I’ve had an ambition to create a good seeded multigrain sourdough bread for quite some time. I wanted it to rival the store-bought sandwich breads of my childhood. And my kids’ childhood, because despite my best intentions, we still buy bread from the store quite often (gasp).
Anyhoo- I’m excited to present this seeded sourdough bread recipe for public consumption. It includes a mixture of seeds and oats, soaked overnight for texture and digestibility, and a blend of whole wheat and white flour that gives it some depth of flavor. It’s perfect for sandwiches, but I think it really shines as toast.
Give this recipe a read-through before you get started- it’s pretty simple, but I don’t want you to miss a step by accident. I’ve used a tangzhong in this recipe, a technique I haven’t used on my blog before. For more info on what this is, scroll down. Also, yes, you need a kitchen scale for this. If you bake sourdough and you don’t own one, well. It’s time to invest.
Onto the bread!
Tools & Equipment for Seeded Sourdough Sandwich Bread
- Mixing bowls: small bowl, medium bowl
- Large bowl/stand mixer with dough hook
- Digital scale
- Measuring spoons
- Small saucepan
- Loaf pan x2- i prefer small Pullman pans
- Bench knife
- Bowl scraper
Ingredients for Seeded Sourdough Sandwich Bread
- Active sourdough starter
- Whole wheat flour
- All purpose flour (white bread flour works fine too)
- Water
- Flax seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Sesame seeds: white sesame seeds are the most readily available, but black are good too!
- Rolled oats/old-fashioned oats: steel cut work as well.
- Whole milk
- Honey
- Fine sea salt
- Unsalted butter
The Process: How to Make Seeded Sourdough Sandwich Bread
8 pm: Make the levain
In a small glass mixing bowl or a large glass jar, thoroughly mix the sourdough starter, 30 g all purpose flour, 30 g whole wheat flour, and 60 g water. Cover tightly and place on the counter for 12 hours.
At the same time, prepare your seed & oat soaker: place flax seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, rolled oats and boiling water in a medium glass bowl. Leave on the counter to sit at room temperature while your levain ferments.
7 am: Make the tangzhong
About an hour before you’re expecting your levain to be ready, prepare the tangzhong: add 80g whole wheat flour and 325 g whole milk to a small saucepan. Heat it over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture changes to a paste-like consistency. This will probably take 5-6 minutes, and it will seem like nothing is happening, until it does.
Remove the tangzhong from the heat. Scrape it all onto a plate and set it on the counter until it fully cools to room temperature.
Meanwhile, remove your butter from the fridge: you want this at a cool room temperature as well.
8 am: Mix your dough
Check your levain for readiness: it should be risen, bubbly throughout, and have a mild sour aroma. If it doesn’t show these signs check again in 30 minutes.
Get a large bowl- I prefer a stand mixer for this dough, fitted with the dough hook.
Add the water, remaining 100g whole wheat flour and 550 g all purpose flour, honey, fine sea salt, the levain and the tangzhong to the bowl. Mix at low speed until all incorporated. If your dough is VERY dry add another splash of water, just enough to get it to come together.
Increase the mixer speed to medium for 5-6 minutes. The dough will likely still stick to the sides of the bowl.
Decrease the mixer speed back to low and add the butter one pat at a time until it is all incorporated into the dough. Increase the speed back to medium for a few more minutes. The dough should start to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
Add the seed mixture to the bowl and mix on low speed until evenly distributed.
8:30 am-12:30 pm: bulk fermentation
Cover the bowl and place on the counter for bulk fermentation.
Set a timer for a half hour and complete a thorough set of stretch and folds. Coil folds can work well for this dough. Repeat twice more at half hour intervals, then leave the dough to sit for the remainder of bulk fermentation, two and a half more hours to equal four hours total.
At the end of bulk fermentation, assess your dough: it should be visibly risen in your container, “domed” at the sides (sloping down towards the bowl, instead of totally flat), and you may see scattered bubbles. If these signs aren’t present, leave for 30 minutes and check again.
12:30 pm: pre-shape
Use a bowl scraper to turn your dough out onto a clean work surface and use a bench scraper to divide it in two. Use lightly wet hands and your bench scraper to gently shape each half of the dough into a round. Let the pre-shaped dough rest on the counter for thirty minutes.
Meanwhile, butter or grease two loaf pans or small Pullman pans (my preference!)
1:00-4:00 pm- proof
Use your bench knife to tightly shape each half of the dough into an oblong loaf the length of your pan. Transfer each loaf into a pan. Cover the pans with plastic wrap and place in a warm place on the counter to proof.
Allow the dough to proof for 3-4 hours, until the dough is close to the top of the pan. It will feel jiggly and soft to the touch.
Towards the end of the proofing time preheat the oven to 425 degrees Farenheit.
If you have any large bubbles at the top of your loaves, gently pop them before placing the loaves in the oven.
4:00 pm: Bake Seeded Sourdough Bread!
Optional: sprinkle more seeds on the top of the dough before baking.
Bake your loaves for 20 minutes, then decrease the oven temperature to 350 and bake for another 20-30 minutes, until the tops of the loaves are golden brown.
Allow your loaves to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use different seeds?
By all means! Swap out for pumpkin seeds, poppy seeds, chia seeds, fennel seeds (these do have a rather distinct flavor, but I love them. Personal preference) . I do recommend substituting for a similar kind of seeds: for example, replace sunflower with pumpkin or flax with chia. You’ll find your preferred combination of seeds.
