21 Amazing Sourdough Discard Recipes (2024)

Sourdough

Sourdough bread is this amazing crusty fermented starter artisan bread that can be made at home. In order to make sourdough bread you need a sourdough starter. And with sourdough starter comes sourdough discard (a good thing). Discover 21 amazing sourdough recipes including bread, waffles, crackers and so much more.

What Is Sourdough Discard?

Sourdough discard is the amount of sourdough starter you need to remove or “discard” everyday or weekly depending on the age and storage of your sourdough starter. You discard this amount to add more flour and water to feed your sourdough starter and allow it to grow and ferment. Sourdough discard can be disposed of or it can be used in some pretty delicious recipes.

Unfed Sourdough Recipes

When a sourdough discard recipe asks you to use unfed sourdough. It is referring to the sourdough discard you remove before adding more flour and water to your sourdough bread starter. Most discard recipes will use unfed sourdough. Which is perfect because you can discard your amount (save it), feed your starter and bake with the discard. So there is no waste. Just yummy baked goods.

Sourdough Starter

A sourdough starter is the basis of your sourdough bread or sourdough baking. It is a simple mixture of filtered water and flour that ferments creating yeast and the “sour” flavor that sourdough is named for. You can find more information on sourdough starters in our sourdough bread beginners guide.

What To Make With Sourdough Starter

The amazing thing about sourdough starter is you can use it in more than just baking bread. You can add sourdough starter to cinnamon buns, crackers, bagels, pizza dough and so much more.

Sourdough Bread Recipes

If your main goal with your sourdough starter is to make sourdough bread then you need to checkout our sourdough bread beginners guide which includes 12 easy to make sourdough bread recipes including a gluten free recipe.

Sourdough Discard

In an effort to help you spread the sourdough love and embrace homemade we have compiled a wide collection of sourdough discard recipes that are sure to fit your needs.

Sourdough Discard Recipes

Sourdough Tortillas – Milk & Pop

Sourdough Focaccia – All Things Bread

Sourdough Discard Naan – Midwest Nice

Sourdough Puff Pastry – Home Grown Happiness

Sourdough Discard Breakfast Recipes

Sourdough Pancakes – Tastes of Lizzy T

Sourdough Blueberry Scones – Home Grown Happiness

Sourdough English Muffins -Homemade Food Junkie

Flaky Sourdough Biscuits – Twelve On Main

Sourdough Discard Bread Recipes

Sourdough Ciabatta Bread – Home Grown Happiness

Sourdough Cinnamon Bread – Homemade Food Junkie

Sourdough Discard Snack Recipes

Sourdough Pretzel Recipe – Rebooted Mom

Sourdough Crackers – King Arthur Baking

Sourdough Discard Dessert Recipes

Sourdough Discard Chocolate Mug Cakes – The Whole Food Diary

Chocolate Sourdough Discard Bread – Pantry Mama

Apple Cider Donuts – About Dinner Thyme

Sourdough Brownies – Little Spoon Farm

Gluten Free Sourdough Discard

We are including some gluten free sourdough discard recipes in our discard recipes collection because honestly this is what we make at home and we feel it should be included for those that are gluten sensitive. Just because you can’t have something doesn’t mean there aren’t amazing alternatives for you to try.

Gluten Free Sourdough Discard Recipes

Gluten Free Sourdough Cinnamon Buns – A Girl Worth Saving

Gluten Free Sourdough Discard Pizza Crust – Pretty Delicious Life

Gluten Free Bagels – Fearless Dining

Gluten Free Sourdough Starter Crackers – Georgeats

Gluten Free Sourdough Scones – Bakerita

How To Make Money From Your Sourdough Discard

While writing this article I was thinking about all the ways you could make an additional income from homemade sourdough. Which is perfect for bakers, makers and stay at home moms. First off sourdough starters can be sold. And your sourdough discard can be created into its own starter and fed. You can also sell all your yummy sourdough discard baking at your local farmers market or by word of mouth or specialty order. Homemade items sell well and food is better when shared.

Sourdough & Other Recipes:

  • Sourdough Bread A Beginner’s Guide
  • 7 Amazing Beginner Bread Recipes
  • 7 Beginner Homemade Jam Recipes

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Updated June 22, 2022

21 Amazing Sourdough Discard Recipes (4)

21 Amazing Sourdough Discard Recipes

21 Amazing Sourdough Discard Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Is eating sourdough discard good for you? ›

Technically, sourdough discard has the same benefits as sourdough starter, since they are both wild yeast ferments. In terms of beneficial lactic acid bacteria, natural yeasts acetic acid and colonies of microbes, they are both full of them.

