🥪 A Soft Sourdough Discard Sandwich Loaf You’ll Want to Bake Every Week
If you’ve been baking with sourdough for any amount of time, chances are your fridge has become home to an ever-growing jar of sourdough discard. And while crackers and pancakes are great ways to use it up, sometimes you just crave a soft, squishy loaf of sandwich bread — something perfect for toast in the morning or a gooey grilled cheese at night.
Good news: I’ve got just the recipe for you.
This quick-bake sourdough discard sandwich loaf is tender, fluffy, and subtly tangy — just enough sourdough character to make it interesting, without the long fermentation or fussy shaping. It’s the perfect solution when you want homemade bread now, not tomorrow.
🌾 Why This Loaf Works
Uses up discard: No waste, and no guilt. This loaf puts your extra starter to delicious use.
No overnight rise: It’s ready to bake in just a few hours.
Soft and fluffy: Thanks to a little milk and butter, it has that classic sandwich bread texture we all love.
Super versatile: Perfect for sandwiches, dinner rolls, toast, French toast, or even breadcrumbs.
🍞 Ingredients You’ll Need:
1 cup sourdough discard (100% hydration)
1 cup warm milk (or a mix of milk and water)
3 tbsp melted butter or olive oil
2 tbsp sugar or honey
3 tsp salt
2 ½ tsp instant yeast
3 to 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
🥄 How to Make It:
Mix the dough: In a large bowl, combine the discard, warm milk, melted butter, and sugar. Stir in the yeast, then add the salt and flour, one cup at a time, until a soft dough forms.
Knead: Knead by hand or with a mixer until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky (about 7–10 minutes).
First rise: Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled — about 1 to 1.5 hours depending on your kitchen temp.
Shape & pan: Punch down the dough, shape it into a log, and place it in a greased 9x5” loaf pan.
Second rise: Cover and let rise again until the dough crowns about an inch over the edge of the pan (30–45 minutes).
Bake: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake for 30–35 minutes, until golden and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
Cool & enjoy: Let it cool in the pan for 5–10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Brush the top with butter. Try to wait until it’s mostly cool before slicing — or don’t. I won’t judge.
PS: To make bread rolls, simply portion the batch out in to 12 equal sizes and roll lightly into balls. Place in a 9x13 pan in rows of 3 with enough room to spread. Let rise again for about 30-45 minutes and then bake for 20-30 minutes or until rolls are golden brown on top. Brush tops with butter when they’re cooling. You can now enjoy straight out of the pan or once they’ve cooled, tear them apart and display in a beautiful bowl at the dinner table!
