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If your kids go through bread like mine do, this Soft Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread is a lifesaver—and a great way to use up that extra discard. Light, tender, a super soft crust and perfect for everything from sandwiches to toast, it’s a simple, reliable recipe that always turns out beautifully.
You can adjust the flavor depending on your preference, and this sourdough discard bread bakes up two loaves that will have you skipping the store-bought stuff for good. My kids use this (or the full sourdough sandwich bread version) for everything—PB&Js, morning toast, and even turning it into the best French toast—and people are constantly asking for the recipe.
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Why You’ll Love Discard Sandwich Bread
- Discard Recipe – This recipe is based on my Soft White Sandwich Bread recipe, but it adds all the flavor and moisture of sourdough discard!
- Soft & Fluffy – You’ll love the pillowy texture of this bread, and for a 100% sourdough version with the same soft texture, try my Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread too.
- Versatile – This bread makes excellent sandwich bread—of course—but it is also perfect for toast and just plain too! For a whole wheat sandwich bread alternative, try my favorite Whole Wheat Discard Sandwich Bread.
- Crusty Alternative – If you’re craving a crusty loaf instead of soft sandwich bread, try my Easy No-Knead Sourdough Discard Bread. It’s simple, hands-off, and perfect for dipping in soup or slathering with butter.
Sourdough Discard Tip: I keep a jar in my fridge that I continually add sourdough discard to. Discard is a by-product of your sourdough starter, and there is no reason to throw it away. Instead, use it in incredible sourdough discard recipes where it adds moisture and great flavor. Use older, more tangy discard in savory recipes like Easy Sourdough Discard English Muffins and young/fresh discard in sweeter recipes like my Sourdough Discard Lemon Loaf.
Baker’s Timeline
Even though discard recipes made with instant yeast are more forgiving than full 100% sourdough bakes, I still find it helpful to have a timeline so you can plan your day around the dough. You’ll want to plan for:
- Hands-on time: 20 minutes
- First rise: 1–2 hours
- Second rise: 1–1.5 hours
- Bake time: 40 minutes
- Total time: Around 4 hours start to finish
The exact timing will depend on the temperature of your kitchen and how warm your dough is, but this gives you a good framework to follow. You can also refrigerate the dough after the first rise if you want to bake it later—see the FAQ section for more on that.
Important Ingredients
- 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.
- Instant Yeast – This bread requires instant yeast to rise. If you want to use dry active yeast, make sure to activate it in some water/honey before incorporating into the dough.
- Coconut Oil – I love the soft texture that coconut oil gives the dough. You can add cold or liquid coconut oil to the mixing bowl. The heat from the mixing will help the coconut oil absorb fully into the bread dough. You can substitute any neutral-flavored oil.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
Substitutions
- Honey: I love the flavor of honey in this recipe. It is a viscous liquid. If you substitute sugar, make sure to compensate for the lack of liquid. You will need to add a little more water to the dough to get the right consistency.
- Coconut Oil: Coconut oil makes this bread super soft. I can’t taste the coconut flavor in the loaf, but if you don’t want to use coconut oil, substitute avocado oil, olive oil or melted butter.
- Flour: You can substitute all-purpose flour for the bread flour, just note you may need a little bit extra flour when adding due to the lower protein content. I also often substitute half of the bread flour in this recipe with freshly milled whole wheat flour.
- Yeast: If you prefer to make this bread without the instant yeast and use sourdough starter instead, make my recipe for natural yeast sandwich bread.
- Egg: You can leave the egg out of this recipe – just compensate with a little less flour.
How to Make The Best Discard Bread
Mix the Dough
Step 1: Combine instant yeast, warm water and honey in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the sourdough discard, salt, egg, coconut oil and most of the flour. Add the rest of the flour as needed while kneading the dough.
Step 2: Knead with a dough hook attachment for 8-10 minutes in the stand mixer on low speed until the dough is tacky to the touch but not overly sticky. It should pull away from the sides of the mixer and form a cohesive ball.
Note: Warm water and room temperature ingredients help activate the yeast—just don’t go much over 95º-100ºF or you risk killing it. Instant yeast doesn’t need proofing, but I like to double-check by smelling for that classic “yeasty” scent once it’s mixed with the liquid.
First Rise
Step 3: Use the windowpane test to check for the dough’s readiness. It should stretch to form a “windowpane” in the dough, but shouldn’t tear.
Step 4: Let the dough rise in a covered container for about an hour or two until doubled in size. I like to use a plastic shower cap to cover my dough.
No Stand Mixer? If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can knead the dough by hand for 10–15 minutes. If you are using a stand mixer, just make sure it can handle that much mixing time. I break down the pros and cons of different mixers in my honest stand mixer review if you want more info.
Shape the Loaves
Step 5: Once the dough has risen, use a bench knife to divide the dough into two equal portions.
Step 6: Pat each portion of dough into a rectangle and then roll the dough, pressing the seam closed at the ends to form a uniform loaf shape.
Step 7: Place each loaf, seam-side down into a greased bread pan and cover.
Step 8: Allow the bread to rise until the loaf has risen above the edge of the pan – usually about 1 – 1.5 hours. If you press gently on the dough with your finger, it should leave a little indentation.
Amy’s Tip: If your dough overproofs and starts to deflate, don’t worry—you can re-shape it and let it rise again (thanks to the instant yeast). Underproofed dough often bakes up dense and can split along the sides, while overproofed dough may have uneven holes and a sunken top. Use the poke test and watch for the dough to visually double to help you know when it’s ready to bake.
