If you want to maintain a healthy sourdough starter while reducing food waste, a zero waste sourdough discard routine is the perfect approach. Discarding a portion of your starter is an important part of keeping it strong, active and balanced, but that does not mean the discard needs to end up in the bin.
When you keep your sourdough starter on the kitchen bench and feed it often, discard can build up surprisingly quickly. Many home bakers dislike the idea of removing half of their starter at every feed, but it is a necessary part of the sourdough process. The good news is that “discard” simply means unfed starter removed before feeding. It can be used in many delicious, practical and creative ways.
If you want to reduce how much discard you produce, you can store your mature starter in the fridge and feed it less often. You can also keep a smaller starter and build up only the amount you need before baking. Even with these methods, you will usually still have some sourdough discard to use.
Fortunately, using sourdough discard is one of the most enjoyable parts of keeping a starter. From pancakes and crackers to sauces, bread and pasta, there are plenty of ways to turn it into something useful.
IMPORTANT NOTE – It is best not to use sourdough discard during the first 5 to 7 days of building a new starter. In the early stage, the beneficial bacteria and wild yeast are still becoming established, and the starter may smell unpleasant. Put this early discard in the bin or compost instead.
Zero Waste Sourdough Discard
There are many simple and delicious ways to use sourdough discard instead of throwing it away. These zero waste sourdough discard ideas will help you make the most of every feed and keep your starter routine practical, economical and rewarding.
Dry Your Sourdough Discard
Dried sourdough discard is incredibly useful and easy to prepare. Remember, discard is simply unfed starter removed from the jar before you refresh it with flour and water.
Spread your discard thinly over baking paper and leave it to dry on your kitchen bench. You can also use a dehydrator on a low temperature if you want to speed up the process. Once it is completely dry, break it into pieces and blitz it in a high-powered food processor. The result is a tangy, flavourful powder that can be used in several ways:
- Use it like flour and add it to cakes, muffins, pizza dough or bread.
- Sprinkle it over salads, pasta or soup for a crunchy topping.
- Mix it into breadcrumbs when crumbing chicken or fish.
- Use it as a crispy topping for roast potatoes.
- Combine it with nutritional yeast to make a vegan-style parmesan topping.
Make a Sourdough Discard Batter
Traditional batter is made from flour and liquid, which makes sourdough discard a natural fit. It already contains flour and water, plus it brings extra flavour to fried foods.
To make a simple sourdough discard batter, mix 100g of discard with 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda. Add seasonings or flavourings to suit the food you are cooking, then coat and fry. If you want the batter to stretch further, whisk in a little soda water and extra flour until it has the consistency of thin pancake batter.
Try adding curry powder for fish, cinnamon for banana, or paprika for chicken. This is a quick way to use discard while creating a crisp, tasty coating.
Try These Delicious Sourdough Zucchini Fritters
These sourdough zucchini fritters use 100g of sourdough discard and are a great way to use up extra zucchini from the garden. They are simple, green, satisfying and ideal for a quick lunch, snack or side dish.
Make Sourdough Discard Cookies
Sourdough discard cookies are a sweet and easy way to use leftover starter, especially when you add plenty of chocolate chips. The discard adds depth of flavour and helps create a lovely texture. You can find a go-to recipe for sourdough cookies here, along with flavour variations.
Cheese & Bacon Popovers
Cheese and bacon popovers are a family-friendly sourdough discard recipe that works well as a snack, party food or lunchbox addition. They are easy to make, full of flavour and a great way to use starter discard without fuss. You’ll find the recipe here.
Try These Delicious Sourdough Garlic Bread Bites
A batch of sourdough garlic bread bites is another tasty way to use discard. They are savoury, comforting and ideal for serving with pasta, soup or a casual meal.
Sourdough Discard Crackers
Sourdough discard crackers are one of the most popular ways to reduce starter waste. They are crisp, versatile and can be flavoured in countless ways. Once you understand the basic method, you can adjust the herbs, spices, cheese and toppings to suit your pantry.
