The best homemade bread! Soft, chewy sourdough bread with a beautiful golden brown crust. This easy homemade bread recipe makes two loaves and is the perfect white sandwich bread.
If you’re looking for a way to use up sourdough discard, this recipe is it! No need to have active, bubbly starter for this recipe. It’s quick. It’s easy, it’s delicious…and perfectly sliceable for sandwiches.
Why you’ll love this sourdough recipe:
- thick, crusty, rustic sourdough bread
- tangy flavor and soft texture
- great way to use sourdough discard
- tips for golden brown crust
- ready quickly…no need to wait overnight
Sourdough Bread Starter
It’s important to know that you need a sourdough starter before you make this homemade bread. Sourdough starter takes at least 48 hours, but has better flavor the longer it sits. You can find complete instructions on how to make sourdough bread starter here. It’s an easy recipe!
The sourdough does not have to be active to use in this recipe.
Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe
We call this a “lazy” sourdough bread. If you are looking for an artisan sourdough bread, this is not it. Those type of loaves have to rise overnight. This recipe is for when you want a quick loaf of bread, which is why it still uses yeast.
This bread isn’t as chewy as an artisan loaf, but if you use bread flour has a chewier texture than traditional white bread. It’s a great way to use up sourdough discard since it still has yeast to help it rise.
Once you have the sourdough starter discard, mixing the bread is just like any other bread. This is an easy recipe we’ve made over and over again and had turn out perfectly every time. I love how the crust browns into a beautiful color that reminds me of autumn.
This bread is perfect alongside a bowl of soup, as French toast, in casseroles and sliced for sandwiches.
How to Make Sourdough Bread
When I mix up yeast breads I use my stand mixer to knead the dough. If you happen to have a bread maker, you could use the dough setting and knead the dough that way.
But don’t worry…if you don’t have either of those appliances you can still make this bread! Simply mix the dough up in a large bowl and then knead the dough by hand for about 5-6 minutes.
- About the milk: You want the milk to be warm, about 110-115 degrees so that the yeast can start to activate. Be sure it isn’t too hot!
- About the yeast: The most important thing to remember about yeast is to make sure it is fresh. There’s nothing worse than getting part way through your homemade bread recipe and realize that the bread isn’t rising due to old yeast. Our favorite yeast is Red Star Platinum Yeast. It produces beautiful, tall loaves, every time. This yeast is an instant yeast so you don’t have to wait 5 minutes for the yeast to “proof”. Add the yeast to the warmed milk and then you’re immediately ready to add in the rest of the ingredients and mix.
- About the flour: To make a rustic, chewy loaf of bread, you’ll want to use bread flour, which is a high gluten flour. If you want your bread softer in texture you can use all-purpose flour. The recipe calls for 4 1/2 cups of flour. The dough should be slightly tacky when you touch it. If you feel you need to add a little more flour (especially if kneading by hand), add the flour a tablespoon at a time. I wouldn’t add more than an additional 1/2 cup flour. The more flour you add, the drier and harder your bread will be.
- About rising bread dough: To allow the bread dough to rise until it is almost double in size. I like to set my oven to 170 degrees for a minute or two to let it warm. Then turn off the oven and place the covered bowl (with the dough inside) on the oven rack. Close the oven door and your dough will have a cozy, warm place to rise. My dough normally takes about 30-35 minutes to rise. This can potentially take around 60 minutes though, so be sure you plan enough time. Temperature, humidity and altitude can all play a part in how long it takes bread dough to rise.
- The second bread dough rise: After the dough has risen once, you’ll divide the two in two, shape them into loaves and place them in a greased 9×5 or 8×4 loaf pan. Either size will work. Cover the pans and allow the loaves to rise for an additional 20-25 minutes before you bake them.
Golden Brown Bread Crust
To get this lovely golden brown color, brush a tablespoon of oil on top of the loaf of bread once the bread loaves have risen.
Other Sourdough Recipes
- Sourdough Starter
- Sourdough Pancakes
- Amish Friendship Bread Starter
- Amish Friendship Bread
- Chocolate Friendship Bread
What I Need to Make Sourdough Bread
- Stand Mixer: A hand mixer will work, but I always find it easier to make frostings with a stand mixer.
- Red Star Platinum Yeast: My favorite yeast.
- 9×5 Loaf Pan: These are the pans I use for quick breads, yeast breads, fried mush and more!
- Storage Jars: For storing sourdough starter
- Sourdough Wooden Spoon: For mixing sourdough starter
Sourdough Bread with Discard
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups warmed milk (110-115 degrees Fahrenheit)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast (I love Red Star Platinum)
- 1 cup sourdough starter (discard works great in this recipe)
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 1/2 cups bread flour (plus an additional 1/2 cup for handling the dough)
- 2 tablespoons canola oil (for brushing the tops of the loaves)
Instructions
- Pour the warmed milk into the bowl of a stand mixer*. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk.
