Easy Sourdough Sandwich Bread (Soft + Fluffy)
Last Updated on September 20, 2025 by Jamie Saechao
This easy sourdough sandwich bread is not only perfectly soft and fluffy, it’s also easy to make: the perfect homemade bread for any sourdough enthusiast! This is a no-knead recipe that takes just a few moments to whip up.
This post was originally published in November of 2024. It has been recently updated to include more tips and clearer instructions.
If you are looking for a simple homemade bread recipe that’s perfect for filling with your favorite sandwich toppings, you’ve come to the right place… this recipes has thousands of 5 star reviews on pinterest- it is simply the BEST bread recipe!
This easy sandwich loaf features a light, airy, flavorful crumb perfect for sandwiches and lovely toasted and slathered with butter.
But what I love most about this homemade sandwich bread is how easy it is to throw together. Put all the ingredients together in the evening, shape, and let it sit! No kneading, watching the clock, or stretch and folds are required.
Tessa says: “This was my first time making anything with sourdough, and I can’t believe how easy and good this bread is. Thank you! I will be making this a bunch.”
For more simple sourdough recipes try my enriched sourdough sandwich bread and whole wheat sourdough sandwich bread.
This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Special Tools
- Scale: There can be significant differences in volume when measuring in cups, so I highly recommend using a scale for best results, especially when baking bread. This is the inexpensive one I use.
- 9×5 Inch Loaf Pan. For a taller loaf, use an 8.5×4 inch pan – this is my favorite one.
If you are looking for more simple recipes, check out our same day sourdough and easy sourdough bread for beginners.
Ingredients
This recipe requires just a few ingredients you likely already have on hand:
- 65 grams active starter (feed your sourdough 4-8 hours before making this recipe)
- 300 grams lukewarm water (1 1/4 cups)
- 15 grams olive oil or avocado oil (plus more for coating the pan)
- 14 grams sugar (1 tablespoon)
- 400 grams bread flour (3 1/3 cups)
- 100 grams all-purpose flour (3/4 cups)
- 12 grams salt (2 teaspoons)
Tips + Notes
- I love how quickly this bread recipe comes together. You do not need to watch the clock or worry about stretch and folds. Just shape the dough, and it’s good to go!
- I am including the timeline I use when making this bread, but keep in mind that your exact timeline will depend on the temperature of your home and your schedule.
- If your bread cracks along the sides when baking, it means the second ferment was not quite long enough.
- To speed up the rise time, set the dough on top of a warm oven, or a bread heating pad.
- Substitute the sugar for honey if desired.
Feed Your Starter: Ensure you have an active, bubbly sourdough starter before making this recipe. (Feed it 4-8 hours before making your bread, depending on the temperature in your home).
I typically feed my sourdough starter at 2 pm, and by the time I make this bread at 9 it is bubbly and active. Timing of feeding your starter can change based on the season, however. In the summer my starter becomes active in about half the time.
How To Make Fluffy Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Step 1: Mix Dough (9 pm)
Add the water and active sourdough starter to the bowl. Whisk well. Then add the bread flour, flour, sugar, and salt. Mix all ingredients until the dough forms a loose, shaggy ball. You can use a spatula or wet hands.
Let the dough sit for one hour to rest.
Step 2: Shape Dough + Bulk Rise (10 pm)
Shape the dough into a ball. There is no need to stretch and fold or knead the bread. Let the dough bulk ferment for 8 to 10 hours or until doubled in size. The time it will take for the bulk rise will heavily depend on your home’s temperature.
Our home is typically at 71 degrees, and it takes 9 hours for the dough to double in size.
Step 3: Shape The Dough (7 am)
Lightly flour your work surface, then turn the dough out onto the flour. Lightly press the dough with your fingertips to release any air bubbles.
To shape the dough, gently roll it into a log, then tuck the ends together, then flip seem side down and shape by gently pushing on the sides with the palms of your hands.
Let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes.
Step 4: Second Rise + Shaping Sandwich Bread (7:15 am)
Apply a light coat of olive oil or cooking oil to a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Gently push each side of the dough towards itself to tighten its shape. Then, place the dough into the pan and cover it with an open Ziploc bag.
(You can also cover it with Saran wrap or a wet tea towel, but I like to use the open Ziploc bag because the top of the dough will not touch the bag as it rises!).
