Breads (Sourdough) - Soft Loaves
Oat Porridge Sourdough Bread – Soft, Moist & Nutritious Homemade Loaf
August 16, 2019
| Recipe by Bake with Paws
Last Updated on May 3, 2025
By Bake with Paws
If you're looking for a soft, wholesome sourdough bread that stays moist and tender for days, this Oat Porridge Soft Sourdough Bread might just become your new favorite. Made with creamy oat porridge and a natural sourdough starter, this bread delivers incredible texture, subtle nutty flavor, and the nutritional goodness of oats — all without any commercial yeast.
This is a soft sourdough bread recipe I’ve refined over time using a 100% hydration liquid sourdough starter, which gives the bread just a gentle tang and excellent oven spring. It's a great choice for those who enjoy soft artisan loaves that are both hearty and mild.
Why You’ll Love This Oat Porridge Sourdough Bread
This bread is perfect for those who love soft, tender sourdough without the overly sour taste. I used a high percentage of active liquid sourdough starter in this recipe, which significantly shortens the proofing time and produces a milder, less tangy flavor. The natural fermentation still provides complexity, but the result is a loaf that’s gentle on the palate — ideal for everyday enjoyment.
Key benefits:
- Mild sourdough flavor with little to no tang as the dough proof faster due to high percentage of liquid starter used.
- Moist, custardy crumb thanks to the oat porridge
- Soft texture and great oven spring
- Stays fresh longer due to the hydration and porridge content
Whether enjoyed fresh out of the oven, lightly toasted with butter, or used for sandwiches, this bread fits beautifully into any meal.
What Is Oat Porridge Bread?
Oat porridge bread is a style of sourdough that includes cooked oats (usually rolled oats) mixed directly into the dough. The porridge adds softness and moisture, and helps the bread retain freshness. It also contributes a subtle natural sweetness and creamy texture that makes this loaf incredibly satisfying.
How To Make Oat Porridge Soft Sourdough Bread
If you like recipe in buns, please click Oat Porridge Soft Sourdough Buns recipe. You may also use the buns recipe to bake in 450g Loaf Pan.
INGREDIENTS:
Levain - 260g total (ratio 1:3:3):
40g sourdough starter (100% Hydration)
120 bread flour
120g water
Oat Porridge:
45g rolled oat
150g water or milk
Main Dough:
300g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour)
50g spelt flour (If you don't have spelt flour, just used 350g bread flour)
260g levain (above)
All oat porridge
40g raw honey
1 1/2 tsp salt
40g butter, room temperature
50 - 65g fresh milk or full cream milk
Topping:
100g rolled oats
Egg Wash:
1 egg + 1 Tbsp water (whisked)
Utensil:
600g loaf pan (12" X 3.5" X 4" or 31cm X 9cm X 10cm)
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS:
- Levain:
- One night before baking, mix all ingredients in a jar and cover.
- Let it ferment at room temperature (approximately 27-28C) overnight until tripled. It took about 12 hours. You will get around 280g of levain. But, you will only need 260g.
- Note - If you like to prepare the levain on the same baking day, please use the ratio 1:1:1. Let it ferment at room temperature (approximately 27C - 30C) until tripled. It took about 3-5 hours depend how strong is your starter.
- Oat Porridge:
- In a saucepan, cook the rolled oats in water for few minutes until become thick porridge. Keep aside to cool.
- Main Dough:
- Put all ingredients (except butter), including sourdough starter (levain) and all the oat porridge into the bowl of stand mixer. Using the dough hook, knead for 3 - 5 minutes (Chef Kenwood mixer, speed 2.5) until the dough comes together. Add in butter and continue kneading for another 10 - 12 minutes until achieve window pane stage.
- First Proofing/Resting The Dough:
- In the same bowl, let the dough rest for 60 minutes. Keep it covered with clingfilm or use a lid. The dough did not rise a lot in 60 minutes.
- To shape:
- Transfer the dough to a clean floured surface then divide into 3 equal portions.
- Form each portion to a ball. Flatten with rolling pin into a dish.
- Fold right to centre and fold left overlap it. Roll out with rolling pin into long rectangle shape. Roll up the dough like Swiss Roll until a small log is formed.
- Brush top of the dough with water and dip into a bowl of rolled oats.
- Place all dough in the prepared loaf pan.
