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Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread

March 15, 2023 by Sophie 21 Comments

Hi hello! I’m happy to finally share this delicious and super easy soft sandwich bread I’ve been working on.

Sometimes all you want is a fluffy soft white bread for a sandwich.

Overhead view of a sheet pan of slices of sourdough sandwich bread

Don’t get me wrong– I love a crusty and crisp country loaf the mostest, and they make great sandwiches too. And I also of course enjoy a whole wheat hearty loaf too. But I also like to have a little variety, and this loaf is a great one to add to your bread recipe rotation.

I’m still working on finalizing and developing recipes for my cookbook, but I have to say this is definitely a keeper. And I wanted to share it on the blog as a fun little sneak peek of recipes to look forward to in the book!

Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread

From Mostly Sourdough at https://mostlysourdough.com/2023/03/soft-sourdough-sandwich-bread/

Prep: 5mCook: 35mYield: 1 kilo loafTotal: 0h 40m

An easy and delicious soft sourdough sandwich bread made with olive oil and honey!

You'll Need...

  • Levain (Night before mixing):
  • 50 grams whole wheat flour
  • 50 grams all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon active sourdough starter
  • 100 grams water, warm
  • Dough:
  • 100 grams levain (from night before)
  • 300 grams warm water
  • 60 grams olive oil (or softened butter)
  • 15 grams honey
  • 500 grams all-purpose flour
  • 10 grams salt

Directions

  1. Levain: The night before mixing your dough, make the levain by mixing together the levain ingredients in a mixing bowl or jar. Cover loosely and leave in a draft free space for up to 12 hours.
  2. Mix the dough: The next morning in a large mixing bowl, add the levain and water. Mix to combine. Next add the olive oil and honey, and whisk until combined. Finally, add in the flour and salt and mix using a wooden spoon or a dough whisk until a shaggy dough forms. Allow to rest for 30 minutes.
  3. Bulk fermentation: Over a period of 3-4 hours, perform 2-3 sets of stretch and folds or coil folds on the dough to develop the gluten structure. The dough should increase by 20-30% over this time.
  4. Shape: After the bulk ferment, grease a 9x4 pullman or 9x5 inch loaf pan. Turn the dough out onto a work surface (try not to use any flour if you can-- wet hands and a very lightly damp work surface will do). Square off the dough, fold each side into the middle, and roll into a loaf shape the approximate length of the loaf pan. Place the dough seam side down into the pan and cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap.
  5. Proof: Allow the loaf to rise at room temperature until the dough just reaches the top edge of the pan. The timing on this can vary based on the temp in the room, but this can take anywhere between 3 and 5 hours. Alternatively, you can let it rise at room temp part of the way, and then refrigerate until you want to bake it.
  6. Bake: Once the dough has risen to the top of the pan, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Score the loaf, if desired, and bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. Immediately remove the loaf from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack fully before slicing.

Additional Notes

I've made this recipe with both butter and olive oil. I actually prefer the bake with olive oil, but use what you like!
This loaf can be proofed all of the way at room temperature, or you can let it rise part of the way and then refrigerate to delay baking. If you want a tall loaf, just be sure to let it rise to the top of the pan.
Slice the loaf and freeze the slices to have sandwich bread on hand for when you want it.

Generated with ♥︎ by Matcha Print

I like to make a double batch of this recipe for 2 loaves, and then I slice and freeze them to have a bunch on hand. That way you can just pull out as many slices as you want. They can be zapped in the microwave for 30 seconds and then toasted, or just thawed at room temperature.

Happy sandwich making, bread friends!

Filed Under: Breads, Sourdough, Uncategorized

« Sourdough Cookies & Cream Heart Cake
How to Build a Small-Batch Sourdough Starter »

Comments

  1. Melissa says

    March 16, 2023 at 1:25 pm

    That looks so wonderful! Thank you for sharing it. May I ask what kind op bread pan you used? I’m not familiar with “kilo”.

