This Sourdough Discard Cornbread has a hearty, rustic texture with a touch of sweetness and sourdough tang. It's made simply with coarse cornmeal, buttermilk, and sourdough starter discard - no added flour required.
I think cornbread doesn't get enough credit as a side dish.
During the summer, I love making cornbread for cookouts, potlucks, or backyard barbecues. It pairs especially well with dishes like BBQ pulled chicken and burgers.
With summer just around the corner (and my recent sourdough obsession), I thought it'd be fun to give classic cornbread a twist by using sourdough discard.
However, I wanted this sourdough discard cornbread recipe to be a little different. So, I used coarse cornmeal for a rustic texture and soaked it in the wet ingredients to make it soft before baking.
I also wanted to use a lot of sourdough. A whole cup, to be exact. I decided to skip adding any extra flour, using just what's in the sourdough discard.
The result is a moist, buttery cornbread with a hearty texture. It's lightly sweetened with just a subtle tang from the buttermilk and sourdough.
So, if you're looking to bring a unique and delicious side dish that'll have everyone talking at your next summer potluck, give this sourdough cornbread recipe a try!
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Ingredients & Substitutions
Here are some notes on key ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Sourdough Discard- This recipe uses around one cup of sourdough starter discard, which eliminates the need for extra flour. I tested it using discard from my 100% hydration sourdough starter, which I feed with a mix of whole wheat and bread flour. You can also use active sourdough starter.
- Coarse Cornmeal- I love the hearty, rustic texture of cornbread made with coarse cornmeal. When you soak the cornmeal in the wet ingredients, it gets nice and soft, giving you cornbread that's super moist and tender.
- Buttermilk- Adds moisture and a tangy flavor that pairs well with sourdough. If you don't have buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to a cup of regular milk and letting it sit for a few minutes.
- Butter- Gives the cornbread its classic buttery flavor.
- Granulated Sugar- Just a ¼ cup of sugar adds a touch of sweetness.
How to Make Sourdough Discard Cornbread
Here is how to make cornbread with sourdough discard.
Step 1: Preparation. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet or an 8-inch square aluminum pan with butter. Set aside.
Step 2: Soak the cornmeal. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sourdough discard, cornmeal, buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter. Whisk everything together until well combined. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes to allow the cornmeal to soften slightly.
Step 3: Add dry ingredients. After soaking, add the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt to the batter. Whisk vigorously until all the dry ingredients are fully incorporated into the batter.
Step 4: Transfer batter to skillet. Pour the batter into the prepared skillet or pan, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
Step 5: Bake the cornbread. Place the skillet or pan into the preheated oven. Bake until the cornbread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. This should take about 30 minutes for a 10-inch cast iron skillet or 35-40 minutes for an 8-inch aluminum pan.
Step 6: Cool and serve. Once baked, remove the cornbread from the oven and let it cool in the skillet or pan for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving warm.
Tips for Success
- Use a kitchen scale to accurately measure ingredients for the best results.
- Don't skip soaking the cornmeal. Coarse cornmeal gives this cornbread such a lovely, rustic texture. However, it's important to allow it to soak for at least 30 minutes to soften it up.
- Baking time will vary depending on the type of pan you use to bake the cornbread. Keep an eye on it and adjust as needed to ensure it's cooked through but not overdone.
Storage
Once completely cooled, store leftover cornbread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
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📖 Recipe
Sourdough Discard Cornbread
Equipment
- 10-inch cast iron skillet or 8-inch square aluminum pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200 grams) sourdough starter discard
- 1 cup (150 grams) coarse cornmeal
- ½ cup (120 grams) buttermilk
- 2 large (100 grams) eggs
- 4 tablespoons (57 grams or ½ stick) unsalted butter melted (plus more for skillet or pan)
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet or an 8-inch square aluminum pan with butter. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the sourdough discard, cornmeal, buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter. Whisk everything together until well combined. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes to allow the cornmeal to soften slightly.1 cup (200 grams) sourdough starter discard, 1 cup (150 grams) coarse cornmeal, ½ cup (120 grams) buttermilk, 2 large (100 grams) eggs, 4 tablespoons (57 grams or ½ stick) unsalted butter
- After soaking, add the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt to the batter. Whisk vigorously until all the dry ingredients are fully incorporated into the batter.2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- Pour the batter into the prepared skillet or pan, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
- Place the skillet or pan into the preheated oven. Bake until the cornbread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. This should take about 30 minutes for a 10-inch cast iron skillet or 35-40 minutes for an 8-inch aluminum pan.
- Once baked, remove the cornbread from the oven and let it cool in the skillet or pan for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving warm.
Notes
- Storage: Store completely cooled cornbread in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
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