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 Tin Should You Choose?
Sandwich bread needs to be baked in a tin. 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 Tins – 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:
- Want to make this sourdough discard loaf in a bread machine? You'll find a how-to-guide here.
- Prefer baking with whole wheat flour? You'll find a whole wheat version of this recipe here.
- 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
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 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
This recipe turned out fantastic! I lessened the flour by 125g., and the salt by ½, but stuck to the the recipe otherwise. This is definitely a keeper!
Absolutely amazing discard bread! New to the whole sourdough thing and this was the first thing I made with 10 day old discard and I have to say it was easy and tasted absolutely amazing! Will be making this time and time again. Also will be making the roll version of these for Thanksgiving!
Since I discovered your recipe this has become a weekly bake for us, ours is half wholemeal and seeded with pumpkin and sunflower seeds and is delicious every time, thank you
I want to bake this in my Pullman pan covered but it is currently bubbling right out the seam of the pan and I’m not sure what to do. Do I need to cut the recipe down to be able to bake covered?
Yes you'll generally need to reduce the dough weight to suit a pullman pan with the lid on 🙂
This is such a Wonderful recipie. Perfect for back to school, I bake bread but this here utilizing the sourdough DC, is perfect nothing wasted. My kids loved it and are ready to make sandwiches for lunch. NO Store brought bread, which I have not purchased in a few years to be honest. This is very easy to remember as well!
Can I use regular yeast instead of instant? Thank you.
yes you can use regular yeast, however you will need to proof it before you add it.
Any idea on measurements for baking this bread at high altitudes?
You could use this adjust your recipe for high altitude 🙂
I haven’t bought bread in weeks thanks to this recipe.
So easy and tasty, my husband just loves it.
Hi Kate,
I’ve been on the hunt for a sourdough sandwich bread and I’m happy to report the hunt is over!! The texture is absolutely perfect, and my family and I are thrilled.
I have a question for you though - my starter is healthy and tangy, and so even using the small amount of discard there was a definite sourdough flavour - but could it be more? Could you suggest modifications I could try if I wanted to increase the amount of starter for flavour - what would I need to adjust to compensate and keep the texture of the product as good as it is now?
Thanks in advance!!
I have been making this bread weekly for serveral months now. It is so easy and delicious. I also do a cinnamon swirl version with 1 regular loaf. Kiddos and hubs love it.
Recently I have been cutting the yeast in half and letting it rise longer. Has akways worked out great!
This is a beautiful sandwich loaf. I had 227 g of discard so I reduced the recipe measurements of flour and water by 113 g each and otherwise followed the recipe exactly. The dough was supple, smooth, and elastic—nice to work with. I got a beautiful, tall rise with a fantastic oven spring. I usually make seedy, multigrain loaves with my discard (an everyday loaf which my daughter calls ‘bird bread’ -insert eyeroll) but this is a really nice white loaf that she will love. Thanks for a terrific recipe for my discard repertoire.
My first time making this recipe and it turned out to be the best bread I have ever made. Easy to follow recipe and method. Thanks for a great recipe!
Oh my word! Thank you for this recipe!! This is the biggest loaf I have ever turned out. Amazing! Question: What are your thoughts on if I could do this as a boule instead of putting it into a loaf pan? It was like a double decker in height!
Amazing!! Always looking for new ways to use up my discard when activating my starter to get ready to bake some true sourdough loaves. This is such a genius way to do it!
First try I made a double batch as is - no adjustments or changes. They turned out wonderful, pretty well doubled out of the pan so it is a substantial loaf of bread. Today will try to make the honey and oat version. And have decided in a few weeks when I am activating the starter again I will try sprinkling some cinnamon and raisins in while rolling to go in the pan.
Thank you for such great consistent, and easy to use recipes!!
This bread is worth making over and over and over…so tender! Best sandwich bread I’ve ever had! We always have a lot of discard, so we usually make a loaf a week. Go-to, every time!
I tried this recipe yesterday and it turned out beautifully! I put everything in my bread machine where it mixed and did the 1st proof. Then I shaped it and put it in the pan for the 2nd proof. I will be making this one again! It made delicious toast for my neighbor and I had a stellar grilled cheese for lunch today!
Made this the other day and it was amazing. I am curious to know if you can use honey instead of the Sugar. And if so how much honey in grams would you use?
So glad you loved it! Yes you can use honey instead of sugar in the sourdough discard sandwich bread recipe. I would use 20g to 40g of honey, depending on how strong flavored your honey is. Let me know how it goes 🙂 TPM xo
In general, when using saved discard from the refrigerator, should you let it come to room temp before beginning? Brand new to SD here. 🙂
You don't have to let it come to room temp, just use it straight from the fridge, especially if you're adding yeast x
Just wanted to say thanks for this recipe. We're now making and freezing four loaves a week. Kids and parents love it. PB&J, egg and toast, avocado toast, deli sandwiches. Mmmmm
I love this loaf. Today I’m thinking of dusting with herbs before I roll it up to put in the pan. Can’t see where it’s been mentioned. Have you done this? If I try it will let you know.
That sounds lovely! Let me know how it goes xo
This turned out amazing. Double the recipe and ended up with two small loaves and a small round. The kids and husband said it was the best.
Will definitely be making this weekly.
Made this recipe today for my very first sandwhich loaf and it turned out so beautiful! I made a couple of adjustments but mostly because I don’t think the loaf pans I have are for normal size bread loafs. I split them in half, made 2 loaves and only baked for 20 minutes. They turned out absolutely perfect. And you can really taste the sourdough which I LOVE. This will probably be the only recipe I ever use for sandwhich bread. My kids love it too and they are all 7 and under. 🥰
Wonderful recipe! One issue - Why is my loaf bursting after baking?