Sandwich Breads · beginner

Gluten-Free Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Name: Gluten-Free Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 4 h 15 min
Yield: 1 pan loaf (14 slices)
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 150g brown rice flour; 100g sorghum flour; 150g tapioca starch; 18g psyllium husk powder; 12g sugar; 8g fine sea salt; 100g active gluten-free starter; 280g warm milk or unsweetened plant milk; 80g warm water; 25g neutral oil or melted butter

Key takeaway

Soft sandwich bread needs extra starch, dairy or plant milk, a loaf pan, and a 2-hour cool—not a hotter Dutch oven.

A Pullman-style pan loaf with extra starch, milk, and 4.5% psyllium for square, toastable slices.

By Andrew KittridgeMarch 1, 2026Extra tapioca pan loaf; 4.5% powder; milk-enriched

sandwich pan loaf weekday sourdough gluten free

Prep

25m

Ferment / rest

Bake

50m

Servings

Difficulty

beginner

The short answer

Sandwich bread is a pan problem, not a boule problem. We want a tight, moist crumb that does not shred under mayonnaise. That means more starch (150g tapioca on 400g flour), a little sugar, oil, and milk or plant milk, plus psyllium powder at 4.5% so the loaf can be softer than a Dutch-oven boule without collapsing. Hydration looks lower than artisan bread because milk counts as water; total liquid is still high. Bake at 375F in a 9x5 pan until 205F. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then on a rack 2 hours. This is weekday bread. The classic boule is weekend bread.

For the method behind gluten-free structure, read the gluten-free sourdough guide and keep a lively culture with the starter guide.

Why it works

The pan is the gluten. It supports a softer gel than a boule can handle.
Sugar and milk brown a pale rice-heavy crumb.
4.5% powder is enough structure without turning toast into a rubber band.

Ingredients

150gbrown rice flour
100gsorghum flour
150gtapioca starch
18gpsyllium husk powder
12gsugar
8gfine sea salt
100gactive gluten-free starter
280gwarm milk or unsweetened plant milk
80gwarm water
25gneutral oil or melted butter

Equipment

9x5 loaf pan
Scale
Thermometer

Instructions

1
Grease a 9x5 loaf pan. Whisk flours, tapioca, psyllium, sugar, and salt.
2
Mix starter, milk, water, and oil. Combine with dry ingredients until thick and glossy. Rest 12 minutes.
3
Scrape into the pan. Smooth with a wet spatula. Cover.
4
Proof 2.5–3.5 hours at 76F until the dough domes just above the rim and jiggles.
5
Bake at 375F for 48–52 minutes to 205F internal. Tent if the top browns before the center is done.
6
Rest 10 minutes in the pan, then unmold onto a rack.
7
Cool 2 hours before slicing. Early slices compress into paste.
8
Use a serrated knife and commit to the cut. Hesitation squashes gluten-free sandwich crumb.

Nutrition

Approximate values per serving. Always verify labels if you bake for celiac safety.

Nutrition facts per serving
Nutrient	Amount
Calories	150 kcal
Protein	3 g
Carbs	28 g
Fat	3 g
Fiber	2 g
Sodium	230 mg

Substitutions

Milk: All water plus 10g extra oil for a leaner, dairy-free loaf
Tapioca: Potato starch for an even moister crumb

Storage

Bag after cooling. Freeze slices. Toast from frozen for school lunches.

Notes

A Pullman lid makes squarer slices if you have one; do not force it if the dough is already at the rim.

FAQ

Can I make this sandwich bread dairy-free?

Yes. Use unsweetened plant milk and oil or vegan butter. Enriched gluten-free doughs do not rely on dairy proteins for structure—psyllium and starch do that work.

Why didn't these rise like wheat rolls?

Gluten-free enriched dough proofs until puffy and jiggly, not until doubled. Overproofing collapses the gel. Bake when a wet fingertip springs back slowly.

Do I still need psyllium if I use a 1:1 blend with xanthan?

Use a lighter psyllium dose (about 4% of flour) and do not add extra xanthan. Two full gums stacked make a bouncy, gummy crumb.

How do I keep sandwich bread from drying out?

Cool fully, then bag once the crust is dry to the touch. Freeze slices by day two. Toast from frozen.

Can I use discard instead of active starter?

Not for these yeasted-style enriched breads. Unfed discard belongs in pancakes and crackers. You need a peaked starter for lift.

Technique

Keep the method close

Psyllium, fermentation temperature, and a celiac-safe starter matter as much as the formula.

Sourdough guide Starter guide

About Andrew Kittridge

Home baker in Indianapolis documenting gluten-free sourdough: psyllium structure, whole-grain blends, and loaves that actually taste like bread.

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