One of my biggest downfalls as a sourdough baker is that I hate feeding my starter. I do it when needed, but the scooping half a jar of perfectly good flour in the trash every day makes me feel guilty. Like I’m wasting a bunch of really great food.
So that’s when I set out to find some awesome recipes that allowed me to use my leftover starter to create something delicious.
I started to keep a second jar in the fridge and pour my discard in there instead of the garbage and before long, I was ready to make something with it.
Here are 23 of my favorite recipes that I’ve found, iterated, and created with my sourdough discard.
Quick Tip: If you’re unsure what discard is, it’s the starter you have that you haven’t fed recently. Sometimes mine sits in the fridge for three or four weeks and turns gray and a layer of liquid starts to pool on top. You just pour the liquid off (hooch) or stir it back in.
1. Everything Bagel Flatbread
This is one of the easiest recipes for your discard. I make these for breakfast, and for dinner when I’ve forgotten to plan something and I have chili waiting on the stove.
For everything bagels, you’ll need discard, butter, salt, and whatever seasoning you like. It’s quick and easy.
Melt about a teaspoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat, pour in your half a cup of discard, and spread it around with the back of a spoon. From there, sprinkle salt and everythign bagel seasoning on the top when it’s wet.
You’ll cook these for 3-4 minutes until the bottoms are golden, then you’ll flip them.
Pro Tip: If you want these crispy instead of chewy, spread the discard way thinner and cut the butter down to a half a teaspoon. If you add too much butter, it’ll just soak in.
2. Copycat Cheese Crackers
These copycat cheese crackers taste WAY better than the ones out of a box and you’re avoiding the weird ingredients that the commercial crackers contain.
You’ll need one cup of discard, two tablespoons of melted butter, a half cup of finely shredded sharp white cheddar, a half teaspoon of sugar, a quarter teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of smoked paprika.
You’ll mix all the ingredients in a bowl, pour it onto a parchment lined sheet pan, and spread it super thin. Bake these at 325 degrees for 7 minutes, then pull them out, score your squares, and then put them back in for another 20 minutes or so.
Something important to remember is to flip them halfway through the second bake. Additionally, make sure you spread them thin if you want crackers with good crunch.
If you take them out of the oven and you think they feel too soft, just wait a bit. They’ll keep crisping as they cool.
3. Fluffy Sourdough Pancakes
If you want to pick a really simple recipe from this recipe, make it the sourdough pancakes.
You’ll use one cup of discard, one cup of buttermilk, two eggs, a quater cup of melted butter, a tablespoon of sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla, a cup and a half of flour, a tablespoon of baking powder, a teaspoon of baking soda, and half a teaspoon of salt.
Mix all of your wet ingredients well, then mix in the dry ingredients. Once it comes together, stop mixing. You’ll see that your batter will likely be lumpy and that’s what you’re looking for because smooth batter makes chewy pancakes and you want fluffy ones.
While your pan heats up, let your batter just sit.
My favorite swap is to add buttermilk to your batter because it makes them tangy and fluffier. Trust me on that, I’ve made these a hundred times.
These also freeze great, so stack them with parchment between them and pull them out to toast in the mornings.
4. Crumpets
Crumpets are a fun recipe to try with your discard, too. They’re yummy, fancy, and delicious.
You’ll need a cup of discard, a teaspoon of honey, a quarter teaspoon of salt, and a half of a teaspoon of baking soda. Stir in the baking soda last because it will puff up, which is exactly what you’re looking for.
Grease your English muffin pan and set them on a griddle at about 300 degrees. You’ll fill each English muffin ring about a quarter of the way up.
Cook these for five minutes or until the tops create little holes and set. Then you’ll life the rings off, flip them, and give ’em another 3 minutes or so.
You’ll get 4-5 out of a cup of discard.
Like the pancakes, you can save these and toast them for the next day. Spread them with butter and jam and you’ll have yourself a fun and fancy treat.
5. Thin Crust Skillet Pizza
I’m a pizza lover, so this recipe is one of my favorites.
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees with a cast iron skillet inside. If you forget this step and use a lukewarm pan, it’ll give you a sad crust.
When the skillet is hot, pull it out, add some avocado oil, and pour in enough discard to make a thin layer. You can tilt the pan to spread it. Then put it back in the oven until the top looks dry.
A change I like to make is to flip the crust over before you top it. The other side of the crust crisps up while the cheese melts and it’ll fix the gummy middle.
Add on any sauce, cheese, or whatever toppings you want, then put it back in until it’s bubbling.
You might be curious about pouring in more discard to make the dough thicker, but I’ve tried this and it just turns the crust doughy, so don’t bother.
6. Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
These cookies are phenomenal, but they do take some work, so plan ahead for this recipe.
