Sourdough Sandwich Bread

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Sourdough Sandwich Bread Recipe

This is my soft, healthy sourdough sandwich recipe made with simple ingredients and naturally fermented with sourdough (so it’s gut healthy and nutritious). It’s soft on the inside with the perfect golden crust. I use this sandwich bread for my morning eggs and toast, sandwiches, almond butter & jam’s, french toast, and so much more!

I’m on a quest to make the most delicious sandwich bread without commercial yeast or added sugar. This beautiful sourdough sandwich bread recipe is made with simple ingredients for an easy bread recipe you’ll bake again and again.

I also used a secret ingredient for this one: Sprouted Barley Flour. Sprouted barley helps make this bread super soft without yeast or sugar. Sprouted barley flour is optional but really works wonders in creating that classic soft sandwich bread texture.

Check out all my tips throughout the post and follow my bread-making method for the perfect loaf every single time. This simple sourdough bread recipe only requires 4 ingredients and minimal tools.

✨Health Benefits of Sourdough Bread✨

Sourdough bread is unlike all other types of bread because it goes through a long and slow natural fermentation with wild yeasts and lactic acid bacteria (LAB). This ancient, 6,000-year-old tradition has remarkable health benefits.  A long and slow sourdough fermentation transforms wheat and other grains easy to digest because it degrades gluten, removes anti-nutrients, and breaks down FODMAPs and starches. Sourdough bread is also chock full of fiber, prebiotics, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, making it an all-around microbiome superfood.

Here’s my secret for making sourdough sandwich bread soft

Sprouted Barley Flour

Sprouted barley flour is made from sprouted barley and is crafted to preserve naturally-occurring enzymes like amylase. Amylase helps break down starches to simple sugars in our dough as food for yeast. L.A.B. bacteria also provides this but introducing sprouted barley flour helps speed up the process. The end result is sourdough bread with a soft, tender texture.

What if I don’t have sprouted barley flour?

No worries at all! If you don’t have sprouted barley flour, simply swap the 20g sprouted barley with whole wheat flour or bread flour instead.

What makes this sourdough sandwich bread healthy?

This sourdough sandwich bread is made with nutritious flours that are naturally (and slowly) fermented with sourdough starter. The fermentation process creates remarkable health benefits because it eliminates antinutrients, unlocks vitamins and minerals, and degrades complex starches and proteins (like gluten!). And as a result, sourdough bread is rich in vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and is anti-inflammatory and gut healthy.

THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF SOURDOUGH

Why we love it:

Bioavailable Nutrients like Vitamins and Minerals: Sourdough fermentation unlocks vitamins and minerals in grains like B-vitamins, iron, zinc, magnesium, selenium, and manganese.

Anti-Inflammatory: Fermentation also reduces lectins, phytic acid, and other hard to digest anti-nutrients which makes valuable nutrients bioavailable and easier for your body to absorb. The fermentation process also breaks down hard to digest proteins like gluten.

Gut Healthy: A natural fermentation with sourdough starter breaks down antinutrients, enzyme inhibitors, lectins, and initiates the degradation of complex starches and proteins. This process neutralizes plant compounds that can inhibit digestion and negatively impact your health while making it easier to digest the carbs and proteins in grains. 

Rich in Prebiotic Fiber: Whole grains are packed with prebiotic fiber, and sourdough fermentation makes even more! Prebiotics stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria by providing food for the microbes in your gut. 

Boosts Antioxidants: Whole grains are an excellent source of antioxidants, and a natural fermentation process increases the antioxidant capacity of polyphenols and other beneficial phytonutrients. Lactic acid bacteria produce lactic acid, which acts as a powerful antioxidant too. 

Slow-Digesting: Whole grain sourdough bread is packed with dietary fiber, prebiotic fiber, resistant starch, and complex carbs. Fiber-rich, slow-digesting carbs provide more sustained energy and keep you feeling full longer. 

