Have you ever fried your sourdough starter? They have crispy edges with a delicate sour flavor. Fried sourdough is just delicious. So, if you are into that, and don't mind pan-fried bread, this blog post is for you. I am going to share 5 ways that I fry the sourdough starter or the sourdough discard, to make quick flavorful pan-fried bread.
Estimated reading time: 13 minutes
Table of contents
What is sourdough discard?
The portion of the starter that is supposed to be discarded before giving a fresh feeding, is called the sourdough discard.
It is crucial to discard a portion of the starter, to maintain a specific volume of starter. In simple terms, some of the sourdough starter is discarded to prevent the starter from building up exponentially every time with feedings.
The phenomenon is derived from the commercial bakeries that bake hundreds of loaves every day and feed their starters multiple times a day. Their starter is already large enough and with multiple feeding per day, it would multiply and would continue to become larger and larger. Which will be more wasteful. So to avoid that, a portion of the starter is discarded before feeding only.
At home as well, we want to maintain a certain amount of starter. So, we discard a part of the starter before feeding, so that after feeding, we end up with the desired quantity of the starter and our starter does not keep piling up.
So, in every situation, a sourdough baker has an accumulated portion of sourdough discard.
How to use discarded sourdough starter?
You have 3 options when it comes to the sourdough discard.
- Discard the Discard: Really! Throw the sourdough discard? Never.
- Sourdough Discard recipes: Use the discard to make something you have been planning to make. Discard is as good as a starter and you can leaven any kind of bread with it.
Sourdough discard recipes aim at using the discarded sourdough to make delicious bread. But, that means you have to make an entire batch of sourdough pancakes or sourdough pitas to put that discard to some use.
What if you are not up for an elaborate recipe? Sometimes all you need is a simple way to get done with the discard. - Convert the discard into a recipe: Instead of baking a loaf, or a batch of sourdough savory pancakes, or something else, you can simply make a small recipe that would not take much of your time and effort.
If you have a cup of accumulated discard, you can simply make a sourdough discard fry bread.
An excellent breakfast is there for you! Or you can fry the dough as small fritters which is nothing but a deep-fried sourdough starter.
Deep-fried sourdough starter
You can make these delicious fried starters using the sourdough discard. Just sweeten and flavor the discard with some sugar and vanilla. Now dunk a strawberry or banana in the batter and fry it! These deep-fried starter fritters are super crispy and flavorful. You can also roll them in some sugar cinnamon. I love them. These sweet fried starter fritters are best enjoyed with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
But that would require deep frying and so much oil. And, yes much more hassle.
On the contrary, just put 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet and make a fried sourdough starter bread. This flatbread is crispy and flavorful. You can adjust the flavors according to your liking and add whatever topping you like. It is a very versatile bread. There are numerous ways you can flavor them. This blog post is all about the fried sourdough bread made with a starter or discard.
How to prepare the starter or discard for the recipe?
- Bring it to room temperature: If you store your sourdough starter in the refrigerator then make sure to remove it from the refrigerator ahead of making any recipe. We must bring it down to room temperature.
- Make adjustments to the sourness of the starter as per your liking: The second thing to note is how old the discard is? Usually, people accumulate discard over time, and then maybe at the end of the week, they plan to convert it into some recipe. If that is the case with you and your starter is more than a week old and it has been stored at room temperature you might need to seriously adjust flavor, as your starter would be very sour. I recommend you add some sugar and milk to balance the sourness.
Even if you keep the starter refrigerated it is going to be sour. That is what sourdough is. So in all cases, you will have to adjust for the sourness.
But there is no thumb rule for that. T keep my starter refrigerated and I do not add anything to combat sourness in my fried sourdough bread. I just like it that way. Whereas the rest of my family members don't quite like the sourness so if I am making for them I have to make some adjustments.
5 quick pan-fry bread recipes
Sourdough discard can be used to make all sorts of Savory pancakes. But, these are not savory sourdough pancakes. These starter fried bread are a sort of skillet-fried flatbread. Instead of going for complete recipes, these are quick bread that you can make and solve 2 problems.
First, ...what to make for a quick breakfast for myself?
Second, what do I do with the sourdough discard?
- Fried sourdough starter bread made with Cumin and cilantro: Indian inspired
- Fried Sourdough starter scallion bread: Asian inspired
- Thyme and basil fried sourdough bread: Italian inspired
- Fried sourdough starter with caramelized onions:
- Fried Sourdough starter bread with tofu.
