The Fluffiest Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread Recipe Ever

Crafting a hearty sourdough discard sandwich bread brings joy to any kitchen adventure.

Leftover starter becomes a magical ingredient transforming mundane baking into something extraordinary.

Bakers love how simple ingredients create remarkable results with minimal effort.

Soft, tender slices promise delectable sandwiches that elevate everyday meals.

Home cooks appreciate recipes that minimize food waste while maximizing flavor potential.

Unexpected techniques make this bread both accessible and deeply satisfying.

Slice into your homemade creation and savor the delicious rewards of your culinary creativity.

Good Things About Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread

• Recycle Sourdough Discard: Transform leftover sourdough starter into a delicious, nutritious bread without wasting any ingredients, making it a smart and sustainable baking choice.
• Customize Your Loaf: Adapt the recipe easily by adjusting flavors, adding herbs, seeds, or nuts to create a personalized sandwich bread that suits your taste preferences.
• Master Bread-Making Skills: Learn traditional kneading techniques and bread-shaping methods that build confidence in home baking, helping you develop fundamental culinary skills.
• Versatile Meal Companion: Enjoy a soft, homemade bread perfect for sandwiches, toast, french toast, or simply savoring with butter, making it a flexible addition to any meal.

What’s Inside Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread

• Water: A key liquid component that helps activate the yeast and hydrate the flour.
• Milk: Adds richness and softness to the bread's texture.
• Softened Butter: Provides moisture and contributes to the bread's tender crumb.

• All-Purpose Flour: The primary structure-building ingredient for the sandwich bread.
• Salt: Enhances flavor and controls yeast fermentation.

• Sourdough Discard, Active Dry Yeast or Instant Yeast, Sugar: Work together to create the bread's rise and develop complex flavor profiles. The sourdough discard adds tangy depth, while the yeast provides leavening action, and sugar feeds the yeast's fermentation process.

Making Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread Step By Step

Step 1: Activate the Yeast Magic

In a spacious mixing bowl, gently combine lukewarm water, milk, sugar, and yeast. For active dry yeast, wait 5-10 minutes until it becomes wonderfully foamy. If using instant yeast, jump right into the next step without waiting.

Step 2: Create the Dough Base

Introduce flour, sourdough discard, and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir with a fork or wooden spoon until a shaggy, promising dough emerges.

Step 3: Incorporate Buttery Goodness

Fold in softened butter, massaging it thoroughly into the dough until completely blended and smooth.

Step 4: Knead to Perfection

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Knead passionately for 8-10 minutes until the dough becomes soft, silky, and beautifully elastic. Pro tip: A stand mixer with a dough hook works wonderfully if hand-kneading feels challenging.

Step 5: First Rise Celebration

Nestle the dough into a lightly greased bowl, drape with a damp towel, and let it rise in a cozy warm spot for 1 to 1½ hours. Watch it double in size like magic!

Step 6: Optional Flavor Enhancement

For deeper flavor, consider refrigerating overnight. This slow fermentation develops incredible taste.

Step 7: Shape Your Bread

Punch down the risen dough and transfer to a floured surface. Prepare a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.

Step 8: Elegant Folding Technique

Flatten the dough into a rectangle slightly shorter than the loaf pan. Fold the top third toward the center, pressing to seal. Repeat this folding process two more times for a beautiful structure.

Step 9: Final Rise Preparation

Place the shaped dough seam-side down in the lined pan. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let it rise until doubled, peeking about 1 inch above the pan’s rim.

Step 10: Avoid Overproofing

Watch carefully in warm environments to prevent the dough from rising too much.

Step 11: Preheat for Baking

Warm the oven to 350°F while the dough completes its final rise.

Step 12: Bake to Golden Perfection

Bake for approximately 35 minutes until deep golden brown. If the top browns too quickly, tent with foil after 20 minutes.

Step 13: Check for Doneness

The bread is ready when it sounds hollow when tapped and reaches an internal temperature of 200°F.

Step 14: Cool and Enjoy

Remove from the pan and allow to cool completely before slicing.

Step 15: Storage Solutions

Store at room temperature in an airtight container for 4-5 days. For longer preservation, freeze up to 3 months.

Easy Pointers For Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread

• Manage Yeast Activation: Ensure water and milk are lukewarm to properly activate yeast without killing it, creating a perfect rise.
• Control Kneading Technique: Knead dough thoroughly until smooth and elastic, developing gluten structure for better bread texture and rise.
• Monitor Proofing Carefully: Watch rising time closely to prevent overproofing, which can cause bread to collapse or become dense.
• Enhance Flavor Complexity: Refrigerate dough overnight to develop deeper, more complex sourdough flavor and improve overall texture.
• Achieve Perfect Browning: Tent bread with foil if top browns too quickly, ensuring even baking and preventing burnt crust.

