Sourdough Recipes With Excess Starter: 11

Sourdough Discard Recipes

To Try At Home

Savoury Sourdough Discard Recipes

Sandwich Bread

Imagine having homemade soft, slightly tangy, sandwich bread that you can turn into grilled cheese sandwiches, avocado toasts, or just enjoy with jam and butter. Well, follow this sourdough recipe, and that’s exactly what you’ll get in just a few hours. Sunday baking, sorted! 

Ingredients

• Sourdough discard: 1 cup

• All-purpose flour: 2½–3 cups

• Warm milk or water: 1 cup

• Sugar: 2 tbsp

• Salt: 1 tsp

• Butter or oil: 2 tbsp

• Instant yeast: 1 tsp

Method

• Mix the dough: Combine discard, warm liquid, sugar, yeast, and flour in a large mixing bowl to form a soft dough. Add salt and butter, then knead the mix until smooth and pliable. 

• First rise: Cover and let it rise for 1–1.5 hours until doubled.

• Shape and proof: Shape the dough into a loaf and place it in a greased tin. Now, let it rise again for 30–40 minutes. Also, preheat your oven to 180°C. 

• Bake: Finally, bake the bread at 180°C for 30–35 minutes until golden. Cool before slicing.

Crackers

Thin, crisp, and the perfect accompaniment for dips and sauces, crackers are the ultimate snack. With sourdough discard, you get deliciously tangy crackers that are extremely easy to put together. This is the most basic sourdough recipe for crackers, but you can customise the flavours and textures by adding herbs (like rosemary) and seeds into the mix. 

Ingredients

• Sourdough discard: 1 cup

• All-purpose flour: ½ cup

• Olive oil or melted butter: 2 tbsp

• Salt: ½ tsp

• Optional: herbs, seeds, garlic powder, parmesan cheese

Method

• Make the dough: Mix the sourdough discard, flour, oil, and salt until a soft dough forms. Add herbs, seeds, cheese, or garlic powder, if using.

• Roll thin: Roll the dough very thin (almost paper-thin) between parchment sheets.

• Cut and season: Transfer to a parchment-lined tray. Score the dough into crackers: partially cut or mark the surface to outline squares, rectangles, or triangles (whatever shape you prefer). Sprinkle extra salt. 

• Bake: Bake at 180°C for 15–20 minutes until crisp and golden. Cool completely to crisp up further.

Pasta

If you want to upgrade your homemade pasta game, then you must try this sourdough recipe with discard. It offers a pasta with a subtly tangy, complex, and nutty flavour, like a richer, deeper version of fresh egg noodles. Soft, silky, and tender-chewy, the pasta pairs well with robust sauces like Ragù or simple butter sauce. 

Ingredients

• Sourdough discard: ½ cup

• All-purpose flour: 1½ cups

• Egg: 1

• Olive oil: 1 tsp

• Salt: ½ tsp

Method

• Make the dough: In a large bowl, combine sourdough discard, egg, olive oil, and salt. Gradually add the flour and bring everything together into a firm dough. Knead on a clean surface for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. 

• Rest the dough: Cover and let it rest for 20–30 minutes to relax the gluten.

• Roll and cut: Divide the dough into portions, then roll it out into thin sheets using a rolling pin or a pasta machine. Dust lightly with flour to prevent sticking, then cut into your desired pasta shape. 

• Cook: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, then cook the fresh pasta for 2–4 minutes, until tender. Drain and toss immediately with your preferred sauce. Serve hot.

• Storage: Freshly made pasta can also be refrigerated for 1–2 days (well-floured in an airtight container) or frozen for up to 1–8 months. It can also be dried completely for long-term pantry storage.

Granola

A popular sourdough recipe to deal with the munchies and odd-time hunger pangs, sourdough discard granola can be enjoyed with milk, on top of yoghurt, or just as is. For a more chewy texture, reduce the baking time. You can also customise the dish by adding pumpkin, sunflower, or flax seeds to the mix. Or even coconut flakes. 

Ingredients

• Rolled oats: 4 cups

• Pecans, walnuts or almonds, chopped: ½ cup

• Dried cranberries or cherries: ⅔ cup

• Sourdough discard: ½ cup

• Honey: ½ cup

• Maple syrup: ½ cup

• Avocado oil or coconut oil: ½ cup

• Salt: ½ tsp

• Cinnamon powder: ½ tsp

• Vanilla extract: 1 tsp

Method

• Prep: Preheat your oven to 170°C. Mix all dry ingredients, except salt, in a large mixing bowl and all wet ingredients in a small bowl. Add salt with the wet ingredients. Now, pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients, ensuring it coats them. 

• Bake: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the granola mix in an even layer and bake for 30 minutes (for a chewy texture) or 40 minutes (for a crispier result). 

• Slice and store: Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle salt on top. Do it as soon as the granola is out of the oven so it sticks. Now, let the granola cool completely. Slice it into smaller chunks and store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks. 