If you need inspiration, try one of these sourdough cracker ideas:
- Parmesan & Rosemary Sourdough Crackers
- Sourdough Crackers with Cinnamon Sugar
- Sourdough Grissini
- Whole Wheat Lavosh with sourdough starter
- Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Crackers
- Sourdough Lavosh with Cranberries and Pistachios
Make Sourdough Béchamel Sauce
Once you start looking for recipes that use flour, you will find many opportunities to add sourdough discard. Béchamel, also known as white sauce, is made with flour, butter and milk, so discard can replace the dry flour in the mixture.
This is a useful option for lasagne, pasta bakes, gratins and creamy sauces. You can find an easy recipe for sourdough béchamel here.
Fluffiest Sourdough Discard Pancakes Ever
Sourdough discard pancakes are a favourite in many homes because they are quick, fluffy and easy to prepare. They are also a clever way to add a little extra goodness to breakfast before a busy school or work day.
You can mix the batter the night before, which makes mornings much easier. You’ll find the recipe for sourdough discard pancakes here.
Sourdough Discard Gravy
Sourdough discard can be used to thicken gravy and other sauces. Since it is made from flour and water, it works in a similar way to adding flour, but with a little extra tang and character.
Add 50g to 100g of discard to your next batch of gravy instead of using only dry flour or cornflour. Stir well and cook until the sauce thickens to your liking.
Sourdough Discard Tortillas
Homemade tortillas have excellent texture and flavour, and sourdough discard makes them even better. Although tortillas are inexpensive to buy, making them at home gives you fresh, soft flatbreads that are perfect for wraps, tacos, quesadillas and simple meals.
This recipe for Sourdough Flat Breads can be made with discard instead of active starter. Add a pinch of yeast to help the dough along, and you will have a flexible, useful recipe for everyday cooking.
Fresh Pasta Made From Sourdough Discard
Fresh pasta is a less common but excellent way to use sourdough discard. It creates a wholesome dough with a subtle flavour and gives you another zero waste option for your starter routine.
You will need 215g of 00 flour, 1 large egg, 2 large egg yolks and around 175g of sourdough discard. Make the pasta as you normally would, incorporating the eggs and discard into the flour. If the dough feels too wet, add a little more flour until it becomes workable.
You can roll the pasta dough by hand or use a pasta machine. Once shaped, cook it fresh or dry it for later use.
Sourdough Discard Bread
Sourdough discard bread is sometimes called “cheat’s sourdough” because it uses discard along with a little commercial yeast. Whatever you call it, this bread is a fast and practical way to get a flavourful loaf on the table.
Because discard is not as active as a freshly fed starter, the added yeast helps the dough rise reliably. It is a simple option when you want homemade bread without waiting through a long fermentation. You’ll find the recipe for sourdough discard bread here.
Sourdough Discard Sandwich Loaf
If you need soft sandwich bread and want to use up starter discard, this sourdough discard sandwich loaf is a great choice. It uses 100g of discard and can be made quickly, making it useful for busy households.
Feed Your Sourdough Discard To Your Chickens
If you keep backyard chickens, sourdough discard can be added to their diet in a practical way. This guide explains how to feed sourdough discard to chickens, including how to create a platter like the one shown above.
Add Sourdough Discard To Your Compost
Composting sourdough discard is another zero waste option. Although it may feel like throwing it away, composting returns it to the earth and helps create better soil.
Healthy soil supports stronger plants and more nutrient-dense food, so composting discard is still a valuable use. Sourdough discard can also be added to a worm farm.
Further Reading
If you want to understand sourdough discard and starter maintenance more clearly, these helpful guides are worth reading:
- Find out why you must discard to ensure your sourdough starter thrives.
- Looking for a reliable method to increase the amount of starter you have on hand? Head here.
- Learn why weighing the ingredients for your sourdough starter is essential.