Sourdough Sandwich Rolls [Sourdough Hoagie Rolls] (2024)

Published: Jul 19, 2023 · Modified: Nov 13, 2023 by The Pantry Mama This post may contain affiliate links.

These sourdough sandwich rolls are deliciously soft and chewy. Robust enough to hold all your favorite fillings, but still soft enough to bite into without any trouble. Whether you call it a sourdough sandwich roll, sourdough Italian sub roll or sourdough hoagie rolls - there's no doubt you'll want to make these over and over again.

​Use your active sourdough starter to make these sourdough sandwich rolls with the easy baker's timeline provided, or change it to suit your own schedule. If you don't have a sourdough starter yet, use these easy sourdough starter instructions to get started today!

And if you love making sourdough rolls with your sourdough starter, why not try these soft sourdough dinner rolls, sourdough cibatta rolls, sourdough hotdog rolls, sourdough tiger rolls or these sweet sourdough Hawaiian rolls.

What Do You Call Sourdough Sandwich Rolls?

Depending on where in the world you live, you may know a sandwich roll as something different. Some of the more common names for a sandwich roll or bun are hoagies, subs and grinders.

While they are all basically a soft, chewy sandwich roll, they each have their own story and slight variations. If you want the lowdown on the differences between all of these sandwich rolls, you can check out this article.

In my part of the world, we generally refer to these types of rolls as a sandwich roll or a sub.

What You'll Love About This Recipe

Here's why you'll love this sourdough sandwich roll recipe:

• Fantastic Texture: These sourdough sandwich rolls are soft and chewy, yet will robust enough to hold your favorite sandwich fillings, whether they're hot or cold.
  
• They're SO EASY! This recipe is perfect for beginners who want easy to knead and shape recipes to start their sourdough journey.
  
• Easy To Freeze: These rolls are delicious fresh, but also freeze and defrost really well. I love to make a double batch and put half in the freezer for another day.

How To Make Sourdough Sandwich Rolls [step-by-step instructions]

These sandwich rolls are super easy to make, even the shaping is really easy - they are perfect for beginners. All you need to do is roll them up like a log. Seriously, you'd be crazy not to give these a go!

You can easily knead these by hand, but they are also suitable to be kneaded in a Thermomix or Stand Mixer - the choice is completely yours. The dough is stretchy and elastic, not sticky.

1. Add the sourdough starter, sugar and water to a mixing bowl and stir until dissolved. It's ok if some of the starter still floats on top of the water.
   
2. Now pour the oil in, then add the flour and salt on top of that.
   
3. Bring the ingredients together into a dry, shaggy dough. Cover the bowl and allow to sit for around an hour. It will be super dry dough (see the pics below) - don't stress!
   
4. Now, tip the dough out onto a clean surface and knead it until the dough is soft and elastic. You can easily knead this dough by hand, but if you prefer, you can use a stand mixer with a dough hook on low speed or a Thermomix on the dough knead setting.I find it takes around 10 minutes to knead the dough sufficiently by hand.
   
5. Once the dough is smooth and supple, place it back into a covered bowl and place it somewhere warm to bulk ferment. For these rolls, you don't want the dough to double, you want it to rise around 50%. Remember, bulk fermentation time will depend on the strength of your starter, the temp of your dough and your kitchen.
   
6. When the dough is ready, tip it out onto a clean surface and divide the dough into four equal pieces. I weigh my dough and usually make them around 200 to 225g each (depending on my final dough weight).
   
7. Pull each piece of dough into a rough rectangle, with the long edge in front of you. Then roll the dough up into a log and gently pinch the ends to seal them off. Repeat this for each piece of dough.
   
8. Use a dough scraper to transfer the sourdough sandwich rolls to a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Use your finger tips to gently squash the dough down so that it's fairly flat. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and allow them to proof. They need to get really soft and puffy before you bake them.
   
9. When you're ready to bake the sandwich rolls, preheat your oven to 200C. Lightly egg wash the rolls and then slash them with a lame or sharp knife.
   
10. Bake them in the oven until just golden. This will take around 25 to 30 minutes depending on your oven. You don't want to over bake them or they will be too crispy on the outside.
    
11. To keep the outside soft, brush the sourdough sandwich rolls with butter as soon as they come out of the oven.
    
12. Allow baked sourdough sandwich rolls to cool on a wire rack.

Step-by-Step Photos Guide for Sourdough Sandwich Rolls

Baker's Timeline for Sourdough Sandwich Rolls

This is the rough timeline I use when making sourdough hoagies. You could adapt this timeline to suit your own situation. You might also find this article oncreating a sourdough baking timelinehelpful in adapting it.

Remember, you need to read your dough, not the clock when it comes to sourdough, so my timeline may be too short or too long for your bread.

The Night Before

10pm- Feed sourdough starter so it's bubbly and ready for work tomorrow morning.

The Next Morning

7am- Mix the dough, knead and allow to rise a little in the bowl (remember you don't want it to double).

12pm- Shape the sandwich rolls, squish them down on a tray and cover and leave to proof in a warm place - we want them nice and puffy!!

6pm- Bake the bread!

Flavor Variations for Sourdough Subs

While these sourdough sandwich rolls are perfect made plain, there are also lots of fun ways to create different flavors. The great thing is that you could even make each individual roll with its own topping! Choice is good, right?

• Italian Herb and Cheese- sprinkle Italian Seasoning and Parmesan Cheese onto the rolls once you've egg washed them. Slash them after the topping has been added.
  
• Honey Wheat- use 20g of honey in the dough instead of sugar and add 100g of whole wheat flour in place of 100g of bread flour. When the sandwich rolls are cooked, brush them with honey butter.
  
• Jalapeno Cheddar- add shredded cheddar cheese and jalapeno slices to the top of the rolls after the egg wash.
  
• Honey Oat- add around 50 to 100g of oats to the dough and then top with oats before baking. Then brush with generous amounts of honey butter when you remove them from the oven. Heaven!

Filling Ideas for Sourdough Sandwich Rolls

We all have our favorite sandwich fillings and these sourdough sandwich rolls are perfect for filling with whatever you love to eat. Here are some of my faves:

• Classic Italian Cold Cuts: Thinly sliced salami, ham, pepperoni, and provolone cheese, topped with crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and tangy Italian dressing. Sooo good! You can really use any cold cuts you have in the fridge.
  
• Pork and Gravy: Tender roasted pork drizzled in warm gravy and sweet apple sauce.
  
• Turkey and Avocado: Roasted turkey slices with creamy avocado, crisp bacon, lettuce, tomato, and a drizzle of ranch dressing.
  
• Chicken Caesar: Grilled chicken breast, romaine lettuce, Parmesan cheese, and Caesar dressing. Add some croutons for an extra crunch!
  
• Veggie Sub: Packed with colorful veggies like cucumber, bell peppers, red onions, lettuce, tomatoes, and your choice of cheese. Add a spread like hummus or a tangy vinaigrette for extra flavor.
  
• Tuna Salad: A classic favorite made with flaky tuna, mixed with mayo, diced celery, and a touch of lemon juice. Top it with lettuce, tomato, and pickles for a delightful crunch.
  
• Meatball Sub: Juicy meatballs smothered in marinara sauce and topped with melted cheese. It's a hearty and comforting choice that's hard to resist!
  
• Roast Beef and Swiss: Thinly sliced roast beef layered with Swiss cheese, caramelized onions, and a creamy horseradish sauce for a flavorful and savory bite.