Sourdough discard! Why throw it out when you can create some AMAZING meal and snack foods for all to enjoy with your favorite mix-ins and toppings. My incredible homemade tried and tested recipes using whole, flavorful ingredients will make you question whether to buy any of their processed store-bought counterparts ever again! You gotta see these!!
Sourdough Discard is NOT Garbage!
While sourdough bread has been a trendy food, did you know that the sourdough itself provides much value to your family’s diet? In fact, some gluten intolerant people can tolerate sourdough for multiple reasons, but overall, due to the breakdown of phytic acid during fermentation, it’s just easier to digest.
Sourdough is a wonderful food ingredient that balances out flavor, provides gut health through its fermentation process, and can be subbed for some (if not all) of the flour and liquid ingredients in your favorite recipes.
Over the past couple of months, I’ve been making my new favorite potato sourdough starter and bread from the traditional New Zealand Māori culture. For this mashed potato starter recipe and bread, I have created some fantastic recipes that use up that sourdough discard you just can’t beg enough friends and family to take off your hands to avoid pouring it down the sink.
Discarding Sourdough is a MUST
If you make sourdough bread, then you know you must throw out half (or a cup or so) of sourdough every time you feed it once it begins fermenting. If you don’t get rid of it, your sourdough will grow and take over your kitchen AND your house. YIKES! I actually had 3 going at once because I wanted to test quite a few recipes and needed a lot at one time. BUT that’s not normal!
Sourdough Discard in Almost ANY Recipe!
To use a traditional sourdough discard in your own baking recipes, there is a “formula” you can use. Now, there is a little math involved, but it’s not calculus complicated. However, If math is not your thing, I’ve got you covered, I’ll tell you the math-free formula after I go through the math. BUT, for you mathematicians out there, here’s what that looks like.
50% Flour Mixed with 50% Liquid= 100% Hydrated
While there are different hydration percentages of sourdough starter recipes, if you’re feeding your sourdough with equal parts flour and water, then that means your sourdough is roughly 50% flour and 50% liquid or 100% hydrated. Therefore, if you want to add 1 cup of sourdough to your favorite recipe, then you can determine how much flour and liquid you need. You simply subtract your 50/50 or 100% hydrated discard from your recipe’s flour/liquid quantities and just substitute the discard for those quantities in your recipe. IF, however, your sourdough starter discard flour/liquid ratios are different, then your math will be different. Check out this helpful website on the ins and outs of sourdough hydration and why it matters in the type of sourdough bread you make.
Example of the Math!
1 cup flour = ~4.5 oz whereas 1 cup liquid = ~8 fl oz
I hope I haven’t lost you yet. Here’s an example to help you visualize a 50/50- flour/liquid ratio. Let’s take an easy hypothetical approach here. If your making pancakes that use 2 cups of flour (which is ~9 oz total) and 1 cup of milk (which is ~8 fluid oz), then that means you can sub half of each (meaning 1 cup of the flour and ½ cup of the milk) for 1 cup total discard. We can do that because 1 cup discard includes 4.5 oz flour (which is 1 cup) and 4 oz of liquid (which is ½ cup).
To sub 4.5 oz of flour (half of the flour) and 4 oz of milk (half of the milk) for sourdough, you’ll need:
4.5 oz of flour (1 cup) PLUS 4 oz of milk (1/2 cup) EQUALS 1 cup sourdough discard (100% hydrated)
I know this math technically doesn’t add up perfectly to 8 oz = 1 cup, but remember fluid ounces are different than dry-ingredient ounces. It’s really more about weight measurements than cup measurements and that’s it! That’s our mathematical or scientific tactic for determining the amount of sourdough discard to use in ANY of your baking recipes.
No More Math Please!! My Sourdough Texture Approach Sans Math!
Too much math? How about an easier method? If you are hesitant about the math OR your flour/liquid ratios are different, then you can go by texture. The key is to know well your recipe, particularly the typical consistency of that recipe’s dough or batter.
100% Hydrated Sourdough = ~ 1:1 Sourdough Sub for Liquid
1 cup sourdough discard 1 cup milk
For my recipes, I was able to sub almost 1 for 1 with my potato sourdough discard for the liquid only, since my starter was 50/50- flour to liquid ratio. Because my recipes created a dough or batter, I simply added a little more milk, water, or flour as I was mixing the batter or kneading dough to reach an appropriate consistency typical for that dish.
In creating my recipes, I took a texture approach instead of a mathematical approach. Thus, I really ONLY did the mathematical conversions for my pancake batter. BUT after lots of experimentation, I realized I didn’t need to use so much math, just my baking skills, and TRUSTING my judgement adding additional liquid or flour based on dough or batter consistency.
6 FANTASTIC Sourdough Discard Uses!
Check out my following 6 recipes showing you how to use sourdough discard and what the dough or batter consistency should look like to produce a good product. My goal by sharing my recipes is to guide you in substituting sourdough discard in YOUR OWN favorite recipes. I hope you give these recipes a try. In fact, elicit your kids’ help in making their favorite versions using their favorite mix-ins!