Let the dough rise until the center of the dough is about 1/2 inch above the edge of the pan. This can take 2-4 hours. In my home, it typically takes 3 hours at 71 degrees.
Step 5: Bake Bread (10 am)
Place the baking rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top of the loaf is golden brown and the bread has a nice, high rise. Let the bread cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. Slice and enjoy!
More easy, beginner friendly sourdough recipes:
Storage
Store uneaten portion of bread in a zip-loc bag, closed paper bag, or airtight container for 5-7 days.
To freeze, double wrap the bread in aluminum foil and then in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to three months.
Reader tip: “I’ll never make sourdough bread any other way after this…oh my goodness it’s sooo soft and fluffy🤤 and crazy easy to make! I sped up the rising time by keeping it on my warm oven while I baked other things. Seriously the best recipe!” -Erin
Faq’s
No, you do not need to score sourdough sandwich bread.
The right mixture of bread flour, all purpose flour, sugar and oil, as well as letting the dough ferment in a warm spot encourages this bread to be light, fluffy, and delicious!
Easy Sourdough Sandwich Bread (Super Soft)
Equipment
- 1 Large Bowl
- 1 Bread Pan 8.5×4 or 9×5 (see notes)
- 1 Spatula
Ingredients
- 65 grams active sourdough starter active + bubbly
- 300 grams lukewarm water
- 12 grams salt 2 teaspoons
- 14 grams sugar
- 15 grams oil (avocado or olive) 1 tablespoon, plus more for coating the pan
- 400 grams bread flour
- 100 grams all purpose flour
Instructions
- Feed Starter: Feed your sourdough starter 4-8 hours prior to making this bread, so that the starter is active and bubbly when you start the dough.
Making The Dough + First Rise
- Whisk together the lukewarm water and sourdough starter. Add in the bread flour, all purpose flour, oil, sugar and salt. Mix all ingredients with a spatula or with slightly damp hands until all of the dry flour is incorporated. Cover with a damp tea towel or saran wrap and let the dough rest for one hour.65 grams active sourdough starter, 300 grams lukewarm water, 12 grams salt, 14 grams sugar, 15 grams oil (avocado or olive), 400 grams bread flour, 100 grams all purpose flour
- Shape the dough into a ball, then cover. Allow the dough to rise until double in size. This can take 8-10 hours, but may be slightly longer or shorter depending on the temperature of your home. Go by the size of the dough, not the clock.
Shaping
- Slide the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently press on the dough with your fingertips to remove any air pockets. Tuck the four sides of the dough into itself and gently roll the dough into the shape of a rectangle. Let rest for ten minutes.
- Lightly oil a 9×5 bread pan and set aside. Gently push the sides of the dough in, tightening the dough and reinforcing the shape of the rectangle.
- Set the dough into the bread pan and cover. I like to cover the dough with a ziploc bag open on one end, but you can use saran wrap or a damp tea towel as well.
Second Rise
- Second Rise: Let the dough rise until it rises 1/2 inch above the rim of the baking pan. This can take 2-4 hours, depending on the temperature.
Bake
- When the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the dough, uncovered, for 40 minutes or until the top of the bread is golden brown and the bread has a nice, high rise. Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer it to a cookie rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Store uneaten bread in a zip-loc bag, closed paper bag, or airtight container for 5-7 days.
- For a taller loaf, use an 8.5×4 ” loaf pan. If you have a 9×5 pan that works fine as well!
- To speed up the second ferment, set the bread pan in a warm spot or on top of a food warming mat.
- The second ferment can take up to 4 hours, depending on the temperature of your home.
- Sugar may be substituted for honey, and you may use other types of oil as needed.
This is seriously the most perfect recipe ever! Thank you! Have you ever added in any inclusions? I’m thinking this recipe would be amazing with a cinnamon sugar swirl? I’m curious if it’s possible with this recipe and would I just add in when I do my final shape?
Hi Alicia! Yes, you can add inclusions to this loaf! I will be working on a new recipe with both cinnamon and raisins, cinnamon, and a jalapeno cheddar version this spring. Yes… for the cinnamon, you can add it during the final shaping. 🙂
Do you use same amount of honey as the 14 gm. of sugar an
can I use just all purpose flour for the bread flour?
You can substitute 1 tbsp of honey for the sugar, and yes all purpose flour works!