To make these, brown two sticks of butter in a saucepan until the milk solids turn golden and it starts to smell nutty. From there, let it cool down.
Separately, whisk in a cup of brown sugar and a half cup of white sugar, two eggs, a big splash of vanilla, a tablespoon of molasses, and half a cup of discard.
Fold in two and a quarter cups of flour, a teaspoon of baking soda, and a teaspoon salt. Then chocolate chips or chopped chocolate.
Cover it and put it in the fridge for 12-24 hours. You need to refrigerate for that long because the sourdough is slowly working on the flour, and the flavor gets deeper and tangier.
Bake these at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, then pull them out while the centers still look underdone.
Yumm! These are some of my favorite cookies, so I hope you enjoy.
7. Tortillas
Once you try this sourdough discard recipe, you’ll never go back to store-bought tortillas.
These were also way easier than I expected. Here’s how you can make them:
You’ll need a heaping cup and a quarter of flour, a teaspoon of salt, a half cup of discard, two tablespoons of fat, and a quarter cup of water.
Pro-Tip: I use lard or bacon grease instead of olive oil because it makes them softer and it’s what I have.
Mix all of your ingredients, knead it for a few minutes until it’s smooth, then let it sit covered for at least 30 minutes. If you skip letting it sit for 30 minutes, the dough will fight back, so do yourself a favor and give it some time.
From there, divide into 8 balls, roll them thin, and cook in a dry cast iron over medium heat for a minute or two a side.
These will puff as they heat, and they are absolutely delicious.
8. Sourdough Dutch Baby
I used to make dutch babies (German pancakes) without sourdough and then quickly realized it was a great excuse for using my discard.
Preheat your oven at 425 degrees with five tablespoons of butter melting in a cast iron skillet. While that’s going, whisk five eggs, then add two cups of discard, a third cup of milk, a half teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon of vanilla, two tablespoons of maple syrup, and the zest of an orange.
That orange zest is my favorite addition because it’s really good with the tang.
Pull the hot pan out, pour the batter in, and bake 15 to 20 minutes. Don’t let the butter sit in there past melted or you’ll end up with brown butter, which is delicious, but not for this recipe.
I love that this recipe requires two full cups of discard because it make a big dent in the jar.
On top, add whatever you’d like. I like to put powder sugar, berries, and light syrup or honey.
Something to note if you’ve never had a dutch baby before.. texture-wise, these are more custard than fluffy pancake. If you want lift, use active bubbly starter instead of discard.
9. Beef Empanadas
If you have time and are determined to make some yummy empanadas, this is the recipe for you. But remember, these take TIME!
For the dough,
These are the most work on this list and also the thing I’ve gotten the most compliments on.
For the dough, you’ll need a half a cup of discard, two tablespoons of ice water, one egg, a scant two and a half cups of flour, a teaspoon of salt, a half a teaspoon of baking powder, and two sticks of very cold butter. Note that you’ll want visible chunks of butter because that is what makes it flaky.
To get started, chill the dough for 30 minutes, then divide into 12 balls, and chill again.
For the filling, I brown a pound of ground beef with finely diced sweet potato and one carrot, then I season with paprika and a little taco seasoning. Then I stir in frozen peas at the end. Sometimes I skip the peas because I’m truly not a fan of peas, but my family is, so it depends on how I feel.
I use sweet potato instead of white potato because it holds its shape better and adds a little sweetness to compliment the paprika.
You’ll cool the filling completely before you fill, and you’ll use about three tablespoons eat. Crimp it with a fork, egg wash it, and bake it at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
These freeze really well, so I make a double batch every time. Since it takes so much work, you might as well get your time’s worth!
10. Graham Crackers
Our kids love these, and they’re fun to keep around for snacks on long drives.
You’ll cream 8 tablespoons of butter with three quarters of a cup of brown sugar. Then add a third cup of maple syrup, one cup of discard, and a teaspoon of vanilla.
Separately, mix three cups of flour, a half a teaspoon of baking soda, three quarters of a teaspoon of salt, and a teaspoon and a half of cinnamon. Combine it all, knead it until it comes together, wrap it, and chill for an hour.
From there, roll it to about an eight of an inch on parchment, cut it into squares, and poke the holes with a fork.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
If you want really snappy graham crackers (my kids’ favorite), roll them thin and bake for the full 15 minutes.
These are especially fun to use when you’re making smores with the kids by the campfire! Way better than the store bought ones!
11. Fresh Pasta
If you’re into homemade pasta, you have to try it with your discard.
You’ll need just three ingredients: a scant half a cup of discard, two eggs, and two cups of flour. I swap about a third of that flour for semolina because it gives the noodles more bite.
Make a well in the flour, pour the eggs and discard in the middle, and slowly work the flour in with a fork until it forms a shaggy dough.