Fun Ways To Change Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread

• Whole Wheat Wonder: Replace half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for a nuttier, more nutritious bread with added fiber and deeper flavor profile.
• Gluten-Free Loaf: Swap regular flour with a gluten-free blend containing xanthan gum, ensuring a similar texture and structure for those with gluten sensitivities.
• Herb-Infused Bread: Mix dried herbs like rosemary, thyme, or oregano directly into the dough for an aromatic and savory sandwich bread that elevates any sandwich.
• Low-Carb Alternative: Create a bread using almond flour and eggs, reducing carbohydrate content while maintaining a satisfying bread-like consistency for ketogenic diets.

Tasty Matches For Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread

• Spread Spectacular Jams: Pair with homemade strawberry or fig preserves that highlight the bread's tangy sourdough undertones, creating a delightful sweet-sour contrast.
• Craft Gourmet Cheese Boards: Match with creamy brie, sharp aged cheddar, or tangy goat cheese to complement the bread's complex fermented flavor profile.
• Enhance with Herbal Beverages: Serve alongside a crisp white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or a light herbal tea that echoes the bread's subtle, nuanced taste without overwhelming its delicate texture.

How To Keep Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread Fresh

• Wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container to maintain moisture and freshness for up to 5 days.
• Slice the bread, separate layers with parchment paper, and store in a freezer-safe bag for maximum 3 months to preserve texture and taste.
• Remove from freezer and let sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours, or defrost in the refrigerator overnight for best results.
• Warm slices in a toaster, oven at 350°F for 5-7 minutes, or microwave briefly with a damp paper towel to restore softness and prevent dryness.

Common Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread Questions

• What is sourdough discard and why use it in bread?

Sourdough discard is the excess starter removed during regular feeding. It adds tangy flavor, helps reduce food waste, and provides complex fermentation benefits to the bread.

• Can I make this bread without a stand mixer?

Yes, you can knead the dough by hand on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Hand kneading works perfectly fine for this recipe.

• How do I know if my dough has risen enough?

The dough should double in size and feel puffy. When gently pressed with a finger, it should slowly spring back, leaving a slight indentation. Typically this takes 1 to 1½ hours in a warm spot.

Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.7 from 9 reviews

• Total Time: 2 hours to 2 hours 10 minutes (excluding optional refrigeration)
• Yield: 8 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Homemade sourdough discard sandwich bread delivers pure comfort with minimal effort. Crafted from leftover starter, this wholesome loaf provides delicious, pillowy slices perfect for your favorite sandwiches and toast.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Primary Ingredients:

• 406 grams (3 1/4 cups) bread flour or strong all-purpose flour
• 100 grams (1/2 cup) sourdough discard
• 120 grams (1/2 cup) lukewarm water
• 120 grams (1/2 cup) lukewarm milk

Leavening and Sweetening Ingredients:

• 7 grams (2 1/2 teaspoons) instant yeast
• 25 grams (2 tablespoons) granulated white sugar

Seasoning and Enriching Ingredients:

• 8 grams (1 1/2 teaspoons) salt
• 45 grams (3 tablespoons) room-temperature butter

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Activate the yeast by mixing lukewarm water, milk, sugar, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Allow active dry yeast to foam for 5-10 minutes; instant yeast can be used immediately.
2. Incorporate flour, sourdough discard, and salt into the liquid mixture, stirring until a rough dough develops.
3. Gently knead softened butter into the dough, ensuring complete integration and smooth texture.
4. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead thoroughly for 8-10 minutes until achieving a soft, elastic consistency. A stand mixer with dough hook can substitute hand-kneading.
5. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp towel, and allow rising in a warm environment for 1-1½ hours until volume doubles.
6. Optional fermentation technique: Refrigerate overnight to enhance flavor complexity.
7. Deflate dough and spread onto a floured surface. Prepare a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper lining.
8. Shape dough into a rectangle slightly shorter than the pan’s length, positioning long sides horizontally.
9. Execute a tri-fold technique: Fold top third toward center, pressing to seal. Repeat folding process two additional times.
10. Position shaped dough seam-side down in the prepared pan. Cover loosely and allow second rise until volume doubles and extends slightly above pan rim.
11. Monitor proofing carefully to prevent overexpansion, especially in warm conditions.
12. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) during final dough rise.
13. Bake approximately 35 minutes until achieving a deep golden-brown color. Apply foil tent after 20 minutes if surface browns too quickly.
14. Confirm bread doneness by tapping for a hollow sound and verifying internal temperature reaches 200°F (94°C).
15. Extract from pan and allow complete cooling before slicing.
16. Preserve at room temperature in sealed container for 4-5 days.
17. Freeze for extended storage up to 3 months.

Notes

• Boost flavor complexity by letting the dough ferment overnight in the refrigerator, developing deeper, tangier sourdough notes.
• Control moisture and prevent dense texture by ensuring the dough is properly kneaded until smooth and elastic, creating better gluten development.
• Maintain consistent rising temperature around 75-80°F to optimize yeast activity and achieve optimal bread volume and texture.
• Adapt the recipe for gluten-free diets by substituting all-purpose flour with a blend of gluten-free flour mixes and adding xanthan gum for structural support.

• Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Category: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 205 kcal
• Sugar: 3 g
• Sodium: 250 mg
• Fat: 4 g
• Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 1.5 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 37 g
• Fiber: 1.5 g
• Protein: 6 g
• Cholesterol: 12 mg