21 Amazing Sourdough Discard Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What can I use my sourdough discard for? ›

Don't throw it away! Instead, use it to make delicious and nutritious treats like pancakes, waffles, muffins, and bread. Sourdough discard is a great source of natural yeast and flavor, and can add a unique tangy taste to your baked goods.

On the other hand, sourdough discard refers to the portion of the starter that is removed and discarded before feeding the remaining starter during regular maintenance. It contains some of the fermented mixture but may not be as active as a fully refreshed starter.

With each sourdough starter feeding, you'll be discarding some to avoid it from becoming overly acidic. Most will compost or trash this discard, but you can save it and use it in other recipes!

Sourdough discard recipes not only reduce waste but also offer health benefits, making them a wonderful addition to a balanced diet. The fermentation process of the sourdough starter increases the availability of certain nutrients and can help improve digestion.

What happens if you let sourdough discard sit too long on the counter? As discard sits at room temperature, it will continue to ferment which increases its acidity levels. If it sits past 36hrs, it will most likely run out of flour to feed on. You will then run the risk of exposing your discard to harmful bacteria.

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.

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.

I left my sourdough discard out at room temperature for a few days. Is it okay? As long as your kitchen isn't too warm (I'd say 78°F or higher) your starter/discard will be fine stored at room temperature for at least a few days without feeding. The flavor will get more acidic the longer it sits.

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.

If your recipe calls for more than 227g (about 1 cup) of starter, feed it without discarding until you've reached the amount you need (plus 113g to keep and feed again).

Do you throw sourdough discard away? ›

Although you need an active, well-maintained starter for certain artisan breads, you can still make tasty bread with a sluggish, slow starter so you don't have to discard sourdough starter daily. In fact, many of my favorite sourdough bread recipes use discard for flavoring to give bread that classic tang.

In order to allow your starter to grow and flourish, you need to "refresh" it with fresh flour and water. Discarding some first allows you to add this fresh food, whilst maintaining your starter at a manageable size.

Why do you discard sourdough starter? Bakers often ask us, “Do I really need to discard my starter?” And the answer is yes. Regularly discarding a portion of your starter and refreshing it with flour and water keeps the microorganisms in it healthy, happy, and thriving — and healthy starter translates to better bread.

It is edible for around 3 days. Between days 3 to 5 it would need to be toasted or warmed before consuming. After day 5 your sourdough bread would be stale (but not moldy).

Freezing sourdough discard is a clever way to avoid waste and save it for future recipes. By preserving the discard, you can use it in various delicious dishes without feeling guilty about tossing it out.

The starter you remove doesn't have enough life it in—bacteria and yeast—to leaven a loaf of bread. But just as waste isn't waste until you waste it, discard isn't discard until you discard it, which you don't need to do.

Did you know that you can use sourdough starter (or discard) to fertilize your indoor and outdoor plants?! Your soil will LOVE the combination of good bacteria and microbes - sourdough starter could be the BEST natural fertilizer you've ever used!

It adds a delicious flavor and imparts moisture to recipes which keeps bakes tasting fresher for much longer. You can also use sourdough discard to ferment recipes which makes them healthier and easier to digest.

One of the amazing benefits of sourdough discard is that you can use it to create new starters, which are known as levains. These off-shoots from the mother starter can be used to experiment with different types of flour or given as a gift – there's nothing quite like sharing an entire ecosystem with your loved ones.