I love the look of a free form artisan loaf of bread, but I found it tedious to bake enough loaves in a home oven at one time to feed our crew. So I changed my recipe around to bake it in a loaf pan and create a Sourdough Sandwich Bread! This way I can bake 6 loaves of sourdough bread at once and it's a much more efficient use of my time!
Sourdough Sandwich Bread is a very customizable recipe to make your own. Swap some of the flour for whole wheat. Add in ½ cup of oats, or some seeds such as sunflower, sesame or flax! Add in raisins and cinnamon. As a guide, ½ cup of add-ins and you won't need to change the recipe. One cup of flour can be swapped out for whole wheat without needing to tweak anything either.
Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Ingredients
- ½ - ¾ cup sourdough starter if your starter is runny, add less, thick, add more
- 1 - 2 tablespoons honey or sugar more honey/sugar makes a softer bread. Double this if you want a soft soft bread!
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil/fat of choice
- 1 - 1 ¼ cups water
- 3 - 3 ½ cups white flour
Instructions
Sourdough Sandwich Bread Dough
- Mix starter, honey, salt, oil and water together in a mixer or by hand. I love my Danish dough whisk for this!
- Add flour in until you have a kneadable consistency that either A.) The dough doesn't stick to side of mixer bowl or B.) Dough doesn't stick to your hands when you knead it.
- Knead it for a few minutes then cover with a damp towel and choose your path for first rise depending on your schedule and weather. Warmth speeds up sourdough, cold slows it. This is all on counter unless specified
Winter Rising
- Let the dough sit 12-18 hrs.
- Shape the dough and allow to rise a second time for 2-3hrs.
Alternative Winter Rising
- Let the dough sit 4-6 hrs.
- Shape the dough and put it in the fridge to rise a second time for 12-18hrs.
- Take out an hour before baking. Our laundry room is fridge-ish temp so we put them back there. Before baking when I use this method, I put bread pans in oven, turn oven on for 2 min then turn it off. Let sit in warm oven an hour, take out, then preheat oven for baking. This is my current favourite method.
Summer Rising
- Let the dough sit 6-8 hrs.
- Shape the dough and allow to rise a second time for 1-2 hrs.
Shaping Sourdough Sandwich Bread
- After your first rise, its time to shape! Dump your dough onto a floured surface.
- Press dough roughly into a 6x8inch rectangle, fold like a letter with long sides in, flip seam side down and let sit about 10 minutes. This is called a preshape/bench rest and makes your loaves taller!
Baking Sourdough Sandwich Bread
- Prep your loaf pan by lining with parchment or greasing the pan.
- After the bench rest, flip seam side up, press into rectangle again but this time roll it up, and tuck sides under to make a tidy loaf, then put into the loaf pan.
- Let rise for second rise depending on which path you choose.
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Using your sharpest knife, slash the loaf by slicing a one inch deep line down the length of the bread. You can get artistic or just leave it at that. This allows the bread to expand and rise in the oven better.
- Put pan into oven and bake for 25 min, turn around and then bake 20 more.
- Remove bread from oven and put on a cooling rack. Remove from pan and let cool until around room temp. Its hard to wait but I promise its worth it! The bread is still finishing up baking as it cools.
Notes
- I make this in a x6 recipe cause it's our favourite and freezes well!
Nutrition
More Sourdough Recipes
Once you've mastered working with sourdough you'll find you're wondering what other recipes you can try with it now? Here are my tried & true favorite sourdough recipes!
Tina
Do you really bake it at 425? I just made this. And while the bread is soft and delicious, the top is burnt. Is there any way to remedy that?
katehosie
You could lower the temp or lower the rack in your oven?
Kristen
I baked mine about 10 min less than called for. I think you could also experiment with loosely tenting some tin foil over the top during part of the baking.