Then knead it and keep kneading it for about 10 minutes. To took me this long to get it smooth and elastic.
Let it sit for 30 minutes in a zip lock bag, then roll it and cut it.
You do NOT need a pasta machine. A rolling pin and a sharp knife work fine.
12. Fluffy Biscuits
For this one, you’ll need two and a half cups of flour, a tablespoon of baking powder, a teaspoon of sugar, three quarters of a teaspoon of salt, a stick of very cold grated butter, one cup of buttermilk, and a half a cup of room temperature discard.
To get started, grate the butter frozen. Cubes of butter give you fine biscuits, but grated frozen butter will give you layers and that’s what you want.
Bring it together with as few strokes as possible, fold it over on itself a few times, cut your biscuits, and bake them at 425 degrees for 14 to 16 minutes.
This recipe will make you about a dozen biscuits.
13. Fudgy Brownies
I don’t eat a lot of sweets, but when I do, this recipe is a go-to.
You’ll melt a stick of butter with 12 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Separately, beat two eggs plus one yolk with a cup of white sugar and a half a cup of dark brown sugar for 7-10 minutes or until it goes pale and thick like meringue.
Fold in the chocolate, a half a cup of dutched cocoa, two teaspoons of vanilla, a half a cup of discard, a cup of flour, a teaspoon of salt, and half a teaspoon of espresso powder if you have it. The espresso won’t taste like coffee, it just helps accent that chocolate.
You’ll bake these in a 9×9 pan at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. I always underbake these slightly to keep them gooey!
14. Naan
Indian food is a weakness for me, so when I learned you can make delicious naan with sourdough discard I was forever changed.
To make naan, you’ll need a cup and a half of flour, a teaspoon of baking powder, three quarters teaspoon of salt, a quarter teaspoon of baking soda, a half a cup of discard, a quarter cup of plain whole milk Greek yogurt, 3 tablespoons of water, and two tablespoons of olive oil.
Knead your ingredients into a dough, then divide it into eight. Cover, and let it sit for 10 minutes.
Roll itinto quarter inch rounds and cook them in a medium high cast iron for 1-2 minutes per side.
Brush with garlic butter the moment they come off the heat.
15. Banana Bread
Banana bread is a staple in our house.
You’ll need 3 overripe bananas (it turns out to be about a cup when mashed), two eggs, a splash of vanilla, a third of a cup of melted butter, a scant half cup of discard, a heaping cup and a half of flour, two and a half teaspoons of baking powder, a half cup of packed brown sugar, a quarter cup of white sugar, and a pinch of salt.
Combine your ingredients and bake it at 350 degrees for about an hour or until a skewer comes out clean.
I brush the top with a little warmed honey when it comes out of the oven instead of syrup because we have a lot of honey and it’s better in my opinion.
Let it cool for 30 minutes in the pan before you try to move it or you’re looking at disaster.
16. Sausage Balls
These are absolutely delicious, so try this recipe at least once.
You’ll need a cup of flour, one cup of discard, two tablespoons of baking powder, four cups of shreaded cheese, one pound of breakfast sausage (or bacon), a half a teaspoon of pepper, and a quarter teaspoon of cayenne.
This one you’ll need to use your hands for. Mix all your ingredients with your hands (wear gloves if you have to) becuase a spoon will not do the job. Really get in there so it’s all mixed together.
From there, roll it into inch balls and bake at 375 for 20-23 minutes. Shred your own cheese so that you aren’t using the bagged stuff – that will dry out the sausage balls (unfortunately).
17. Corn Fritters
We love corn fritters and we love them even more when we use discard to create them.
It requires a cup of discard, a cup of corn (fresh off the cob in August or frozen corn for the rest of the year), one egg, a quarter cup of flour, a half a teaspoon of baking powder, salt, pepper, and a few chopped green onions.
You’ll drop spoonfuls of your dough into about a half inch of hot oil and fry them for 2-3 minutes per side or until they are deep golden.
Put honey on top of them for a sweet touch.
If you want, you can use the same batter and add a little more flour to make really great hush puppies. You’ll just roll it into balls instead.
18. English Muffins
These will take about 24 hours from start to finish, but it requires very little work during that time.
You’ll need to mix about four cups of bread flour (spoon it into the cup and level it off, don’t pack it), two teaspoons of salt, a tablespoon of honey, three tablespoons of oil, two tablespoons of discard straight from the fridge, and a cup and a quarter of water (room temperature). Mix this until it comes together; leaving it lumpy is completely fine. Then let it sit for an hour and it will smooth itself out.
Leave this on the counter all day, and then that evening, divide it into eight, shape it into balls, and roll them in a mix of cornmeal and a little flour. You’ll let them proof overnight somewhere that’s around 66 to 68 degrees.