1. Fried sourdough starter bread made with Cumin and cilantro: Indian inspired
In addition to the sourdough discard, or starter you will need
- Ghee for frying the bread, (optional)
- Cumin seeds,
- Fresh cilantro leaves,
- Spring greens
This fried sourdough skillet bread is made in Ghee and is spiced with some cumin and fresh cilantro. This one has a very comforting flavor. This might be my Indianish taste buds, but I am pretty sure that you will like it too. It is crispy and crunchy on the outside, smoky due to cumin and the sourness at the back of it (from the sourdough discard).
Take the discarded starter in a bowl and add, salt, pepper, and chili powder ( or chili flakes, or leave it if you do not need heat)
In a skillet add ghee and let it melt. Add cumin seeds, and wait for a few seconds until they start to sizzle and become aromatic. Then sprinkle chopped cilantro leaves and spring greens in the center and quickly pour in the sourdough discard. Let it cook for half a minute and then sprinkle some cumin seeds, spring greens, and cilantro on the top. Use a spatula and gently flip when the edges start to become golden brown. Pan fry bread till it turns golden brown.
Be extra careful while flipping the bread.
If you want to use dry coriander (cilantro) seeds, add them along with cumin seeds in the beginning and let them roast a bit.
2. Fried Sourdough starter scallion bread: Asian inspired
This fried sourdough bread recipe is the most basic discard recipe you can make at your home. Flavors here are very much Asian-inspired.
- Sesame seeds: Black or white sesame seeds, use whatever you have on hand.
- Scallions
- Toasted sesame seed oil
The recipe is very similar to the previous recipes. I like to add ½ teaspoon of toasted sesame seed oil to the sourdough batter and mix it well before pouring the discard into the skillet. We can not use more toasted sesame seed oil, because it is pretty strong in flavor. Little is much in this case. So please, do not overdo it.
Instead of cumin seeds, we will add sesame seeds and scallions to the oil before pouring the sourdough discard onto the skillet. Pan-fry the bread for a minute and sprinkle more sesame seeds and scallions. Once the bread has browned, flip it to the other side and cook. It should be golden brown crispy and coated on both sides with toasted sesame seeds and scallions! And yes, a hint of sourness from sourdough.
3. Thyme and basil fried sourdough bread
So this one is more of an Italian-inspired fried bread. The flavors are basic Italian flavors. Thyme, basil, oregano, and olives.
Ingredients other than the discard that we will be using in this bread are:
- Fresh thyme
- dry oregano
- dry basil
- Olives
So in this recipe, I like to use good extra virgin olive oil for frying. It gives it a more organic Italian flavor. You can also add capers if you like. Substitute fresh thyme with dry thyme in case you don't have it on hand.
As far as the procedure is concerned, start by heating olive oil in a skillet. Put some fresh thyme leaves and sliced Manzanilla olives. Then pour in the batter. Let it cook for a minute or so and then top it with fresh thyme, dry oregano, basil, and chopped olives. Flip over and let it cook on the other side. Now enjoy this delicious fried sourdough bread. It is best enjoyed right off the skillet. It is at its crispiest!
4. Fried sourdough starter with caramelized onions:
- Red onions
- chopped cilantro
There is the only one-star ingredient in this one. Wait…. wait…. sorry, two... The sourdough discard and caramelized onions. The sweet caramelized red onions complement the sourness of the sourdough discard beautifully.
Start by slicing half an onion. Choose red onions because they work best in this recipe. I have tried this recipe with white and yellow but red ones are just the best.
And as far as the discard is concerned just like all the previous recipes we would like to add salt, and pepper to the discard and mix. And for the cooking medium, you can use any neutral-flavored oil.
Cilantro is optional, but I like to add it. In addition to the beautiful color and aroma, they also add some crispness. On frying, the cilantro leaves become crispy and crunchy!
5. Fried Sourdough starter bread with tofu
This one is my absolute favorite fried sourdough skillet bread. To make this one you will need:
- Extra-firm tofu
- black salt
- cilantro
I like to use extra-firm tofu but medium tofu would work just fine. Make sure to squeeze out the maximum moisture. Crumble a piece of tofu on a muslin cloth and twist and squeeze out all the excess moisture.
