20+ Sourdough Discard Breakfast Recipes (2024)

Today, I’m going to share with you 20+ sourdough discard breakfast recipes. Most of these are super easy, and most can be started the night before or whipped up right in the morning without waiting. So if you have a lot of extra sourdough discard, these breakfast recipes are for you.

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If you are just getting started in your sourdough journey, you may be looking for a great way to use all that leftover sourdough discard. With grocery prices these days, we need little to no waste in the kitchen. I’m not about to toss perfectly good food.

Well, here you have it, friends – easy and delicious sourdough discard recipes for breakfast. Rather than just throwing it away, use your discard in delicious recipes.

Something I don’t think most people realize is that it’s not just active sourdough starter that can ferment dough.

With a little time, discard will also have health benefits, like breaking down the phytic acid and gluten. Or if you are not sensitive to gluten, many recipes can be whipped up right away without waiting, still boasting the classic sourdough tang.

From savory to sweet, there are so many deliciousways to use up something that is typically tossed.

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Tips:

  • Usually if a recipe calls for a leavening agent, like baking soda or baking powder, discard will also work. This is because the rise is not coming from the wild yeast in the starter, but rather the leavening agents.
  • Leftover sourdough starter discard can still offer the same benefits of active starter when allowed to ferment.
  • Most of these recipes can be either long fermented or made right away without waiting.
  • Learn how to make a sourdough starter or even a gluten-free sourdough starter here.

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Stand mixer

Measuring cups and spoons

Large bowl

Baking sheets

Loaf pan

Dough whisk

Silicone spatula

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Sourdough Discard Breakfast Ideas

Breakfast doesn’t need to be hard. Here are a few of my favorite ways to use a lot of sourdough discard to make a delicious breakfast.

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Quick Breads

There are so many delicious quick breads that can be made. Since they include leavening agents, they can be made quickly and don’t need to be fermented. A few of my favorite recipes include sourdough banana bread, pumpkin bread, zucchini bread, and this cranberry bread (perfect for Christmas morning).

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Muffins

Sourdough muffins make a really easy, make ahead breakfast. I often make a double batch and freeze half for later.

Zucchini chocolate muffins

Pumpkin or banana muffins

Classic sourdough blueberry muffins

Lemon poppyseed

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Sourdough Pancakes

While this recipe says to use an active starter, you can definitely use discard to make these delicious pancakes. The baking soda will still make them fluffy, and if we’re making pancakes in this home, they need to be fluffy pancakes. They will be more tangy because of the discard. Top with melted butter and maple syrup.

Or try thisbuttermilk versionor thiscrepe recipe.

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Sourdough Discard Waffles

Crispy on the outside, and fluffy on the inside, these are the perfect waffles for breakfast, requiring minimal ingredients.

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Sourdough Cheese Waffles

Crispy, sourdough waffles packed with cheddar cheese. They are so good and make a yummy breakfast, or use in place of bread to make a sandwich.

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German pancakes

This delicious Dutch Baby pancake has a soft center with the classic puffiness of your favorite German pancake recipe, but made healthier with fermented grains. It’s the perfect recipe for all that sourdough discard. Fresh fruit and a splash of maple syrup might be the best way to enjoy these!

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Sourdough Biscuits:

Fluffy and buttery sourdough biscuits are so flavorful and tender, they make the perfect breakfast. Serve with jam or turn them into breakfast sandwiches with eggs, bacon, sausage, or other toppings.

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Discard Scones

This recipe has that classic tender crumb you can expect from a scone. A master scone recipe, add your favorite flavors, from blueberries to chocolate chips to lemon zest, and everything in between. This will be one of your favorite recipes.

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Discard Bagels

I love these discard bagels. They are much quicker than standard sourdough bagels. Serve with cream cheese or turn them into breakfast sandwiches.

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Toast

Toast is a staple in our house. To make this a discard recipe, use this sourdough discard bread recipe to then make toast. Top with avocado, bacon, sprouts, or just plain butter.

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Breakfast Pizza

This is a recipe the whole family loves, and it is super simple to make. Use my favorite, super-fast pizza crust recipe and then add your favorite toppings. Cheese, sausage, ham, eggs, sliced tomatoes, etc.

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Crepes

This is one of my favorite,easy breakfast recipes. These crepes are super easy to make and all you need are 5 simple ingredients and some delicious fillings to make this recipe. Our favorite way to serve these is with homemade whipped cream and fresh berries.

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Popovers

A delicious and comforting treat! They have a soft interior with that classic sourdough tang. All you need is a little butter on your hot popovers to make the perfect winter day snack!

