Easy Loaf Pan Sourdough Bread Recipe (No Dutch Oven Needed!)

It’s totally possible to make amazing sourdough bread in a loaf pan. The biggest benefit, besides having a sandwich-shaped loaf, is that you don’t need a banneton or a Dutch oven.

If you’re just starting out with sourdough and don’t want to invest in specialty equipment, this is a surefire way to start making incredible, simple bread straight away.

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Why You’ll Love This Loaf Pan Artisan Sourdough Bread

• No fancy equipment needed: You don’t need a Dutch oven or fancy banneton. Just a couple of loaf pans and your everyday kitchen tools, like a bowl and a scale.
• That classic loaf shape: This isn’t a sandwich bread recipe per se (the dough isn’t enriched), but it bakes up in a neat rectangle that stores easily, slices evenly, and looks like it came off the grocery store shelf.
• Delightfully soft crust: The crust stays softer than a traditional artisan boule, making it perfect for sandwiches.

Want an even softer crust and a squishy interior? Check out Sourdough Wonderbread Copycat Recipe – So Soft!

• Foolproof and forgiving: If your starter’s a little sleepy or you forget a stretch and fold, this recipe is flexible and beginner-friendly. The loaf pan essentially forces the dough to take on that shape, so if it’s overproofed, it’s really no problem.
• Customizable: Toss in whatever you’re craving—cheese, herbs, dried fruit—during the second set of stretch and folds to make it your own.

Baker’s Timeline

Here’s a sample schedule to show you how it all comes together. You can adjust as needed to fit your routine.

Day 1
8:00 PM (or before bed)	Feed your starter
Day 2
8:00 AM	Mix dough
8:30 AM	Stretch & fold #1
9:00 AM	Stretch & fold #2 (Add any inclusions)
9:30 AM	Stretch & fold #3
10:00 AM	Coil fold
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM	Bulk fermentation (timing can vary)
2:00 PM	Shape dough and transfer to loaf pan
2:15 PM	Cover and put in fridge for cold retard
Day 3
9:00 AM	Preheat oven to 450°F and bake
9:40 AM	Cool on a rack for at least 1 hour before slicing
11:00 AM	Enjoy!

Ingredients

• Active Starter: Should be bubbly and at its peak—ideally, tripled in size with a flattened surface and tons of bubbles. This will give your bread the best rise.
• Bread Flour: I’ve been using Caputo Americana 00 flour as well as the Ballerina Farms bread flour lately. I love and recommend both, but any bread flour works.
• Water: Use warm water if your kitchen is cold, and cooler water if it’s hot. Room temperature tap water is perfect for kitchens around 70-74°F.
• Salt: I like Redmond’s sea salt (affiliate code TSG15 for a discount), but any fine sea salt that doesn’t have anti-caking agents will work.

Step-By-Step Instructions For Loaf Pan Artisan Sourdough Bread

Step 1: Feed Your Starter (Night Before)

Before going to bed, feed your starter using a 1:5:5 ratio:

• 10g starter
• 50g bread flour
• 50g water

Stir well, cover loosely, and leave it on the counter overnight.

This will give you just enough for the recipe, plus about 10g left over to keep your starter going for your next bake.

If you’re new to starter ratios or want to bake on a different schedule, use my Sourdough Starter Ratio Calculators to make it easy.

Step 2: Mix the Dough (Next Morning)

In the morning, check that your starter has peaked. It should triple in size, smell sweet and yeasty, and look flat on top (not domed, which means it’s still rising). A little past peak, or when the starter just begins to fall and drag down the jar, is also fine.

In a large bowl, mix 100g of active starter with 300-350g of water until fully dissolved.

Then, add 10g sea salt and 500g bread flour.

Mix until all the flour is wet and you’ve got a shaggy dough (about 3-4 minutes). I like starting with a Danish dough whisk (Brod & Taylor’s is my favorite) and then switching to my hands.

You’re building dough strength here, so don’t be afraid to really work it. 

Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Step 3: Stretch & Folds

With damp hands, gently stretch one side of the dough up and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat this on all 4 sides, or until the dough starts resisting when you pull it up. That’s one round.

You’ll do 4 rounds total, spaced 30-60 minutes apart. Keep the dough covered between rounds with a reusable bowl cover or plastic wrap.

Note: These are my favorite reusable bowl covers at the moment. Use affiliate code THATSOURDOUGHGAL for 10% off.

