Fresh and irresistible, my Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread recipe features fluffy sourdough starter, olive oil for softness and a touch of earthy maple syrup for interest and golden color. This bread is soft yet sturdy enough for sandwiches and toast. You can make it the same day in about 7 hours (without added commercial yeast) or overnight and bake the next morning, ready in about 14 hours. It’s baked in a loaf pan until golden brown and fragrant. This recipe is vegetarian and vegan.
An Everyday Sourdough Sandwich Loaf
Since sharing other sandwich breads like this Sourdough Multigrain Sandwich Bread and, now a reader favorite, Maple Oat Sourdough Sandwich Bread, I wanted to add a simpler 5 ingredient white sourdough bread loaf to the V&B sourdough collection.
When testing this recipe, I began by making the bread from start to finish as an overnight recipe, but then started testing a same day version — and, it works beautifully!
This Recipe Is
- soft and fragrant
- simple to shape
- made with 5 basic ingredients
If you enjoy making homemade sourdough bread recipes, you’ll appreciate the flexibility of this irresistibly easy sourdough sandwich loaf.
This bread isn’t sweet but adding a touch of maple syrup adds complex flavor with underlying interest. It also aids in giving this bread it’s rich golden-brown color while also softening the texture.
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How to Make Homemade Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Step by Step
Bulk Fermentation (first rise)
For this recipe, I include two bulk options:
- For Overnight: if you don’t need the bread the same day you mix, this is more of a hands off approach.
- For Same Day: if you want the bread ready sooner than later, this is the best option. You have to watch the dough and the clock a bit more than the overnight method.
Once bulk is complete, it’s time to preshape the dough, rest again, shape, then pan. Once the dough is in the pan, you can move on to proofing.
Great sourdough bread starts with a strong sourdough starter. If you’re just getting started, check out my step by step How to Make a Sourdough Starter guide.
Proof the Dough (second rise)
The amount of time to proof this dough will vary depending on method:
- Overnight: a shorter proof of about one hour for this method.
- Same Day: a longer proof for this method at about 1 1/2 – 2 hours*.
*Note proof time is longer with the same day method even with a warmer ambient temperature. This is because we’re only bulk fermenting to 20-30% (for same day) in size which is another variable in the sourdough lexicon! The dough needs that extra proof time to develop further.
Store your sourdough at room temperature or in the freezer. Refrigerating bread dries it out.
Traci’s Tips
- Let the dough guide you through your process, not the clock. It’s ready when it’s ready.
- Kitchen Tools: I recommend a digital oven thermometer for monitoring accurate oven temperature and weighing your ingredients using a digital kitchen scale for best outcome.
Fresh Sourdough Sandwich Bread (Same Day Recipe or Overnight)
Servings:1 loaf
Calories:2143kcal
**Advanced Prep Required – you'll need a Sourdough Starter**Fresh and irresistible, my Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread recipe features fluffy sourdough starter, olive oil for softness and a touch of earthy maple syrup for interest and golden color. This bread is soft yet sturdy enough for sandwiches and toast. You can make it the same day or overnight. A Note on HYDRATION – Flours vary in their moisture content from brand to brand. Additionally, local humidity conditions will impact how your dough feels from one batch to another. Even if you weigh your ingredients (which I recommend), this is not uncommon. As you gain experience in making sourdough, you'll gain a better understanding of how your dough should look and feel. Time above is for same day method. It does not include time for the overnight method: for fermentation, shaping and proofing which takes between 12-13 hours (overnight). Use the times as a guide, not as a determining factor._______________________Bakers Schedules: Overnight: Friday-Saturday: feed starter. Saturday night: mix dough and ferment overnight. Sunday morning: shape dough, allow to rise (proof), bake.Same Day: Friday: feed starter. Saturday morning: mix the dough and ferment. Saturday afternoon: shape dough, allow to rise (proof), bake. ________________________Serving size depends on how thick or thin the loaf is sliced. I can get about 12 thick slices or 15-16 thinner slices out of this loaf.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) Sourdough Starter 100% hydration, previously fed, bubbly and active
- 1 cup (225 grams) Water about 80F (26C)
- 2 tablespoons (40 grams) Pure Maple Syrup
- 3 tablespoons (40 grams) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 cups + 2 tablespoons (425 grams) Bread Flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (10 grams) Fine Sea Salt
Instructions
- Mix the Dough: whisk the starter, water, maple syrup and olive oil together in a large bowl with a fork. Add the flour and salt. First, mix with a fork, the dough will be shaggy. Then mix by hand, mixing, folding and pushing the dough in the bowl until the flour is fully incorporated and no dry bits are present. The dough will feel sticky and soft and it will stick to your fingers as you go. Do this for about 2-3 minutes. Use the fork to scrape off the dough on your fingers. Cover bowl with a damp tea towel. Set a timer for 30 minutes and allow the dough to rest. Now is a good time to feed/refresh your starter.
- Fold the Dough: After the dough has rested, fold the dough. To do this, grab a portion of the dough while it remains in the bowl, stretch it up and fold it over, pressing your fingertips into the center of the dough. You'll notice the dough is soft and more pliable (less sticky) at this point. Repeat, until you've worked your way around the dough. This is the first fold. Cover bowl with a damp tea towel and set a timer for 30 minutes and allow the dough to rest. Perform one more fold, then continue into bulk fermentation.