Nutrition Breakdown of One Slice of Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Macro-Nutrients

• 107 Calories
• 21g Carbs (7%)
• 3.9g Protein (8%)
• 2.7g Fiber (10%)
• 0g Sugar

Minerals

• 1.2mg Iron (6%)
• Manganese (1%)
• Selenium (1%)

Vitamins

• 1.4mg Vitamin B3 (9%)
• 0.1mg Vitamin B2 (5%)

Sourdough Bread Baking Schedule

This is what a typical bread-making schedule looks like for me.

P.S. Temperature is one of the single most important factors that affect fermentation. The warmer your place, the faster your dough will ferment. So please use my schedule as simply a jumping-off point for your own.

Prepare sourdough starter

• 9 PM: Prepare sourdough starter. Either feed your sourdough starter the night before to prepare or if your sourdough starter is in the fridge be sure to feed it every 12 hours, 3 days before you plan to bake.

Day One

• 9 AM – Mix dough, cover, and let sit at room temp until it doubles in size (6-8 hours). Perform 3-4 sets of “stretch and folds”.
• 3 PM – Shape
• 3 PM – Place dough covered in the fridge for *at least* an overnight fermentation (10+ hours).

Day Two

• 9 AM: Preheat oven + cast iron
• 10 AM: Score and Bake!

Ingredients for Healthy Sourdough Sandwich Bread

This healthy sourdough sandwich recipe uses simple ingredients to create a nutritious, fluffy bread perfect for everyday nourishment. Here’s everything you’ll need to make it.

5 CORE INGREDIENTS

• Bread Flour: A high-protein bread flour is needed for this recipe. I used King Arthur’s organic white bread flour with a mix of King Arthur’s stone-ground organic whole wheat flour.
• Water: Preferably warm water is best! Warmer water helps kickstart fermentation.
• Sourdough Starter: Be sure you are using active sourdough starter (not discard).
• Sprouted Barley Flour: I used this organic brand. Sprouted barley flour helps make our bread super soft. It’s optional but recommended!S
• Sea Salt: Enhances flavor (and nutrition) by slowing fermentation.

Equipment Needed for Sourdough Bread

• Kitchen Scale – I recommend this digital scale or this non-digital scale
• Proofing Basket – I recommend this brand. If you don’t have a proofing basket, I recommend using a Tupperware that is similar in size to the proofing basked and line it with a folded cloth so it cradle the bread. If you go this route, be sure to cover you bread with a cloth to keep it from drying out.
• 9×5 Pan: I recommend using a 9×5 or 8×4 Loaf Pan. I use this one here.
• Scoring Tool – I actually like to buy mine from Etsy sellers like this one but this one is also great. 
• Dough Scraper

Homemade Sourdough Sandwich Bread FAQ

What flour is best for this recipe?

A high-protein bread flour is needed for this recipe. I used King Arthur’s organic white bread flour with a mix of King Arthur’s stone-ground organic whole wheat flour.

When is bulk fermentation done?

The best way to tell if bulk fermentation is done is when the dough has doubled in size, air bubbles form on top, and air pockets on the sides and bottom. The dough should feel airated.

Why do you do an overnight proof too?

The proof is really where the magic happens. At this point, the dough has risen sufficiently, so we’re ready to slow that process down. The cold temperature of the fridge will drastically reduce yeast activity, and your dough will likely rise a tiny bit overnight. But the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) will work all through the night, converting simple sugars into lactic acid and breaking down gluten proteins. This microbial activity develops flavor, improves texture, and enhances the nutritional value and digestibility of bread. 

Is an overnight proof optional?

I do not recommend omitting the overnight proof because of all the health benefits listed above and the improved texture/flavor of the final bread. The overnight proof will help contribute to the soft texture.

Can I autolyse the bread dough?

Yes, definitely! Most of the time I don’t autolyse for the sake of simplicity but It’s a great way to build structure in your dough prior to adding sourdough starter.

What if I don’t have sprouted barley flour?

No worries at all! If you don’t have sprouted barley flour, simply swap the 20g sprouted barley with whole wheat flour or bread flour instead.

Looking for other sourdough bread recipes? Here are a few ideas:

Everything Sourdough Bagel

Step-by-Step Sourdough Bagel Recipe

Beginner Sourdough Bread Recipe

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