Sourdough Discard Recipes

The Beauty of Discard

If you maintain a sourdough culture, you inevitably generate "discard." This is the portion of the starter you remove before adding fresh flour and water during a feeding. As explained in our Sourdough Starter Guide, discarding is necessary to keep the volume manageable and ensure the yeast gets a sufficient ratio of fresh food.

Many beginners feel guilty about throwing away flour and water. The good news is that you don't have to! Sourdough discard is essentially a fermented mixture of flour and water that is packed with complex flavor. While its yeast population is too exhausted to leaven a loaf of bread on its own, it acts as an incredible flavor enhancer and moisture retainer in a vast array of baked goods.

Note: Only keep discard from a mature, healthy starter that smells pleasant. Discard from the first few days of creating a new starter should always be thrown in the trash or compost. If your discard smells like acetone or nail polish, read our Sourdough Troubleshooting Guide before baking with it.

Collecting and Storing Discard

Instead of washing your discard down the drain, keep a dedicated "discard jar" in the refrigerator. Every time you feed your main starter, pour the excess into this secondary jar. The cold temperature of the fridge effectively halts fermentation, allowing you to accumulate a large amount over a week or two without it going bad.

Discard that has been in the fridge for a few days will be relatively mild. Discard that has been stored for two weeks will be intensely sour and liquidy. You can use either, but keep in mind that older discard will impart a much stronger tangy flavor to your final product. When you are ready to bake, there is no need to bring the discard to room temperature first; you can use it straight from the fridge.

Recipe 1: The Crispiest Sourdough Crackers

This is arguably the easiest and most popular way to use up a large amount of discard. These crackers are incredibly thin, shatteringly crisp, and packed with savory, tangy flavor. Because the discard is already hydrated, the dough comes together in seconds.

Ingredients:

• 200g Sourdough discard (100% hydration)
• 30g Olive oil or melted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon Fine sea salt
• 1 tablespoon Dried herbs (rosemary, thyme, or Everything Bagel seasoning)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C).
2. In a bowl, mix the discard, olive oil, and salt until it forms a smooth paste.
3. Cut a piece of parchment paper to exactly fit a large baking sheet. Place the dough on the parchment.
4. Using an offset spatula (or the back of a spoon), spread the mixture as thinly and evenly as humanly possible. It should be almost translucent.
5. Sprinkle the dried herbs evenly over the top.
6. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to score the dough into cracker-sized squares.
7. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the crackers are deeply golden brown and completely crisp. Watch carefully in the last 5 minutes, as the edges can burn quickly.
8. Let cool completely on the pan before breaking along the scored lines.

Recipe 2: Fluffy Sourdough Pancakes

Sourdough discard makes the best pancakes. The acidity of the starter reacts vigorously with baking soda, creating a massive chemical leavening effect that results in incredibly thick, fluffy, and tender pancakes with a subtle buttermilk-like tang.

Ingredients:

• 150g Sourdough discard
• 120g Milk
• 1 Large egg
• 20g Melted butter or neutral oil
• 120g All-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the discard, milk, egg, and melted butter until well combined.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Fold gently with a spatula just until the flour disappears. Do not overmix. The batter should be slightly lumpy and will immediately begin to bubble and puff up due to the baking soda reacting with the acidic discard.
4. Heat a lightly oiled skillet or griddle over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake.
5. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface and the edges look set (about 2-3 minutes). Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Serve immediately with maple syrup.

Recipe 3: Same-Day Discard Pizza Dough

While a true sourdough pizza crust requires an active starter and an overnight ferment, you can use discard to make a fast, flavorful, same-day pizza dough by giving it a boost with a pinch of commercial yeast. The discard provides the fermented flavor, while the instant yeast provides the rapid rise.

Ingredients:

• 150g Sourdough discard
• 150g Warm water
• 250g Bread flour or '00' pizza flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Instant yeast (or active dry yeast)
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 tablespoon Olive oil

Instructions:

1. In a stand mixer or large bowl, combine the warm water, instant yeast, and sourdough discard. Mix briefly to dissolve the yeast.
2. Add the flour, salt, and olive oil. Knead on medium speed (or by hand) for 5-8 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and clears the sides of the bowl. If the dough feels too dry, add a splash of water; if it feels impossibly sticky, add a dusting of flour. For more on flour absorption, read our Sourdough Flour Guide.
3. Form the dough into a tight ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let it rise in a warm spot for 2-3 hours, or until doubled in size.
4. Punch down the dough and divide it in half to make two 10-inch pizzas. Shape each half into a tight ball and let them rest on the counter for 30 minutes to relax the gluten.
5. Stretch the dough, add your favorite toppings, and bake on a preheated pizza stone or steel at your oven's maximum temperature (usually 500°F - 550°F) for 8-12 minutes.

Conclusion

Sourdough discard is not a waste product; it is a versatile ingredient that belongs in your regular baking rotation. By storing your excess starter in the fridge and utilizing it in recipes that rely on chemical leaveners (like pancakes) or thin structures (like crackers), you can enjoy the complex, tangy flavor of sourdough every day of the week, with absolutely zero waste.