Learn how to freeze sourdough bread so you have it on hand for future use. Freezing fresh bread is great for those weeks when you can’t get through a loaf before it goes stale. It’s also an easy way to have fresh bread when there is no time to bake.

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Fresh sourdough bread is a staple around our house. Whether it’s a no-knead sourdough boule or sourdough sandwich bread, homemade bread is almost always on the table.

But as a family of three, sometimes, we can’t get through a whole loaf or boule, especially since one of us is only three years old. It isn’t too often that we can’t finish a loaf, but busy weeks can get the best of us.

Learning how to freeze sourdough bread was a good idea and a quick solution for extending the shelf life of our bread. It’s a simple and fast way to reduce food waste. And it’s also a great way to get ahead of the baking game and store up some homemade bread for a later date.

If I have just a small amount of bread going stale, I’ll use it up for breadcrumbs or toast. But for a sizeable amount of bread, freezing it works like a charm every time.

Of course, there is nothing as good as fresh sourdough bread. But with the right tips and tricks, freezing sourdough bread is a close second.

Benefits of Freezing Sourdough Bread

Bake now, eat later: A great way to get ahead of the game is to make a few loaves of sourdough and freeze them. That way, you can thaw them and use them as needed. And really, if you are already baking, it’s as easy to make three loaves as it is one. So this is a fantastic way to save time.
Reduce food waste: You put the most valuable resources into making homemade bread: time and love. There is no sense in throwing that away! Freezing sourdough bread preserves your time and effort and prevents food waste.
Quick meals: I prefer slicing my bread before freezing it. That way, I can grab a few slices for sandwiches, french toast, or other easy meals.

Does Sourdough Freeze Well?

Yes! Sourdough bread freezes like a dream. It’s a simple and effective way to keep bread fresh for a long time and a quick hack for keeping homemade bread on hand. Enjoying a fresh loaf of bread months after making it seems like a magic trick!

Sourdough bread in Dutch oven and bag with text "how to freeze sourdough bread."

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Plastic wrap or aluminum foil: Wrapping your bread in plastic wrap or aluminum foil will help prevent freezer burn. Usually, we eat up our frozen bread within a few weeks, so I skip this step. But if you plan on keeping bread in the freezer for more than a few weeks or so, I recommend wrapping it up before putting it in a freezer bag.
Freezer-safe bags: Freezer bags are more durable than other plastic storage bags and will keep your bread fresher for longer.
Parchment paper: If you are pre-slicing your bread, separate each slice with parchment paper. That way, the slices won’t freeze together.

Freezing Sliced Bread

Of course, freezing sourdough bread is a great way to reduce food waste and make the most out of your hard-earned homemade bread. But sometimes, for me, it just boils down to simplicity and convenience.

I like to keep grab-and-go food in my freezer, and frozen sliced sourdough is about as easy as it gets. So even though you can freeze whole loaves, freezing sliced bread is my favorite method because it offers convenience down the road.

Freezing sliced bread is simple, and reheating it takes only a minute or two. On busy days, having frozen pre-sliced bread makes French toast for breakfast and grilled cheese for lunch a cinch. My favorite bread to pre-slice and freeze is sandwich bread. You can check out how to make sourdough sandwich bread on my YouTube channel.

How To Freeze Sliced Sourdough Bread:

If freshly baked, make sure your bread cools down to room temperature. This is really important; otherwise, you will end up with soggy bread when it thaws.
Cut the entire loaf (or what is left of your loaf) into individual slices.
Stack the bread, placing a small piece of parchment paper between each slice. The parchment will prevent the bread from freezing together. If you are freezing your bread for long term storage, I recommend wrapping the parchment-divided stack in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn.
Place the stack of bread in a freezer-safe ziplock bag, squeeze out as much air as possible, and seal the bag.
Toss the bag into the freezer, and voila! That’s it!

Sliced sourdough bread divided with parchment paper

How To Thaw Frozen Sliced Bread

The beauty of frozen sliced bread is that using it is simple. Whenever you have a hankering for a slice of bread, just pull one out of the bag. Give it a few minutes at room temperature to thaw or pop it in the microwave for a couple of seconds. And if you want toast, you don’t even have to worry about thawing it!

How to Freeze a Whole Loaf of Sourdough

Sometimes, I get so busy with the daily grind that it’s just easier to freeze my bread without slicing it. Luckily, freezing a whole loaf works great. Though nothing is quite like fresh bread, freezing a whole loaf yields the best quality after thawing.

