Got sourdough discard? Don’t toss it! Learn how to use, store, and create incredible sourdough discard recipes at home without the waste.
Let’s clear up the confusion around sourdough discard: what it is, why we have it, and how it effects sourdough bread. I’ve been baking sourdough for over 13 years, and here’s what’s crucial to remember: take care of your sourdough starter and it will take care of you.
In this post, I’ve outlined everything you need to know about sourdough discard including a collection of my best sourdough discard recipes (plus more in my bestselling book: Artisan Sourdough Made Simple).
Sourdough Discard: What Is it?
Sourdough “discard” is the portion of starter you remove before feeding what’s left in the jar with fresh flour and water. This routine technique keeps your starter healthy and manageable.
What’s The Point? And Why?
- Balance acidity: (think sour vs. fruity, sweet smell). Discarding so regularly will optimize the taste, texture and rise of your sourdough bread.
- Control growth: If you don’t discard, your starter will grow out control and you’ll have too much- you’ll never use it.
- Reduce waste: Avoids having too much starter that you can’t use.
- Maintain health: Keeps your starter strong and active for better bread rise.
Where Does The Discard Go? Do You Throw It Away?
While name “discard” implies throwing it away, you don’t have to. Only toss discard if it’s moldy, discolored, or smells off. Otherwise, it’s perfectly fine and useful for baking. Use your judgement.
Here’s an example:
Let’s say you have about 1 cup of sourdough discard ready for pancakes, but life gets in the way and you stash it in the fridge instead. Two weeks later, you remember it and want to use it—but now it has a dark liquid on top and smells off, like gym socks. If your discard looks or smells like this, it’s best not to use it.
Creative Uses for Sourdough Discard
Good-quality discard, let’s say from recently fed and collapsed starter, can be used to make a variety of sourdough discard recipes from sweet to savory and everything in between. A few ideas below:
How to Store Sourdough Discard for Best Results
- In the Fridge: collect and save your sourdough discard in the fridge. Store it in a sealed, airtight jar. This method is great for those who bake several times a week but cannot commit to using the discard right away. It should keep for about a week or so.
- In the Freezer: store discard in the freezer for prolonged use (I don’t do this). In my experience, you tend to forget it about unless you’re really organized! But nevertheless, the discard can be frozen in a small container and defrosted overnight in the fridge. In the freezer, it should last a few months.
- At Room Temperature (70 F): Store in an airtight jar for 1-2 days, on the counter. Beyond that timeframe, it won’t go bad necessarily; the discard will become more acidic as time goes on especially in warm weather (not ideal for sweet recipes).
Can Sourdough Discard Be Used To Make A New Starter?
Yes: the amount you “discard” or pour off from an established starter can be fed in a separate bowl to create a new sourdough starter or levain.
What Is A Levain?
Veering slightly off the topic of discard, but good to know…
Oftentimes, the terms sourdough starter and levain are used interchangeably. They’re slightly different. A levain is an offshoot of your main sourdough starter. For example, if you pour some sourdough starter into a separate bowl and feed it with rye flour, you’ve just created a levain. Your original jar of sourdough starter (the mother) fed exclusively with white flour, remains untouched. What’s the benefit of this technique? Portion control, flour control, and flavor building.
How to Reduce Sourdough Discard Waste
Interestingly enough, many bakers actually have zero interest in sourdough discard recipes. It all boils down to what’s practical for the baker. Timing? Waste? Don’t like pancakes?
Here are a few tips to consider: Keep a smaller-sized starter to begin with. This way, you’ll discard less and use only what you need. Or, keep a “mother” starter as mentioned in the section above. Alternatively, throw some in a jar (I use this one) and share some with a friend!
Final Thoughts:
Whether you’re trying new recipes, sharing with fellow bakers, or passing on it altogether, understanding sourdough discard is the key to its versatility and sustainability. Have your own tips? Share them below!
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Sourdough Discard Recipes 101: Best Sourdough Breakfast Pancakes
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 40
- Yield: (10x) 6-inch pancakes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
An easy, one-bowl recipe for fluffy homemade pancakes using leftover sourdough discard. The batter can be made overnight or on the same day- it’s up to you! This is the most popular sourdough discard recipe on my blog.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 tbsp. (24 g) sugar
- 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 g) sourdough starter (100% hydration, either leftover discard or bubbly)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (240 ml) milk, plus more as needed
- 3 tbsp. (42 g) melted unsalted butter or oil, plus more to coat the skillet
To Serve
- Pure maple syrup
- Fresh berries
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
Overnight Preparation:
For thick and fluffy pancakes: Combine the wet and dry ingredients EXCEPT for the baking powder and baking soda. Whisk well, cover and chill overnight. The next day, sift the powders directly over the bowl and whisk again to combine. The texture should be thick, bubbly, and pourable. Add extra milk, 1 tbsp at a time, to thin out the texture if needed. Let the batter sit for at least 5 minutes to aerate; it should be nice and bubbly before using. The batter can be used cold.
For thin and fluffy pancakes: Add all of the ingredients together and chill overnight. No need to add the leavening agents separately.
Same Day Preparation:
Preheat your oven to 250 F.
In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together. Add the wet ingredients. Whisk gently until a smooth batter forms; some lumps are ok.
In a large 10-inch skillet (cast iron or non-stick), melt a small pat of butter over medium-low heat. Swirl the pan around to coat.
Pour 1/3 cup of batter into the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes, lowering the heat as needed. When the edges begin to puff up and bubbles appear on the surface, flip it over. Cook for another minute or so. Place the pancake onto a sheet pan and keep warm in the oven while you cook the rest.
