorporated. If you have a straight-sided vessel, transfer the dough to it — it really helps monitor the rise and allows you to see the true growth in volume of the dough.
- Perform one (or more) “folds”: 30 minutes after you mix the dough, reach into the bowl and pull the dough up and into the center. Turn the bowl quarter turns and continue this pulling 8 to 10 times. See video for guidance. If time permits, repeat this “folding” step every 30 minutes for the first two hours. (Note: even if you perform just 1 fold, your dough will be in good shape.)
- Drizzle with a splash of olive oil and rub to coat. Cover bowl with a tea towel, bowl cover, or a lidded vessel, and set aside to rise at room temperature (70ºF/21ºC) for 4 to 18 hours — if it is super hot out or if you live in a humid environment, it may only take 4-6 hours. When the dough has nearly doubled in volume (or UPDATE: increased in volume by 50%, which is when I now end the bulk fermentation), it is ready. (Note: Do not use an oven with the light on for the bulk fermentation — it will be too warm. It is best to rely on visual cues (increasing in volume by 50% or doubling if you’ve had success with doubling) as opposed to time to determine when the bulk fermentation is done. A straight-sided vessel makes monitoring the bulk fermentation especially easy.)
- When the dough has nearly doubled, grease a 10 x 5-inch loaf pan with butter (or nonstick spray). Drizzle dough with a few tablespoons of olive oil. Rub your hands with a little bit of oil to coat. Use your hand to release the dough from the sides of the vessel, being careful not to completely deflate the dough. Video guidance here. Turn dough out onto a work surface. Quickly, shape the dough into a rectangle — I fold the dough envelope-style first; then I use a bench scraper to shape the dough into a rough rectangle. Transfer dough, seam-side down to prepared loaf pan and gently stretch into an oblong shape. (At this point, you can transfer the pan to the fridge if it makes sense with your schedule: rub the dough with oil and cover with a cloth bowl cover or plastic wrap or, preferably, a lidded vessel. Transfer to the fridge will the next day. Then proceed with the recipe.)
- Leave alone for 5 to 6 hours or until dough begins reaching the rim of the pan — this may take less time when it is very warm out. Do be patient with this second rise: to get good height, the dough should be near the rim of the pan before you transfer it to the oven.
- Heat oven to 425ºF. Transfer pan to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 375ºF. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes more or until golden all around. If you have an instant read thermometer, it should register 206-210ºF or so before removing. Remove pan from oven and turn bread out onto a cooling rack. Cool at least 30 minutes before slicing.
- Prep Time: 24 hours
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Sourdough/Natural Leavening
- Cuisine: American
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1,073 Comments on “Easy Sourdough Sandwich Bread”
Love this recipe and want to know if I could add a cinnamon sugar inclusion / swirl to it?
Hi! And yes, you can, but it is a very very wet dough, and I worry about the process being potentially frustrating for you. I’d consider holding back some of the water from the start, if you want to do this, or just be sure to liberally flour your work surface when you stretch out your dough.
I’ve been making this recipe for over a year and it has turned out great. This last time, the top crust partially separates from the slices. The only thing I changed was using 25% KA white whole wheat flour along with my KA bread flour. Used scale for all ingredients. Any idea what caused this? The crumb and flavor are great. I don’t remember anything different when making it.
Hmmm… did the dough feel at all different? Was it dryer? Did it look the same while it was proofing in the loaf pan?
I just want to say, I’ve been on the struggle bus trying to make boules or sandwich bread without yeast, and this is amazing!!! So soft and yummy!!! Thank you!!
Great to hear, Jennifer! Thanks so much for writing 🙂
Hi!
I can’t wait to make this once we get done moving.
But I was wondering about the tin size… the ones I have are 13×4 or 5, old tired brain not working after all this packing, sorry :/
As your’s was 10″, I don’t want it to be too flat if mine are too big. Hubby got them for me as I’ve wanted larger ones, but I’m just never sure now what size of recipe I should use for my new pans.
Any help is greatly appreciated!!!
Love all your recipes!!!
Thanks so much!!
Hi Jade! Hope the move is going OK 🙂 I would do 1.5x the recipe. Good luck with it (and the rest of the move!) 🎉
It turned out wonderful and very simple to make. My dough took much less time to raise than the recipe and I live in a cold climate, but that was a positive. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Great to hear, Jennifer! Thanks for writing and sharing your experience 🙂
I love this recipe and have made it several times. I am now making 6 loaves so I don’t have to buy bread for a while When I separate the dough x6, about how much should each one weigh? So they bake evenly. Thanks!
Great to hear, Alexis! Each loaf should weigh roughly 1050 grams.
Hi Alexandra!!
I’ve been loving using this recipe but I run into the same problem every time… I always get such large holes at the top of the bread. I wish I could post a pic so you could see. The loaf always looks stunning on the outside and then I cut into it and there’s large holds towards the top of the crust.
Is there anyway to correct this?
Thank you!
Devyn
Hi Devyn! What size pan are you using and roughly how long do you think the dough proofs for in it before you bake it? Finally, is the dough just crowning the rim of the pan or is it towering way above the rim of the pan before you bake it?
Hi!! Thanks for your response 🙂
I use a 10×5 loaf pan from USA Pan & I’d say the bread proofs in the pan for about 8 hours. My house is usually between 68-70 so it takes a little longer. It is close to the rim but not towering! Probably about a half an inch away from the rim.
OK, great! It sounds as though you are doing everything right. Sometimes those holes are caused by overproofing, but it doesn’t sound as though that is happening.
What kind of flour are you using? And are you using a scale to measure?
