Easy Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread Recipe
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This quick and easy sourdough discard sandwich bread is a great sourdough recipe to have in your repertoire for when you need to use up some discard or you need a loaf of bread in a hurry. You'll get a super soft, light and airy crumb with a soft crust that's easy to eat.
This bread takes around 2 to 3 hours from start to finish, depending on how warm your house is. It utilises 100g of sourdough discard and is perfect with homemade butter!
If you'd like a more artisan style sourdough discard bread, you could try this recipe.
Which Loaf Pan Should You Choose?
Sandwich bread needs to be baked in a laof pan. You can use an open tin or a tin with a lid or “Pullman Bread Tin“. If you use an open tin, you’ll achieve a rounded top to your sandwich loaf. This is what I prefer to bake in.
You can however also use a Pullman Tin. This has a lid that slides on top and will yield you a square sandwich loaf, more like the bread you would buy in the supermarket.
No matter what type of tin you use, this loaf is best in a tin around 4 x 8 x 4 inches. This is the one I use (I just leave the lid off as I think it is nicer with the rounded top).
Sometimes my sourdough sandwich discard bread comes out looking like a mushroom ... it makes my kids love it even more because they think it's hilarious! Spot the squishy toddler fingers!
Shaping Sandwich Bread
Shaping sandwich bread is so so easy. Of course, like anything, there are a million ways to complicate it, however I like to stick to this simple method – it’s so easy my kids can do it!
Remember that this dough will feel different to traditional sourdough sandwich bread because it has been leavened with instant yeast. It may feel stickier than traditional sourdough, but if it is, you just need to flour your hands a little.
You need to pop your fermented dough out onto the kitchen counter so that the smooth side is underneath and the sticky side is on the top. Gently ease the dough out into a rough rectangle, with the short edge closest to you.
Then roll the dough up into a log and tuck the ends under. Try and create as much tension as you can on the top of the loaf. This will help it to develop a lovely shape and crust when it's baked.
Then simply plop the log into your buttered tin.
Freezing A Sourdough Discard Sandwich Loaf
You can easily double or even triple this recipe (when you look at the recipe below, you can easily click the button and it will automatically calculate the measurements for you). Doubling the recipe means you can use one loaf and freeze the other.
These plastic bread bags are perfect for freezing your sandwich bread in.
This yeasted version of sandwich bread is super handy to have in your recipe collection when you realise you have to pack school lunches ... and there's no bread!!
It also freezes really well - as a whole loaf or even sliced and made into sandwiches.
To store frozen sandwiches, you can place each sandwich in a plastic ziploc bag. This makes them easy to place in lunchboxes in the morning. You could also wrap them in parchment paper and store in an airtight plastic container in the freezer if you don’t want to use ziploc bags.
Slicing Sourdough Discard Sandwich Loaf
Slicing a sandwich loaf can be tricky, especially if you want perfect slices. However, you can purchase a bread slicing guide which makes things much easier. You could even use an electric knife or electric food slicer.
Making Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread in the Thermomix
I use a Thermomix to make this discard bread, however you could use any stand mixer. I find that using a mixer creates a super soft crumb - and makes this a quick easy recipe to use.
I use the dough function on the Thermomix (any version will work TM31, TM5 or TM6).
As with the traditional sourdough method in your Thermomix, clean up is easy - just add some water to the jug afterwards and run at speed 10 to clean the blades.
For the all the best sourdough recipes to make in your Thermomix, check out this guide.
Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread Variations & Substitutions
There are lots of ways to jazz up this easy sourdough discard sandwich bread. Here are a few suggestions:
- Honey & Oat Sandwich Loaf - Add 20g of honey and 50g of oats to the mixture when you add the butter, sugar and salt. If you'd like to add oats to the top you should do so when you put the dough into the tin - spray the loaf lightly with water so the oats stick to the top.
- Multigrain Sandwich Loaf - Add 50 to 100g of your favorite seeds to the mixture when you add the butter, sugar and salt. Seeds like sesame, sunflower, pumpkin and flax work really well.
- Wholemeal Sandwich Loaf - Replace half the Bread Flour with Whole Wheat or Wholemeal Flour for a more hearty country style sandwich loaf. You could top with sesame seeds when you place it into the tin.
- Make this loaf into sourdough discard rolls by following these instructions.
Equipment for Making Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread
Sandwich Loaf Pans – you’ll need a selection of sandwich loaf tins to bake your bread. Having 2 or even 4 is a great idea if you want to bake several loaves at once (and this bread freezes really well).
Plastic Bread Bags – these are a great way to store and freeze your bread and fantastic if you’re making multiple loaves at once.
