35+ Quick Sourdough Discard Recipes (2024)

These quick sourdough discard recipes and easy no-wait recipes that require no fermentation or proofing. Just mix together and make.

You are constantly feeding your new pet sourdough starter, and you’re also constantly having to discard some of the starter.

Instead of throwing it in the trash, you can use it to make some delicious and healthy, no-wait recipes.

As long as you have a lot of fed starter on hand, you can make these instantly. Some of these are long-fermented sourdough, meaning there is no added flour and you will get the most health benefits.

I also added another section that includes sourdough recipes you can make and bake right away, but do include some added flour.

Obviously, it is better if you can allow your dough to ferment to decrease the phytic acid, help break down the gluten, and make the nutrients more bio-available.

But, let’s face it. Sometimes, lack of planning just doesn’t allow for that. So if poor planning is interfering with your baking, here are some recipes that don’t require the wait.

Tips:

If you are only discarding a little bit at a time, you can keep a jar of discard in the fridge and use it when you have enough discard to make a recipe.
Refrigerated discard will need to be fed every 7-10 days or else it may get hungry and start to form a hooch.
If you want to make a sourdough starter, check out my detailed post here on how to create one.
Can’t get enough sourdough? Check out all my favorite recipeshere.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosurehere.

Tools I use for sourdough baking and cooking:

Stand mixer

Quick Sourdough Discard Recipes

These no-wait recipes include just starter, but no other non-fermented grains. Mix and go. These would be considered long-fermented.

Pancakes

Our favorite sourdough pancakes recipe includes just a few basic ingredients and is simple to whip up any day of the week.

Sourdough Pizza Crust

Hands down, the easiest pizza crust recipe you will ever make. Delicious and crispy, and can be made so many ways.Breakfast pizza,white pizzaormushroom. Whatever your heart desires.

Super Easy Sourdough Crepes

Perfectly thin pancakes, this is one of our family’s favorite ways to eat lots of eggs. Sourdough starter is combined with eggs, milk, and some sweetener to make the yummiest breakfast.

Sourdough Skillet

Not a meal planner? Me neither! I love making sourdough skillets. Basically any veggie and meat you have in the fridge can be cooked in a cast iron skillet and topped with a sourdough crust to make a delicious, healthy, and filling meal.

Waffles

Perfectly crispy and fluffy waffles, and a fun weekend breakfast. I love using my cast iron waffle maker for this healthy meal.

Sourdough Flatbread

The perfect side to accompany any meal, or even use it to make sandwiches.

Sourdough Apple Pie

A yummy, fall-inspired dessert in a pinch. It’s simple and a farmhouse family favorite. Soft and juicy apples in a fluffy, cake-like crust.

Dutch Baby

Sourdough and breakfast just go together. I especially love breakfasts that can be whipped together and baked while we finish up farm chores, like milking the new goats.

No-Wait Sourdough Recipes With Added Flour

While the no-wait recipes above are simple and delicious, sometimes you may come across a recipe that includes fermentation time, but it’s a step you can skip, if needed.

Like the humble biscuit. You could definitely choose to long-ferment it, making the grains more digestible, or you can just mix and bake.

35+ Quick Sourdough Discard Recipes (10)

Sourdough Cobbler

One of our family’s favorite desserts, sourdough cobbler can be made so many ways.Blueberry,peach, strawberry cream cheese, cherry, andpumpkinare our favorites. But make it with your favorite fruit!

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Chicken Pot Pie

One of our absolute favorite dinners… chicken pot pie. I’m not sure there is a more comforting, rustic food. You know how many times I decided last-minute to whip up this meal? And it’s still tasty without the long-fermentation.

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English Muffins

This recipe is on a weekly rotation in our kitchen. They are super versatile. I use these English muffins to make breakfast sandwiches,mini pizzas,chicken salad sandwichesand even minisloppy Joe’s.

35+ Quick Sourdough Discard Recipes (13)

Tortillas

Mexican food is definitely our favorite cuisine, and these sourdough tortillas are a fun family affair. Everyone loves gathering around the island to roll out a bunch of these tortillas. Use them for tacos topped with fermentedjalapeñosorsalsa, or use them to make a wrap.

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Crackers

This is a new recipe on the blog and a really delicious, crunchy, and perfectly salty snack. Long-fermentation not required.

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Sourdough Biscuits

While technically these are long-fermented, there is nothing stopping you from just whipping them up and baking right away. These buttery biscuits are so flavorful and tender, they make the perfect breakfast. You can also turn them into my favorite southernbiscuits and gravy.