- Final Proofing:
- Let it proof at warm and dark place until the dough is double in size. It took about 4 hours for this bread at room temperature of 28C - 30C. It may take longer depending on your ambient temperature and your starter.
- To bake:
- Fifteen minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 180C.
- Brush with egg wash.
- Bake at preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove bread from oven and let it cool on rack completely before slicing.
Tips for the Best Results
- Healthy Sourdough Starter:
- To ensure your bread rises well, it's important to feed your starter regularly and use it (the levain) at its peak. A consistently fed starter will be more active and reliable. If the mother starter isn’t strong, the dough may still struggle to rise properly, even if the levain is used at its peak. For more information, click the links: "How To Make Sourdough Starter" and "Sourdough Maintenance".
- Gluten Development:
- Gluten Development is essential for soft, airy bread, gluten is created when flour hydrates. To develop it, use techniques like autolyse or kneading. The windowpane test checks readiness—dough should stretch thin without tearing. From my experience, high hydration dough with high percentage of fat will be easy to stretch and achieve a paper thin windowpane stage.
- Kneading:
- Please regard the timing provided as an indication only. It is only meant as a guide. Times vary by flour and mixer type. For higher fat dough, knead longer (18–20 minutes).
- Flour & Hydration:
- Use high-gluten flour for optimal texture. Always reserve some liquid to adjust dough consistency for best results. If dough is too dry, add the reserve liquid one tablespoon at a time until the right consistency.
- Dough Temperature:
- Maintaining the right dough temperature during kneading is crucial for a fine crumb. If the dough becomes too warm, the crumb will become too big and uneven. To prevent this, use cold water, milk, or eggs, and chill your mixing bowl or hook attachment in the freezer. Knead at low speeds, and if your kitchen is warm, rest the dough in a cooler spot. Proper dough temperature ensures a soft, fluffy bread with a fine, even crumb.
- Proofing:
- Proofing time depends on your environment. Use the finger poke test to gauge readiness. To check dough readiness, lightly press the side with your finger:
- If it bounces back instantly, it’s under-proofed and needs more time.
- If the indentation stays, it’s over-proofed.
- If the indentation slowly bounces back, it’s ready to bake.
- There’s also a final rise called oven spring when the dough bakes, which adds to the bread’s height.
- Wrinkle Top or Shrinking:
- If your bread collapses or develops wrinkles on top after baking, it might be over-proofed during the second rise. Aim for the dough to rise to 80-90% of its final size or just below the rim of the pan to prevent this. Over-proofing leads to weaker structure, causing the bread to lose shape.
- Baking & Oven Temperarate:
- Do also note that the baking temperature and timing provided are what works for my oven and should also be regarded as a guide only. Every oven behaves a little differently, so please adjust accordingly for your oven.
How to Store
Store the loaf in a bread bag or airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
For longer storage, slice and freeze. Wrap slices individually and thaw as needed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I use instant oats instead of rolled oats?
Yes, but the texture may be slightly different. Rolled oats provide more structure and chew, while instant oats break down more.
Can I make this bread without butter or oil?
Absolutely. It will still be soft and flavorful, though the fat adds a little extra tenderness and shelf life.
Why is my dough too sticky?
Oat porridge adds hydration. If the dough feels overly sticky, try reducing the water slightly or refrigerate it briefly before shaping.
Is this bread tangy?
Not very. This bread has a mild, balanced flavour thanks to the oats, making it appealing even to those who prefer less sour sourdough.
Final Thoughts
This Oat Porridge Soft Sourdough Bread has become a staple in my kitchen, especially when I want something soft, nourishing, and just a little different from the usual rustic loaf. It’s a great way to combine the goodness of oats with the artistry of sourdough.
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out! Share your bake on Instagram and tag @Bakewithpaws. Please leave me a comment in the “LEAVE A COMMENT” link and I will reply you as soon as possible if you have any questions regarding this recipe or any other post.
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Breads (Sourdough) - Soft Loaves,
Can I substitute spelt for rye or whole-wheat?
ReplyDeleteHi there,
DeleteThank you for asking. You can replace with whole wheat flour.
If you want to replace with rye flour, please use small percentage like 10% - 15% of rye flour (40g - 60) from the total flour. The reason is because rye flour usually prevent your bread dough rise very high.