Bread Slicing Guide – these are super handy if you’re wanting perfectly sliced sandwich bread.
Further Reading
If you love this recipe, you might enjoy these:
- Check out this guide to making sourdough discard sandwich bread in a bread machine.
- Prefer baking with whole wheat flour? You might prefer this whole wheat sourdough discard sandwich loaf.
- These super fast sourdough discard hamburger buns are delicious - soft, buttery and everything a burger bun should be!
- Want to make a sourdough version of pane di casa? This sourdough pane di casa is perfect (it uses discard too!).
Sourdough Discard Sandwich Loaf Recipe
Video
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Digital Scales
- Bread Tin
Ingredients
- 100 g Sourdough Discard (unfed sourdough starter)
- 250 g Water
- 500 g Bread Flour (or All Purpose Flour)
- 10 g Salt
- 20 g Sugar
- 60 g Butter (salted, room temperature)
- 7 g Instant Yeast
Instructions
- Combine the sourdough discard, water and flour into the bowl of your stand mixer or Thermomix and mix until it forms a shaggy dough (around 30 seconds will do it). Leave the dough to rest for 30 minutes.
- Now add the salt, sugar, butter and yeast to the bowl and knead the dough for around 3 to 6 minutes. You want the dough to be elastic, silky and slapping the sides of the bowl. Just keep the mixer going until you achieve this. If you are using a stand mixer you'll need to use your dough hook attachment for this step.
- Now you need to let your dough rise. You are using instant yeast as the leavening agent in this recipe, rather than sourdough/wild yeast, so it will rise very quickly, particularly if your home is warm. Leave it for around an hour (it will take longer if your house is cooler). You want it to double.
- While you're waiting for the dough to double, lightly butter a sandwich loaf or pullman pan so it's ready to go when the dough is shaped.
- Once the dough has doubled, tip it out onto the counter top with the smooth side underneath and the sticky side on the top. Gently ease the dough out into a rectangle. It should be quite easy to do this as the dough is very elastic.
- Now you want to shape your dough into a sandwich loaf. This is fairly easy. Make sure that the short side of the rectangle is in front of you. Fold each side of the dough into the middle, then roll the dough into a tight log with the seam underneath. Tighten the top of the dough by putting your hands at the base and pulling the dough towards you, without lifting if off the countertop.
- Once the dough is shaped, gently place it into the buttered loaf tin. Leave the dough to rise until it's just above the rim of the tin. This will take around an hour, depending on the temperature of your home.
- Once the dough has risen, you'll need to bake your loaf. Turn your oven on and set the temperature to around 180C/350F. Let it warm for around 10 minutes. Spray the top of your dough with some water mist and place into the oven. Make sure that there's plenty of room for it to grow in the oven as it will generally keep rising.
- Bake your bread at 180C/350F for around 40 to 45 minutes or until the loaf is golden brown.
- Remove from the loaf tin and allow to cool on a wire rack.
Notes
Nutrition
I do not have quick rise yeast, can regular yeast be used if bloomed in in the water prior to adding to the sourdough discard?
Yes you can do this 🙂
Is this the same recipe that I saw in your video where you roll the dough into 4 balls and let them rise in the loaf pan?
I used your recipe today to bake my first ever sourdough discard sandwich bread and just wow ! It tastes and looks incredible …
I couldn’t find my dough hook so had to knead by hand and definitely had a wobble when I added the butter, sugar, salt and yeast after the autolayse and it just didn’t seem to be coming together… but I had doubled the recipe and there was a kilo of bread flour in there so I wasn’t giving up and after about 20mins of very physical kneading and stretching by hand, I had the loveliest dough that rose beautifully, baked perfectly and cut so so well. It took all of my will power to leave it half the day to cool completely but oh my, I am glad that I did!
Thank you sincerely for taking the time to share your recipe, I am trying to make the move from shop bought white sandwich bread and this does the job perfectly. Now to just eat a little and not the whole two loaves in one sitting !
Haha! Not eating everything at once is always the hard part. I'm so glad you stuck with it and have a delicious loaf! Thank you so much for taking time to come back and comment 🙂
Love this bread! I’ve made it so many times!
We love to hear that, Jaime! 🙂
I’ve made this loaf several times; it’s a favorite. Today’s loaf was even better. I usually use bread flour but all I had was AP and it was delicious.
I’m going to double the recipe next time and 🙏🏼 it turns out well
Can you make this with active starter instead of instant yeast? If so, would all the steps be the same except longer to bulk ferment? Also if so, how much active starter would you use?
Another fan of this recipe. Wonder if there's a reason why the sugar and salt aren't dissolved in the water when first mixing, then adding the yeast and butter/oil later?
