Who is this bread for?

Soup lovers who want to slice or share their bread

You’re looking for a white sourdough to serve in slices or pieces with your pea soup. A whole loaf and pull-apart bread each call for a different way of serving.

Meal planners who want to bake bread just before eating

You want to prepare the bread shortly before serving and have an oven or air fryer available. Check the instructions for your chosen bake-off bread, as they vary by product.

Shoppers checking ingredients and allergens

You want to know which grains the bread contains before serving it with your soup. The white sourdough products described by Jumbo and PLUS list wheat and gluten; the word ‘sourdough’ alone tells you nothing about whether a product is suitable for someone avoiding certain ingredients.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether you want to slice the bread, share it in pieces or bake it just before eating. Then check the ingredients of the specific product.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Crust and flavour Check whether the bread is described as sourdough and decide which shape you’d like to serve with your soup. With a bowl of pea soup, I want bread with a crust and crumb that work well for slicing or dipping, rather than soft sandwich bread. Crust and flavour come first for around 40% of consumers.
Serving and preparation Check whether the bread is ready to serve or needs baking, and follow the time and temperature on the packaging. If everyone is helping themselves, I want bread that’s easy to share; if I’m baking it just before eating, I need to allow time for that. Ease of serving is the main priority for around 30% of consumers.
Ingredients and allergens Read the latest ingredients and allergen information for your chosen bread, even if the packaging says it’s sourdough. When I’m buying bread for someone who needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know which grains it contains. This is the main consideration for around 20% of consumers.
Bread for regular use Compare white sourdough with wholemeal or brown bread if you’ll also be eating it regularly outside mealtimes. If I eat bread regularly, I don’t want to base my choice solely on how it tastes with pea soup. The wider diet is the first consideration for around 10% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming sourdough is gluten-free

    The white sourdough products described by Jumbo and PLUS contain wheat and gluten. The way bread is made doesn’t automatically make it gluten-free.

    If you need a gluten-free option, only choose bread explicitly labelled gluten-free and check the latest product information.

  • Assuming ‘baker’s salt’ tells you which salt has been used

    PLUS lists iodised salt for its white sourdough demi-baguette. Jumbo lists baker’s salt for its white sourdough pull-apart bread; this doesn’t provide the same product information.

    If the iodine information matters to you, check the ingredients list for the specific bread.

  • Buying bake-off bread when you want to serve it straight away

    A bake-off baguette still needs to be prepared. For its white sourdough demi-baguette, PLUS recommends 8–10 minutes in an oven at 220 °C or 5–6 minutes in an air fryer at 200 °C.

    Choose bread that’s ready to serve if you don’t want to bake it; otherwise, follow the instructions on the packaging.

  • Assuming the best choice for soup is automatically right for every day

    Choosing white sourdough for a pea soup meal is different from choosing bread to eat regularly. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends replacing white bread with wholemeal or brown bread as much as possible.

    If you’ll be eating it regularly, compare those types of bread too, rather than choosing based only on the crust or sourdough character.

Brands with suitable bread options

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn’s range of white breads includes white sourdough and Liefde & Passie OerDesem varieties.

  • Handy for comparing a white sourdough with other white breads.
  • Check availability at your local store and read the latest label; not every bread shown is available online.

Jumbo

Jumbo describes its rustic sourdough loaves as being left to rise for more than 24 hours with fresh sourdough starter. It also sells a pre-baked white sourdough pull-apart loaf.

  • You can compare a loaf for slicing with pull-apart bread for sharing.
  • According to Jumbo, its rustic freshly baked sourdough loaves are only available in store. The pull-apart bread mentioned contains wheat, spelt and gluten.

PLUS

PLUS sells white sourdough in different shapes, including a whole loaf and a demi-baguette that needs baking.

  • The demi-baguette comes with separate instructions for the oven and air fryer.
  • Check the latest ingredients, allergen information and preparation instructions for each product; the white sourdough products mentioned contain grains with gluten.

Lidl

Lidl describes Rustiek wit desembrood as a white wheat sourdough loaf.

  • An option to look out for if you’re specifically shopping for white sourdough.
  • According to Lidl, this bread is only available in store. Check the full ingredients and allergen information there.

ALDI

ALDI sells Bakkersgoud rustiek wit, among other products. Its product description says this white bread has a golden-brown crust and a soft centre.

  • An alternative to consider if you’re mainly looking for white bread with a rustic crust to serve with your soup.
  • Don’t assume Bakkersgoud rustiek wit is sourdough unless the latest product information explicitly says so.

Dirk

Dirk describes Batard wit as a bread made with wheat and rye, with a firm crust.

  • A bread shape to consider if a firm crust matters more to you than choosing a particular type of sourdough.
  • Don’t assume this Batard wit is sourdough; check the latest product information if you specifically want sourdough.

Related products on Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Is white sourdough gluten-free?

No, not automatically. The white sourdough products mentioned from Jumbo and PLUS contain wheat and gluten. If you need a gluten-free option, check that the specific bread is explicitly labelled gluten-free.

Does all white sourdough made with baker’s salt contain iodised salt?

You can’t tell from the product name or the words ‘baker’s salt’ alone. PLUS lists iodised salt for its white sourdough demi-baguette; Jumbo lists baker’s salt for its white sourdough pull-apart bread. Check the latest ingredients list for the bread you’re buying.

How long should you bake a white sourdough baguette?

PLUS recommends baking its white sourdough demi-baguette for 8–10 minutes in an oven at 220 °C, or for 5–6 minutes in an air fryer at 200 °C. For other breads, follow the instructions on the packaging.

How do I check allergens in unpackaged bread?

Ask the shop for the allergen information for the specific bread and check it before you buy. If you need to avoid an ingredient, don’t rely on the words ‘white’ or ‘sourdough’ alone.