Cheers :)
Thanks for the tip! Tried your multigrain one and it was amazing. This is definitely next on my list
DeleteYou are most welcome... Happy baking :)
DeleteHi, can I use stretch and fold method to make the bread without kneading?
ReplyDeleteHi, thank you for asking. I have not tried stretch and fold on soft sourdough bread. I remember I have seen someone used this method on sourdough brioche. But, I am not sure whether it works on this recipe.
DeleteCheers :)
I made this recipe (with a few substitutes to make it dairy free--soy milk and Earth balance) with a less kneading stretch and fold method and it turned out awesome! I don't have a mixer, so I mixed everything in the first step except the butter, let it rest 30 min, hand kneaded in the butter a pat at a time, then did a few stretch and folds each hour for the next few hours. It strengthened up great. It turned out delicious, so soft and very flavorful.
DeleteHi, thanks for your comment and try out this recipe with modification. Good to know that it works well with S&F method too.
DeleteCheers :)
hi, if i want to use the water instead of milk, is the measurement of water same as milk-150gm ?tq
ReplyDeleteHi, thank you for your question. Yes, it should be the same. Cheers :)
DeleteIf I want to use 1:1:1 ratio for levain for same day bake, do I use 90g starter, 90g bread flour, 90g water for the 75% levain recipe? wait until it double or triple in volume?
ReplyDeleteHi, thank you for asking. Yes, it is right. Double or triple volume means when the levain rise till double or triple in height. Cheers :)
DeleteThanks for the reply, trying this recipe today. Will let you know the outcome :)
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi, came across your blog and I really want to try this recipe. If I want to use a yudane in this recipe, what modifications do you suggest I do? Do I subtract away the weight of the flour and water for the yudane from the original weights of flour and water for the 41% levain recipe? Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHi, thank you for your question.
DeleteActually, this recipe does not need Yudane method. This bread is very soft and moist due to oat porridge. I afraid the bread will be too moist if you use Yudane method.
Yes, subtract away the weight of the flour and water for the yudane if you still want to try.
Cheers :)
hi, any difference if I don't do the first proof for 1hr? Just to let it rest for 15-20mins then continue on to shape the dough and do final proof?
ReplyDeletethanks
Hi, thank you for asking. Actually there is no different. You can let the dough rest for 15 minutes to 60 minutes will be fine.
DeleteCheers :)
The top of my dough after proofing is a bit wrinkly. Any reason for it? Thanks.
DeleteHi, it could be over proofing.
DeleteTry to proof up to 90% of the size instead of double.
Hi there!
ReplyDeleteCurious about the calculations for the levain. You wrote that "Total Flour is 350g + 130g (from levain) = 480g" however in the levain recipe total weight is 260g even though when you add up the starter + flour + water it's actually 280g. After that in the directions it's started that total fermented weight of levain is 165g.
Just wanted to clarify what the actual grammage of the starter should be. Thank you!
Hi Rachel,
DeleteSorry for the confusion. Actually, I have revised the recipe yesterday and forgot to change accordingly.
You will get around 280g of levain. But, you will need only 260g for baking.
I have already updated in the above recipe.
Apologise for any inconveniences caused. Thank you for the clarification.
Cheers and happy baking :)
Hii! Is it possible to use instant oats instead of rolled oats? Rolled oats are rather pricy here:(
ReplyDeleteHi Andrea, Thanks for asking. Yes, it should be fine.
DeleteCheers :)
How much water is added to the main dough? Do all the liquid come from the porridge and cream?!
ReplyDeleteHi, thanks for asking. Yes, all liquid come from the porridge and milk. I don't add water in the dough. I used fresh milk or full cream milk (whole milk).
DeleteCheers :)
Hi, do you make the porridge the night before when making the levin, or on the morning of the bake?
ReplyDeleteLoving your recipes, Thanks
Hi, thanks for reading this recipe. I made on the same day and let it cool before using. I don't advise to make a night in advance because the porridge will become dry.
DeleteCheers :)
Hi, my loaf hasn't rose in the oven. Looks a bit brick like. Can you please provide some ideas why?
ReplyDeleteHi there, Thank you for trying. It could be many reasons. It is very hard for me to point out the actual reason. Could be your flour, your kneading, your starter or others.
DeleteIt is important to use high gluten flour especially Japanese High Gluten flour and also healthy starter.
Kindly read the general notes on the bottom of the post.
Cheers :)