This Soft Crust Sourdough Bread Recipe is surprisingly easy to make and much healthier and tastier than store-bought bread! The sourdough flavor creates a unique loaf that is flavorful and perfect for pairing with loads of sandwiches. Not only does sourdough offer an intense flavor, but it has also added health benefits and nutritional value to your diet!
Sourdough Health Benefits
Sourdough has become one of my favorite types of bread that I have tried. I used to get it from the store in the past and was amazed by the depth of flavor. The best part about sourdough is how good it is for you! A homemade sourdough starter is full of natural probiotics that aid in digestion and gut health. The fermentation process of the grains makes the bread much easier for our bodies to process and we get more whole nutrients from the grains. It’s also full of antioxidants that can help in avoiding cancers, aging, and chronic diseases.
There have even been certain studies that indicate those with gluten intolerances can handle eating sourdough bread because of its ease on the gut. Overall, sourdough is so much fun to bake, healthy and can be a hobby to maintain a starter.
Sources – WebMd – Medicalnewstoday – Bonappetit
Sourdough Starter
Since I had tried sourdough and heard of the health benefits, I’d been wanting to try making my own starter. It literally only takes water and flour to get the sourdough going. Of course, you have to put some time into helping it grow natural yeast but after that it gets easy. To be honest, I’m lucky enough to have been gifted my starter from my older sister. She got her starter recipe from Farmhouse on Boone. After your starter is developed, its so easy to maintain. You just have to make sure it’s fed enough to keep the yeast going. That can be once a week or daily.
Bread Ingredients
- Sourdough starter
- Purified water
- Large egg
- Olive oil
- Honey
- Fine sea salt
- Unbleached All-purpose flour
Sourdough Ingredient Notes
This bread is very simple when it comes to the ingredients. However, there are a few ways you can tweak it if necessary. For one, the olive oil can be replaced with melted coconut oil or canola oil.
I like to use a touch of raw honey in my sandwich breads because it adds moisture and helps the natural yeast to ferment. Although, another good option for loaves like this one is molasses. It helps keep the bread moist and adds an extra boost of flavor. I recommend unsulphered molasses and not blackstrap.
Sourdough Bread Making Equipment
- Stand Mixer with dough attachment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Spatula
- Large mixing bowl
- 8.5×4.5 Loaf pan
- Cooling rack
The equipment for this recipe is fairly simple. The only special thing needed is a good quality stand mixer. I personally love my KitchenAid mixer. While a mixer isn’t completely necessary for making this bread, it does make things a lot easier. You can definitely knead this dough by hand, it’s just messier and takes a bit longer.
Recipe Notes
- If you’re kneading the dough by hand it will take closer to 10 minutes for the gluten to be developed enough.
- For an overnight option, proof the bread in the refrigerator and finish the final proofing at room temperature.
- Store this bread wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil at room temperature. It should last between 5-7 days before it dries out.
- Do not store this bread in the refrigerator after it’s baked because it will dry out quickly.
- This bread can be frozen after it’s baked by wrapping it in plastic wrap and placing it in a ziplock freezer bag. It can last up to 3 months and be defrosted at room temperature when you’re ready to use it.
I hope you love this Soft Crust Sourdough Bread Recipe as much as I have come to enjoy it! If you try it out, please make sure to leave a comment on how it turned out and leave a 5-star rating if you love it!
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More Bread Recipes
Soft Crust Sourdough Bread
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer with dough attachment
- 1 Measuring cups and spoons
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Large mixing bowl
- 1 8.5×4.5 Loaf pan
- 1 Cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Sourdough starter
- ½ Cup Purified water
- 1 Large egg
- 1 Tbsp Olive oil
- 1 ½ Tbsp Honey
- 1 tsp Fine sea salt
- 2 ¾ Cups Unbleached All-purpose flour
Instructions
- Add active sourdough starter, water, egg, oil, honey, and flour to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix lightly until the dough comes together.
- Knead for 8-10 minutes on low speed until the dough passes the windowpane test. Form into a ball and transfer to an oiled mixing bowl.
- Lightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Set the bowl in a warm place for 6 hours to ferment and proof.
- Turn your dough out onto a lightly greased surface and roll it out into a rectangle. Fold in the sides and roll it over into a log. Pinch the seam and the ends of the log closed. Place the loaf seam-side down in a greased 8.5×4.5-inch loaf pan.
- Cover loaf with a plastic wrap and place in a warm spot to proof until the loaf fills the pan and rises above the top by an inch. It should take about 1.5-2 hours.
- Bake in a 350°F oven on the center rack for 25-30 minutes or until the bread is golden and sounds hollow when tapped.
- Run a kitchen knife around the edges of the loaf to loosen it from the pan. Remove loaf to a cooling rack.
Notes
- If you’re kneading the dough by hand it will take closer to 10 minutes for the gluten to be developed enough.
- For an overnight option, proof the bread in the refrigerator and finish the final proofing at room temperature.
- Store this bread wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil at room temperature. It should last between 5-7 days before it dries out.
- Do not store this bread in the refrigerator after it’s baked because it will dry out quickly.
- This bread can be frozen after it’s baked by wrapping it in plastic wrap and placing it in a ziplock freezer bag. It can last up to 3 months and be defrosted at room temperature when you’re ready to use it.
I never realized I could eat bread with some probiotic benefits! Nice!
I love the benefits of eating sourdough bread. Gut health is so important. Your bread looks so pillowy soft!