Hi! I made this bread yesterday/today and man, it is so good. Super fluffy and light. The only thing I did different was I brushed the top of it with melted butter before I baked it. Super easy for a beginner sourdough baker like me. Thanks so much!!
Made my first loaf last night. The crust is very hard, any tips on what I may have or have not done? The inside is perfect, and this will definitely be my go to recipe if I can get the crust softer.
I am going to attempt your whole wheat recipe next.
Hi Pam! I’m so glad the inside worked out, but I’m sorry about the hard crust. It may have baked a tad too long, drying out the crust but leaving the inside soft. For a softer crust I would be sure to brush the top with butter (if you hadn’t), you can also tent the loaf with foil as it cools to trap steam and keep the crust soft. 🙂
Can you bulk ferment in the fridge?
Hi Kelly,
You need a warm environment for the bulk ferment, but you can put the dough in the fridge in between the bulk ferment and second ferment if you need extra time before baking.
thank you for this ! trying this one out tomorrow !
I’m just learning how to make sour dough and this has turned out the best for me. The recipe is very easy to follow and make a delicious bread. my family loves it 🙂
Jamie, this is my favorite sourdough recipe! Turns it perfect every time. It makes the best sandwhich bread. Do you think it would work well making it into rolls? If so…how? Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful recipe!
Hello Ashley! I’m so glad you loved this recipe! I haven’t tried converting it to rolls, but if I were to try it I would just divide the dough up into 8 or 9 pieces after bulk ferment, and roll them into rolls, then let them ferment again, then put in a buttered baking dish and bake. If you search my site for “rolls” I have several recipes I have created that are really good. You could use those for tips in converting this recipe, or try the rolls recipes if you like. 🙂
This makes the best sandwich bread!
thank you so much for the review Ashley! We love this recipe too. 🙂
This recipe looks so simple and well written!
There’s nothing like a good fresh bread recipe! This one sounds like a must try! Your blog is beautiful.
Love how the evening mix, long overnight ferment, morning shape, rise, then bake fits smoothly into family rhythms — so doable!
Wow, this is the perfect sourdough sandwich loaf!
One of my favorite sourdough bread recipes is VERY similar to this one! I imagine this one is just as amazing. Thank you for sharing!
I have made this recipe twice and I am not an early riser so usually start my bread way too late in the day so after the first rise, I put the dough in the refrigerator overnight and then pulled it out in the morning for the second rise, and baked per instructions and it was perfection. It will be my go to for sandwich bread from here on out. Thank you!!!
Hi Alicia! I’m so glad you were able to adopt this recipe to your schedule! Thank you for sharing your tips. I’m so glad you love the bread!
I mixed everything up as directed but my dough is super wet. I continued adding flour to get it to form in the bowl a little. After resting it was still too wet. Had to add flour to get it to form into a ball. Wonder what I did wrong.
Hi Lisa! I am sorry to hear your dough is not turning out. Are you using a scale when measuring? Were you able to get to baking a loaf once you added more flour?
Hi, I’m new to sourdough so I’m trying to learn. Can you substitute 100 grams of whole wheat for the all purpose flour?
Hi Venae!
No, you would not want to use whole wheat flour in this recipe. I do have a sandwich bread recipe that uses some whole wheat flour in it however, you can find it here: https://gingerhomemaking.com/whole-wheat-sourdough-sandwich-bread/
I hope this helps!
Out of all of thesourdough recipes I have tried, this is by far, my favorite! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Hi Deb! That’s so wonderful, thank you for letting me know! We love this bread as well.
I love it! I’ve been baking it for my family every week and haven’t wanted/needed to buy store bought bread again. This is a perfectly easy recipe to follow. One tweak I’ve done is before the second rise, if it’s too late in the day, with the covered dough in the pan, I put it in the fridge overnight. Next day I take it out, let it come to “room temp” in the oven with light on (1-2 hours) and then I let it rise for an additional 2-3 hours (depending on how quick it rises 1” above the rim).
Hi Jac! Thank you so much for sharing! This really is the best homemade sourdough bread recipe! Great tips for timing and adjusting the schedule, thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you so much for this recipe! My daughter left some starter for me, and this was the first recipe I tried. It was a huge success, and I can’t wait to make it again!
Hi Lynne! That is wonderful, thank you for the feedback! Sourdough is such a fun journey. Wishing you continued success and fun with it!