There are few things better than a fresh garlic roll right out of the oven! These Sourdough Discard Garlic Rolls are heavenly and have the added benefit of some sourdough tang and additional lift from the discard. They're a great side dish or addition to any meal!
If you're looking for other sourdough discard recipes, check out this Sourdough Discard Garlic Pull Apart Bread, these Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites, this Sourdough Discard Focaccia.
These Sourdough Discard Garlic Rolls would be great to serve with this Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup or with this delicious Chicken Bolognese!
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Why you'll love this recipe
- This easy recipe comes together with about 20 minutes of hands-on time.
- The house will smell amazing when these rolls come out of the oven and you brush them with melted butter, fresh herbs and garlic!
- Sourdough Discard Garlic Rolls are a great side dish (or snack!) to serve with any meal.
- This recipe is a great way to use up some of your sourdough discard, but you can also easily modify it to use active sourdough starter if you prefer.
- These rolls also freeze well, so if you have any left over, you can store them to enjoy later.
Ingredients
As long as you have sourdough discard, you are well on your way to making these easy Sourdough Discard Garlic Rolls!
- Non-dairy milk: I like to use unflavored almond milk, but you can use any type of milk here (even regular dairy milk, if that works for you!).
- Instant yeast: Even though we're using sourdough discard, we still need to use a leavening agent to make sure the dough rises predictably. In this case, we'll use yeast.
- Granulated sugar: The granulated sugar will help to feed the yeast.
- Sourdough discard: The sourdough discard should be unfed and at room temperature for this recipe. This recipe is designed for a sourdough starter with a 1:1 ratio (when you feed your starter, it's with 1 part water and 1 part flour). If your starter uses a different ratio, you may need to adjust some of the ingredients in this recipe.
- Garlic powder: This recipe uses garlic powder, but if you wanted to use minced garlic cloves instead, you could. Use 2 minced garlic cloves in place of the garlic powder.
- Parsley: Fresh parsley will taste the best, but if you're in a pinch and only have dried parsley, that will also work! Use ½ teaspoon dried parsley in place of the fresh parsley.
- Flaky sea salt: I like to use Maldon Sea Salt for some beautiful salty crystals on top of the rolls.
See full recipe below for detailed directions.
Substitutions & Variations
This is a very adaptable recipe and below are a few easy substitutions and variations you can try.
- Use active sourdough starter - If you'd like to use active sourdough starter instead of sourdough discard, you can! To do so, omit the yeast and replace the sourdough discard with sourdough discard in a 1:1 substitute. You may also need to adjust the rise times, so keep an eye on the dough as it's rising.
- Change the herbs - Try fresh rosemary (or another herb!) instead of parsley.
- Use garlic cloves instead of garlic powder - If you'd rather use garlic cloves, you can! Mince 2 garlic cloves and add to the melted butter mixture in place of the garlic powder.
- Add cheese - If you're interested, sprinkle the rolls with ¼ cup of shredded parmesan cheese before baking or just before serving!
I have not tested this recipe with other variations, but if you do, let us know how it turns out in the comments! I always love to hear how you're adapting these recipes and use those as ideas for future recipes as well!
How to make Sourdough Discard Garlic Rolls
There are two rises to make these Sourdough Discard Garlic Rolls, but the process is very easy!
Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
Transfer to a work surface and knead for 3-4 minutes until you have a smooth dough. The dough should be tacky, but not sticky. If needed, add additional flour or non-dairy milk (1 Tablespoon at a time) to reach your desired consistency.
Transfer to a large greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 90 minutes, until doubled in size.
Turn the dough onto a work surface and divide into 9 equal pieces. This doesn't have to be exact, but you can use a kitchen scale if you want your rolls to be exactly the same size.
Using your palm for traction, roll each piece into a ball. Place all 9 balls into a greased 8x8 inch baking pan with the dough seam on the bottom.
Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 60 minutes, until doubled in size. Brush with melted butter.
Bake the rolls until golden.
While warm, brush with the melted butter and parsley mixture, then sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Serve while warm.
Expert Baking Tips
- Make sure to knead the dough long enough. The dough should be soft and smooth before you set it in the bowl for the first rise.
- The rolls do not need to be exactly the same size (you can eyeball dividing the dough!). If you prefer, you can use a kitchen scale to weigh the dough so you have exact rolls of the same size.
- Rise times will vary depending on the temperature of your room. You may find that your dough needs to rise for a shorter or longer amount of time, depending on your environment.
- Before it bakes, this is going to seem like it's not a lot of dough. Even after the second rise, the rolls will just be touching. It's ok! These will rise a lot in the oven and fill the pan. Trust the process!
- These rolls are best served warm while the butter is melty and you smell the fragrance of the garlic and herbs!
What is sourdough discard?