- Bulk Fermentation (first rise):Same Day: After the last fold, cover the bowl with two damp tea towels and allow to rise for three hours in a turned off oven with the light on (80-82 Fahrenheit (26-27 Celsius). When bulk fermentation is complete, the dough should rise between 20-30% in size. The dough will feel a little tacky, but it will be pliable and easy to work with at this point. You may see a few small shallow bubbles on the surface. It will not be jiggly. OROvernight: After the last fold, cover the bowl with two damp tea towels and allow to rise overnight at room temperature. This will take about 8-10 hours at 70F (21C), but in a cooler kitchen, the dough can take up to 10-12 hours to rise – this is the norm in my chilly kitchen 68F (18C). Use the time as a guide and not a determining factor. The dough is ready when it no longer looks dense, is jiggly when the bowl is shaken, has bubbles on the surface, and has about doubled in size.
- Shape the Dough: with damp fingertips, coax the dough onto a floured work-surface. Preshape: with moist fingers, take a portion of the dough, gently stretch it towards you and fold it over towards the center, pressing it down gently. Repeat this process until you work the dough all the way around the dough. Using a bench scraper flip the dough over, cover with a tea towel. Rest the dough for 15-20 minutes. While the dough rests, thoroughly coat the inside of a 9 inch x 5 inch (23cm X 12cm) loaf pan with olive oil. Set aside. Flour the work surface and using a bench scraper, flip the dough back over. Use the photos in the blog post to help guide shaping. Gently shape the dough into a rough rectangle by dimpling the dough (think focaccia), to roughly 6 inches wide and 8-10 inches long. Fold the dough letter style 2/3 over onto itself and crease it firmly using the pinky side of your hand. Fold the 1/3 piece left, over the crease and pinch the seam closed. Fold in the ends, coming in about a 3/4 inch – 1 inch each, and pinch the seams closed. Flip the bread over, rock it back and forth a bit, and gently fluff the ends in. Cover with a tea towel and allow the dough to rest for about 5-10 minutes.Scrape your work surface area of any excess flour and very lightly spritz it with water (this will help increase surface tension as you do the final shaping). Place the dough on the spritz of water (seam side down) and using lightly floured hands, cup the back of the dough and gently pull it towards you until the surface is taught. Gently fluff the ends in again if needed to fit into the loaf pan.Once the surface is taut and with one swift move, use the bench scraper to scoop the dough up and, place the dough into the prepared loaf pan seam side down. If there are misshapen edges or a wrinkled top that need tucking in, use a moistened rubber spatula to gently finesse and shape the edges of the dough down into the pan.
- Proof the Dough (second rise): Cover the pan with a damp tea towel and allow the dough to rise until the dough has risen to about 1 1/4 inch (3.2 cm) above the lip of the pan at the center of the dough.Same Day Dough: Proof your dough in a turned off oven with the light on (80-82 Fahrenheit (26-27 Celsius). At this temperature, proofing takes about 1 1/2 – 2 hours. *Be sure to remove the pan from the oven before preheating the oven.*OROvernight Dough: Proof at room temperature. The amount of time this takes will vary depending on ambient temperature. At 70F (21C) proofing takes about an hour. In my chilly kitchen at 68F (20C), about an hour and 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, set an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425F (218C).
- Bake: Place the loaf into the oven and then, reduce the oven temperature to 400F (204C). Bake for 30-40 minutes. The bread is ready when the internal temperature (read on a digital food thermometer) of the loaf is between 190F – 205F (87C – 96C). When done, transfer to a wire rack. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a cooling rack. Cool 1 hour before slicing.
- Storage Notes: Sourdough is best enjoyed on the same day it's baked, but it lasts for 3-4 days stored at room temperature. Store at room temperature cut side down on a cutting board. This bread freezes beautifully. Store baked bread in a freezer bag either whole or sliced for up to two weeks. Thaw at room temperature. This bread can go straight from freezer to toaster to make the most delicious toast!
Notes
This recipe was adapted from my Soft Multigrain Sourdough Sandwich Bread recipe.
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Serving: 1loaf | Calories: 2143kcal | Carbohydrates: 357g | Protein: 55g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 33g | Sodium: 3514mg | Potassium: 493mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 9IU | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 4mg
Made It? Leave a comment below! The most helpful comment may include recipe rating, feedback, any modifications and/or helping other commenters. On Instagram? Take a snap of your make and share, tagging @VanillaAndBean #VanillaAndBean!
This is my new weekly go to bread! So easy and tastes amazing! Love that it can be done same day and is totally no fuss. 5 stars for sure!
Hiii Lori! I love hearing this and it’s a go-to. Thank you for giving the sourdough a go and five star review!
So easy and delicious. The first time I made this bread, i ran out of time and used a bit of the same day and overnight. It didn’t matter and it worked. I made the same day recipe and it is fabulous. The texture is perfect and soft with a great crust. I’ve added this to my rotation.
Love hearing this Juliet, and seeing your bake on Instagram. Thank you for giving the recipe a go and coming back to let us know!