I’ve put together a collection of recipes that use sourdough discard. If you’re a sourdough baker, you know how painful it is to throw away that hard earned yeasty goodness each time you have to feed the starter.
If you love to bake bread but haven’t delved into the world of sourdough yet, I encourage you to dive-in head first. But, in order to have sourdough “discard” you need to first build a sourdough starter and then begin feeding it.
When you add unfed sourdough discard to a recipe, it’s not really there to add extra leavening since it’s not fully active. If the sourdough starter is not a leavener, why is it in there?
The sourdough discard imparts an interesting texture and lovely complex flavor even if it’s not adding a big rise. The discard also improves the keeping quality of baked goods.
Try my Sourdough Discard recipes or create your own. Each cup (about 8 oz) of sourdough discard can replace 4 oz of flour and 4 oz of liquid in almost any recipe.
Introducing a whole new way to store and use sourdough starter or sourdough discard. After you dry your sourdough starter, you can grind it into a powder and add it directly to a recipe for a flavor boost or rehydrate it to use in any sourdough recipe.
Sourdough discard brings out the banana flavor in this bread. Sour cream adds moisture and reinforces the sourdough flavor. The chocolate chunks are a bonus. If you like nuts, a cup of chopped walnuts is a nice addition to this bread.
These Sourdough Blueberry Muffins are made with a whole cup of sourdough discard for an ultra tender crumb. The muffins are full of juicy berries and topped with lemon butter and sugar.
A Perfect Pie Crust is a thing of beauty. The addition of a little sourdough discard adds an intriguing depth of flavor to a basic pie dough. This makes enough dough for a double crust pie.
Sourdough Irish Soda bread is an easy and delicious way to use sourdough discard. Homemade soda bread is so much better than what you’ll find in the grocery store. This recipe makes 1 large loaf. The exact number of servings will vary based on how the loaf is sliced.
Sourdough Bundt Cake with Buttermilk Glaze is a perfect snack cake. The tangy-sweet buttermilk glaze forms an ultra-thin coating over the melt-in-your-mouth cake.
Sourdough Irish Brown Bread is hearty and savory because it’s made with whole wheat flour and a cup of sourdough discard. It's super easy to make and super tasty. This recipe makes 1 large loaf. The exact number of servings will vary based on how the loaf is sliced.
Super moist pumpkin bread has a wonderful background tang from “discard” sourdough starter. Fresh cranberries add another tangy pop to the flavor of the bread.
Thank you so much for all the hints and help plus the recipes. I was using a well known duos sour dough book but no where was there any mention of discarding the excess sourdough.I was starting to have real concern over the amount of flour.Even other publications do not give any help with its use.Reading your sour dough discard has been a tremendous help. Michele from Mirboo North Victoria Australia
I have sourdough starter stored in my refrigerator. For any of your recipes, which all look fabulous, that call for discard, does the discard need to come to room temperature first? Or can I spoon it out of the frig and weigh it and use it?
Generally you can use the cold discard, especially in the pie dough, scones and biscuits. If it needs to be room temp it will specify in the recipe. The only caveat is that if the discard is room temp you might get a little rise from the remaining yeast in the discard. Of course that depends how active it is that that point.
just started making my starter day 2 today.yes yeast is no longer avaliable.. but i only have an air fryer.. i hope i can bake breads make scones in airfryer, Thanks,,,
Can the discard be used prior to the starter becoming fully active (say on day 5 or 6), or only after the initial 7 – 10 day activation? So hard to just throw it away. Gave some 4 day old starter to a friend to continue to feed and activate but tough during social distancing to give away.
My first time experimenting with sourdough. Excited to try many of your recipes!
Honestly, I’ve been wondering this myself lately. I’ve never had to think about throwing away the discard before the current situation. I wouldn’t use the discard from the first few days of feeding when the smell is unpleasant and cheesy.
Your sour dough rye bread is possibly the best rye I have ever tasted! Thank you!
Thanks! It’s a personal favorite of mine. I love anything rye. If you’re a rye fan, you might want to try my Rye Pie Crust.
@Eileen Gray, can you link to the rye bread recipe? I don’t see it?
The Sourdough Rye Bread doesn’t use discard, but uses active starter.
Thank you so much for all the hints and help plus the recipes. I was using a well known duos sour dough book but no where was there any mention of discarding the excess sourdough.I was starting to have real concern over the amount of flour.Even other publications do not give any help with its use.Reading your sour dough discard has been a tremendous help. Michele from Mirboo North Victoria Australia
I have sourdough starter stored in my refrigerator. For any of your recipes, which all look fabulous, that call for discard, does the discard need to come to room temperature first? Or can I spoon it out of the frig and weigh it and use it?
Thanks!
Generally you can use the cold discard, especially in the pie dough, scones and biscuits. If it needs to be room temp it will specify in the recipe. The only caveat is that if the discard is room temp you might get a little rise from the remaining yeast in the discard. Of course that depends how active it is that that point.
just started making my starter day 2 today.yes yeast is no longer avaliable.. but i only have an air fryer.. i hope i can bake breads make scones in airfryer, Thanks,,,
Can the discard be used prior to the starter becoming fully active (say on day 5 or 6), or only after the initial 7 – 10 day activation? So hard to just throw it away. Gave some 4 day old starter to a friend to continue to feed and activate but tough during social distancing to give away.
My first time experimenting with sourdough. Excited to try many of your recipes!
Honestly, I’ve been wondering this myself lately. I’ve never had to think about throwing away the discard before the current situation. I wouldn’t use the discard from the first few days of feeding when the smell is unpleasant and cheesy.