Easy & Quick Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread Recipe

Three fresh loaves of bread with buttered tops

Easy & Quick Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread Recipe

Kathy Moulding

Ready to transform your sourdough discard? This sandwich bread recipe is just what you need—quick, easy, and oh-so-delicious. Give it a try!

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Ingredients

1 2/3 cup warm water
1/3 cup milk kefir, or buttermilk
3 teaspoons cane sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons traditional yeast
2 tablespoons butter or oil
2 cups sourdough discard or active sourdough starter
6 cups flour bread flour or all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Proof the Yeast

Combine 1 2/3 cups warm water and 1/3 cup milk (or kefir/buttermilk) in a small bowl.
Stir in 3 teaspoons of cane sugar and 2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast. Let it sit for 10 minutes until it becomes frothy and bubbly.

Mixing with a Bosch or Kitchen Aid Mixer

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add your proofed yeast mixture, 2 tablespoons of butter or oil, 2 cups of unfed sourdough starter (you can also use bubbly sourdough starter), and 1 teaspoon of salt.
Gradually add approximately 6 cups of flour. Attach the dough hook and mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. See Note.
Increase the speed to medium and knead the dough for about 7-8 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl but still feel slightly tacky. Do the window pane test - see the pro tip in blog post.
Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size—about 1 to 1.5 hours.
Punch down the dough. Using a kitchen scale weigh the dough into two equal parts. Shape into loaves and place seam side down in greased loaf pans. Cover and let rise again until doubled, about 30-45 minutes. SEE NOTE
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Bake the loaves for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped on the bottom. Take the temperature of the loaf with a thermometer , the internal temperature in the middle of the loaf should be 200 degrees.
Remove from pans and place on a cooling rack. I know it's hard, but resist the temptation to cut into warm bread. Allow to cool completely before slicing.

Mixing by Hand

In a large mixing bowl, add the proofed yeast mixture, 2 tablespoons of butter or oil, and 2 cups of sourdough discard.
Gradually stir in approximately 6 cups of flour and 1 teaspoon of salt with a wooden spoon until the dough starts to form. See Note.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic. Add more flour as needed if the dough is too sticky.
Place the dough back in a greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 to 1.5 hours.
Punch down the dough. Using a scale and a bench knife divide the dough into two portions. Shape the dough it into loaves. Place in greased cast iron or stone loaf pans, cover with elastic bowl covers, and let rise again until doubled about 30-45 minutes. SEE NOTE
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Take the temperature of the loaf with a thermometer , the internal temperature in the middle of the loaf should be 200 degrees.
Let cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Notes

NOTE: The amount of flour in bread recipes is approximate because factors like humidity, flour type, and hydration levels affect absorption. Always add flour gradually, aiming for a dough that is soft, elastic, and slightly tacky—rather than relying on exact measurements.

NOTE: I like to make three loaves with this recipe. The end result fits perfect in the toaster and sandwich bags