I was using Bobs bread flour, but have now switched to King Arthur bread flour & I do use a scale. Do you think it could be how I’m preshaping before putting in the pan? I do a pretty rough & loose rectangle. I can’t figure it out haha.
Possibly! You could try doing a tighter coil, and you could try lowering the hydration slightly.
Love this recipe! Could i add some sugar or honey? if so, how much?
Sure! I’d do no more than 1 tablespoon.
This recipe turned out great for me! My pan is slightly smaller, so it definitely towered over the pan a little too much, but still delicious! What’s the best way to store this after you make it? I know it won’t last long, but I want to make sure it doesn’t turn stale too fast!
Great to hear, Lauren! I store all bread the same way: In a ziplock bag at room temp for up to 3 days or in the freezer if longer. The crust will get soft, but I always recommend reheating day-old bread, so that the crust revives, which it will beautifully: 350F for 15 minutes or so. Or sliced and in the toaster 🙂
This loaf came out delicious !! Just one gripe is that it is SO soft and fluffy that it is quite difficult to slice through and tears some. Is this due to over proofing – dough was over rim when put in oven to bake.
Other than that – it’s a must try recipe !! And your peasant bread Thank you
Hi John! It’s possible that your dough was overproofed, but it also is a very soft bread. It’s definitely easier to slice on day 2 and beyond. Two thoughts if you want a firmer bread: keep an eye on that final proof and place the pan in the oven when the dough just crowns the rim of the pan or use less water from the start — you could try holding back 50 grams of water and see if that helps.
Delicious! How do I store it?
Great to hear! I store all bread the same way: In a ziplock bag at room temp for up to 3 days or in the freezer if longer. The crust will get soft, but I always recommend reheating day-old bread, so that the crust revives, which it will beautifully: 350F for 15 minutes or so.
I only have 8.5 x 4.5 inch bread pans. Do I need to adjust the baking time for smaller pans? I tried this recipe, and my bread dried out very quickly. I’m not sure if it was overrated or a storage problem.
I worry that the 8.5×4.5 inch pan will be too small for this amount of dough. I’d consider removing a small portion of the dough and baking it off in a smaller vessel. When did the dough dry out? During the bulk fermentation? Use a lidded vessel or plastic wrap next time if you only used a tea towel to cover the vessel.
I tried a piece once it was cool, and it wasn’t dry. I put the bread kn the fridge for storage, and it was dry the next day. I Divided the dough between two smaller bread pans before the final proofing.
Adore this bread, so easy and good. I do have one question, how would you make it more sour tasting? More starter and less water or something? Some trick in how you do your starter to make it more sour?
Hi. This is from this post for future reference: Why is my sourdough so sticky? 4 Common Sourdough Mistakes + Answers to FAQ’s
How do I make my loaves taste more sour?
There are a number of ways to make your loaves taste more sour, but my biggest tip is to do a long, cold, refrigerated proof. The longer time the shaped loaf spends proofing in the fridge, the more sour the flavor. Try for at least 24 hours but for as long as 48 hours.
Another tip: use less starter. It’s counterintuitive, but using less starter usually means your bulk fermentation will be longer, which means your starter will go through its food source at a slower rate and therefore produce more acetic acid along the way.
In my experience, I see little difference in both the length of the bulk fermentation and the resulting sourness in a loaf whether I use 50 g or 100 g of starter in a recipe. But if you are after more sour flavor, using less starter may be something to try.
Ah, sorry, missed that one. Ok, will try less starter…as it is, even usually at 24 hours in the fridge, it’ll be up to the top of the loaf pan and stopped by the plastic wrap. Will let it bulk ferment less, also. Thanks!
No worries! For this loaf pan recipe, I would definitely rely on the visual cues regarding the fridge — 48 hours will be too long if the dough is at the top of the loaf pan after 24 hours. I think the key for you will be to use less starter; then shorten the bulk fermentation, which might allow you some more fridge time, but again rely on the visual cues there. You don’t want the dough to overferment in the fridge and then deflate upon baking.
Love this recipe! Have you ever frozen the loaf? I just made a double batch and I’m thinking about putting one in the freezer.
Yes! Freezes beautifully. As in the baked loaf freezes beautifully. I don’t recommend freezing sourdough dough.
Hello I am about to make this I am confused about what to do if I put it in the fridge.
I would be putting it in the fridge overnight after it goes into the loaf tin. In the morning do I take it out and let it sit at room temperature for 5-6 hours? Or is it ready after a night in the fridge?
Very excited to make this, thanks in advance 😀
Hi! Yes, be sure to tuck the whole loaf into a bag (like a produce bag) or seal the top with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on the dough. In the morning, you will want to let it proof at room temperature until it crowns the rim of the pan.
I just finished making your sourdough focaccia yesterday and it turned out so amazing that I decided I need more of your bread and I’m making this today! If I am baking in two 8.5 x 4.5 pans, do I need to change the bake time at all?
Hi! Apologies for the delay here! Question: are you splitting this dough between two pans? If so, I think the bake time will be slightly less — I’d reduce by 5 minutes but ultimately, you want to bake the loaves until they are browned to your liking.
Have you experimented with scoring the top so the sides don’t blow out? I have made this recipe many times with great success.
I have not, but it’s worth a shot! I think my hesitation is that the dough is so wet, I’m not sure I’d be able to get a good score… but again, worth a shot!
Hi – Any thoughts on substituting AP flour for bread flour?
Should be fine! The dough might be a little stickier. I’d consider holding back some of the water — maybe 25 to 50 grams — especially if you live in a humid environment.