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Easy Sourdough Sandwich Bread Recipe

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4.2 from 9 reviews

This easy sourdough sandwich bread recipe yields a soft, flavorful loaf made with simple ingredients and minimal hands-on time. Using an active sourdough starter and a slow fermentation process, this bread develops a tender crumb perfect for sandwiches. The process includes mixing, folding, bulk fermentation, shaping, proofing, and baking in the oven for a golden crust and light texture.

Ingredients

Starter and Dough

  • 100 grams (about 1/2 cup) active sourdough starter
  • 10 grams (about 2.5 teaspoons) kosher salt
  • 430 grams water (room temperature, adjust as needed)
  • 512 grams (4 cups) bread flour, such as King Arthur Flour

For Baking and Greasing

  • A few tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Room temperature butter, for greasing the loaf pan

Instructions

  1. Mix the dough: Place the active starter, kosher salt, and room temperature water in a large bowl. Stir with a spatula to combine; it does not need to be perfectly mixed. Add the bread flour and mix again until all flour is incorporated. Transfer the dough to a straight-sided vessel if available to better monitor rise.
  2. Perform stretches and folds: After 30 minutes resting, reach into the bowl and stretch the dough up and fold it into the center. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat this 8 to 10 times. Repeat this folding every 30 minutes for up to two hours, if time allows; even one fold improves dough structure.
  3. Let the dough rise (bulk fermentation): Drizzle a splash of olive oil over the dough, rub to coat the surface, then cover with a tea towel, bowl cover, or lid. Leave to rise at room temperature (around 70ºF/21ºC) for 4 to 18 hours until the dough has increased in volume by 50% (or nearly doubled). Avoid heat sources like oven lights during this time.
  4. Prepare the loaf pan: Grease a 9×5-inch or 10×5-inch loaf pan well with room temperature butter or nonstick spray.
  5. Shape and proof the dough: Drizzle dough with a few tablespoons of olive oil and coat your hands with oil. Gently loosen the dough from the vessel sides without deflating it completely. Turn it out onto a work surface. Shape into a rectangle by folding the dough envelope-style and then use a bench scraper to shape it roughly rectangular. Transfer seam-side down to the prepared loaf pan and gently stretch to fit. Cover with plastic wrap or place in a sealed bag if refrigerating. Leave at room temperature for 5 to 6 hours or until the dough almost reaches the pan’s rim. Alternatively, refrigerate overnight and bake the next day.
  6. Bake the bread: Preheat the oven to 425ºF (220ºC). Place the loaf pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375ºF (190ºC) and continue baking for another 20 to 25 minutes until the crust is golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 206-210ºF (96-99ºC). Remove from oven and gently turn the bread out onto a cooling rack.
  7. Cool and serve: Let the bread cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing to ensure the crumb sets properly and slicing is clean.

Notes

  • Using a straight-sided vessel helps you monitor dough rise and fermentation progress visually.
  • Bulk fermentation time varies widely depending on room temperature and starter activity; rely on volume increase rather than clock time.
  • A few stretches and folds improve dough strength and texture but even one fold is sufficient.
  • If refrigerating for the second rise, oil the dough and cover tightly to prevent drying.
  • Allow bread to cool fully before slicing to avoid gummy texture.

Find it online: https://cozyplatter.com/easy-sourdough-sandwich-bread-recipe/