This way I will end up with a crumbled tofu that has no excess moisture. I like to season the crumbled tofu with black salt, and pepper before adding it to the bread. When the bread is pan-frying from one side, I sprinkle the scrambled tofu on it. Later I pour a little bit of sourdough starter on the tofu before flipping it to pan fry. Always flip carefully. Remember there is oil in the pan.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, sure! The sourdough starter makes excellent fried recipes. Be it the fried sourdough bread, or the fried dough balls. I like to make various types of fried bread with the discard. You can flavor them the way you like, Italian seasoning, Indian seasoning, Asian seasoning, etc, and use toppings of your choice. You can even top them with scrambled tofu, scrambled paneer or potatoes, and fresh parsley or cilantro leaves!
They are the perfect way to put the discard to use. Another way to fry sourdough starter is to use them as a coating for your vegetables or fruits and deep fry them. You can use the discard as a batter to coat bananas, strawberries, etc.
So, here we are comparing sourdough scallion pancakes with sourdough scallion pan-fry bread.
Savory Sourdough pancakes are fluffy and spongy like any pancake. whereas the sourdough fry bread is more of a crispy affair.
I think the main difference is the oil. In the case of pancakes, you just grease the surface and do not use any oil for cooking. Whereas the fried bread is pan-fried in oil. You can also call them fried sourdough skillet bread.
Why not? That's what sourdough bread is. They are a sort of baked sourdough starter. You can cook and make any recipe using the sourdough starter.
Well well… the name fried means oil, and oil means fats! So, healthy?? Nope… It is not the healthiest thing to eat. But trust me it's delicious and it is okay to have it once in a while. I do.
To make this recipe healthier you can use some high-quality and low cholesterol oil. I like to use extra virgin olive oil for frying them.
Quick Recipe Notes:
- Add a tablespoon of milk to adjust the flavor of the sourdough. Milk helps to reduce the acidic flavor. Also, you can use a pinch of sugar.
- Take extra caution while flipping the bread. Remember there is no oil in the pan. The key is to flip very gently.
- These bread are very versatile. The possibilities are endless. Feel free to experiment and share with me too.
A few sourdough recipes that you will love:
No matter at what stage in your sourdough journey you are, you are always looking for new recipes to try. Give this one a try. If you are health conscious, just reduce the quantity of oil.
If you found it useful, I request you leave us a comment. Or you can also tag me on Instagram with your creations.
Happy baking!
5 Fried sourdough starter recipes
Ingredients
Ingredients common in all the recipe variations
- 1 cup Sourdough starter or Discard (for each variation of the fried bread)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- Pinch of chili powder
- 2-3 tablespoon Olive oil for frying (depending on the size of the skillet)
Ingredients for recipe variation 1: Fried sourdough starter bread made with Cumin and cilantro
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- ¼ cup of chopped cilantro leaves
- A handful of chopped spring greens
Ingredients for recipe variation 2: Fried Sourdough starter scallion bread:
- ½ teaspoon Sesame seeds (Black or white sesame seeds)
- ¼ cup chopped Scallions
- ¼ teaspoon Toasted sesame seed oil
Ingredients for recipe variation 3: Thyme and basil fried sourdough bread
- 1 teaspoon Fresh thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon dry oregano
- ½ teaspoon dry basil
- 5-6 Olives (sliced)
Ingredients for recipe variation 4: Fried sourdough starter with caramelized onions
- ¼ red onion (sliced)
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Ingredients for recipe variation 5: Fried Sourdough starter bread with tofu.
- 4- inch cube of Extra firm tofu
- ¼ teaspoon black salt
- Handful chopped cilantro
Instructions
Common Instructions for all variations
- In a bowl mix the starter with salt, pepper, and chili powder. Set aside.
Instructions for making the Indian inspired fried sourdough bread:
- In a skillet, melt ghee. Now add cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds start to sizzle, add chopped cilantro.
- Now quickly pour the sourdough starter on it.
- Let it cook for half a minute. Sprinkle the spring greens and chopped cilantro over it.
- When the sides become golden brown, carefully flip the bread using a spatula.
- Let the bread fry until it becomes golden brown.
- Transfer on to a tissue paper. Let the tissue absorb all the excess oil.
- Enjoy!
Instructions for making Asian inspired Fried Sourdough starter scallion bread:
- Heat oil in a skillet. Now add sesame seeds and chopped scallions.
- Gently pour the sourdough starter on it.
- Let it cook for half a minute. Sprinkle more sesame seeds and scallion on the raw side.
- When the bottom sides become golden brown, carefully flip the bread using a spatula.
- Let the bread fry until it becomes golden brown.
- Transfer on to a tissue paper. Let the tissue absorb all the excess oil. Now dig in!
