No-Knead Sandwich Bread

No-Knead Sandwich Bread is a soft white homemade sandwich bread with a golden crust. All you need is 90 minutes of rise time and 40 minutes to bake. No special techniques or equipment needed, just a loaf pan for baking.

We’re reaching the end of bread week here on the site, and my freezer is absolutely packed with homemade bread. If you’re just jumping in, don’t miss all of the variations we made earlier this week that all come from the same, very simple no-knead bread dough – Everyday Bread, French Bread Loaves, Sheet Pan Pizza, Focaccia, and today….white sandwich bread! Like all of the homemade bread made with this recipe, no-knead sandwich bread is simple and rustic. It’s not fussy and not fancy. Just a great go-to bread that’s perfect for slicing and serving with sandwiches or toasting and topping with butter.

While we use keep store-bought whole wheat bread in the pantry or freezer, there’s nothing like a slice of classic white sandwich bread, and it’s so satisfying to bake it yourself. Not only do you get a great slice of bread, but there are few things quite as cozy as a house that smells like yeast and warm bread.

Here’s everything you need to know about making this simple, homemade, no-knead sandwich bread.

Ingredients for No-Knead Sandwich Bread

• All-Purpose Flour – No special flour needed here – just regular all-purpose. Any brand is fine. 
• Kosher Salt – This recipe was tested with Kosher salt (Morton’s or Diamond Brand), so use that for the right balance of saltiness. (If using table salt, reduce the amount you use by about half.)
• Sugar – Use regular granulated / white sugar. Don’t skip this – the dough needs sugar in order to rise.
• Fast-Acting or “Instant” Yeast – No-Knead Sandwich Bread uses a dough that rises quickly (making it a go-to for new bread bakers or those of us who want this ready fast) and requires Fast-Acting (not “Active Dry”) yeast. See the original post for No-Knead Everyday Bread for more details on this yeast. 
• Warm Water – The water should feel warm, but not too hot to touch. Check the package on the yeast for the recommended temperature range. I usually heat tap water in the microwave for about 90 seconds until it reaches about 120°F / 49°C.
• Olive oil or nonstick cooking spray – You’ll need to rub or spray the inside of the loaf pan to prevent the bread from sticking.

How to Make No-Knead Sandwich Bread

1. Combine Dry Ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, sugar, and yeast. 
2. Add Warm Water – Pour water over dry ingredients (check the packaging on your yeast and use water at the temperature it recommends) and stir until no dry spots remain. The dough will be very sticky, but just scrape down the sides as you stir.
3. First Rise (60 minutes) – Cover the dough with a clean dish towel and leave it on the kitchen counter to rise until doubled in size, 60 minutes. (If your kitchen is on the colder side, let the dough rise for 75 minutes.) Don’t worry too much about getting the timing just right here – anywhere between 60 and 75 minutes will give you a great loaf of bread.
4. Transfer Dough – When dough has nearly finished the initial rise, rub olive oil over the inside of a loaf pan (or spray it with nonstick cooking spray). Gently pour the dough into the prepared loaf pan, using a spatula to help ease the dough out. 
5. Heat Oven – Once dough has finished the first rise, preheat oven to 375°F / 190°C.
6. Second Rise (20 minutes) – While the oven heats up let the dough rise again, 20 minutes more. 
7. Bake bread (40 minutes) – Bake bread until the top is golden brown and crisp, 40 to 45 minutes. If you have an instant read thermometer, that is the best way to check and see if the bread is done cooking. The bread should be 190°F / 88°C in the center.
8. Cool Bread – Allow bread to cool for 5 minutes in the loaf pan. Then, turn it out onto a rack to cool completely. (Note: Don’t let the bread cool completely in the loaf pan or it may have a tendency to stick.)

Tools for Baking No-Knead Sandwich Bread

To bake this bread, all you need is:

• Large Mixing Bowl – This is the bowl in which you’ll mix the dough and let it rise. Any large mixing bowl is fine.
• Loaf Pan – Bake this bread in any loaf pan. 
• Kitchen Scale – This is not necessary, but it is easiest (and most accurate) to just measure the flour by weight right into the mixing bowl. 

How to Freeze Homemade Sandwich Bread

The easiest way to freeze homemade sandwich bread is to let it cool completely and slice it before freezing. Then you can take a few slices out of the freezer at a time and bake them as you need them. 

More No-Knead Bread Recipes

• No-Knead Everyday Bread – Rustic no-knead everyday bread that needs just 90 minutes to rise before baking 
• No-Knead French Bread – No-Knead French Bread Loaves that need just 2 hours to rise and can be baked on a sheet pan
• No-Knead Sheet Pan Pizza – Crusty, chewy no-knead sheet pan pizza. The dough can be baked right away or refrigerated for up to 5 days before baking.
• No-Knead Focaccia – No-Knead Focaccia is a simple version of this crusty, olive oil rich dough. Topped with fresh rosemary and flaked sea salt.

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