Sourdough Discard Soft French Bread

I’m in love with this bread. Sourdough Discard Soft French Bread is so soft and fluffy. It makes two large loaves, and it is sure to be a new family favorite. I love that this bread uses up excess sourdough discard. This adds flavor and moisture, and it just makes this bread taste delicious.

Why You’ll Love Sourdough Discard Soft French Bread

You will love how soft this bread is. It’s not crispy like a sourdough baguette. This is American-style French bread that you would pick up at the grocery store. Soft, fluffy and good enough to tear off a piece and enjoy or slice for lunch or dinner. Get ready – it’s about to be a most-requested recipe in your house!

Important Ingredients in Discard French Bread

• Sourdough Discard: I use 100% hydration sourdough discard in discard recipes. You can also use fresh, bubbly sourdough starter or discard that’s been in your refrigerator for a week or longer, if you like the flavor of older discard. You can use it straight out of the fridge if you use warm water to mix your dough.
• Instant Yeast: This is a discard recipe, meaning it doesn’t use a sourdough starter to leaven the bread. It uses the discard from a starter for moisture and flavor and instant yeast for leavening.
• Water: The key to help this dough rise properly is to add warm water to activate the yeast and warm up the cold discard.
• Honey: Honey enhances the flavors of the dough. It does not make this bread taste sweet.
• Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is my favorite oil for very soft bread. Substitute for any neutral-flavored oil if desired.
• Salt: Salt enhances the flavor of the bread and tempers the fermentation of the yeast dough.
• Bread Flour: For a nice lightly chewy, soft French bread, bread flour is going to be the best choice.

How to Make Sourdough Discard Soft French Bread

Knead Together the Dough

Mix together sourdough discard and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Usually I use discard that is cold, straight from the fridge. This can impact how quickly the dough will rise, so I like to mix together the warm water and discard before adding the instant yeast. Add the instant yeast and honey. Let sit until it smells yeasty and is a little foamy (this shows you that your yeast is active). Then add in the oil, salt and bread flour. Knead with a dough hook for about 8 minutes. The dough should feel smooth and elastic. It will be tacky and not overly sticky. If it is sticky, add a little bit more flour a Tablespoon at a time.

If you don’t have a stand mixer, knead the dough by hand for 10-12 minutes.

Let Dough Rise and Shape into Loaves

Transfer the dough to a container and let the dough rise for about an hour or two until doubled or tripled in size. The time it takes for the dough to rise will depend on the temperature of the dough. I like to use a dough mat or place the dough in a warm place to speed up the process. Turn the dough out onto the counter and cut into two pieces. Press each piece into a long rectangle shape (not quite as long as the baking sheet). Roll up, pinching in the seams as you go. Pinch the dough closed, flip it over and place on one half of a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the other portion of dough.

Proof and Bake Soft Discard French Bread

Cover the shaped dough with a kitchen towel and let rise again until doubled, light, airy and puffy. This could take an hour or a little longer depending on the temperature of the dough. Pre-heat the oven to 375°F and score the bread with a bread lame. Make slashes across the dough or straight down the dough. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and brush the tops with melted butter. Let cool before slicing and enjoy!

Substitutions

• Bread Flour: If you don’t have bread flour, you can substitute all-purpose flour with about 20 grams vital wheat gluten. You can also make this recipe with all-purpose flour instead of bread flour, but the crumb wont be quite as chewy and the rise may not be as high.
• Coconut Oil: Use any favorite neutral-flavored oil to substitute for coconut oil. I like using coconut oil because it makes the dough super soft.
• Sourdough Discard: Substitute ripe, active starter for sourdough discard. If you want to make this recipe 100% sourdough, check out that recipe here.

How to Store Leftovers

Leftover French bread can be sliced and frozen or frozen whole. It keeps well for a couple of months. Then we’ll take it out to thaw and use for sandwiches, French toast, garlic bread, etc…

If you liked this, you’ll also like…

• The Best Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread
• Sourdough French Bread
• Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread
• Soft White Rolls with Sourdough Discard
• Sourdough Discard Breadsticks

Frequently Asked Questions