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? ›

Sourdough discard is rich in probiotics, which can help promote a healthy gut microbiome and improve digestion. It's also a good source of fiber, which can help regulate blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol, and promote feelings of fullness.

How long is sourdough discard good for? ›

You can store mature sourdough discard in the refrigerator indefinitely. As long as there is no mold, it is good to use. It may develop a grayish liquid on top called “hooch” which can be poured off before use or stirred in. If you stir it in, the flavor will become more sour.

Do you have to feed sourdough discard before using? ›

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.

Should I keep my sourdough discard in the fridge? ›

Store it for future baking: You can store sourdough discard in an airtight container in the refrigerator for future baking with sourdough discard recipes. When you're ready to use it, let the discard come to room temperature before using it to bake. I will keep sourdough discard in the fridge for about one week.

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.

How do you know if sourdough discard has gone bad? ›

It is best to use your sight and your sense of smell when determining if your sourdough discard has gone rancid. Common signs of mold are streaks of grey, pink, or orange in or on top of the liquid or bits of fuzz.

Why does my sourdough discard smell like acetone? ›

Acetone is a natural byproduct of fermentation. It's root cause is often difficult to pinpoint and it can come and go over time. In general, if you keep your starter “healthy” the acetone odor will dissipate. Newer starters (less than 30 days old) are generally more prone to acetone odors.

What happens if I forgot to discard starter before feeding? ›

If you didn't discard a portion of your starter each time you feed it, two things would happen: Your starter would grow to an enormous, unmanageable size. Your starter would likely become more and more inhospitable to the bacteria and yeast we want as the mixture would become ever more acidic.

Can I keep adding to my sourdough discard? ›

Yes you can add sourdough discards from different days together in the same jar. You just need to make sure you stir it well and you don't leave it sitting in the fridge for too long. Sourdough discard should be used within two weeks. You can read more about how to store sourdough discard in the fridge here.

Can you make a new sourdough starter from discard? ›

Can I use sourdough discard to make a new sourdough starter? Absolutely! You can take a portion of sourdough discard and add a few grams of flour and a few grams of water to create a healthy active sourdough starter. You may need to feed your revived starter a few more times before its ready to make bread.

Can I freeze sourdough discard? ›

Can you freeze sourdough starter discard? While feeding an active starter is a better idea, freezing discard will also work. I would suggest freezing discard that has been more recently fed, it may take longer for the starter to become thriving and active after thawing.

Why do you discard half the sourdough starter? ›

If you don't discard your sourdough starter, it will grow too big and be unmanageable. Not to mention you will go through an unmentionable amount of flour.

Can I use starter that has fallen? ›

You can keep a “peaked” starter in the refrigerator for about 12 hours (sometimes more), and still use it directly in your mix. You do not need to let it come up to room temperature. If your starter is well past peak (a few hours) and visibly falling, you can give it a “refresh” feeding to reactivate it.

Do I have to discard half my starter? ›

After day 7, do I keep discarding half of my sourdough starter? Nope! Once the sourdough starter is established on day 8, all you have to do is just give it flour and water. You no longer need to discard half of it.

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? ›

Can you eat sourdough bread every day? It's good news for sourdough super-fans. 'Sourdough is rich in carbohydrates which should make up around 50% of our energy intake every day, so there's no problem with eating sourdough daily,' says Tilt, who adds; 'it's delicious and I often do! '

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? ›

As long as your sourdough discard isn't growing mold or bad bacteria, you can take a small portion out and feed it several days in a row to get it back to being a bubbly, strong, active sourdough starter.

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