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Donuts

Perfect for a special occasion, these easy, baked, cake-like donuts have a soft interior and are topped with a vanilla icing. The perfect special treat for a birthday or just a fun weekend. This recipe is super easy and fast to make, or you can do a long fermented version for more health benefits.

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Coffee Cake

One of our favorite breakfasts for special occasions like Christmas or birthdays. A sourdough vanilla cake layered with a cinnamon filling and topped with brown sugar crumble. So yummy.

Find More Sourdough Recipes

  • Pretzel Buns
  • Crumpets
  • Stuffing
  • French Toast Casserole with Apple, Cinnamon, and Raisin
  • Cinnamon Crunch Bagels
20+ Sourdough Discard Breakfast Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How much sourdough discard to use? ›

Weigh out how much discard you want to add to the recipe (no more than 200g). Divide the weight into 2. Subtract this amount of flour and water (or other liquid) from the recipe. Add the sourdough discard in place of these amounts of flour and water.

Does sourdough discard still have health benefits? ›

Technically, sourdough discard has the same benefits as sourdough starter, since they are both wild yeast ferments. In terms of beneficial lactic acid bacteria, natural yeasts acetic acid and colonies of microbes, they are both full of them.

How long can sourdough discard stay in fridge? ›

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.

What can I do with day 3 sourdough discard? ›

What to do with sourdough discard? 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.

What is the best container for sourdough discard? ›

A clear, straight-sided container is perfect for the job. You can see into the container without having to open it, and the straight sides allow you to estimate the growth (or not) of the discard more accurately. The lid of this container should ideally allow for air circulation but keep pesky bugs out.

Does sourdough discard have to be active to use? ›

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.

Is sourdough good or bad for the gut? ›

Sourdough bread may be easier to digest than white bread for some people. According to some studies, sourdough bread acts as a prebiotic, which means that the fiber in the bread helps feed the “good” bacteria in your intestines. These bacteria are important for maintaining a stable, healthy digestive system.

Is sourdough bread inflammatory? ›

The best bread to reduce gut inflammation is bread made from whole grains. Refined grains, such as the grains found in white bread and white pasta, are known to increase inflammation across the whole body. Sourdough bread and rye bread are both good options for an anti-inflammatory diet.

How does sourdough bread affect gut health? ›

The fermentation process alters the enzymes in the wheat and pre-digests the flour by consuming its sugar. This means that the food is partially digested before it arrives. Ultimately improving the digestion time and effectiveness. Also, even though sourdough isn't gluten-free, it is lower in gluten.

How do I know if my discard is bad? ›

The discard should be fine in the fridge, however if it is displaying signs of mold or any pink or orange tinges then it has gone bad and needs to be tossed.

Can you use 2 week old sourdough discard? ›

This depends on where you're storing it! Room temperature sourdough discard should be used, refrigerated, or thrown away after 36-48 hours. Sourdough discard can be kept in the fridge for weeks, BUT it continues to get sourer as time passes.

How do you know when sourdough has gone bad? ›

It's pretty easy to tell when sourdough bread has gone bad because it will be covered in visible signs of mold growth and will feel hard both inside and out. It may also smell bad too, but not always. Once it's past the fresh stage (first 24 hours) you will notice some deterioration in crust and crumb.

Can I use immature sourdough discard? ›

However, “discard” doesn't necessarily mean “throw out.” A two-to-three day old starter can be used to add amazing flavor and texture to a number of baked goods, even if it is not quite ready to make your dream loaf of sourdough bread.

Can I bake with Day 3 sourdough discard? ›

BUT! You can also use that discard for baking. Some people will use it right away, in which case it'll still be pretty active. Other people prefer to store their sourdough discard until they have enough to bake with.

Can you freeze sourdough discard and use it later? ›

Can you freeze sourdough starter discard? While feeding an active starter is a better idea, freezing discard will also work. I would suggest freezing discard that has been more recently fed, it may take longer for the starter to become thriving and active after thawing.

Can you use day 1 sourdough discard? ›

I recommend keeping sourdough discard for about one week, but I do know others who keep it for much longer. After one week, there is a higher risk of mold or bad bacteria growing on the discard.

Can you use 2 day old sourdough discard? ›

How long can you keep sourdough discard? I've kept mine in the fridge for up to 3-4 weeks without feeding and used it in sourdough discard recipes and it was just fine. As long as it's not growing mold or bad bacteria, it's safe to use. It won't give you any rise, but it will add flavor!

How do you use sourdough starter 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.

What happens if I 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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