Soft + Fluffy Easy Sourdough Sandwich Bread Recipe

I can’t wait to share my Simple Sourdough Sandwich Bread that uses sourdough discard to produce a soft, fluffy loaf with surprisingly little effort.

I love tinkering with a loaf that actually stays soft and slices like a dream. This Quick Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe started as an experiment with my active sourdough starter and a standard bread flour, and somehow turned into the Simple Sourdough Sandwich Bread I make weekly.

It’s not fussy, yet it surprises you with a pillowy crumb and mild tang that makes everything taste better. I’m not gonna claim it’s perfect every time, I mess up too, but when it works it’s the kind of loaf that makes you want to text a photo.

Try it and see what small change makes it yours.

Ingredients

• Gives structure and chew with gluten mostly carbs and little dietary fiber
• A tangy ferment that adds sour flavor wild yeast and beneficial bacteria
• It makes the crumb softer and richer adds fat calcium B vitamins and protein
• Sweetens mildly feeds the starter and yeast for activity helps the crust brown
• Balances flavor slows fermentation so dough is manageable strengthens gluten
• Adds tenderness flavor and a richer mouthfeel increases calories and saturated fat
• Boosts rise speed for predictability handy when your starter is sluggish
• Butter or oil prevents sticking adds a thin layer of flavor totally optional

Ingredient Quantities

• 450 g bread flour (about 3 1/2 cups)
• 150 g active sourdough starter 100% hydration fed and bubbly (about 2/3 cup)
• 250 g whole milk, lukewarm (about 1 cup plus 2 tbsp)
• 30 g granulated sugar or honey (about 2 tbsp)
• 9 g fine sea salt (about 1 1/2 tsp)
• 45 g unsalted butter, softened (about 3 tbsp)
• Optional: 1/4 tsp instant yeast
• Butter or oil for greasing the loaf pan (as needed)

How to Make this

1. In a large bowl stir together 150 g active sourdough starter, 250 g lukewarm whole milk and 30 g sugar or honey until mostly combined, then add 450 g bread flour and mix until there are no big dry bits; cover and let rest 20 to 30 minutes to autolyse, this helps make the crumb soft.

2. Sprinkle 9 g fine sea salt over the dough, add 45 g softened unsalted butter in pieces, and if you want a speed boost sprinkle in 1/4 tsp instant yeast; work the butter and salt into the dough by folding and pressing until it becomes cohesive, a sticky shaggy ball is fine.

3. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 8 to 12 minutes until smooth and elastic and you can stretch a thin windowpane without tearing; if it’s too sticky wet your hands slightly, if too dry add a tsp of milk at a time.

4. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and do bulk fermentation at room temp for 3 to 4 hours, doing 3 sets of stretch and folds every 30 minutes in the first 90 minutes to build strength; if you used the instant yeast expect a faster rise.

5. When the dough has risen noticeably and feels airy, gently deflate it on a lightly floured surface, shape it into a tight log by folding the sides under and rolling to fit a greased 9×5 loaf pan; grease the pan with butter or oil so the loaf won’t stick.

6. Place the shaped loaf seam side down in the pan, cover with lightly greased plastic wrap or a towel, and proof until the dough rises to about 1 cm above the rim of the pan or is puffy, usually 1 to 2 hours at room temp; to speed proofing set the pan in a turned off oven with the light on or on top of a warm appliance.

7. Preheat your oven to 175 C (350 F) while the loaf finishes proofing so it’s ready, then bake the loaf in the middle rack for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown and the internal temperature reads about 88 to 90 C (190 to 195 F) or it sounds hollow when tapped.

8. If the top browns too quickly tent loosely with foil after 20 minutes, and for an extra soft crust brush the hot loaf with melted butter as soon as it comes out of the oven.

9. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool at least 1 hour before slicing so the crumb sets and you get nice fluffy slices; it slices better when mostly cooled, trust me even though it’s tempting to cut right away.

10. Tips and hacks: keep your starter active and bubbly for best rise, use lukewarm milk so you don’t kill the starter, honey adds flavor and tenderness, and if you store the loaf wrapped it stays soft for 2 to 3 days or freeze slices for longer.

Equipment Needed

1. Digital kitchen scale
2. Large mixing bowl
3. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
4. Bench scraper (dough scraper)
5. Clean work surface or pastry board
6. Measuring spoons
7. 9×5 inch loaf pan
8. Instant-read digital thermometer
9. Wire cooling rack
10. Plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel and a pastry brush

FAQ

Soft + Fluffy Easy Sourdough Sandwich Bread Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Bread flour → All purpose + vital wheat gluten: use 450 g all purpose flour + about 12 g (roughly 2 tbsp) vital wheat gluten to get similar chew. No gluten powder? use 450 g AP alone, the loaf will be a bit softer and may spread more, so knead a little longer.
• 150 g active sourdough starter → instant yeast method: use 1 tsp (≈3 g) instant yeast and also add back 75 g flour + 75 g milk (the starter was 50/50 flour and water), so the dough hydration stays the same. Rise will be much faster and flavor less tangy, so expect shorter proof times.
• 250 g whole milk → buttermilk or milk powder option: swap with 250 g buttermilk for a tangy, extra-tender crumb. Or mix 230 g water + 20 g dry milk powder if you need a pantry-only swap, it’s close in richness.
• 45 g unsalted butter → neutral oil or salted butter: use 45 g neutral oil (veg/canola) for same tenderness but a slightly different mouthfeel, or use 45 g salted butter and reduce recipe salt by about 1/4 tsp.

Pro Tips

– Weigh everything. Bread flour and milk volumes vary a lot by brand and how you scoop. A kitchen scale keeps hydration consistent so the dough is never too wet or too dry.

– Keep the starter lively. Use starter that is recently fed and bubbly for best rise. If it looks sluggish, give it a feed 4 to 8 hours before mixing or add the optional pinch of instant yeast to speed things up.

– Add butter warm and work it in gently. Very cold butter will tear gluten and make incorporation a fight. Cut it into small pieces, press and fold until mostly integrated, and don’t be afraid to let the dough rest a few minutes if it becomes overly sticky during the process.

– Use feel over timers for proofing and baking. Look for a noticeably puffy, airy dough and a slow bounce-back on the poke test rather than relying only on hours. For baking, tent with foil if the top darkens too fast and wait at least an hour after cooling before slicing so the crumb finishes setting.