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The Best Effortless Soft & Fluffy Sourdough Sandwich Bread for Beginners

A close-up of a freshly baked sourdough sandwich bread loaf, showing a soft, white, even crumb structure.
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This recipe translates professional bread techniques into a simple guide for making a soft, sliceable sourdough sandwich loaf that is perfect for daily use and toasting.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 150g active sourdough starter
  • 325g warm filtered water
  • 20g avocado oil
  • 25g honey
  • 500g unbleached bread flour
  • 10g salt

Instructions

  1. Combine Starter Mix: In a large bowl, mix the active sourdough starter, warm filtered water, avocado oil, and honey until the mixture looks milky.
  2. Add Dry Ingredients: Add the bread flour and salt to the wet mixture. Mix by hand until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains. Cover the bowl.
  3. Rest: Let the dough rest for 1 hour. This is the initial autolyse period.
  4. Stretch and Folds: Perform four sets of stretch and folds, spaced 30 minutes apart. To perform a stretch and fold, gently wet your hands, grab one side of the dough, stretch it upward, and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat until you have folded all four sides.
  5. Bulk Fermentation: After the final set of folds, cover the dough and allow it to bulk ferment for 4 to 8 hours at room temperature, or until it has increased in volume by about 30-50% and shows signs of activity. The exact time depends on your kitchen temperature.
  6. Shape: Gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape the dough into a tight log or rectangle that fits your 9×5 inch loaf pan.
  7. Pan Preparation: Lightly grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan. Place the shaped dough seam-side down into the prepared pan.
  8. Final Proof: Cover the loaf pan loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let the dough proof at room temperature for 1 to 3 hours, or until the dough has risen about 1 inch above the rim of the pan.
  9. Preheat Oven: About 30 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius).
  10. Bake: Place the loaf pan in the preheated oven. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200-210 degrees Fahrenheit (93-99 degrees Celsius).
  11. Cool: Remove the bread from the oven and immediately turn it out onto a wire rack. Let the loaf cool completely, at least 2 hours, before slicing. This step is crucial for a sliceable sourdough sandwich loaf.

Notes

  • Use an active, bubbly sourdough starter for the best rise and flavor development.
  • For a softer crust, you can brush the top of the loaf with a little melted butter immediately after removing it from the oven.
  • This long-fermented bread is easier to digest than standard white bread.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://kitchenslang.com/sourdough-sandwich-bread-recipe-soft-easy/