Nothing beats a classic, this soft, fluffy Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread is perfect for sandwiches and toast. This recipe marries the convenience of commercial yeast and the flavor of sourdough discard for a loaf that comes together in a few hours instead of days.
You can’t beat the flavor that sourdough imparts on Sandwich Bread. Although it is totally different from basic sourdough bread, it's delicious in it's own unique way. This sandwich bread is most like classic white bread that makes the best peanut butter jelly sandwiches, French toast or Bostock Pastry.
A good naturally leavened enriched loaf could take upwards of 16 hours to make. That’s because enrichments like butter, milk and eggs which impart the cloud-like texture of Sandwich Bread also drastically slow down fermentation. I love having this recipe in my arsenal when I need to whip up a flavorful loaf quickly, without having to settle for store-bought.
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Why use commercial yeast with sourdough discard?
Commercial yeast is much more efficient at metabolizing sugars in flour than the natural yeast present in sourdough cultures. This allows fermentation to occur at a much faster rate, so dough rises much faster. The result is bread that is ready in a manner of hours instead of days.
However, in exchange for convenience you’ll have to give up the rich flavors and nutritional benefits that come with the long fermentation period that occurs when you use sourdough. While you won’t get the intense flavor development of a two-day fermentation, adding sourdough discard to your bread will add a more nuanced flavor than just using commercial yeast on its own.
Short on time but still want delicious freshly-baked bread? Try my recipe for Sourdough Discard Irish Soda Bread, Sourdough Discard Hot Dog Buns, Sourdough Discard Soft Pretzels, Sourdough Discard Focaccia and Sourdough Discard Dinner Rolls.
Baking with sourdough discard
Since you are not using it as a leavener, your sourdough starter does not need to be activated or fed for it to work in this recipe. You can use your sourdough discard straight from the refrigerator. If you’re using sourdough that’s been in the fridge for weeks it will add more acidity to your loaf, which you won’t get when using a freshly fed starter. Both will work for this recipe but you’ll get different results.
What you need
All-purpose - with its lower protein content, all-purpose flour will impart the fluffy texture that you want in a sandwich loaf.
Whole wheat flour - the perfect amount of whole wheat flour adds another dimension of flavor but won’t compromise the texture of this bread (feel free to substitute any other type of wheat, such as Kamut, spelt or einkorn or just use all-purpose if you don’t have whole wheat flour in your pantry).
Sourdough discard - adds another dimension of flavor to your loaf.
Commercial yeast - the main leavener for this recipe. Both active dry or instant yeast will work in this recipe.
Milk, sugar, eggs and butter - these classic enrichments add richness and tenderness to bread.
Salt - brings out the flavor in bread and strengthens the gluten strands in the dough.
How to shape a sandwich loaf
This is my preferred way to shape my sandwich loaves because I find that there's less of a chance for my bread to crack during baking.
1. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough out into a 9 by 4 inch oval
2. Starting from one of the shorter sides, roll the dough into a tight cylinder.
3. Lightly grease your loaf pan. Place each cylinder of dough into the loaf pan.
4. Brush proofed dough with egg wash
Try my other sourdough sandwich bread recipes, Oatmeal Sourdough Sandwich Bread, Sourdough Potato Bread and Sourdough Brioche.
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Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread
Equipment
- 9 by 4-inch Pullman pan
- Cooling rack
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Ingredients
Dough
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- 30 g whole wheat flour
- 7 g Instant Yeast
- 25 g granulated sugar
- 6 g salt
- 75 g sourdough discard
- 150 g milk
- 1 egg large
- 28 g unsalted butter softened
Egg Wash
- 1 egg large
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Make the dough: Combine the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until the mixture forms a shaggy dough and no traces of dry flour remain. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 15 minutes, this rest period will make the dough much easier to work with.
- Knead the dough: Turn the dough out on a clean work surface (you shouldn’t need to flour your surface, but if your dough feels too sticky feel free to use a little bit of bench flour). To knead the dough, hold the bottom of the dough with your fingertips, fold the dough over itself, then push it out using the heel of the palm of your hand. Repeat until the dough looks cohesive and smooth.
- Let the dough rise: Round the dough into a tight ball and place it in a clean, lightly-oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until doubled in volume, about 1 to 2 hours.
- Shape the dough: Punch the dough down to release the air. Divide the dough into 3 equal portions. Round each portion into a tight ball, cover the dough with plastic wrap. Let the dough relax for 15 minutes.
- Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough out into a 9 by 4 inch oval. Starting from one of the shorter sides, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. Repeat with the remaining dough portions.
- Lightly grease your loaf pan. Place each cylinder of dough into the loaf pan.
- Let the dough proof for the second time: Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until the dough looks puffy and has filled up to at least ½-inch to the top of the pan, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven: When the dough is close to being ready, preheat the oven to 375 F.
- Brush the dough with an egg wash: Whisk together an egg and a pinch of salt. Using a pastry brush, coat the top of the dough with an even layer of egg wash.
- Bake the loaf: Bake the dough for 30 to 35 minutes or until the loaf is golden brown and the bread registers at 190 F when probed with an instant read thermometer.
- Enjoy and store: Transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing. Store slices in a ziplock bag for up to 5 days at room temperature.
Tips
These recipes were developed and tested using grams for precise measurements. To increase your chances of success, I recommend investing in a kitchen scale. I've included rough volume estimates (in tablespoons and cups), but they might not be totally accurate.
Remember all ovens are unique, these recipes were tested in my oven which runs cooler than others. You might need to lower the temperature if your bake appears to be browning too quickly. Monitor your bake closely and make adjustments if needed.
