Light and Fluffy Sourdough Multigrain Bread Loaf

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I’ve spent countless hours and tries making a sourdough multigrain bread loaf I actually love, and I think this is it!. A lot of recipes I’ve tried don’t have the texture or taste I need from a sandwich bread. This loaf is full of that yummy, tangy, nutty flavor you would expect from a seeded bread. Honestly, it gives Dave’s Killer Bread vibes, just made lighter and without the wheat.

Ingredients You Will Need:

520g (4c) flour

8g (t tsp) salt

90g (1/2c) sourdough start

385g (2c) warm water

10g (1tbsp) chia seed

10g (1 tbsp) flax seed

6g (1 tsp) sesame seed

20g (2 tbsp) sunflower seed

20g (2 tbsp) pepitas (pumpkin seed)

Flour for dusting

Other Things You Will Need:

Loaf Pan (I like to use glass)

Mixing Bowl

Food Scale

Mixing Spoon

Oil for greasing(I like this better choice spray option)

Instructions:

Sourdough bread making is much easier to understand when in the context of one’s day, so I will lay out these instructions as though I’m starting from feeding my start and making my loaf in the morning.

Starting the Loaf

The night before, feed your sourdough start so it will be nice and bubbly in the morning.

In the morning, mix your flour, salt, and seeds of choice in one bowl (I used chia, flax, sesame, sunflower, and pumpkin seed because I had that already. If you are going to go with a few seeds and buy them, I would suggest absolutely including sunflower and sesame seeds as they give the loaf that yummy nutty flavor…). Set that bowl aside.

Next, in a separate mixing bowl, combine your warm water and sourdough start together. Stir until they are both well incorporated.

Now, combine your wet and dry ingredients together. It should be pretty wet and not have a ton of form at this point.

Place a wet linen towel over the top of the bowl, and let the dough rest for a good 30 minutes.

Building the Bread

Here is where you will begin to do your stretch and folds. Wet your hands then get your dough unstuck from the sides of your bowl.

Begin the first stretch and folds by taking that now loose loaf’s sides, pulling up (give it a good stretch…this is how the bread builds strength) and then folding it over itself. Hence, stretch and fold.

You will know your stretch and fold is done when you go to stretch and the loaf is resistant to any more stretching. You can literally grab a portion of the bread, dangle it in the air, and it will pretty much stay suspended.

Wait 30 minutes, and repeat for a total of at least 2 or 3 times.

Bulk Fermentation

This is the longest portion of the bread making process. Luckily, it’s not labor intensive. Simply place a warm, wet linen cloth over the top of your dough bowl, and let it sit in a warm place on the counter for a good 9-12 hours depending on where you live. I usually start mixing my loaf around 8 or 9am and I usually will call my loaf finished with fermentation around 5 or 6pm.

Shaping

Once the bulk ferment is complete, you will have a pretty airy and loose dough once again. Here is where we will start to work the dough back up to creating a shape.

Wet your hands, and release the dough from the sides of the bowl.

On a lightly floured surface, stretch your dough out to be a big rectangle. Then fold one side of the rectangle to the middle. Repeat to the other side. Then roll up the dough, with a little tension to keep the bread tight, up the seam you just created until it’s all folded in.

Grease your loaf pan, and place your loaf into the pan.

Final Rise

Let your sourdough multigrain bread loaf dough rest and rise in the pan for a good 2-3 hours. (It should at least double in size if not more).

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (I would recommend doing this 30 minutes before you plan to bake your loaf in order to allow the oven to evenly warm).

Bake for 35-40 minutes. Until it’s reached a nice golden brown color. (Note the bottom may not be golden, but that’s okay…it gives more of a sandwich bread texture if it’s not golden brown on the bottom….as long as it is cooked).

Let loaf cool in loaf pan.

Once cooled, cut slices to your desired thickness.