This loaf of bread is perfect. It's our favorite for toasting! It's also very forgiving. I like to cover the discard, flour and water overnight so it's a bit bubbly when I mix the rest. I've also taken the completed dough and stuck it in the fridge for 24 hour, pulled it out and baked it. Great results! Thanks for sharing your recipe 😊
The dough was extremely hydrated. Of course, he rose slightly and gooey inside.
This bread is wonderful! I make it with half whole wheat and half bread, flour and use the honey oat variation. I also have made the exact same bread but with active sourdough starter and no yeast it comes out so rich tasting with. Active starter!
Love reading your posts.
Great helpful easy to understand advice .
I would like to know the reason for adding honey to the recipe for sourdough sandwich bread. I’m new to this and I have omitted the sugar content. I’m I missing something?
Thank you.
Verina
The sweetener is for flavor in this recipe. The recipe is made with sugar, but you can substitute with honey, or omit if you would like. But I highly recommend keeping a sweetener. 🙂
I absolutely LOVE this loaf!!! It has become my staple. As much as I enjoy a traditional sourdough loaf, I truly crave this one. So easy to make and using my KitchenAid mixer is a huge bonus. It is truly perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It comes out beautifully every single time.
Can you give me standard ingredients amounts? Ie teas. Cups etc. I don’t have a clue how much a g is. Thank you.
Love this recipe and have tried several flour mixes with good results. One 'problem' I do have is that the loaf always reduces in height after about 10 minutes baking, having gone in the oven looking great. The results are always light with nice texture and flavour(s) but it's a little disappointing that I don't get any oven rise (or maintain the initial height). Any suggestions on what I'm doing wrong please?
I'm glad you enjoy the recipe 🙂 This sounds like the dough is over proofed, I would try to bake it earlier than you have been as dough that is properly proofed will not collapse like that. And if the dough is still light with a nice texture, then it's not under proofed. Give that a try and let me know how you go 🙂
I love this recipe! I made two loaves at the same time every other week for over a year and have just got back into it! I slice by hand and then freeze the second loaf and sometimes half of the first loaf too for later in the week. It freezes amazingly. I don’t have a mixer yet but I use a hand whisk with the dough hooks or have made it by hand a couple of times when necessary and it’s turned out just as perfect. I find the time for it to grow takes much longer in my house but make them on days when I’m at home and can keep checking it and moving to the pan when neccessary! Would love to try with additions next!! Thanks for a great recipe!
Thankyou for the awesome recipe will try it today. I’m new in the sourdough world
Regarding the nutrition information is that for the entire loaf of bread?
Yes, the entire loaf 🙂
Absolutely the best! I have made this several times now and it is delicious. No more commercial bread for this house. Thank you Kate!
OMG, this is simply amazing and is my new go-to! Pillow soft inside, perfect crust on the outside. I can’t wait to share with family and friends!
If you don’t have a scale, make the investment, you won’t regret it!
Thank you for sharing such an amazing recipe!
Amazing bread and so easy to make.
Love this recipe! Made it the other night! Instead of baking and freezing a loaf, could you freeze the dough at some point?!
I’ve made this recipe several times and it is officially my go-to sandwich bread recipe! The first time I made it in one pan but it grew quite a lot and our family isn’t a fan of the bread “mushrooming” over the top of the pan. It’s just harder to fit in a sandwich bag! So the next time I made it, I split it into two loaves and it was perfection! They were still big, beautiful loaves, they were just a more uniform shape. I’ve had a loaf last almost a week and it was just as soft and perfect as it was the day it was baked! It freezes beautifully, as well! This is an awesome recipe!
I made this bread and it’s so so good it didn’t disappoint
Absolutely delicious bread and it smells amazing when it's baking! Love this as a use for my discard. Thank you so much for the recipe!
I’d like to do a caramelized onion loaf. Is there a way to do this? How much would you add to the loaf to make it happen?
That sounds delicious, Kellie! I'm not sure of a simple way to do that without some recipe development, but I'll pass the idea along to Kate. 🙂
Looking for a recipe that I can make using oat flour due to medical condition/ allergies and oat flour is one of the few safe flours... any suggestions? This sounds like a good recipe
I'm sorry, I haven't tried this with oat flour.
Have you tried this in a bread machine on dough cycle?
Yes, you can make this loaf in a bread machine using these instructions.
I was wondering if we could add caramelized onions to this recipe. If so, when would it be added and how many grams should be added?
Super soft and fluffy, great flavor, soft crust, coated mine with oats and it was beautiful
Fantastic recipe. I change the add ins and flours as the spirit moves me. Always turn out beautifully.