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Sourdough Muffins

Blueberry, pumpkin, banana, chocolate zucchini, and carrot cake muffins just to name a few. These can be made quick or fermented.

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Cookies

Snickerdoodle, Shortbread, Peanut Butter, Sugar, Oatmeal, and of course the classic chocolate chip cookies can all be make with discard.

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Cake

For you next birthday or holiday celebration try your hand on sourdough cake. They can be long fermented or made quickly. Classic chocolate, vanilla, and coffee cake.

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Donuts

This recipe is so fun, and perfect for holidays. Mix it up and bake right away or make the night before, allow it to ferment overnight.

There you have it: no-wait sourdough recipes that can come together in no time.

35+ Quick Sourdough Discard Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How quickly do you need to use sourdough discard? ›

When you are ready to bake, remove the discard from the fridge and let it come to room temperature. I recommend keeping sourdough discard for up to one week. If needed, mark the date on the container in your refrigerator. After one week, there is a higher chance of the discard growing bad bacteria or mold.

What is the easiest way to use sourdough discard? ›

Sourdough discard works well in many baked goods that don't require lively yeast—flat foods like crackers, tortillas and pancakes. Or you can use it to flavor recipes that rely on leavening from other sources, such as active dry yeast, baking soda and baking powder.

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Do you discard sourdough every time you feed? ›

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!

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Can you make more starter with sourdough discard? ›

Can sourdough discard be used as starter? While sourdough discard can't replace an active starter in a recipe that relies on a robust leavening agent, it can be revitalized and used to create a new starter.

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Can you use 2 week old sourdough discard? ›

Can I Use Old Sourdough Discard? You can use old sourdough discard if it's been stored in the fridge, however, you really want to use it up within a week - 2 weeks max. It's better to use "fresh" discard in a sweet sourdough discard recipe.

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How to know if sourdough discard is ready to use? ›

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.

Can I bake with my first sourdough discard? ›

You can always use this discard by directly mixing it into a dough for baking. Your discard, as long as it's in good shape, will leaven any bread dough just as well. The discard is just like a levain you would make for a recipe. The only difference is it's the same makeup as your starter.

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Can I leave sourdough discard out overnight? ›

The yeast and bacteria in sourdough discard work very quickly at room temperature, so I would only keep discard at room temperature IF you're planning on using it within 1-2 days.

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Why do you throw away sourdough discard? ›

If you don't get rid of the excess, eventually you'll have more starter than your feedings can sustain. After a few days, your daily 1/4 cup flour and water won't be enough to sustain your entire jar of starter, and your starter will be slow and sluggish, not much better than discard itself.

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Can I feed my sourdough without discarding? ›

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).

What happens if you 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.

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Does sourdough discard have to be active? ›

It can be at room temperature or come directly from the fridge. The texture is less bubbly (if bubbly at all) when compared to fluffy active starter. Sourdough discard is not active enough to make bread dough rise, and despite its name the “discard” does not have to be thrown away.

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Can I put all my sourdough discard together? ›

Can you add sourdough discards together in the same jar? 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.

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What is the best flour for sourdough starter? ›

Over the past decade-plus of baking, I've tested all manner of flour from whole grain wheat to spelt to einkorn, and while they all do work, my preferred flour to use when creating a sourdough starter is whole grain rye flour and white flour (this can be all-purpose or high-protein bread flour).

Can you use sourdough discard immediately? ›

But just because you remove sourdough discard, that doesn't mean you have to actually throw it away. You can bake with it, either immediately or at a later date, and make everything from bread to cookies to granola and more.

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How long can you keep sourdough discard before it goes bad? ›

Sourdough discard only lasts a day or two at room temperature. As such, it is best to keep your discard in the fridge, where it will last for up to one week. Of course, you can only rely on it lasting that long if you store it correctly.

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Why can't you use sourdough discard for 7 days? ›

You can use the discard from your starter to bake, but it's better if you wait at least 7 days before you actually use it. In the first 5-7 days, it's better if you bin or compost your discard because the bacteria will be fighting it out and it will generally smell pretty gross.

How long is sourdough discard good for at room temperature? ›

Generally, I keep my sourdough discard cache for up to 2 weeks. Theoretically, you could keep it for far longer, even up to a month, but I've found that after this time, the mixture starts to separate, get overly acidic, and the jar sometimes gets a little funky overall.

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How soon after feeding sourdough starter can I use it? ›

Typically, the suggestion is to wait at least 4 hours. But this also depends on what you are making. If you are following a sourdough recipe, usually the author should tell you exactly when to do so.

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