Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread (No Knead & Vegan-Friendly)

This soft and tender sourdough sandwich bread is made with simple plant-based ingredients and your active sourdough starter — no dairy, no eggs, just pure wholesome goodness. Baked to golden perfection, the loaf has a light, fluffy crumb that’s perfect for sandwiches, toast, or enjoying warm with a little vegan butter. It delivers that subtle sourdough tang you love but with a soft, pillowy texture that makes it ideal for everyday use. Easy to slice and freezer-friendly, this is the kind of bread you’ll want to keep stocked in your kitchen week after week.

Ingredients

3 cups Bread Flour (or All-Purpose Flour works too)

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour (optional for a little more nutrition)

1-1/2 tsp Sea Salt

1 Tablespoon Sugar (optional for a slightly sweeter loaf)

1 cup Active Sourdough Starter (fed and bubbly)

1 cup Lukewarm Water

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil or Coconut Oil, melted (or Vegan Butter)

This is my go-to bread for everyday sandwiches and toast. It has that classic sourdough tang, but the texture is soft and pillowy instead of crusty. And the best part? No kneading! I developed this recipe to be beginner-friendly, forgiving, and totally delicious. It’s perfect for everything from PB&J to avocado toast, and once you taste it fresh out of the oven, you’ll never want store-bought again.

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours and salt. Add the sourdough starter, water, maple syrup (if using), and oil. Stir until a thick sticky dough forms. Knead in bowl for about 1-2 minutes.

Oil the bowl add the dough and cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30–40 minutes. Place the bowl in oven with light on to help the rise. This helps hydrate the flour and makes the dough easier to handle.

Do 3–4 sets of stretch and folds techniques every 30 minutes. Wet your hands slightly to prevent sticking.

Stretch the dough straight up without tearing then fold it over itself towards yourself, turn the bowl a quarter turn, then repeat until you stretch and fold over all four sides.

After each fold, cover the bowl again and sit for another 30 minutes (this process will take about 1-1/2 to 2 hours, so do this three to four times).

Once folds are complete cover the dough and let it sit at room temperature (around 70–75°F) for 8–12 hours, or until doubled and bubbly.

Lightly flour your work surface. Gently turn out the dough onto a counter. Gently form it into a rectangle, then fold the right side in towards the center, then the left side in towards the center but not overlapping each other.

Then from the bottom of the the dough roll it up (making sure the sided are tuck in) into a shape of a log. Place seam-side down into a lightly greased 9x5-inch loaf pan.

Cover the loaf with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature for 1–2 hours until it’s puffy and has risen close to the top of the pan.

Optional: Brush the top lightly with plant milk for a softer crust.

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

Bake uncovered for 35–40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

Remove from the pan and let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. (Resist cutting it hot — it helps the crumb set properly!)

Optional Add-Ins

Mix in 2 Tablespoons Chia Seeds or Flax Meal for extra fiber.

Add 2 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast for a cheesy flavor.

Swap half of the water for plant milk for an even softer loaf.

Notes

If your kitchen is cold, the dough may need longer to rise.

This bread stays soft for about 3–4 days at room temperature wrapped in a towel or bread bag. You can also fridge or freeze slices for easy use!

If your dough is too wet after the first 8-12 hour proofing here's what to expect:

The loaf will still rise in the pan during the second proofing. You can just pour the thick batter into the loaf pan.

It will probably be very tender, moist, and soft inside.

It might be a little more airy or holey than a classic sandwich bread (but still sliceable, especially once cooled).

It might have a more “wrinkly” or “rustic” top after baking — not perfectly domed — but it’ll taste amazing.

Tips for Baking It

Let it proof until it domes slightly over the edge of the pan (or almost there) — about 1–2 hours. If you have a larger loaf pan it may not dome over the pan.

Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 40–60 minutes until deeply golden brown.

If it seems very pale after 30 minutes, bake a little longer uncovered.

Let it cool completely before slicing — it will firm up as it cools!