What Is Sourdough starter and How Can I Use It?

Sourdough starter is easier to cook with than it looks. Here's how to choose, use, and store it, what to substitute, and 77 recipes to get you started.

Recipes using sourdough starter

There are 77 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Storing & Restoring Sourdough Starter

How to store and restore sourdough starter, AKA levain.

Ann's Sourdough Pancakes

Overnight sourdough pancakes with a tangy, fermented flavor and tender, lacy edges. The best way to use up your sourdough discard while creating a Sunday-worthy breakfast.

Whole Grain Sourdough Pancakes or Waffles

Sourdough pancakes or waffles made with a 12-hour overnight ferment of whole wheat flour and rolled oats. Tangy, hearty, and the perfect way to use up active sourdough starter for weekend breakfast.

Sourdough Whole Wheat Pancakes

Sourdough whole wheat pancakes with tangy fermented starter and honey-sweetened nutty flour. A great use for sourdough discard, with a feathery rise from last-minute baking soda.

Sourdough Orange Waffles

Sourdough orange waffles use 2 cups of active starter brightened with orange zest, milk, and a touch of sugar, with optional pecans for crunch. Tangy, crisp breakfast.

Yummy Breakfast Sourdough Pancakes

Sourdough pancakes ferment overnight with starter, flour, and water for tangy depth, then get baking soda folded in (not stirred) for tall, fluffy stacks at breakfast.

Basic Sourdough Pancakes

Basic sourdough pancakes start with an overnight sponge of sourdough starter, flour, and water for tangy, light flapjacks. Old prospector breakfast for fluffy, deeply flavored pancakes.

Five Grain Sourdough Bread

Five grain sourdough bread for the bread machine blends bread flour, amaranth, whole-wheat, soy and rolled oats with a tangy sourdough starter. Hearty crumb, nutty crust, high-fiber loaf.

Five Grain Sourdough Bread

Five grain sourdough bread for the bread machine blends bread flour, amaranth, whole-wheat, soy and rolled oats with a tangy sourdough starter. Hearty crumb, nutty crust, high-fiber loaf.

Soy Milk Whole Wheat Sourdough Waffles

Vegan whole wheat sourdough waffles made with soy milk and active sourdough starter. Overnight ferment for tangy flavor and a crisp, airy texture. Dairy-free and egg-free.

Sour Dough Waffles or Pancakes

Sourdough waffles or pancakes: an overnight fermented batter that bakes up crisp, light, and tangy, with graham flour for nutty depth. The best use for sourdough starter at breakfast.

Best Sourdough Whole Wheat Bread

Sourdough whole wheat bread blends an active starter with stone-ground wheat flour, wheat germ and molasses for a hearty, high-fiber sandwich loaf. Tangy, nutty and bakes in a standard loaf pan.

Buttermilk Sourdough Waffles

Sourdough buttermilk waffles with whole wheat flour and overnight rest for tangy depth. Crisp outside, custardy inside, and freezer-friendly for weekday breakfasts.

Sourdough Banana Bread

Sourdough banana bread uses one cup of active starter to add tang and depth to the classic loaf. A smart way to use sourdough discard while turning ripe bananas into something memorable.

Orange Sourdough Muffins

Orange sourdough muffins with banana, shredded coconut, and a tangy starter base. A clever way to use sourdough discard for tropical-flavored breakfast muffins.

Amish Bread with Oatmeal

Quick spiced bread made with Amish Friendship starter, oats, and warm cinnamon-nutmeg flavors. Mix in minutes, bake in 40, and enjoy the tangy sweetness.

Aunt Cora's Sourdough Biscuits

Sourdough biscuits made with 1½ cups of active starter for tangy, fluffy biscuits with crisp golden tops. The classic chuckwagon recipe that uses up extra discard.

Homemade Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

Feed your sourdough starter, let it bubble overnight, then knead in whole wheat flour for hearty loaves with tangy depth and chewy crust that slice like a dream.

Best Sourdough Belgian Waffles

Sourdough Belgian waffles with separated eggs and a cup of starter for tangy flavor and a crisp shell. The whipped whites give them their signature airy, deep-pocketed lift.

Favourite Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

Knead Herman sourdough starter with eggs and flour, roll with cinnamon-sugar filling, and bake into soft, tangy cinnamon rolls that rise beautifully without commercial yeast.

Sourdough Trail Pancakes

Old-fashioned sourdough trail pancakes fermented 24 to 48 hours for maximum tang. Silver dollar-sized flapjacks made with dry milk powder, perfect for camping or lazy weekend mornings.

Sourdough Hotcakes

Tangy sourdough pancakes with a tender crumb and subtle fermented flavor, made from active sourdough starter for fluffy breakfast hotcakes.

Sourdough Onion Rye

Sourdough onion rye bread made in a bread machine with rye flour, whole wheat, diced onions, and honey. Includes small, medium, and large loaf sizes with optional anise or caraway.

Sourdough Onion Rye

Sourdough onion rye bread made in a bread machine with rye flour, whole wheat, diced onions, and honey. Includes small, medium, and large loaf sizes with optional anise or caraway.

Sourdough Onion Rye

Sourdough onion rye bread made in a bread machine with rye flour, whole wheat, diced onions, and honey. Includes small, medium, and large loaf sizes with optional anise or caraway.

All 77 recipes