This is also a great method if you want to bake in advance for special occasions because it maintains the best taste and texture. Check out how to make no-knead sourdough boules on my YouTube channel.

How To Freeze a Whole Loaf of Sourdough Bread

If freshly baked, make sure your sourdough loaf is room temperature. This is really important; otherwise, you will end up with soggy bread when it thaws. If your bread is right out of the oven, let it sit out for a number of hours or even overnight to ensure the middle is cool.
Wrap the loaf in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. (If you are freezing it for only a short time, feel free to skip this step).
Stick the wrapped loaf in a freezer-safe plastic bag or airtight container.
Toss the bag into the freezer, and voila! That’s it!

How To Thaw a Whole Loaf

When you are ready to use your frozen bread, pull it out of the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for a few hours until thaw. At this point, you can use it as is. But for the best results, I recommend the following steps:

Once the bread is thaw, preheat the oven to 350° F.
Place the loaf directly on the middle rack and cover it with a large pot or Dutch oven.
Bake for 5-10 minutes or until warm.
Remove from the oven, and enjoy!

Note: since this bread was previously baked, you don’t have to worry about allowing the warmed bread to come down to room temperature before slicing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Will Frozen Sourdough Last?

Technically, frozen food lasts indefinitely. However, the quality of your frozen bread’s taste and texture depends on how well it is packaged. If you skip wrapping it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, it will stay fresh for about 2 months. If you wrap and pack it well, it can last up to 6 months.

For the best results, I recommend using it within two months to retain the taste and texture. Your bread can last much longer than two months in the freezer, but the longer it sits there, the more the quality will deteriorate.

If you find a bag of bread stuffed way back in the freezer from who-knows-when, toast is the answer! Toasting your sourdough bread will mask any changes in the quality. I highly recommend slathering it with homemade herb butter!

What Is the Best Way to Freeze Sourdough?

Whether you freeze sliced bread or a whole loaf, you can’t go wrong. Technically, freezing a whole loaf will yield the best results. But I prefer slicing it first because it offers more day-to-day convenience. So the best option for freezing sourdough bread is the one that works for you.

When Should You Freeze Bread?

As soon as it is cool: if you are bulk prepping sourdough bread for special occasions or just to save time, freeze your loaves when they reach room temperature. The fresher the bread is when you freeze it, the fresher it will taste when it thaws.
Before it’s stale: If you have leftover bread, freeze it before it goes stale. I like to slice it up and toss it into a freezer bag. A few weeks later, I thaw it to make other sourdough recipes like fried chicken, croutons, or French toast.

How To Freeze Sourdough Bread

Yield: 1 bag

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Active Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Materials

Sourdough bread
Parchment paper
Plastic wrap
Freezer-safe bag

Instructions

Freezing Sliced Sourdough

Make sure your bread is room temperature. This is really important; otherwise, you will end up with soggy bread when it thaws.
Cut the entire loaf (or what is left of your loaf) into individual slices.
Stack the bread, placing a small piece of parchment paper between each slice. The parchment will prevent the bread from freezing together. If you are freezing your bread for long term storage, I recommend wrapping the parchment-divided stack in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn.
Place the stack of bread in a freezer-safe ziplock bag, squeeze out as much air as possible, and seal the bag.
Toss the bag into the freezer, and voila! That’s it!

Thawing Sliced Sourdough

Thaw it at room temperature for a few minutes or pop it in the microwave for a couple of seconds.
If you want toast, you don’t even have to worry about thawing it!

Freezing a Whole Sourdough Loaf

Make sure your sourdough loaf is room temperature. This is really important; otherwise, you will end up with soggy bread when it thaws. If your bread is fresh-baked, let it sit out for a number of hours or even overnight to ensure the middle is cool.
Wrap the loaf in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. (If you are freezing it for only a short time, feel free to skip this step).
Stick the wrapped loaf in a freezer-safe plastic bag or airtight container.
Toss the bag into the freezer, and voila! That’s it!

Thawing a Whole Loaf

When you are ready to use your frozen bread, pull it out of the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for a few hours. At this point, you can use it as is. But for the best results, I recommend the following steps:

Once the bread is thaw, preheat the oven to 350° F.
Place the loaf directly on the middle rack and cover it with a large pot or Dutch oven.
Bake for 5-10 minutes or until warm.
Remove from the oven, and enjoy!

Notes

The quality of your frozen bread’s taste and texture depends on how well it is packaged. If you skip wrapping it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, it will stay fresh for about 2 months. If you wrap and pack it well, it can last up to 6 months.