If you want to add any inclusions, I’d advise doing it during the second round of stretch and folds. If the inclusion is something sugary that will liquify, don’t add it until the final shaping.

For the final round, I like switching to coil folds. Lift the dough from the middle with both hands, let the ends drape down, then tuck them underneath. It’s a bit gentler on the dough.

By now, your dough should feel stronger and puffier.

Step 4: Bulk Fermentation

Let the dough sit on the counter for the remainder of the bulk fermentation (which started at the time you mixed your dough). 

Bulk fermentation timing varies depending on a lot of factors, the most important one being your dough temperature. If your dough is quite warm (78°F/25.5°C or so), you might be ready to shape it as soon as the stretch and folds are done. If your dough is cooler (68°F/20°C or so), it may not be ready for 12+ hours.

For the dough you see photographed and filmed for this post, it was 73°F (23°C) and took 7.5 hours.

Don’t rely on the clock—watch your dough. It’s ready when:

• It jiggles like Jell-O
• The top is domed
• Bubbles are visible on the surface and sides
• The dough feels soft, bouncy, and pillowy when you touch it
• If you tug at the edge of the dough where it meets the bowl, you don’t see a ton of webbing (that can be an indicator of overfermentation)

This video can help you visualize what I’m describing here:

Step 5: Shape for the Loaf Pan

Prep your loaf pan to get it ready for the dough.

I use these USA Loaf Pans that are amazingly nonstick and Teflon-free. If yours isn’t nonstick, spray it, butter and flour it well, or line it with parchment (pre-cut bread pan squares make it easy).

Then, lightly flour your counter (if needed) and turn the dough out.

Gently stretch it into a loose rectangle about as wide as your loaf pan. Starting at the bottom, roll it up, tucking in the sides as you go. Be super light with your hands so you don’t pop too many of the bubbles. 

When you get to the end, use a bench scraper to pull it toward you to build a little surface tension.

Scoop the dough up and transfer it seam-side down into your prepared loaf pan.

Step 6: Cold Retard

Cover your loaf and pop it in the fridge overnight for a cold retard. 

Tip: An overnight cold proof adds more complex flavor, helps with scheduling purposes, and many with gluten sensitivities report better digestion. But, if you want to bake the same day, let it proof on the counter for 2-4 more hours instead. Just wait until the dough reaches the top of the loaf pan (or maybe even a little higher).

Step 7: Bake

The next day, you have two options for baking:

1. Baking with one loaf pan (demonstrated here by my good friend Joselyn from A Friend In Knead)
2. Propping a second loaf pan on top (called the “two-pan method,” made popular by Maria at Leaf & Loaf Co)

I suggest trying both options to see which works best for your particular oven.

Joselyn’s recommended bake temperature and times for a single loaf pan:

• Allow the dough to proof in the loaf pan until it’s at the edge or just over the edge.
• Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 10 minutes
• Score the top of the loaf
• Bake for an additional 20 minutes
• Rotate the pan and bake 20 minutes more

Her oven is gas (not electric), so she doesn’t need to add steam. However, if you have an electric oven, add a cast iron skillet with a boiling water-soaked kitchen towel in it. Ensure the towel is completely soaked (a dry one is a fire hazard).

And for the two-pan method, here’s what I usually do:

• Preheat oven to 450°F or 230°C (not convection)
• Bake for 25 minutes with the second loaf pan on top
  • Optional: At the 8-minute mark, remove the top loaf pan, quickly score the top of the dough, and put the top pan back on to finish the rest of the 25 minutes. You can also just score the loaf before you put it in the oven – try both ways to see what works best for you.
• After the full 25 minutes, remove the top pan and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown and reads 205-210°F (96-99°C) internally

If the crust is getting too dark, lower the temperature to 425°F (220°C) for the last stretch. Every oven is different, so keep an eye on it!

Step 8: Cool & Enjoy!

Once it’s out of the oven, let the bread sit in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack.

Let it cool completely before slicing (I know—it’s hard). The steam’s still working its magic inside.

Conclusion

And that’s it! Simple, delicious, and no fancy gear needed. 

The crust is softer than a boule, but the flavor is just as amazing. Once you try this loaf pan artisan sourdough bread, you might never go back. I know my mom hasn’t!

Related: Easy, Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread Recipe (1 Day)