- Add the sourdough starter, canola oil, salt, sugar, baking soda and flour.
- Using the dough hook, mix the ingredients on medium speed until they are combined. Then set the mixer to medium speed and knead for 4-5 minutes. The dough should be slightly tacky to the touch. If you think the dough is too wet, add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time, being careful not to add too much flour.
- Transfer the dough to a large bowl sprayed with cooking spray. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes or until double.
- Divide the dough into two loaves and place them in greased 8×4 or 9×5 loaf pans.
- Cover the loaf pans and allow the dough to rise for another 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Uncover the bread pans. Brush the top of the dough lightly with oil.
- Bake the bread loaves for 25-30 minutes. The top should be golden brown and the loaves should sound hollow when you tap it.
- Allow the loaves to cool 10 minutes in the pans, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container.
Nice tall sandwich type bread. I mixed it in my bread machine, it rose so high it touched the top. Easy & tasty bread to make with discard. I used butter on the top. My only complaint is I prefer recipe measurements in grams for greater accuracy.
My first try turned out terrific. Much quicker and easier than most sourdough recipes…with excellent results. My family asked me to take a break from making weird bread and just bake a loaf of regular white bread. This is it!
You don’t mention punching down the dough after the 1st rise before placing the halfed dough in to the loaf pans for the 2nd rise.. I did punch it down and then allowed it to rise it to the loaf pans until ready to go into the oven. .the bread runs out awesome so Thank you for this recipe. It’s the only sourdough bread recipe I will ever use.
I love this recipe! Thank you for including all of the nutritional values, too. That is so very helpful! For those who didn’t get enough sourdough taste, you might try omitting the baking soda. Baking soda is a sweetener that removes acids. I included it because my sourdough was too sour. The simplicity of this recipe is another bonus. It seems very flexible, and I feel comfortable enough to experiment with adding some other flours such as whole wheat, einkorn, or emmer…not all at once, but maybe substituting a 1/2 cup or a cup of regular flour. It will make… Read more »
What about brushing the tops of the loaves with melted butter rather than the oil?
Can I have the recipe to just make 1 loaf… there are only 2 of us and with the lockdown there is no one to share it with…
This turned out perfect! Exactly as advertised and great use for discard! I did one plain per recipe and added cinnamon and sugar before forming the second loaf and proofing. Both came out delicious and gorgeous.
Can you use olive oil instead canola?
I have this dough proofing for the first rise. So easy to make. Perhaps those who say it is not sour enough have not let the starter sour for enough days. Thank you for an easy recipe. It is important to be thankful someone shares a recipe that they have tested.
I made this tonight, and I omitted the baking soda. It rose beautifully, but my tastebuds missed that extra bit of salt/sodium. So if anyone out there leaves out the soda, don’t forget to add a touch more salt! Otherwise, this came together really easy on the dough setting on my bread maker. I took it out after the first rise, then let it rise again in the pan. I only have one bread pan, so I made Rolls with the other half of the dough and they were great! I baked them at the same time as the loaf,… Read more »
Sorry for the typos. Meant this bread turns out awesome!
Have you ever tried cooking this in something other than a loaf pan? How about a dutch oven? Or is that only for no-knead bread? I’m new to the baking bread process and would love to know more!
Made this bread today. It turned out wonderful. Such a simple and good recipe. Will be making again.
Can you substitute a package of instant yeast? I can not find the jars of yeast in my area?
This was my first try at making sourdough bread!!!!! It is absolutely delicious! And not complicated at all….from the starter to making the bread!!! So excited that I have accomplished this!!!!!
Can you make the bread with whole wheat flour? I am on the Mediterranean diet.
my sis says there’s already wild yeast in the starter? so I still need the yeast?
This bread was terrific! Great taste and texture. It just needed just a little more salt for our tastes, otherwise sheer perfection. I’ll be making this bread often since I feed by sourdough starter twice a day. Thanks for a great recipe!
My husband and I love this bread SO MUCH. Honestly, I maintain my sourdough starter just so that I can make this bread. I rarely ever actually make a typical sourdough loaf anymore and just make this once a week instead.
Olá! Muito lindo o pão, mas preciso da receita do fermento natural, o mesmo que você usa em suas receitas, é possível enviar-me? Ficarei muito agradecida.
Um forte abraço,
Rosana Brasília/Brazil
If I am using g the starter do I ha e to add sa!t? I need a salt free bread.
Tried the recipe today with a 100+ year old sourdough starter from a friend. It was so easy to make! Crunchy outside but soft and moist on the inside, not that sour tho’.
Thanks for the recipe!!!
Hi, I made this today. So easy and delicious! Thanks for the great recipe an instructions (and for the ‘starter” recipe, too)! Appreciate your site very much– Blessings to you and your family!
Why use instant yeast if using a starter? I’m confused,
Your sourdough starter was so easy to make it was so hard to wait for the 48 hrs to be up to make the bread came home from work ready to make them out absolutely amazing. Thank you so much for the recipe