Cook them in the morning in a covered skillet over low heat.
When you split these, use a fork all the way around and pull. Don’t use a knife because the fork is what gives you the nooks.
19. Waffles (And Cheddar Waffle
19. Waffles
This is an easy one, too. You’ll need two cups of discard, two eggs, a quarter of a cup of melted coconut oil, two tablespoons of honey, a half a teaspoon of salt, and a teaspoon of baking soda.
Make sure you’re using that oil noted in the ingredients – I know a few people who have tried to cut that out, but waffles require more fat than pancakes do because they need to crisp up. Without it, you’re looking at soggy waffles, and no one wants that.
For me, I like to skip the sweet toppings and instead stir in a cup of shredded sharp cheddar for a more savory waffle. You can even use those waffles for sandwich bread and add things like bacon, tomato, and some mayo. It’s incredible as a sandwich!
20. Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
We use these for snacks on the go or for lunchboxes.
You’ll need two cups of quick oats, a half a cup of discard, a half a cup of mini chocolate chios, 6 tablespoons of honey, 6 tablespoons of peanut butter, a teaspoon of vanilla, a half a teaspoon of salt, and a couple tablespoons of ground flax.
Once you’ve combined your ingredients, press it hard into a parchment lined pan. Bake them at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. This recipe will make 12 bars.
I recommend storing them in a fridge, especially in summer because they’ll hold together much better.
21. Blueberry Lemon Loaf
This is my mom’s favorite recipe. Add together two cups of flour, a teaspoon of baking powder, a teaspoon of baking soda, a half a teaspoon of salt, a tablespoon of lemon zest, one cup of discard, three quarters cup of brown sugar, a half cup of melted butter, two eggs, two tablespoons of lemon juice, and a cup of blueberries.
I like to toss the blueberries in a spoonful of the flour before they go in so they don’t all sink to the bottom.
You’ll bake this at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes in a greased loaf pan. The glaze on top is optional, but if you decide to go for it, you’ll need powdered sugar, lemon juice, and a splash of cream.
22. Breading for Chicken or Fish
A lot of people don’t know you can do this, but I highly recommend giving it a shot.. use your discard as your wet layer instead of an egg wash when breading chicken or fish.
Dip your chicken tenders or fish fillets straight into the discard, let the extra drop off, and then press them into seasoned breadcrumbs or crushed crackers. Then you’ll just fry or air fry them like normal.
The discard clings way better to the meat than eggs and the coating stays on instead of sliding off the pan. It also adds a layer of tang under the crust and it’s incredible with fish.
23. Scallion Pancakes
The last thing I do with discard when the jar is almost empty and there’s not enough for anything else on this list is use it for scallion pancakes.
To make these, heat a cast iron over medium heat with a little oil. Pour in whatever discard you’ve got, and let it spread out on its own. When the top starts to bubble like a pancake, scatter sliced green onions and sesame seeds over the wet side and press them in gently.
From there, add a little oil to the top, flip them, and cook until both sides are really crisp. That will take about 3-5 minutes per side depending on your heat.
You’re looking for a certain consistancy with these – chewy on the inside and shattery on the outside.
You can use soy sauce as a dipping sauce. And sometimes I add chili crisp because chili crisp is my go-to for everything.
How To Store Your Discard
You’ve made it this far in the post, so I’m sure you know how to story your discard. BUT for those who need a few pointers..
Get a wide mouth quart jar and every time you feed your starter, dump the discard in and put it back into the fridge. Don’t stir it or try to feed it.
It’ll be layered and weird-looking with different colors from different days, and that’s completely fine.
Mine has gone 6 weeks and made perfectly good crackers.
But if it starts to grow fuzzy mold or turns orange or pink, that’s your sign to throw it out. That said, dark liquid on top and a sharp vinegar smell are completely normal, so don’t be alarmed by that.
Important Tip: How thick your discard is changes how the recipe will work. Thin and soupy discard will mean you need a little extra flour, but thick and pasty discard means a splash more liquid.
I know I might get some flack from people looking for solely “healthy” food, and I get it. We really do try to eat healthy and clean in our house, too. Many of these recipes are a once-in-a-while thing for us, and other recipes have been made once or twice.
Either way, give them a shot, and let me know which one worked best for you! Which was your favorite? I’m keen to hear your thoughts.
Erie is the owner and author of Everywhere Ontario. She’s lived and traveled around Ontario for over 30 years, visiting small towns and big cities from the shores of Lake Erie to the crisp northern air of Hearst along the Trans-Canada Highway. She is passionate about maximizing fun and supporting local tourist businesses and is always looking to provide the best recommendations to her fellow Ontario travelers. Read more about Erie here.