Wanda Burquest
Kate's Sourdough Sandwich Bread is the only bread we keep around here. We love it!
andrear1983
This bread is AMAZING! I’ve been playing around with sourdough for about a month now, and this is definitely my biggest success to date. I doubled the recipe and used the high end measurement of each item. A couple hours after starting, my husband called to say we had box seats to a baseball game, so I was worried about what to do. Then I saw your winter alternative plan, so that’s what I did. It sat out for six hours yesterday, went in the fridge for about 17 hours, I heated up a baking pan and set the bread pans on it to warm them up and get rising, then about three hours later I baked. I was worried because the crust browned so much, but it has incredible flavor and doesn’t taste burnt. I will definitely be making this again (and again and again).
katehosie
This is so awesome to hear!
Ashley
You just bake it straight up in a loaf pan, no water bath?
katehosie
Yep!
Amanda Riddle
this is for 1 loaf?
Amanda Riddle
Nevermind, i see it is.
Susan
Do you just multiply by six for the full recipe?
katehosie
Yes
Ashley Dickerson
Can't wait to try this recipe! What kind of pan do you put your dough in to bake? Is there a specific one you recommend?
katehosie
I like slightly smaller- 7x3 pans. All thrift store finds
Crystal
Would you have to double the recipe for a 9x5 pan?
katehosie
No this would do a 9x5 pan, it would just not be as tall.
Nicole
Absolutely love this recipe! When friends are having trouble making sourdough, I always send them this recipe because it's so straight forward.
Emily
I looooove this recipe! It is definitely my go-to. I recently tried the "winter alternative" rising, and despite covering the loaves with a damp dishtowel, the tops got a slightly hard and dry layer on it while they were in the fridge that prevented a good rise 🙁 any idea what I could do to prevent that? Maybe put some oil on the tops of the loaves??
katehosie
It just happens sometimes, Rewet a cloth and put it back on top and after 5 minutes it should be soft. I love rising loaves in bags for this reason.
Steph
This recipe was my intro to sourdough loaves and it's incredible. I make 3x batch twice a month. I do three tablespoons of organic cane sugar and the bread is insanely soft but still firm enough to toast and hold the sandwich together. I also bake for my family since they love it too. Freezes great, I just put a paper towel in the zip lock before I throw it in the freezer so when it dethaws it doesn't make my loaf damp. This is my favourite sourdough recipe without a question.
Amanda
Thank you so much for this recipe! I've never made sourdough sandwich bread before so I'm having a bit of a hard time visualizing the first pre-shape when you mention "fold like a letter with long sides in". Am I just folding the rectangle into a log essentially? Or tucking in the long sides as I roll the rectangle? Thanks in advance for the clarification!
kateschat
For the pre-shape youre just doing a loose log roll and letting it sit
Kaeleigh
This recipe is a family favourite!! We typically make two loaves at a time, one for eating and one for gifting. I usually like a bit more honey or sugar to soften the loaf a bit more.
Melinda
This is my favorite sourdough bread recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Jessica B.
I make 4 loaves of this bread every Monday morning. It truly is a softer crusted sourdough which is what makes it perfect for sandwiches (my kids don't like a 'sharp' crust). My goal was to stop buying bread for my family before the end of 2020 and this is the recipe that is making that possible. So simple!!!
Geri Kern
I've struggled with sourdough but this recipe turned out great and restored a little of my sourdough confidence
Lise-Anne
This is my go to sourdough sandwich bread recipe. I watched your instagram highlight on making this, so helpful to watch the shaping technique and for substitutions (have subbed eggs and milk for water and turned out great). I do find the crust gets pretty dark but I've used a lower rack and covered with tinfoil.
Lindsay Hayes
This is my go to sourdough bread. Our family prefers sandwich bread over Boules and this hits the spot every time.
Kailyn
This recipe has become our weekly bread recipe! I bake it twice a week and we use it for sandwiches, toast, and pretty much everything else.
Melanie
This recipe is great for beginner sourdough creators! I watched the saved sourdough highlights on her Instagram page, which helped me learn the process.
Adrienne
Thank you for sharing this recipe, it is the first successful bread recipe I have found. It has become a weekly staple for my family. I am so
Impressed with how easy this is.
Carli Morrow
This is our favorite! I add everything bagel seasoning after about 30 minutes and knead.