Can you do anything with sourdough starter discard? ›

The discard is not active enough to make sourdough bread rise but it does have many other uses and baking powder can be added if required. Savoury options include English breakfast muffins, pretzels, caramelised onion biscuits, and sourdough pizza dough.

How many times do you discard sourdough starter? ›

Room-temperature starter should be fed every 12 hours (twice a day) using the standard maintenance feeding procedure: discard all but 113g, and feed that 113g starter with 113g each water and flour.

Who has the oldest sourdough starter? ›

In 2020, Seamus Blackley, the creator of Xbox and a seasoned baker himself, baked sourdough bread from dormant yeast samples that are 4,500 years old, according to the Atlas Obscura website.

When should you not eat sourdough bread? ›

I'll share my tips on the best way to store sourdough and a plan on the best way to eat it too. Sourdough bread will keep well for up to 3-5 days at a moderate room temperature of 18-20°C or 64-68°F. The warmer and more humid the conditions become, the more chance the sourdough has of spoiling.

Is eating too much sourdough bad for you? ›

Consuming too much sourdough bread, like any food, can have negative effects. It's important to enjoy it as part of a balanced diet. Overconsumption can lead to: Excess Calorie Intake: Bread is calorie-dense, and eating too much can contribute to weight gain.

Can I use sourdough discard straight from fridge? ›

Yes you can use sourdough discard straight from the fridge, you don't need to let it come to room temperature if you don't want to. What is this? If you are using it straight from the fridge it may be a little stiff or thick, so you'll need to ensure you mix it really well.

Do you have to discard starter every time you feed it? ›

It would be best if you discarded some portion of your starter each time you feed it unless you want to continue to let it grow. Eventually, you need to discard the used “food” (flour and water) that's been used to sustain your starter during the last fermentation period.

Can I leave sourdough discard out overnight? ›

I left my sourdough discard out at room temperature for a few days. Is it okay? As long as your kitchen isn't too warm (I'd say 78°F or higher) your starter/discard will be fine stored at room temperature for at least a few days without feeding. The flavor will get more acidic the longer it sits.

Should I stir my sourdough starter between feedings? ›

stir your starter in between feedings - try stirring it twice in between feedings and really give it a chance to get oxygen into the mix. This will help to activate your starter without too much effort.

Can you use day 1 sourdough discard? ›

I recommend keeping sourdough discard for about one week, but I do know others who keep it for much longer. After one week, there is a higher risk of mold or bad bacteria growing on the discard.

What is the best flour for sourdough starter? ›

All-purpose Flour

It strikes a perfect balance of softness and structure, making it an ideal choice for various recipes. Due to its wide availability and affordability, all-purpose flour is often my top recommendation for creating and maintaining a sourdough starter.

Does sourdough starter taste better with age? ›

For most bakers, the answer is a clear no. Maurizio Leo, author of the award-winning bread cookbook The Perfect Loaf, still uses the first starter he ever made; it's now 12 years old. And while he's sentimental about that starter, he says its age doesn't really impact his bread.

When did bread stop being sourdough? ›

Sourdough remained the usual form of leavening down into the European Middle Ages until being replaced by barm from the beer brewing process, and after 1871 by purpose-cultured yeast. Bread made from 100% rye flour, popular in the northern half of Europe, is usually leavened with sourdough.

Can you use old dough as a starter? ›

Before baking, the same weight of dough is removed from the new dough and kept in the fridge for another loaf or even frozen for future us. Old dough is a type of preferment - a starter intended to improve flavor rather than to provide yeast for the new dough.

Can you eat raw sourdough discard? ›

No, it's not advisable to eat raw sourdough starter. While some people claim to have healed their gut problems by eating probiotic rich sourdough starter, it's not really advisable. Raw sourdough starter contains uncooked flour which can harbor harmful bacteria among other things.

Can I eat sourdough everyday? ›

Is it healthy to eat sourdough everyday? You could eat sourdough every day, but it isn't necessarily healthy to do so. A healthy diet is characterized by balance and moderation. Whether or not it is healthy for you to consume sourdough every day depends on the rest of your diet.

Is sourdough bread gut healing? ›

Eating sourdough bread can help to improve the diversity of gut bacteria, which can lead to improved immune function.

Can you bring sourdough discard back to life? ›

Absolutely! A jar of sourdough discard serves as an insurance policy against starter death. If you have some discard on hand, remove a spoonful of it and feed it fresh flour and water in a clean jar. You should have a bubbly starter ready to bake with after a couple of feedings, depending on the discard's condition.

References

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