This tasty Sourdough Discard Flatbread is made 100% using spent and unfed discard, and can be made in 5-10 minutes. Enjoy it plain with flaky salt, or add fresh herbs or Everything Bagel Seasoning

I absolutely love having sourdough in my kitchen and have made my fair share of sourdough loaves over the past year.

But part of the package deal is figuring out what to do with all the discard, and at first I found it overwhelming. That is, until I started making this skillet flatbread. 

Sourdough Discard Flatbread - Cut Into Quarters on a Wooden Board

There are plenty of recipes online using sourdough discard, recipes like pancakes and muffins and even cake. In our house, we do love making batches of these Sourdough Discard Blueberry Muffins from time to time.

But sometimes that can feel like too much of a fuss since the discard would only be one of maybe 10 ingredients that I’d need to bring together to make something new.

Well, not here.

What you see here is just pure sourdough discard, cooked up in the skillet in a matter of minutes. We love this stuff!

Sourdough Discard Bread - A Circle Cut Into Quarters on Wooden Board

What I Love About This Recipe

  • It’s made only with sourdough discard. No need to add baking powder or other ingredients.
  • It only takes 5-10 minutes to cook in a skillet. Cook it straight from the fridge or from the countertop, wherever you keep your discard. It doesn’t matter if it’s refrigerated or at room temperature.
  • Easy to customize the flavor. Most of the time we just add salt, but you can also add your favorite herbs, seasonings, cheeses, whatever!
  • Delicious texture and sourdough flavor! It’s crispy on the edges but chewy in the middle. It has great texture, and of course, a classic sourdough flavor.

A Few Notes on the Discard

While it’s slightly easier to spread around a room temperature discard, most of the time we make it cold from the fridge. Either way will work.

This right here is a room temperature discard, so it flows a bit easier:

A bowl of sourdough discard in a bowl with spoon showing thickness

Since the discard doesn’t have salt, you’ll need to add that to the recipe.

You can either sprinkle some on while the flatbread is cooking in the pan, or you can mix a pinch of salt into the discard while it’s still in the bowl. 

Mixing salt directly into the discard will make it more evenly seasoned, but I find it hard to stir in, so I usually just sprinkle it on in the skillet.

How to Make It Step by Step

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add a tablespoon of your desired fat.

Here I am using ghee, but butter is the best if you tolerate it, because it spreads beautifully around the pan.

Pouring Ghee Into a Skillet with a Spoon

You can also use olive oil, coconut oil, and so on.

Scoop up the sourdough discard with a measuring cup and pour it into the hot fat:

Pouring the Sourdough Discard Into the Skillet

As quickly as you can, use a spatula to spread it around into a circle. The bottom sets pretty quickly, so you have to sort of wiggle it as you spread the discard around:

Spreading the Dough Out Using a Spatula

Add whatever seasoning you like. It could be salt, or spices, or this Everything Bagel Seasoning. I love keeping that seasoning on hand and also use it for sprinkling on Homemade Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns and this Everything Bagel Cheese Ball.

Sprinkling Everything Bagel Seasoning Onto the Partially Cooked Piece

You can also add fresh chives, which I use below, or fresh thyme, rosemary, parsley, or scallions.

Adding Fresh Chives to the Pancake

After the top no longer looks raw, check underneath to see if it’s golden brown:

Scooping Underneath the Flatbread to See the Brown Crispy Bottom

Then flip it over and continue cooking for a few more minutes to crisp the other side.

A Fully Cooked and Browned Piece of Sourdough Discard Bread

It’s now ready to slice or serve whole.

Sourdough Discard Recipe Presented with Everything Bagel Seasoning On Top 

We enjoy this on its own, but you can also add it to an Antipasto Platter or enjoy it with some Baba Ganoush and Marinated Olives. Enjoy!

FAQ:

How to Store – Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Reheating – I honestly find this easiest to reheat in the toaster, where it crisps nicely. You can also microwave for 15 seconds to warm, or warm them in a 250F oven for 10 minutes.

Freezing – These freeze well, stored in an airtight container or bag for up to two months. I suggest putting pieces of wax paper between flatbreads so they don’t stick together.

Cooking Fat – The best cooking fat is butter, if you can tolerate it. It spreads around the pan nicely and has great flavor. I tend to use ghee, but you can also use olive oil or coconut oil.

Cooking Equipment and Scaling – You can use any size nonstick skillet you like, and also make as many of these flatbreads as you want. I do about 1/2 cup of sourdough discard for a 10″ skillet that has 1 tbsp of cooking fat added, and still have good space for flipping. I use this 10″ skillet (affiliate).

Sourdough Discard Flatbread with Everything Bagel Seasoning On Top

Sourdough Discard Flatbread

An easy flatbread made in the skillet using 100% sourdough discard.
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Ingredients

Instructions 

  • Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add 1 tbsp of butter, or your desired cooking fat.
  • Add 1/2 cup of the sourdough discard to the hot cooking fat and quickly spread it around the best you can using a spatula. I sort of wiggle and spread at the same time, to try to spread it into a circular shape.
  • Before the top sets, quickly sprinkle it with salt, everything bagel seasoning, or whatever flavoring you desire.
  • Cook until no more raw discard remains, about 3-4 minutes, then check underneath to see if the bottom is golden and crispy.
  • Flip over the flatbread, and cook for a couple more minutes, until golden and crispy on the other side.
  • Repeat with the remaining butter and starter. Serve while hot and enjoy!

Notes

How to Store - Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Reheating - I honestly find this easiest to reheat in the toaster, where it crisps nicely. You can also microwave for 15 seconds to warm, or warm them in a 250F oven for 10 minutes.
Freezing - These freeze well, stored in an airtight container or bag for up to two months. I suggest putting pieces of wax paper between flatbreads so they don't stick together.
Cooking Fat - The best cooking fat is butter, if you can tolerate it. It spreads around the pan nicely and has great flavor. I tend to use ghee, but you can also use olive oil or coconut oil.
Cooking Equipment and Scaling - You can use any size nonstick skillet you like, and also make as many of these flatbreads as you want. I do about 1/2 cup of sourdough discard for a 10" skillet that has 1 tbsp of cooking fat added, and still have good space for flipping. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 214kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 30mg, Sodium: 247mg, Potassium: 3mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 350IU, Calcium: 3mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.