Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Making Sourdough Bread for Sandwiches

Here is everything you need to make this sourdough sandwich bread:

• Sourdough Starter: We have an easy sourdough starter recipe HERE. You’ll need to start this seven days before baking.
• Flour: Bread flour is best for baking this bread. For a whole wheat option, I like to use a 50/50 mix of bread and rye flour.
• Water: You can use tap water to bake bread; I do. But if you prefer bottled or filtered water, that works, too!
• Salt: Unrefined sea salt, please! Just make sure your sea salt is unrefined and free from anticaking agents.
• Maple Syrup: My bread recipes use maple syrup instead of cane sugar. I like the results better.

Sourdough Bread for Sandwiches

I highly suggest doubling or tripling this recipe if you have a large family or eat a lot of bread (like Jon and I do).

Once you are ready to shape the dough, divide it in half (or in thirds), shape it, place it in the loaf pans, and bake the loaves side by side. Any extra loaves can be sliced and then frozen in plastic wrap. I have bread bags I saved from store-bought bread that I use for freezing.

Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread

To make this bread a whole wheat loaf, just sub half the flour with whole wheat flour. I like to use sprouted rye when making a whole wheat version.

Note that whole wheat flour absorbs more water than white flour, so you may need to add an extra tablespoon or two of water for the dough to come together.

Since sourdough ferments during a longer rise time than traditional bread, it’s much easier to digest and more flavorful. The flavor comes from the wild yeasts and bacteria metabolizing the sugars in the dough during the long rise times and producing acids as byproducts.

This is also why the bread is easier to digest! Essentially, the microorganisms do some of the digesting for you in this sourdough bread recipe.

Sourdough Sandwich Bread Recipe

I use a 9 x 5-inch glass loaf pan in this recipe, so you want to use the same size or something close to get a good sandwich loaf shape. You can use metal or glass; watch the bread to see when it turns golden brown.

Also, try preheating your oven to 500° F. Then, once you slide the bread pan in, reduce the temperature to 400° F and bake as directed. Starting the dough at a higher temperature often yields a better oven spring.

Sourdough

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Learn How to Make A Loaf of Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Sourdough sandwich bread is a classic household staple. From melty grilled cheese sandwiches, to juicy BLTs, and classic PB&Js, these sturdy sourdough slices await a variety of delicious toppings. This sourdough bread recipe is soft, easy to make, and it does not have big holes in it, making it perfect for sandwiches.

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• Prep: 6 Hours
• Cook: 1 Hour
• Total Time: 7 Hours

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Ingredients

• 500 grams bread flour
• 100 grams active, bubbly starter
• 275 grams warm water
• 10 grams sea salt
• 25 grams maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon butter softened

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients until just combined and let sit for 20 minutes.
2. After 20 minutes, knead the dough into a uniform dough ball.
3. Place your dough ball in a large bowl.
4. Allow to rise at room temperature covered for 6 hours, and periodically stretch and fold the dough
   
5. During the rise time, stretch and fold the dough once each hour. Using your hands, stretch up the bottom of the dough, without breaking it, and fold over the top of the dough. Stretch and fold side over side, then top over bottom. As you do this you’ll notice there is more resistance stretching the dough.  If you need help with this step there are a lot of great tutorials on YouTube.  
6. After the rise time with stretching and folding, on a well-floured surface, gently shape the dough into a loaf shape by stretching and folding once more, then tucking under the sides.
7. Place the seam side down in a parchment paper lined bread pan. 
8. Let rise for 1-2 hours at room temperature. the dough should be just below the rim of the loaf pan.
9. (optional) overnight proof in the fridge for 12 hours.
10. Preheat oven to 500° F. 
11. After the final rise time, score the dough down the middle, egg wash the top and add toppings.* 
12. place the pan in the oven and reduce the heat to 400° F.
13. Bake for 40-45 minutes until crust is golden brown. Time may be adjusted depending on your oven. I rotate the pan halfway through.
14. Remove from oven and pan and cool on cooling rack for 30 minutes. 

Notes

• Adding seeds to the top of the loaf is optional. To add seeds, brush the loaf with an egg wash and top with sesame, sunflower, and poppy seeds before baking.

Kaitlynn Fenley Author, Educator, Food Microbiologist

Kaitlynn is a food microbiologist and fermentation expert teaching people how to ferment foods and drinks at home.

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