Pizza dough/Pizza base 

Pizza is great for weeknights, Sunday dinners, midweek lunches — basically, any time of the day. But it is not always the most easily digestible thing on the menu. Enter: sourdough pizza dough. This sourdough recipe uses discard, resulting in a more digestible base. 

Ingredients

• Sourdough discard: 1 cup

• All-purpose flour: 2–2½ cups

• Warm water: ¾ cup

• Olive oil: 1 tbsp

• Salt: 1 tsp

• Instant yeast: ½–1 tsp

Methods

1. Mix the dough: Combine the discard, water, flour, oil, salt, and yeast into a soft dough. Knead until smooth.

2. First rise: Cover and let it rise for 1–2 hours until doubled.

3. Shape: Once the dough has risen, punch it down gently to release excess air. Divide it into equal portions and let them rest for 5–10 minutes to relax the gluten, making them easier to stretch. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 220°C. Lightly flour your surface and stretch each portion into a pizza base using your hands, keeping the centre slightly thinner and the edges thicker for a crust. 

4. Top and bake: Add sauce and toppings, then bake at 220°C for 12–15 minutes until crisp and cooked through.

Sweet Sourdough Discard Recipes

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Gooey, chocolatey, and a favourite among kids and adults alike, who does not love chocolate chip cookies? With this sourdough recipe, you can add subtle caramel or nutty depth without compromising the signature chewy centre and crispy edges. 

Ingredients

• Sourdough discard: ½ cup

• All-purpose flour: 1½ cups

• Butter, softened (soft to touch, not melted): ½ cup

• Brown sugar: ¾ cup

• Granulated sugar: ¼ cup

• Egg: 1

• Vanilla extract: 1 tsp

• Baking soda: ½ tsp

• Salt: ½ tsp

• Chocolate chips: ¾–1 cup

Method

• Make the dough: Whisk softened butter and sugar together—usually for 3–5 minutes—until the mixture turns pale yellow, fluffy, and voluminous, rather than just combined. Add egg, vanilla, and sourdough discard, mixing until smooth. Lastly, mix in the flour, baking soda, and salt until a soft dough forms.

• Chill and portion: Chill the dough for 20–30 minutes for a better texture. Also, preheat the oven to 180°C. Scoop the chilled mix into small portions and place on a lined baking tray. 

• Bake: Bake for 10–12 minutes until edges are golden, but centres remain soft.

• Cool and serve: Let cookies rest on the tray for a few minutes before transferring. They firm up as they cool.

Pancakes/Waffles

Is there anything that offers a sweeter start to the morning than pancakes and waffles? Highly customisable with toppings and sides, and easy to cook, these breakfast dishes are classics for a reason. With this sourdough recipe, the pancakes (or waffles) turn out fluffy, tender, slightly chewy, and more flavourful than the traditional dishes. 

Ingredients:

• Sourdough discard: 1 cup

• All-purpose flour: 1 cup

• Milk: ¾–1 cup

• Egg: 1

• Sugar: 2 tbsp

• Baking powder: 1 tsp

• Baking soda: ½ tsp

• Salt: ¼ tsp

• Butter or oil: 2 tbsp

Method:

• Make the batter: Whisk egg, milk, butter, sugar, and sourdough discard until smooth. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, mixing until a thick but pourable batter forms (it should flow slowly, not runny).

• Rest and preheat: Let the batter sit for 5 minutes to hydrate. Meanwhile, heat a pan or preheat your waffle iron until properly hot.

• Cook and serve: Pour batter onto a lightly greased pan or waffle maker. For pancakes, cook until bubbles form on the surface, and the edges look set. Then flip and cook until golden. Serve immediately with maple syrup, fruits, or butter.

Coffee Cake 

The best part about baking as an adult is that you don’t have to wait for birthdays to get yourself a cake. So, if you’re feeling like cake in the middle of the week, over a long weekend, or simply want to impress people with your baking skills, try this sourdough recipe with discard for coffee cake. Interestingly, lemon cake, apple cinnamon cake, chocolate cake, and carrot cake all pair well—the discard enhances moisture and adds a subtle tang that balances sweetness.

Ingredients: 

For the cake

• Sourdough discard: ½ cup

• All-purpose flour: 1½ cups

• Sugar: ¾ cup

• Butter: ½ cup

• Egg: 1

• Milk: ½ cup

• Baking powder: 1 tsp

• Vanilla extract: 1 tsp

• Salt: ¼ tsp

For the crumb topping

• Brown sugar: ⅓ cup

• Flour: ⅓ cup

• Butter: 2 tbsp

• Cinnamon: 1 tsp

Method: 

• Prep and batter: Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease a pan. Beat butter and sugar together for 2–3 minutes until light and creamy. Add egg, milk, vanilla, and sourdough discard, mixing until smooth.

• Add dry ingredients: Fold in flour, baking powder, and salt just until combined to form a thick batter. Spread it evenly in the prepared pan.

• Add topping: Mix crumb topping ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs (not a paste). Sprinkle evenly over the batter.

• Bake and cool: Bake for 30–35 minutes until set and golden. Cool slightly before slicing.

