Here’s a reliable, beginner-friendly sourdough sandwich loaf with a tender crumb and light crust.
Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Makes 1 loaf (9×5 in / 23×13 cm pan)
Ingredients
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500 g bread flour (or strong all-purpose)
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100 g active sourdough starter (fed, bubbly)
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250 g milk (room temp)
(or water — milk = softer crumb) -
30 g sugar or honey
-
10 g salt
-
40 g butter or oil (softened)
Instructions
1. Mix
In a large bowl:
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Milk + starter → stir to dissolve
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Add flour, sugar, salt
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Mix into a shaggy dough
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Add butter/oil and knead until smooth (8–10 min by hand, 5–6 min mixer)
Dough should be soft and slightly tacky, not sticky.
2. Bulk Fermentation
-
Cover and let rise at room temp 4–6 hours, until about 50–70% bigger
-
Do 1–2 stretch & folds in the first 2 hours if you want extra strength
3. Shape
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Lightly flour surface
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Shape dough into a tight log
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Place seam-side down into greased loaf pan
4. Final Proof
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Cover and proof 2–4 hours
-
Dough should rise just over the rim of the pan
(slow rise = softer flavor)
5. Bake
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Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F
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Bake 35–40 minutes
-
If top browns too fast, tent loosely with foil
Internal temp: ~93°C / 200°F if you check.
6. Cool
Cool completely before slicing (I know it’s hard 😅).
Tips for Perfect Sandwich Bread
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Mild sourdough flavor: Don’t overproof
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Extra soft crust: Brush top with butter after baking
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Square slices: Use a pullman pan with lid (optional)
If you want:
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100% whole wheat
-
No-milk version
-
Same-day bake
-
Pullman style super-soft loaf
Tell me your vibe and I’ll tweak it for you 👌