Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread

Easy to make with a mild sourdough tang, this sourdough discard sandwich bread is light and fluffy with a soft crust. A variation on sourdough dinner rolls using unfed sourdough starter and potato flour, you'll love the buttery taste of this soft sandwich bread!

[Note: This post is sponsored by Forest Decor]

If you maintain sourdough starter by removing some of the starter in the crock before feeding it flour and water, you can use that sourdough starter discard in sweet and savory recipes.

Based on my soft sourdough dinner rolls recipe, this sourdough discard sandwich bread with yeast is a quick and easy bread that you uses your unfed sourdough starter. It produces a loaf that's light and fluffy with a soft crust. The sourdough starter gives the bread a mild tang, but that's mostly overshadowed by its rich buttery flavor.

Plus, you can have the bread ready in about 3 hours.

This sourdough sandwich bread recipe is perfect for any sandwich when you don't want a chewy-style bread (think peanut butter and jelly, Italian tuna salad, grilled cheese (maybe to serve alongside an easy broccoli cheese soup), or a fluffernutter sandwich). And it makes a killer french toast and bread pudding!

Recipe ingredients

You'll need the following ingredients to make this sourdough discard sandwich bread recipe:

Ingredient Notes

Flour: I use bread flour, for this recipe, but you could also use all-purpose flour. Bread flour will give the bread a better structure, but the bread will be still soft and fluffy no matter which type of flour you use.

Yeast: I use instant yeast when I bake bread, but you can also use Active Dry yeast (see the FAQs for a discussion of the differences between them). If you'd like to omit the yeast and just use fed, active sourdough starter, see the instructions below.

Sourdough starter discard: Sourdough discard is unfed sourdough starter, the amount you remove from your crock before feeding the remainder starter (I use the discard so that my sourdough maintenance is zero-waste). Since it's not active starter, it's used for flavor rather than fermentation (you'll need yeast for that).

No sourdough starter? No problem! You can make the bread by replacing the starter with more flour and water (see the Recipe Notes for the exact amounts). It won't have that subtle sourdough tang, but will still be delicious!

Milk: Helps to make a softer dough. You can use any type of milk you have on hand, including whole, low-fat, non-fat, or even an unsweetened plain non-dairy milk. If you prefer, you can substitute 1 cup hot water and ¼ cup nonfat dry milk for the milk.

Potato flour: Helps keep the bread soft and fluffy. If you choose not to use potato flour, increase the amount of flour to compensate.

See the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

How to make sourdough discard sandwich bread

Step 1: Mix the dough

Combine all the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix and knead on medium speed until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms (photo 1). If necessary, add flour or water in 1 tablespoon increments until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

If you don't have a stand mixer, you can mix this dough in a bread machine on the dough cycle or by hand with a large wooden spoon or a rubber spatula.

Step 2: The first rise

Lightly spray a large bowl with canola oil spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours or until doubled in size (photo 2). An oven with the light on works wonderfully.

Step 3: Shape the loaf

After the dough has risen, knead it gently to deflate it. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces with a bench scraper. Shape each piece into a rough ball by pulling the edges into the center, then turn face down (photo 3). Cover and allow to rest for 20 minutes.

Spray a standard loaf pan with baking spray.

Reshape the dough into a ball, again pulling the edges into the center. Turn over and roll the balls on the counter to seal (photo 4).

Tighten the top by pulling the dough towards you with your pinky fingers touching the counter. Rotate the ball and repeat the action, shaping each ball into a slight oval (photo 5).

Place the dough balls side by side in the loaf pan. The dough will want to spread, so push them over to make room. Cover the loaf with plastic wrap and let it rise until it's puffy, about 1 hour (photo 6).

Place the oven rack in the lower third of your oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Step 4: Bake the bread

Bake the loaf for 33 to 38 minutes or until it's golden brown on top. If the top is browning too quickly, loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil (photo 7).

Remove the bread from the oven. You want the finished bread to read at least 190°F towards the bottom (a digital thermometer is helpful).

Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then place on a cooling rack to cool completely before serving (photo 8).

Storage and make-ahead instructions

Storage instructions: This sourdough discard bread can be stored in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days at room temperature. For longer storage, freeze the bread for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then reheat as desired.

Make-ahead instructions: You can let the dough have its first rise in the refrigerator overnight. Cover the dough tightly and place in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow to fully rise for 2 more hours before portioning and shaping. This will allow the dough to develop even more flavor.

You can also shape the bread before refrigerating it overnight. Remove the bread from the refrigerator and let it rise, still covered, on the counter for about 1 to 2 hours before baking.