Easy Sourdough Sandwich Bread for Beginners

Baking schedule

• Overnight: This dough rises overnight and takes about 10-12 hours to rise. Start the day before and bake the next day.
• Same day: If you're baking the same day, the total rise time will be about 3 hours. Start in the morning and bake in the afternoon or evening.

  While the dough won't have the same depth of flavor as one overnight, it will still result in a delicious loaf.

Make sure your sourdough starter is ready

• Before you begin, ensure your sourdough starter is bubbly and has doubled in size after feeding.

  This usually takes 2 to 4 hours, depending on your kitchen temperature (ideally 75-80°F / 24-27°C).

  If you don’t have a starter yet, find full instructions for making one here.

Make the dough (5-minute mix + 30-minute rest)

• In a large bowl, combine ½ cup (100g) active sourdough starter and 1 cup (250ml) lukewarm water
• Add 4 cups (500g) white bread flour, 1 tablespoon (20g) white granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons (10g) salt. Mix everything together with a dough whisk or your hands until combined to form a soft dough.
• Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. During this resting time, the flour absorbs the water, making the dough softer and easier to handle.

Knead and first rise (5-minute knead + 3-hour rise)

• Knead the dough for 5 -7 minutes until it becomes smooth and no longer sticky.
• Place the dough in a clear container or bowl, marking the dough’s starting height with a rubber band or piece of tape.
• Cover the bowl with a cloth or plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature (70-74°F / 21-23°C) for about 3 hours, or until it has doubled in size.

Shape the dough (10-minute shaping + overnight rise)

• (For same-day baking, see note 2 below.)
• Grease and line a 9x5-inch (23x13 cm) loaf pan with parchment paper.
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Press the dough into a square that’s about 9 inches (23 cm) wide.
• Fold the bottom of the dough upward, then fold the top down over it.
• Fold in the ends and pinch them together to seal the dough.
• Place the dough seam-side down in the prepared loaf pan.
• Cover the loaf pan loosely with a cloth and refrigerate overnight. The slow rise will help develop flavor and texture.

Score the dough (see note 3)

• The next morning, remove the dough from the fridge. It should have doubled in size.
• Using a sharp knife or razor blade, carefully make a cut that's ¼ to ½ inch (0.6 to 1.3 cm) deep cut along the top of the dough, either straight from end to end or in an S pattern
• Let the dough sit at room temperature for 20 minutes while you preheat the oven.

Bake

• Position the oven rack in the middle and preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown. If the top of the bread browns too quickly, you can loosely cover it with foil.

To check if baked

• The bread should sound hollow when tapped on top.
• If using a thermometer, the internal temperature should be 190-200°F (88-93°C).
• Let the bread cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Use a sharp bread knife for even slices—allowing your sourdough sandwich loaf to fully cool completely (ideally 1 hour) is key for the best results.

Storage

• Room temperature: Store the cooled bread in a paper or cloth bag, or a bread box for up to 3 days
• Freeze: You can freeze the entire loaf unsliced or sliced.

  Sliced: Slice the bread and separate the slices with parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together. Wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap or foil, and place it in a freezer-safe bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

  Unsliced: Wrap the entire loaf tightly in plastic wrap or foil, and place it in a freezer-safe bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

  To defrost: Let the bread thaw at room temperature for a few hours, or toast slices directly from frozen.

If you’re new to sourdough, you can get my easy sourdough starter recipe here