To continue, use a scrunched up paper towel to wipe out the skillet. Add more butter if the pan gets too dry. Repeat the cooking process until you are finished with the batter.
To serve, stack the warm pancakes on a platter for your guests to help themselves. Have plenty of pure maple syrup, fresh berries and powdered sugar at the ready.
Comments
Janet says
This is the best sourdough bread I have ever enjoyed. Tell, how do you feel about adding vital wheat gluten to a recipe?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Janet! Thank you so much! Good question. I typically don’t feel the need to do so. The flour I work with – from all purpose to bread flour – is good quality and strong enough. Vital wheat gluten is good for other types of bread though, like rye, where it would give the rise a nice boost.
Carol says
Hi Emilie,
Guess I fell through the rabbit hole…..In my excitement after reading your book “Artisan Sourdough Made Simple” I not only explored others, bought a kit, made the kit with a combination of 25 grams all purpose flour and 25 grams of whole wheat flour and 50 grams unfiltered water. Not even that….checking out Youtube and other recipies! THEN I made the kit!! RESULTS: I had a few bubbles of the starter on Day 2. By day3 Bubbles everywhere both small and large! It plassed the float test and according to the kit was ready to use for baking. It advised though, to not use the discard recipes until after day 8. So here I am, guess that I’ve used both your book,The Clever Carrot and others.
NOW QUESTION: From your book you put a total number of starter grams by each step of feeding even after discarding half of the starter? I don’t understand how the total starter number increases after discarding 1/2 of the starter in the feeding process, and how I can increase my starter? If I just don’t discard, there’s going to be hooch. Maybe I should discard the whole thing and restart with using only your book and the Clever Carrot: I feel torn because what I have now looks so good. This is so exciting and Thank you so much.
falak says
Very informative post! I learned to make use of the leftover sourdough rather than throwing it away. incredibly useful!
Nancy Pierro says
I will be making a new starter and was looking for recipes to use the discard because it does seem to be a waste, especially when using Einkorn flour. I am buying your book because I saw you have a recipe for sourdough Zeppole! My grandmother would make them and fill the large tomato baskets, lined with paper bags. My dad always called them Zeepees and after grandma passed on, we could not find a recipe. Took a couple of years of searching and a million questions before we learned the real name!! LOL! They are now a wonderful treat and a GREAT memory. Thank you!!!
Linda Massey says
You say to change your starter from whole wheat flour to white flour for feeding ? Why do this? Can you just keep it with whole wheat flour?
Markéta Zelenka says
This is THE ultimate pancake recipe! I used some whole spelt flour and also 20g of buckwheat flour, reduced the sugar to 14g and they were absolutely beautiful. Easy to make with the overnight method. This will be my go-to pancake recipe from now on! Thank you so much!!
Bea says
Made some pancakes with my discarded sourdough starters. Was amazingly delicious. Thanks for your recipe. So easy to make.
Anne Owens says
Sorry but I’m a little confused. When I go to bake the starter mixture do I keep a little to start a new starter and if so what do I do with it or do I have to start from scratch again please? Can’t wait to try this but not sure about what it how much of the mixture to use. If you could please let me know I would be really grateful xxx
Moya says
I understand you take a bit off and keep feeding “mother”
Denise says
I got an email saying my question was answered but I can’t find either the question or your reply to my previous comment. How is this set up to work?
M says
Very fluffy! No taste of sourdough…which is fine. Batter is in the fridge now, for savory crepes later…thx!
Diana says
This recipe was OK. I found the pancakes to mix and cook nicely like normal but they tasted dense and more savory. Not sweet enough or buttery enough. I do not recommend this recipe for “kids” pancakes.
Sandra says
Fluffy and easy but not much flavor. If I try these again, I’ll play with vanilla or almond extract or lemon and blueberries.
Karen says
I have made bread from a starter but not this SD bread and I’m so excited. My question is once your starter is ready to make the bread, is there enough to keep feeding to make another loaf or do you simply stay the entire process over. If there is, what are the instructions for getting that ready for bread.
Denise says
Hi Emilie, On using the discard here, why do recipes add baking powder & soda if the starter is made with natural wild yeast which is supposed to provide the ‘rise’ for the dough? I want to avoid the other leavening agents and commercial yeast which some other bakers add to their bread too. I’m confused on this. Is there a way to make pancakes without eggs or the added leavenings?
Nancy Lindsay says
I’m interested in this, too. I would like to use my starter and discard to bake without added chemical leavening.
April says
Baking soda will neutralize excessive sourness in the discard that you may not want in certain recipes.
mellisa botha says
I would also l8ke to know why do we have to include the baking soda? I don’t like the taste of it in my baked goods
Ann Thiel says
My starter is active so when I feed it if I’m using the active discard perhaps I won’t need to add yeast ?????
Linda K says
When you use discard, it is no longer active starter and will be unable to rise dough. You need to use active starter for bread, which is baked from dough and usually requires a large commitment of time to prepare.
Discard–inactive starter–is usually used for items baked from batter. The discard improves flavor and adds some healthy fermentation to your baked goods, but it is unable to contribute to the necessary rise. That is why you still need to add baking soda and/or baking powder and sometimes buttermilk to your batter-baked items.
It is possible to use discard to bake bread, but just like with batter baking, it will not contribute to the rise, so yeast must be added for the bread to rise. When using discard plus yeast, you get the flavor of sourdough bread without the huge time commitment, which is a plus for some people. However, you won’t get all of the health benefits of bread risen completely with active sourdough starter.
Also, if you buy sourdough bread in the supermarket, check the ingredients carefully. There should be NO yeast listed in the ingredients or it’s not true sourdough bread and doesn’t have all the health benefits.
Patty says
I added cinnamon. The receipe was good and easy.