Notes
Nutrition
Erin says
I have the larger Pullman pan. 4x14 Would you double the recipr
Hannah Dela Cruz says
Yes! I would definitely double the recipe to accommodate the size of your pan.
Jan says
Hi. This bread is delicious! Is there a method to begin the process and then refrigerate overnight? Maybe do the first proof and finish the rest the next morning? Have you ever done this?
Thank you.
Tucson says
Finally! I've made so many various loaf bread recipes and was disappointed each time. This is now my go-to keeper! Excellent for toast or sandwiches. Thanks so much for taking the time to post this!
Hannah Dela Cruz says
Such an honor to have a regular place at your table!
Forrest says
I like to make this after work when I need a loaf of bread for lunch the next morning. It's also great using up the discard in the fridge.
Last time I made it I put in cinnamon and sugar coated raisins inside the rolls. This takes a simple peanut butter & jelly sandwich to the next level.
Hannah Dela Cruz says
So happy you enjoyed the recipe!!!
Karly says
The taste of this is fantastic. It’s so soft and perfect for sandwiches. I am new to sourdough, and have one thought - mine didn’t get near as tall, maybe 4”. Do you think it was an issue with my discard? Or maybe I didn’t let it proof long enough? I’d love to have bigger slices to feed my growing teens on. 😆
Hannah @ Make It Dough says
So glad you enjoyed the loaf! It definitely was not your discard, as this bread uses commercial yeast for leavening.
It could be a few things though. What vessel did you use to bake your loaf? I was definitely a lot more conservative with my proofing as a newbie baker, so it could have been just not letting the bread rise long enough. Depending on where you live, it could also be that your kitchen or the water you used was too cold so fermentation/rising could occur slower.
I'm looking forward to you trying this one again and seeing what works.
Tucson says
Why the 3 rolls, please? Would it work the same if dough was baked in one roll only? What differences would one need to employ to have one roll vs three?
Hannah @ Make It Dough says
You can really shape this bread in any way you want. Just doing a batard like you suggest would work great, however, it does increase the chances of the bread splitting or bursting on one side as it bakes. So aesthetically, I prefer to shape my sandwich bread in this way. It's the same recipe no matter how you shape it, so it will taste the same.
Sabine says
This bread is easy and tastes great! it's fun to make.
Hannah @ Make It Dough says
so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Annie says
Can I make this without using the extra yeast?
Hannah @ Make It Dough says
Yes! But your fermentation time will increase drastically. Your dough may take up to 4 hours for the initial rise and maybe 2 hours for the second rise. You can totally do this just with sourdough it will just take longer.
JamieLee Lancelot says
I absolutely love this recipe. I just made a loaf with a cinnamon swirl using powdered sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. It’s sooo good
Hannah @ Make It Dough says
such a great idea!!! I might have to copy this.
Jessika says
This recipe has become my favorite one. I prepare the night before, shape and leave overnight in the fridge to bake in the morning. But I have noticed something. I have 2 molds, a metal one and a glass one. I have noticed that the dough in the metal pan won’t rise as well as the other one. Is there a reason for this? They are the exact same thing, just one won’t rise as high
Hannah @ Make It Dough says
First, I am so glad you are loving this recipe! It's such an easy one with a huge payoff. I'm not quite sure why this would happen with the glass container. The only thing I can think of is that glass does hold cold longer than metal, so maybe the dough is experiencing a burst of heat in the metal pan during the initial baking which causes the dough to rise higher. While the glass pan stays colder for longer in the first moments of baking so it does not get that blast of heat needed for oven spring and therefore doesn't experience a dramatic rise.
Elissa says
I've made this gorgeous bread 2 weeks in a row. It's tomato season so needed the perfect bread for BLTs and this is it. I've had trouble finding a good foolproof recipe for sandwich bread that makes a nice toasted sandwich without getting so crusty that it hurts the roof of your mouth when you eat it. Thank you for posting this wonderful easy recipe!
Hannah @ Make It Dough says
you're so welcome Elissa! I am so glad you're enjoying this recipe, it's one of my favorites. You're really encouraging me to run out to my farmer's market to make some delicious tomato sandwiches before the season is over.
Aimee says
I’ve made a few times now and my family loves it. I also plumped up some raisins and laid them out before rolling and shaping the dough. Turned out really well. I had a lot of yogurt and subbed the milk for yogurt. Super yummy! Thank you!
Hannah @ Make It Dough says
oooh raisins are such a great addition to this bread! your idea is inspiring me to make a sourdough discard raisin bread recipe so more people can experience this!
Pam says
Thank you so much for your recipe! I have made this bread twice and my husband thinks I'm the greatest bread maker ever! So easy to follow for someone who is new to sourdough bread making.
Kaitlyn says
I stayed up till midnight making this last night and I’m so glad I did! I’ve tried several discard loaf recipes and haven’t found one I love until now. The taste was amazing, the crumb structure was amazing, and I love the egg wash top. Only thing I changed was using all AP flour, as I was out of whole wheat. Turned out wonderfully. Thanks for such an awesome recipie!
Hannah @ Make It Dough says
Oh no! Sorry you had to stay up until midnight. But glad you thought the recipe was worth it. If you find it getting too late the next time you make this, you can shape your dough and let it proof in the fridge to bake the next day.
Donna says
Thank you so much for this recipe. I plan on baking tomorrow and just want to clarify the instant yeast amount. 21g is a lot, yes? I typically use 2 1/4 tsp that is closer to 7 gm.
Hannah @ Make It Dough says
Total typo! You are right it is 7 g. This has been corrected in the post.