Instructions for making Italian inspired Thyme and basil fried sourdough bread
- Heat oil in a skillet. Now add thyme leaflets and quickly pour the sourdough starter on it.
- Rotate the pan gently to spread the starter in the skillet.
- Let it cook for half a minute and then sprinkle more thyme, basil, oregano, and spread some olives.
- When the bottom sides become golden brown, carefully flip the bread using a spatula.
- Let the bread fry until it becomes golden brown.
- Transfer on to a tissue paper. Let the tissue absorb all the excess oil.
- Enjoy as your heart desires!
Instructions for making Fried sourdough starter with caramelized onions
- Heat oil in a skillet. Now add thinly sliced onions.
- Saute till the onions become golden.
- Gather the onions at the center and spread the sourdough starter on it.
- Rotate the pan gently to spread the starter in the skillet.
- Let it cook for half a minute and then sprinkle chopped cilantro.
- When the bottom sides become golden brown, carefully flip it using a spatula.
- Let the bread fry until it becomes golden brown from both the sides
- Transfer on to a tissue paper. Let the tissue absorb all the excess oil.
- Enjoy as such or with your favorite sauce.
Instructions for making Fried Sourdough starter bread with tofu.
- Scramble the tofu and squeeze out the excess moisture. Add black salt, mix and set aside.
- Add oil in a skillet.
- Before the oil gets hot, put some chopped cilantro in the center of the skillet.
- Now pour the starter over it.
- Let it cook for half a minute and then sprinkle the scrambled tofu and remaining cilantro. Then add some left over starter over the tofu also.
- When the bottom sides become golden brown, carefully flip the bread using a spatula.
- Let the bread cook until it becomes golden brown.
- Transfer on to a tissue paper and cover with another tissue. Press to remove all the excess oil onto the tissue papers.
- Enjoy as your heart desires!
Notes
- Add a tablespoon of milk to adjust the flavor of the sourdough. Milk helps to reduce the acidic flavor. Also, you can use a pinch of sugar.
- Take extra caution while flipping the bread. Remember there is no oil in the pan. The key is to flip very gently.
- These bread are very versatile. The possibilities are endless. Feel free to experiment and share with me too.
- Please note that each variation would need a cup of sourdough starter or discard.
- The nutrition facts are the average of all 5 recipes.
Nutrition facts
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Ingrid
I am so thankful to have found your site. I am so excited to try these pan fried breads. Love the photos to know what to look for. I just am so excited and blessed to have come across your great recipes. Thanks
Neha
My fried dough was doughy. Can you help me figure out why?
Meenakshi
Hey Neha! Sorry to hear about your experience.
The only possibility that I could think of is that your starter did not have much yeast activity. The sourdough starter is an active culture of yeast and it will fluff upon coming in contact with any kind of heat. Did you use the starter straight out of the fridge? You need to bring it to room temperature, especially if you are using discard. And, not to use too old discard ( not more than two weeks old is a safe guide). Those are the 2 possible reasons for failed leavening. Thick straight out of fridge batter, if remained undercooked...could be another possibility. You can always adjust the consistency of the starter if you have less than 100 percent hydration starter.
Hope this will help you to figure out what went wrong.
Happy baking!
Sarah
I never have discard because I use just the right amounts to feed and then bake my sourdough, but I'll be making extra so I can try doing these "pan" cakes.
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady
This is so intriguing to me. It looks amazingly delicious and I love all the varieties you've shown. A great way to use the discard!
Meenakshi
thanks, Cindy...so glad you found it helpful.
Julia
I love these ideas. I hate throwing away the sourdough starter it seems like a real waste. Dusty (the sourdough starter) is due to be fed later on today so I'm going to use the discard to try out one of these recipes.
Meenakshi
Love the name, Dusty!..
Emily
This is brilliant! No, I have never fried my sourdough discard...until now...amazing!
Meenakshi
It's delish. You will like it.?
Gabriela
How delicious, I love how you simplified this recipe for me. Sourdough anything is so intimidating to me but this is perfect.
Meenakshi
So glad you found it helpful Gabriela?
Jeannie
I love cooking my sourdough discard and add veggies like a japanese pancake and use my cast iron, I havent tried adding cumin on it. Will have to try that one.
Meenakshi
Do give it a try Jeannie, it is great....n I will give Japanese pancakes a try?
Bobbie
Love the different variations of this recipe. Plus the step by step pictures make it easy to follow!
Meenakshi
Thanks Bobbie.. so glad you found it helpful.