30-plus things you can make with sourdough discard
Are you a fan of sourdough bread? If so, you’re not alone. Many people love the possibility of a tangy flavor and unique texture (note: sourdough does not have to be sour). But there’s one downside to making sourdough: the daily ritual of discarding some of the starter to maintain its balance.
Instead of letting that extra starter go to waste, there are numerous creative ways to repurpose it into delicious dishes. Here are 10 ways to make the most of your sourdough starter discard, turning it into tasty treats.
Biscuits
Soft, buttery biscuits are great side dishes to soups, meats or even gravy.
For an original recipe with regular, unfed discard, see King Arthur.
For a cheesy biscuit, try Heartbeet Kitchen.
For a recipe with an active, fed sourdough discard, see Damn Delicious.
Bread
There are so many different types of easy to make breads. Here is a variety that use sourdough discard.
For sandwich bread, see Farmhouse on Boone.
For banana bread, try King Arthur.
For zucchini bread, see Little Spoon Farm.
For garlic pull apart bread, see This Jess Cooks.
For apple pull apart bread, This Jess Cooks has another great recipe.
Want a bread as close to sourdough as possible but with unfed discard? Try The Pantry Mama.
Cake
Have a celebration coming up? Adding sourdough discard can give cake some extra flavor.
For something with lemon, try a Ciambella cake from The Perfect Loaf.
For chocolate cake, see This Baking Life.
For vanilla cake, try Farmhouse on Boone.
For pound cake, look at The Gingered Whisk.
For a coffee cake, see Little Spoon Farm.
Cookies
Similar to cake, putting sourdough discard in cookies can add extra flavor and make them airy.
For chocolate chip cookies, see King Arthur.
For sugar cookie bars, try Little Spoon Farm.
For crinkle cookies, look at Make It Dough.
For peanut butter cookies, see The Pantry Mama.
For oatmeal cookies, try The Gingered Whisk.
Crackers
Instead of the above recipes, crackers will have a crisp crunch. Surprisingly, there are different types of crackers you can make with sourdough discard!
If wanting to add herbs, try King Arthur.
For butter crackers, see Little Spoon Farm.
With Everything Seasoning, look at The Suburban Soapbox.
For a cheesy option, try The Clever Carrot.
Pancakes or waffles
Eating pancakes or waffles with discard might be my favorite way to use discard. I love the mix of the sourdough tang with maple syrup.
For classic pancakes, see The Perfect Loaf.
For herb and scallion pancakes, see King Arthur.
For classic waffles, King Arthur is again a great go-to.
For a cheesy waffle, try The Pantry Mama.
Pasta
Pasta tends to come from one basic recipe with herbs and spice or sauce added, if wanted. Here are some classic recipes.
For regular pasta, see Little Spoon Farm.
For gnocchi, try Mamma Mangia.
Pie crust
Since sourdough does not have to be tangy, discard can be used to make any type of pie crust!
For a regular pie crust, see Milk and Pop.
For a flaky crust, look at The Perfect Loaf.
Pizza crust
Giving yourself time to make a good pizza crust helps to enhance the flavor of the whole pizza, instead of allowing just the toppings to dictate if the pizza is good.
For a classic crust recipe, see King Arthur.
For a crispy crust, try The Clever Carrot.
For a gluten free option, look at Bakerita.
Tortillas
Instead of buying tortillas from the store, try making them at home! They tend to have less ingredients, while being soft and chewy.
For a regular go-to recipe, where sourdough discard is optional, try Alexandra’s Kitchen.
For a fluffier tortilla, using baking power, try Little Spoon Farm.
For a classic recipe, using olive oil, see Milk and Pop.
This article features repeated recipe websites, brands and cookbooks. If you’re wanting to find more recipes, these sources are great to look to because the authors truly understand sourdough, given their number of recipes on the topic.
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