Check out these 6 incredible, versatile foods that use WHOLE ingredients. You just might decide that store-bought sweet and savory snacks or frozen meals are a thing of the past.
Sourdough Discard #1: Sweet Sourdough Pancakes
This recipe uses 2 cups of sourdough discard but can be halved. It also includes sugar, baking powder, baking soda, a liquid fat, and extracts. This recipe produces light, bubbly pancakes due to the acid from the fermented sourdough reacting with the baking soda. You can add your favorite mix-ins like chocolate chips, fresh or frozen blueberries, and even diced apples with cinnamon, apple or pumpkin pie spice.
Sourdough Discard #2: Blueberries & Cream Sourdough Muffins
This recipe includes 1 cup of sourdough discard with semi-frozen blueberries, lemon zest, Greek yogurt, eggs, butter, sugar, extracts and the usual dry ingredients. You can easily make 12 large muffins that sparkle from the sugar topping. They are sweet and fruity; great for breakfast!
Sourdough Discard #3: Cheese and Chive Sourdough Biscuits
This recipe contains 1 cup of sourdough discard with the usual dry ingredients along with butter cut in and mixed with freshly grated cheese and chives. They are very light and fluffy, lighter than a traditional biscuit as Scott describes them. He absolutely LOVES these biscuits. You can’t go wrong with a slight tang from the sourdough, with the richness from the butter and cheese, and earthiness from the chives.
Sourdough Discard #4: Sourdough Pizza Crust
This recipe makes 1 very large (18×13 inch, high-side sheet pan), or 2 (12-14 inch, round sheet pan- medium thickness crusts), or 3 (12-14 inch, round sheet pan- thin crusts) pizzas. It includes ½ cup sourdough discard along with some commercial yeast which is needed since the discard has not been activated. You’ll find oil and sugar round out this light, tangy, and flavorful crust. Of course, pizza is best with the toppings!
Don’t Forget YOUR Favorite Toppings!
On the pizza pictured above, you’ll see roasted garlic, caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms and spinach along with grated Pecorino, thinly sliced Provolone, and chunks of Mozzarella cheeses. And of course, you need a good sauce. I have a GREAT homemade tomato-based pizza sauce I use for all of my tomato sauce pizzas. Don’t forget to top your pizza with salt, pepper, dried Italian seasoning, and a drizzle of olive oil.
You can divide the dough to make 1 pizza and freeze the other dough-half for later. Or you can use the other half and make a tasty cheesy, garlic bread. Miam!!
Sourdough Discard #5: Sourdough Granola Bars
WHAT!! Granola bars made with sourdough?! That’s right! These granola bars are baked and are incredibly versatile. Depending on size preference, this recipe makes 9-12 bars from an 8×8 inch baking pan. They are somewhat of a soft granola bar due to the 1 cup sourdough discard which is soaked up by the oats during the baking process. The version you see above contains oats, dried cranberries, chopped pistachios, chia seeds, almond extract, and maple syrup. You can sub the cranberries with any dried chopped fruit, add your favorite chopped nuts or seeds, and your favorite liquid sweetener like honey or agave syrup. For the kiddos or the adults who are kiddos at heart, don’t forget the chocolate chips or a drizzling of melted white or dark chocolate over the top!
Sourdough Discard #6: Crunchy Sourdough Herb Crackers
This recipe truly deserves the motto… “You can’t eat just one. Once you start, you can’t stop.” The is a very tasty and crunchy snack cracker. They are amazingly good on their own. What makes you crave them is the 1 cup of sourdough starter, butter, a huge amount of dried herbs, and cheese! No processed powdered cheese here… straight from the block and freshly grated. They aren’t the healthiest cracker in the world, BUT they contain all ingredients you can pronounce. You likely already have these ingredients in your pantry or fridge. AND this recipe uses a mix of both whole wheat and all-purpose flour.
Final Thoughts…
I never knew how much fun sourdough could be. Think about it, you get bread and every other baked good you can possibly make using the same sourdough starter. That’s pretty incredible if you ask me.
These recipes have been tried, tested, Scott approved, and modified to become the FAVORITE sourdough discard recipes. As you can see, they include everything from breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack items that will curb any sweet or savory food cravings. These are great for a summer camping or road trip, school lunches, or just plain ol’ wholesome eating. Get your kids involved to create their own favorite flavor combinations where EVERYONE in your family can be happy.
I absolutely LOVED creating these recipes. I hope you give the ones a try you find interesting and vary up the ingredients to fit your family’s flavor preferences.
If you would rather watch or hear about this topic, check out my video on “How to Use Sourdough Discard in YOUR Favorite Recipes: My 6 Suggestions Will Surprise You!“
Interested in some other bread recipes? Check these out!
New Zealand’s Potato Sourdough Starter & Bread
Homemade Hamburger, Hot Dog, and Hoagie Buns
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