    Reply
    • Sophie says

      March 17, 2023 at 9:34 pm

      Yep, I used the small Pullman pan by USA pans (9×4 inches). A kilo loaf refers to the dough weight, not the pan size.

      Reply
  2. Jennifer Rossell says

    March 17, 2023 at 8:25 am

    Could I use all white flour? I ask because I use French flour (bc I’m gluten sensitive and the French flour I’m not sensitive to whatsoever!) thank you!

    Reply
    • Sophie says

      March 17, 2023 at 9:33 pm

      Yes, that should be fine!

      Reply
    • Kim says

      March 18, 2023 at 10:39 pm

      Hi…Could you tell me the name of the French flour? Is it available in the US?

      Reply
  3. patty says

    March 18, 2023 at 10:13 pm

    can you use organic rye flour instead of whole wheat?

    Reply
    • Sophie says

      March 20, 2023 at 2:32 pm

      I haven’t used rye for this specific recipe, but I’m sure that would be fine. You might just need to adjust the timings, since rye tends to speed up fermentation.

      Reply
  4. Danette Bellman says

    March 19, 2023 at 4:07 pm

    Hello
    Can you tell me the ingredients for the levain please

    Reply
    • Danette Bellman says

      March 19, 2023 at 4:08 pm

      Oops I see you have it above
      Sorry

      Reply
      • Sophie says

        March 20, 2023 at 2:32 pm

        Happy baking!

        Reply
  5. Marissa says

    May 9, 2023 at 1:52 pm

    So for bulk fermentation, I’m not waiting for it to double like most sourdough recipes? I’m just performing those stretch and folds and waiting till it gets 30% bigger?

    Reply
    • Sophie says

      May 10, 2023 at 6:16 pm

      Correct! It has a long, room temperature final proof in the pan where it does the most rising.

      Reply
  6. teresa baute says

    July 27, 2023 at 2:49 pm

    Love the recipe. When is the levain added? I missed that in the re pie. Tia

    Reply
    • Sophie says

      July 28, 2023 at 2:27 pm

      Hi there. It gets mixed in with the water. Just updated the steps to be a bit more clear. Thanks!

      Reply
  7. Sue says

    February 4, 2024 at 4:35 pm

    I see you’re using all purpose flour and not strong, is there a reason for that?

    Reply
    • Sophie says

      February 6, 2024 at 8:20 pm

      Hi there! I like to use all-purpose for this to get a softer crumb for a sandwichy texture with the honey and olive oil/butter. You can absolutely sub in bread flour, but might need to adjust the hydration.

      Reply
  8. Kekey says

    May 25, 2024 at 2:01 am

    Do you think I could make it in stand mixer and completely omit the SF?

    Reply
    • Sophie says

      May 28, 2024 at 2:15 pm

      Hi there! Yes, definitely!

      Reply
  9. Marleigh Owen says

    October 25, 2024 at 11:29 pm

    Hello!
    Can I leave out the oil and honey?
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Sophie says

      November 3, 2024 at 6:55 pm

      You could, but it would result in a different kind of loaf. I’d honestly just use a different recipe if you don’t want to include those ingredients. The oil and honey help to keep this sandwich loaf softer than a lean dough would be.

      Reply
  10. isher bakery clayton says

    December 9, 2024 at 5:47 am

    This post excels in providing a step-by-step guide to baking sourdough bread, making it suitable for all skill levels. The layout is clean, with appealing visuals that complement the instructions. The inclusion of tips for sourdough starters is particularly helpful. However, adding insights into common pitfalls or ways to adjust the recipe for diverse climates would increase its usefulness for a wider audience.

    Reply

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Welcome to Mostly Sourdough

Hi there! I'm Sophie. In this little nook of the interwebs you will find mostly recipes that incorporate sourdough and sourdough discard, as I am a true baker at heart. … Read More

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