From pancakes to waffles and everything in between, these Sourdough Breakfast Recipes are not only delicious but also easy to make! If you are looking for some new and interesting recipes, you've come to the right place!
As someone who has been baking with sourdough for years, I know firsthand how easy it is to end up with more discard than you know what to do with. That's exactly why I put together this collection of my favorite sourdough breakfast recipes! From fluffy pancakes and crispy waffles to tender muffins and quick breads, these are the recipes I turn to time and time again in my own kitchen. They are all simple enough for a weekend morning, and they are a delicious way to make sure nothing goes to waste. Once you start cooking with sourdough discard, you will wonder how you ever went without it!
Why Use Sourdough in Breakfast Recipes?
Sourdough adds a tangy flavor to your breakfast dishes, and it’s also easier on the stomach due to the fermentation process. This natural leavening technique breaks down gluten, making it more digestible. Plus, using your sourdough starter is a great way to reduce waste. I always keep a mason jar of sourdough discard in the refrigerator to add to muffins, waffles, and pancakes!
Sourdough Starter vs. Sourdough Discard
In most sourdough recipes, you'll notice they use either sourdough starter or sourdough discard. Here's a quick way to know the difference:
An active sourdough starter is one that has been recently fed with fresh flour and water, and is bubbly, lively, and ready to be used in recipes that require leavening, like bread. It’s at its peak fermentation, meaning the wild yeast and bacteria are actively producing gases that help dough rise.
You’ll want to use an active starter when making sourdough bread in a Dutch oven or any recipe where you need a good rise and a strong sourdough flavor. You can easily make your own sourdough starter at home for all your baking needs.
Sourdough discard is the portion of the starter that you remove before feeding it with fresh flour and water. It’s called “discard” because you typically remove it to keep the starter manageable and to maintain the right balance of flour to water.
Discard is usually not as bubbly or active as a freshly fed starter, but it’s still full of flavor. It’s great for recipes that don’t rely on the starter’s rising power, like sourdough discard focaccia, sourdough zucchini fritters, sourdough lemon quick bread, or sourdough discard dinner rolls.
Sourdough Breakfast FAQs
Yes! You will need to use a gluten free sourdough starter in order to make them gluten free, but it's possible.
It's pretty easy! To convert a breakfast recipe to use sourdough, replace a portion of the flour and liquid with an equal amount of sourdough starter. For recipes that rely on baking powder or soda, you may need to reduce these ingredients slightly, since the sourdough starter adds natural leavening.
Yes! These recipes are a great way to use up your sourdough discard. The starter doesn’t need to be fully active for a lot of them, but using an active starter will give you a stronger flavor and texture.
While sourdough discard is incredibly versatile, there are a few times you should skip it. If your discard smells off, has visible mold, or has any pink or orange streaks running through it, throw it out and do not use it. Discard that has been sitting in the fridge for more than two weeks can also be too acidic and may affect the flavor and texture of your baked goods. When in doubt, trust your nose and your eyes!
Sourdough Breakfast Recipes
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