Muffins (Blueberry)

If a sourdough discard can tackle cake prep with aplomb, then muffins are easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy! Yes, sourdough recipes with discard also include blueberry muffins. And if you’re gearing up for a potluck, this one’s sure to be a hit. 

Ingredients: 

• Sourdough discard: ½ cup

• All-purpose flour: 1½ cups

• Sugar: ½ cup

• Egg: 1

• Milk: ½ cup

• Butter or oil: ⅓ cup

• Baking powder: 1 tsp

• Vanilla extract: 1 tsp

• Salt: ¼ tsp

• Blueberries: 1 cup

Method: 

• Prepare the batter: Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a muffin tray. Mix egg, milk, butter, sugar, vanilla, and sourdough discard until combined.

• Fold and fill: Add flour, baking powder, and salt, mixing lightly. The batter can be slightly lumpy. Fold in the blueberries and divide evenly among the muffin cups.

• Bake: Bake for 18–22 minutes until the tops are golden and spring back when touched. Let muffins cool slightly before removing from the tray and serving.

Banana Bread

Got bananas that got too ripe and sourdough discard that’s just lying around in the fridge? Well, then, in the world of sustainable, flavourful cooking, it’s time for banana bread!

Ingredients: 

• Sourdough discard: ½ cup

• Ripe bananas, mashed: 2–3

• All-purpose flour: 1½ cups

• Sugar: ¾ cup

• Egg: 1

• Butter or oil: ⅓ cup

• Baking soda: 1 tsp

• Vanilla extract: 1 tsp

• Salt: ½ tsp

Method

• Prep the batter: Preheat oven to 180°C and grease a loaf pan. Mix mashed bananas, sugar, egg, butter, vanilla, and sourdough discard until well combined.

• Combine and pour: Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Fold gently just until no dry streaks remain—do not overmix. Pour into the prepared pan.

• Bake, cool, and slice: Bake for 45–55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let the bread cool completely before slicing for clean cuts.

• Storage: For storage, cover the cooled loaf or sliced pieces with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. Store it on your counter for up to 4 days. Do not refrigerate, as the cool air removes moisture and can prematurely dry breads and cakes. 

Brownies

While all the sweet treats on the list get a more complex flavour with discard, few work as beautifully as brownies. Sourdough discard adds fudginess and depth, making brownies feel even more delectable (who’d have thought that was possible!). 

Ingredients:

• Sourdough discard: ½ cup

• Dark chocolate, chopped: 100 g

• Butter: ½ cup

• Sugar: ¾ cup

• Egg: 2

• All-purpose flour: ¾ cup

• Cocoa powder: 2 tbsp

• Vanilla extract: 1 tsp

• Salt: ¼ tsp

Method: 

• Prep the base: Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking pan with parchment paper. Melt butter and dark chocolate together (in short microwave bursts or over a double boiler) until smooth. Let it cool slightly.

• Make the batter: Whisk sugar into the melted chocolate mixture until glossy. Add eggs and vanilla, whisking until the batter thickens slightly. Stir in sourdough discard until smooth. Fold in flour, cocoa powder, and salt just until combined. The batter should be thick and glossy. Avoid overmixing.

• Bake: Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 20–25 minutes until the edges are set, but the centre still looks slightly soft. You can check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the centre; it should come out with moist, fudgy crumbs. 

• Cool and slice: Let brownies cool completely in the pan before slicing. This helps them firm up and develop a fudgy texture.

Sourdough Discard 101: Key Facts

Here’s a round-up of all things you must know about sourdough discard:

• What it is: It is the portion of the starter removed before feeding to manage volume and acidity. 

• Why it’s discarded: Regularly discarding prevents you from needing a gallon-sized jar to feed your starter. 

• Taste and Texture: It is thinner than active starter and has a tangier flavour. Discard typically has a more liquid, runny consistency compared to the thick, bubbly texture of active starter, as the gluten breaks down during the long fermentation in the fridge. 

• Usage: Because discard is essentially equal parts flour and water, it can be used in many recipes, though it works best in recipes requiring baking powder or soda. Remember, it is used in recipes for flavour and texture, not as a full leavening agent. You still need to add yeast (or other leavening agents) in most recipes. 

• Storage: It can be stored in the refrigerator in a separate jar for weeks or months, creating a convenient supply for recipes, or used as a backup if your active starter dies. Even discarded items that are several weeks old can be used, provided they do not have mould, discoloured spots, or an old gym sock smell.

• Safety: Do not consume raw discard, as it contains uncooked flour. However, it is safe once baked or cooked. 

• Digestibility: Because it is fermented, discard breaks down phytic acid in flour, making it easier to digest compared to commercial, unfermented flour products.

Discard Can Be Delicious

These are just a few sourdough recipes that you can try with the discard. From savoury English muffins, biscuits and pretzels to peach cobbler, scones, and brownies, there are hundreds of recipes to explore. It’s enough to make you relook at all the “discard” you’ve been ignoring. Now, while not everything that gets tossed out is worth a double look, certain roots, leaves, and rinds can certainly come in handy in the kitchen. Because, as the not-so-humble sourdough proved, discard can be delicious!