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The Ultimate Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread: Fluffy and Sliceable

Close-up of stacked, soft slices of golden sourdough sandwich bread on a plate.
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Follow these steps to bake a soft, fluffy sourdough sandwich loaf that is perfect for daily use, toasting, and sandwiches. This recipe focuses on achieving a tender crumb that beginners can manage.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 150g active sourdough starter (fed and bubbly)
  • 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 starter, warm water, avocado oil, and honey until they are well combined.
  2. Add Dry Ingredients: Add the bread flour and salt to the wet mixture. Mix by hand until no dry flour remains. The dough will be shaggy.
  3. Rest: Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 1 hour (autolyse/rest period).
  4. Stretch and Fold Set 1: Gently stretch and fold the dough over itself in the bowl. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
  5. Stretch and Fold Sets 2, 3, and 4: Repeat the stretch and fold process three more times, waiting 30 minutes between each set. This builds structure.
  6. Bulk Fermentation: Cover the dough and allow it to bulk ferment at room temperature for 4 to 8 hours, or until the dough has increased in volume by about 30-50% and shows signs of activity.
  7. Shape: Gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape the dough into a tight log or rectangle suitable for a standard loaf pan (9×5 inch).
  8. Pan Transfer: Place the shaped dough seam-side down into a greased loaf pan.
  9. Final Proof: Cover the pan loosely and let the dough proof at room temperature until it crowns about 1 inch over the rim of the pan. This can take 2 to 4 hours, depending on your kitchen temperature.
  10. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) about 30 minutes before baking.
  11. Bake: Bake the loaf for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200-205 degrees Fahrenheit (93-96 degrees Celsius).
  12. Cool: Immediately remove the bread from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Slicing too early causes a gummy texture.

Notes

  • Use warm water (around 80-90°F) to encourage faster fermentation for this enriched dough.
  • For best results, use a high-protein bread flour.
  • This recipe yields a loaf that is gut-healthy and easy to digest due to the long fermentation process.
  • Wait until the loaf is fully cool before slicing to get the best sliceable sourdough bread texture.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://yumdrizzle.com/sourdough-sandwich-bread-recipe-soft-fluffy/