What are the best uses for sourdough discard?

Sourdough discard has an almost endless list of uses. You can add it to almost any baked good, use it to thicken soups, gravies, and sauces, add it to granola recipes, make crackers, pizza dough, tortillas, etc. It is incredibly versatile! Check out all of my sourdough recipes for a few more ideas.

How long can sourdough discard sit?

If the sourdough starter is active, meaning it is over one week old and has reached the active, bubbly stage before refrigeration, I have found it will last for months if stored in an airtight container and kept very cold. If the starter is new and has not reached the active, bubbly stage, you can still store it in the refrigerator and use it in recipes, but I would try to use it up within a week of refrigeration. Either way, if it is moldy or has an unpleasant smell you should throw it out. It should smell either mild and neutral in the early stages or it should smell very pleasantly sour and tangy like yeasty vinegar in the more developed stages.

Can you use sourdough discard straight from the refrigerator?

Yes you can use unfed sourdough starter straight from the refrigerator for this pizza crust recipe and many other sourdough discard recipes. If there is a recipe that is temperature sensitive such as one that uses yeast and warm water, you may want to allow the sourdough discard to come to room temp to speed up the rising times but I very often use it cold and my recipes turn out great.

Sourdough Discard Pizza Crust

Ingredients

1 cup (240 grams) warm water

1 tablespoon (21 grams) honey

2 1/4 teaspoons (7 grams) active dry yeast

200 grams (3/4 cup) unfed sourdough starter aka sourdough discard

28 grams (2 tablespoons) olive oil

500 grams (4 cups) all purpose flour

1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt

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Instructions

To prepare dough:

Add warm water to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with dough hook. add yeast and honey. Stir to combine and let sit until foamy - about 5 minutes.
Add sourdough discard, olive oil, flour, and salt and mix on low speed until dough begins to come together.
Turn up to medium speed and allow mixer to run for 5-7 minutes. Adding extra flour one tablespoon at a time if needed until it pulls away from the sides and is no longer sticky.
After 5-7 minutes of kneading, remove dough hook and allow dough to rise in a warm place for one hour.
At this point you can proceed with pizza making, or cover dough tightly and stash in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

To prepare pizzas:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees for at least one hour with a baking steel or pizza stone inside.
Divide risen dough in half for 2 large pizzas, or up to 4 for smaller pizzas.
On a floured surface, flatten into circles. 12 inches in diameter for large, and about 6 inches in diameter for smaller, personal size. We prefer doing this on parchment that will then be transferred straight onto the baking steel, but if you are a pro with a pizza peel, feel free to proceed as you normally would without the parchment.
If you want to let your dough rest and rise a bit at this point you can. Give it about 20-30 minutes if you like a puffier crust.
Top pizzas with your favorite toppings - don't go too heavy with the wet ingredients but other than that have fun!
Slide pizza onto preheated baking steel - either with a pizza peel or a thin baking tray.
Bake for 6-7 minutes until crust is golden and bubbly and toppings/cheese are cooked and melty.
Remove from oven and transfer to cutting board. Slice and enjoy!

Notes

You can make this sourdough discard pizza crust a no yeast recipe if your sourdough starter is well-established, used frequently, and has no trouble doubling in volume after feedings. You will essentially be feeding it by mixing it with the other crust ingredients. It could take several hours to double in size without the addition of yeast though so make sure to plan accordingly. Also, make sure your water is nice and warm and that you place the dough in a warm place to speed up the rising process. If you are just starting out on your sourdough journey and your starter is not yet active you can still use it for this recipe, but you will need the addition of yeast to ensure a good rise.

Author: anita | wild thistle kitchen
Prep Time: 20 minutes plus rising
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Category: dinner, sourdough, yeast breads
Method: baking, sourdough
Cuisine: American, Italian