How to Make Perfect Sourdough Toast (No Toaster!)

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Ditch the toaster and learn how to make THE BEST sourdough toast. Made in a skillet or the oven, sourdough toast is golden and cripsy on the outside and warm and chewy on the inside. You’ll never go back to plain old toasted white bread after this!

I love sourdough bread in just about any form or fashion, but a warm piece of rustic no-knead sourdough toast is my favorite way to eat it. It’s the best thing since sliced bread (lame pun intended).

I’m sure you are thinking, “Toast? Everyone knows how to make toast.” But toasting sourdough isn’t as simple as dropping a slice into a toaster.

Sourdough bread is made with a high-hydration dough. Therefore, it requires different baking techniques, such as stretch and folds, and different toasting methods.

The most popular way to make sourdough toast is in the oven or a toaster oven. However, I contend that a cast iron skillet is the best way to toast bread. Both methods work great, though, so I’ll share both so you can make perfect sourdough toast at home.

Tips for Making Sourdough Toast

Don’t be shy with the fat.

To make golden brown sourdough toast, you need fat. The oil needs to soak slightly into the bread’s surface to crisp it. With that in mind, brush on olive oil or use melted butter in the pan.

Use medium heat on the stovetop.

If you are toasting sourdough on the stovetop, preheat your skillet on medium heat. The skillet needs to be hot enough to brown the bread, not just warm it. However, it shouldn’t be so hot that it burns the bread.

Set the oven temperature to 400° F.

If you are making sourdough toast in the oven, preheat the oven to 400° F. That will be hot enough to brown and toast the bread.

Don’t use thick bread slices.

There is a happy medium for how thick you should slice the bread. Too thin, and you’ll lose the warm, chewy interior. Yet if it is too thick, the oil can’t permeate the surface enough, and the crispy-chewy balance will be off.

How to Serve Sourdough Toast

Sourdough toast is delicious all by itself. But it also makes a killer vessel for other flavors and toppings:

• Garlic butter – Sourdough toast made with garlic butter is the quintessential side dish for pasta.
• Avocado – I’ve never met avocado toast that I don’t like. But I LOVE avocado toast made with sourdough.
• Jams – Homemade jam on scratch-made bread is one of my favorite treats, especially in spring when we pick fresh berries from a local strawberry field.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What if I don’t have a sourdough starter or know how to make sourdough bread?

No worries at all! Store-bought sourdough will also work. If you want to start making your own sourdough bread, you can learn how to make a sourdough starter and homemade sourdough with a few simple steps and practice.

Should I use olive oil or butter to make sourdough toast?

Either! And if you want to make extra delicious, perfect toast, you can brush on olive oil first, then toast in a little butter on the stovetop.

Can I use a toaster oven?

Yes! Any oven will work as long it gets hot enough. In fact, many bakers use a conventional oven, toaster oven, convection oven, or air fryer to toast sourdough bread.

How do you store leftover sourdough toast?

Sourdough toast is best served fresh and warm. But if you have leftovers, you can store it in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days. To reheat toast, warm it up in the oven or a skillet.

Leftover toast also makes delicious homemade sourdough breadcrumbs. I often throw my leftover toast in a freezer bag. When I have enough, I thaw it and use it to make breadcrumbs or croutons.

What type of bread can be toasted this way?

You can toast any kind of bread on the stovetop or in the oven. I haven’t had a toaster in over a decade, so I’ve toasted sandwich bread, sourdough bread, French bread, and more this way. Remember that different breads toast at different rates, so keep a close eye on them.

Tools You Will Need

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• Cast iron skillet or frying pan – You will need a heavy skillet or frying pan to make sourdough toast on the stovetop. This is my favorite way to make it!
• Baking sheet – If you plan to make toast in the oven, use a baking sheet or put the bread directly onto the oven rack.
• Silicone brush – Brushing olive oil or melted butter on the bread will help the bread brown evenly.
• Sharp knife – Using a sharp knife or a bread knife is the key to cutting even bread slices.

Ingredients

• Olive oil – Brushing on olive oil helps make crispy toast, and it will help the bread brown evenly.
• Butter – Butter is a good option for toasting sourdough on the stovetop. If you prefer, you can use butter instead of olive oil for the oven method.
• Sourdough bread – Of course! You will need either homemade sourdough bread or store-bought. If you aren’t sure how to make sourdough bread, you can check out my tutorial below:

The Best Way to Toast Sourdough Bread – Two Ways!

Sourdough toast on the stovetop

I prefer making sourdough toast on the stovetop. Of course, both ways are quick, but toasting in a cast iron skillet takes a little less time. And in my experience, it browns and crisps better.

1. Cut the sourdough into even slices. Brush both sides with olive oil.
2. Add butter to a skillet or frying pan, and melt it over medium heat. I like to wait until the butter is foamy before adding the bread to the pan.
3. Add the oiled sourdough to the pan. Toast for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Then, turn to the second side and toast until golden.
4. Serve warm with jam, peanut butter, avocado, or your favorite topping.

Note: Skip the butter in the pan for a lighter option and use only olive oil. But for the best results, I recommend using both.

Sourdough toast in the oven

The oven is a great way to toast bread if you don’t have a cast iron skillet or need to toast a lot at once.

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
2. Cut the sourdough into even slices. Then, brush both sides with olive oil.
3. Place the slices of bread in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet or directly on the oven rack (I prefer putting it right on the rack).
4. Bake the bread for 3-4 minutes. Then, flip it over to the second side and bake for another 3-4 minutes.
5. Serve warm with jam, peanut butter, avocado, or your favorite topping.

Note: Bread in the oven can quickly go from untoasted to burned. Keep an eye on it!

More Sourdough Recipes You’ll Love

• Sourdough Donuts with Chocolate and Vanilla Glaze
• Sourdough Strawberry Cake with Fresh Berries
• The BEST Sourdough Sandwich Bread (Easy Recipe)
• Sourdough Carrot Cake – (No-Wait Recipe)
• Can You Freeze Sourdough Starter? Yes, Here Is How.

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