Kim
Another family favorite!
Shannon Gardner
This is a great recipe! My husband really wanted to get into sourdough so I showed him this recipe. It is now our go to bread! He mixes it up and I shape it and bake it. The whole family can’t get enough and my husband won’t let me share it with anyone because he loves it so much.???
Randi Dyck
This is such a simple, easy, everyday type loaf! Makes me feel like a rockstar baker every time. Awesome sourdough flavour with none of the fuss that sourdough recipes tend to have. I always put tinfoil on top at the 25 minute turn so the tops don’t get too dark.
McKenzie Knudson
My go to sourdough sandwich recipe!! I use the tips Kate talks through on her instagram highlights (milk instead of water and add an egg). I appreciate how she explains the flexibility of the proof schedule in her instagram highlights.
clair
Love love love this. I make this every week, and freeze a couple of loaves. It is our go to, and all my friends, and family want loaves. It is great to eat, great to freeze, and great to give. I find also that it does not take the full time in my oven. Thanks for this... it was the first recipe that I tried, and it holds true.
Natalie
I make this bread almost weekly! Since trying this recipe and making my starter I rarely buy bread!
Rebecca
This is my go to bread recipe! I have never been disappointed with any recipe I have tried from Kate! Easy and delicious!
Kelsey Carter
I love how simple your recipes are to follow. This one did not disappoint. Yum. Family all loved it!
mogrma
Looks easy...hopefully
Carrie
I’m still working on this one. I’ve made twice now. I did lower temperature here in the us to 400. The tops we’re getting really burnt. But they came out great this time. I also rapped them in a towel until they completely cooled and the crust was a lot softer.
Mary
We love this recipe! I’ve been making classic sourdough for years but my kids love this recipe for sandwiches and French toast. It’s a softer crust than classic sourdough so it’s not as chewy. ??
Helen
This is my go to bread. I started making sourdough 2+ years ago and since finding this recipe I have rarely strayed. It's hard to make sandwiches with a big open crumb and we like this bread because it stays nice and soft until we finish it and I can make and freeze loaves and they defrost wonderfully!
Jericho
This is one of my go to's for sandwich bread. Never disappoints.
Kristen
Been baking with sourdough 2-3 years. This is by far my favorite sandwich bread recipe! It’s very easy, very little hands on time, and slices super nicely.
stephensonindustriesandblog
Best sourdough bread recipe ever! This is my go-to! The egg and extra sugar make a huge difference. I like to double the recipe and put it in 3 loaf pans to stretch it farther. I also cook at 350 for 50-60 min for a softer crust.
Laura Roberts
This is my FAVORITE sandwich bread recipe! I honestly make 2 loaves of this a day and they are devoured!
So so good!!
Sara W
My favorite sourdough recipe! I usually use milk and eggs in it, the way you told how on IG! I've recently been making cinnamon raisin bread with it and it's wonderful! I also made one chocolate by using cocoa and sugar instead of cinnamon.
Lorianne Stogsdill
I love this recipe! We live in an RV Fulltime and I didn’t bring my Dutch oven with me, so this has become my go-to sourdough recipe. I can bake 2-3 small loaves in bread pans in my RV oven.
My husband says it makes the most legit sandwich ever, and even his buddies commented on it when he took a sandwich with this bread on a hike!
Emily Higgins
Here because I love this bread so much, & then I saw your comment...we're full RVer's too!! Haha.
Chelsea H
This was the first sourdough recipe I ever attempted and it really built up my confidence because it turned out great every time! I veganized it with margarine and cashew milk, and since my oven runs a little hot, I put a cookie tray on the rack below just so the bottoms wouldn't burn. Literally so delicious, and between my husband and I we can eat a whole loaf the day it comes out of the oven! Highly recommend this if you're looking for a straightforward, reliable sourdough recipe.
Anna
I love making this bread! My family also loves it and i have been teaching a couple of my sister's it also!
Elizabeth
After watching Kate’s stories on IG about how she maintains her starter and bakes her breads, this was the first recipe that gave me the confidence to do it myself for the first time. Always a winner.