Why Use a Tangzhong?
A tangzhong is a technique that involves pre-cooking a portion of the flour with liquid on the stove before adding it to bread dough. The mixture forms a sticky paste which is then included in the dough. It’s an Asian technique that makes for soft, fluffy bread, and it even can make the bread stay fresh for longer!
Seeded Sourdough Sandwich Bread
The recipe you'll reach for when you are craving *those sandwich breads* of your childhood. White & wheat flours, oats and seeds make for a soft yet flavorful bread that's right for any occasion.
Ingredients
- For the levain:
- 10g ripe, active sourdough starter
- 30 g all-purpose flour
- 30 g whole wheat flour
- 60g filtered water
- For the seed/oat soaker:
- 25 g flax seed
- 25 g sunflower seeds (unroasted, unsalted)
- 25 g sesame seeds (white or black)
- 50 g rolled oats
- 150 g boiling water
- For the tangzhong:
- 80 g whole wheat flour
- 325 g whole milk
- For the dough:
- 320 g filtered water
- 100 g whole wheat flour
- 550 g all purpose flour
- 60 g honey
- 15 g fine sea salt
- 55 g (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter
- entire levain
- entire seed/oat soaker
- entire tangzhong
Instructions
- Make your levain: in a small glass mixing bowl or a large glass jar, thoroughly mix the sourdough starter, 30 g all purpose flour, 30 g whole wheat flour, and 60 g filtered water. Cover tightly and place on the counter for 12 hours.
- At the same time, prepare your seed & oat soaker: place flax seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, rolled oats and boiling water in a medium glass bowl. Leave on the counter to sit while your levain ferments.
- About an hour before you're expecting your levain to be ready, prepare the tangzhong: add 80g whole wheat flour and 325 g whole milk to a small saucepan. Heat it over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture changes to a paste-like consistency. This will probably take 5-6 minutes, and it will seem like nothing is happening, until it does.
- Remove the tangzhong from the heat. Scrape it all onto a plate and set it on the counter until it fully cools to room temperature.
- Meanwhile, remove your butter from the fridge: you want this at a cool room temperature as well.
- Check your levain for readiness: it should be risen, bubbly throughout, and have a mild sour aroma. If it doesn't show these signs check again in 30 minutes.
- Get a large bowl- I prefer a stand mixer for this dough, fitted with the dough hook.
- Add the water, remaining 100g whole wheat flour and 550 g all-purpose flour, honey, fine sea salt, the levain and the tangzhong to the bowl. Mix at low speed until all incorporated. If your dough is VERY dry add another splash of water, just enough to get it to come together.
- Increase the mixer speed to medium for 5-6 minutes. The dough will likely still stick to the sides of the bowl.
- Decrease the mixer speed back to low and add the butter one pat at a time until it is all incorporated into the dough. Increase the speed back to medium for a few more minutes. The dough should start to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Add the seed mixture to the bowl and mix on low speed until evenly distributed.
- Cover the bowl and place on the counter for bulk fermentation.
- Set a timer for a half hour and complete a thorough set of stretch and folds. Coil folds can work well for this dough. Repeat twice more at half hour intervals, then leave the dough to sit for the remainder of bulk fermentation, two and a half more hours to equal four hours total.
- At the end of bulk fermentation, assess your dough: it should be visibly risen in your container, "domed" at the sides (sloping down towards the bowl, instead of totally flat), and you may see scattered bubbles. If these signs aren't present, leave for 30 minutes and check again.
- Use a bowl scraper to turn your dough out onto a clean work surface and use a bench scraper to divide it in two. Use lightly wet hands and your bench scraper to gently shape each half of the dough into a round. Let the pre-shaped dough rest on the counter for thirty minutes.
- Meanwhile, butter or grease two loaf pans or small Pullman pans (my preference!)
- Use your bench knife to tightly shape each half of the dough into an oblong loaf the length of your pan. Transfer each loaf into a pan. Cover the pans with plastic wrap and place in a warm place on the counter to proof.
- Allow the dough to proof for 3-4 hours, until the dough is close to the top of the pan. It will feel jiggly and soft to the touch.
- Towards the end of the proofing time preheat the oven to 425 degrees Farenheit.
- If you have any large bubbles at the top of your loaves, gently pop them before placing the loaves in the oven.
- Bake your loaves for 20 minutes, then decrease the oven temperature to 350 and bake for another 20-30 minutes, until the tops of the loaves are golden brown.
- Allow your loaves to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Can I use different seeds?
By all means! Swap out for pumpkin seeds, poppy seeds, chia seeds, fennel seeds (these do have a rather distinct flavor, but I love them. Personal preference) . I do recommend substituting for a similar kind of seeds: for example, replace sunflower with pumpkin or flax with chia. You'll find your preferred combination of seeds.
What Should I Make Next?
Try some of my other sourdough recipes:
Pin Seeded Sourdough Bread for Later:
Did you make this recipe? Let me know how it went in the comments! If you share on Instagram, please tag me at @sisuhomemaker. And I always love to hear from you- send questions, comments, concerns, etc to carol@sisuhomemaker.com!
Best recipe ever .. love the taste of this bread.
So happy to hear this, Angie!