Bake the Loaves
Step 9: Bake the loaves of bread in a preheated 350ºF oven for 40 minutes until golden brown and an internal temperature of about 195-200ºF.
Step 10: Brush melted butter on top of the loaves if desired. Allow sourdough discard sandwich bread to cool in the loaf pan for a few minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing and enjoying.
How to Store Leftovers
Once the sandwich bread has fully cooled, slice the loaves and store them in a bread bag in the freezer. If you want easy grab-and-go slices, layer parchment paper between them. We love to toast or thaw slices for sandwiches. This sourdough recipe also makes the best grilled cheese sandwich and French toast!
Amy’s Recipe Tip
The rise time of this sourdough discard sandwich loaf will vary depending on how warm your dough is, but don’t worry—it’ll rise with the help of instant yeast. If you’re using cold discard straight from the fridge, that can cool the dough down and slow things a bit. I like to use warm water to give it a little boost.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is a great way to use up leftover sourdough discard so you don’t waste it. The older the discard, the more tang you will taste in this bread. You can also use a young discard or bubbly sourdough starter and the sour flavor will be minimal.
Yes. I usually stick the dough in the fridge before shaping and then shape and proof a day or two later.
Yes, you can if you replace the sourdough discard with 200 grams of ripe and bubbly active sourdough starter. I would recommend looking at this recipe for the best sourdough sandwich bread for details.
Yes! You can leave out the egg—just reduce the flour slightly while kneading to keep the dough soft and workable.
Sourdough Bread Recipes You’ll Love
If you tried this Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread or any other recipe on my website leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Happy Baking!
Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread
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Equipment
- 2 8.5 inch by 4.5 inch loaf pans
Ingredients
- 200 grams sourdough discard, 100% hydration, see recipe notes, a scant 1 cup
- 330 grams warm water, around 95-100 degrees F, about 1 1/3 cups
- 15 grams instant yeast, about 1 Tablespoon
- 160 grams honey, see recipe notes, about 1/2 cup
- 50 grams coconut oil, or any neutral-flavored oil, see recipe notes, about 1/4 cup
- 1 large egg, about 50 grams
- 20 grams salt, about 1 Tablespoon
- 850 grams bread flour, see recipe notes, about 6-7 cups
Instructions
- Mix the Dough: To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add warm water, honey and instant yeast. Watch for the yeast to activate with a "yeasty" sweet smell and it should start to bubble a bit. See recipe notes for using dry active yeast. Note: Technically, instant yeast doesn’t need to be bloomed or activated first. But I like to play it safe and make sure it’s active before mixing it into my dough—because nothing’s worse than finding out your yeast was dead after you’ve already measured, mixed, and waited.
- Add the sourdough discard, salt, egg, coconut oil, and most of the flour to the bowl. Gradually add the rest of the flour as needed and knead for 8-10 minutes. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl or gather all together as it kneads. It will feel tacky to the touch but should not be overly sticky. If it is very sticky, add a little bit more flour 10-20 grams at a time, until it feels tacky but cohesive. Note: This dough can be kneaded by hand for about 10-15 minutes. If you are kneading by hand, use liquid coconut oil. If you are using a stand mixer, you can add the coconut oil in at any state and it will incorporate easily.
- First Rise: Transfer the dough to a large container and cover with a plastic shower cap, plastic wrap or kitchen towel. Let dough rest for about an hour or two until doubled in size. How long this takes will depend on the temperature of your dough. To speed up the process, keep the dough in a warm place.
- Separate: Once the dough has doubled in size and is light and airy, punch the dough down and separate into two equal portions, about 800 grams each.
- Shape: Pat one of the portions of dough into a rectangle (about 7 inches by 12-14 inches). Starting at the edge closest to you, roll up the dough. Take care to press in the dough at the seam after each roll and pinch the seam closed at the end. Pinch and round the ends of the dough just a bit to get a uniform loaf. Place in a greased 8.5 by 4.5 loaf pan and cover. Repeat with the remaining portion of dough. You can watch a shaping video here.
- Rise: Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let the bread rise in the pan for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until the dough has risen above the edge of the loaf pan. Press in gently on the dough with a finger. If the dough springs back immediately, it needs a little more time to rise. If it leaves a little indentation and springs back a little bit, it is ready to bake.Temperature Note: Keeping the dough at a warm temperature, around 85º F will encourage the dough to rise more quickly
- Bake: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Bake loaves of bread for 40 minutes until golden brown and the internal temperature is 195-200ºF. Spread melted butter on the tops of the loaves if desired. Let bread cool for about 5-10 minutes in the loaf pans, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing for sandwiches. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Making now and wondering if I can refrigerate this dough during either of the the rising processes.
Yes, you can refrigerate for one of the rises (either should work!). Enjoy!
Hello Amy. I have only made one of your discard recipes and it was amazing…. i look foward to making more. I NEVER comment on stuff. I just started my sourdough journey have starters in the process. awesome content you have thank you, thanks to my mom’s bestie directing me to your site. I was wondering how to gage how much extra flour of my type 00 flour to use in this recipe? it’s 11- 11.5% protien.
Thanks for the review! I would go by the feel of the dough. You want it to feel slightly tacky, but not overly sticky.
Just made this for the very first time and I think this might be my most favourite discard recipe! It’s utterly amazing!!!
It’s the best! Thanks for the review.
Just tried this. Love it! I will definitely be baking this again!
I used sugar instead of honey and two eggs. It was a quick easy bread and a good use of discard. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing! I’m glad it turned out great.