Sourdough discard is what is left over after you feed your sourdough starter. You can either literally discard it (in the compost or trash) or use it in sourdough discard recipes like this one! The discard gives the recipe a delicious sourdough tang and also some additional lift from the natural yeast being created in the sourdough starter.
Make sure the sourdough discard is unfed and at room temperature before starting this recipe. This recipe is designed for a 1:1 sourdough starter (when you feed your starter, it's with 1 part flour and 1 part water). If your starter uses a different ratio, you'll need to adjust some of the ingredients in this recipe.
Also, every sourdough starter (and therefore, every discard) is different. As you're making the dough, if it seems too wet or too dry, add more flour or milk (1 Tablespoon at a time) to reach the desired consistency.
If you're new to working with sourdough starter, check out these in-depth posts on how to feed sourdough starter, tips for struggling sourdough starter, and how to use sourdough discard.
Equipment
I like to make the dough in a KitchenAid 5-Quart Stand Mixer, but you don't need to use a stand mixer. You can also make the dough with a large mixing bowl and wooden spoon. You'll also need an 8x8-inch baking pan, a small pot for melting butter, and a silicone brush. I recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh your sourdough starter (and to divide your rolls, if you'd like them to be exactly the same).
Storage
Room Temperature Storage: These rolls are best fresh and warm, right from the oven! If you plan to eat these Sourdough Discard Garlic Rolls within 1-2 days, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. You can reheat them in the microwave for about 30 seconds to make them warm and soft again.
Freezer Storage: Once fully cooled, transfer the rolls to an airtight container or freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When you're ready to serve, let the rolls thaw to room temperature, then reheat in the microwave for 30-60 seconds to make them warm and soft again.
Recipe FAQ
Yes! If you'd rather use active sourdough starter instead of discard for this recipe, you can. To do so, omit the yeast and replace the sourdough discard with active starter in a 1:1 substitute. You may also need to adjust the rise times, so keep an eye on the dough as it rises.
Yes! This recipe uses fresh parsley, but you could use any other fresh herbs you like (rosemary would be wonderful!).
Sourdough discard is not as active as active sourdough starter. You will need a leavening agent (in this case, yeast) to make sure that the dough rises predictably and consistently. Don't worry, you will still taste the sourdough flavor!
Yes. I use non-dairy milk (I'm lactose-intolerant!), but you can make this recipe in the same way using regular dairy milk as well.
Sourdough Discard Garlic Rolls
Ingredients
For the rolls
- ¼ cup non-dairy milk or regular dairy milk warmed to 110℉
- 1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 ¾ cups + 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 200 grams (about ¾ cup) sourdough discard unfed, at room temperature
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter divided
For topping
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Combine the warmed milk, instant yeast, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer*. Add the flour, sourdough discard, beaten egg and salt. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add 2 Tablespoons of melted butter. Increase speed to medium and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Transfer the dough to a smooth work surface and knead until a smooth dough forms, about 3-4 minutes. The dough should be smooth and slightly tacky (but not sticky). If needed, add more flour or milk (1 Tablespoon at a time) to reach your desired consistency.
- Transfer the dough to a large greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for about 90 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- Brush an 8x8-inch baking pan** with 1 Tablespoon melted butter and set aside.
- Turn the dough onto a smooth work surface and divide into 9 equal-sized pieces. This doesn't have to be exact, but if you do want perfectly identical rolls, weigh the dough and divide that number by 9 to determine how much the dough for each roll should weigh. Roll each piece of dough into a ball in the palm of your hand, then place the rolls into the prepared baking pan. Repeat until you have 9 rolls.
- Cover the baking pan with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise for 60 minutes, until puffed and doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. Brush the rolls with 1 Tablespoon melted butter. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
- While the rolls bake, melt the remaining 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter. Remove from heat, then add the garlic powder and chopped parsley and stir to combine. Remove the rolls from the oven and immediately brush with the parsley and butter mixture. Serve while warm.
JUSTINE says
Do you still add the milk and sugar if using active sourdough starter?
Jessica Vogl says
Yes!
NK says
Will active yeast work instead of instant? Just allow for a longer rise time?
Jessica Vogl says
Active dry yeast will work, but you’ll need to let the yeast bloom on the warm milk for about 5 minutes before you continue with the recipe.
Lupe Ramirez says
I'd I do not use yeast, do I then use active sourdough starter?
Jessica Vogl says
You can! There are directions for that in the substitutions section above.
Sylvia says
Family loved these. They were easy to make. I will probably add an extra table spoon of honey and a 1/2 tsp more of salt to mine next time.
Jessica says
This is my first discard recipe and my husband said they are the best rolls he has ever had! So easy and tasty! The temp and time was perfect.
Jessica Vogl says
Amazing! So good you liked them!
Maria says
How should I adapt this recipe if I don't have any sourdough discard?
Jessica Vogl says
Unfortunately this recipe needs sourdough discard (or sourdough starter). I may make a non-sourdough version in the future!
Alexandra Johnson says
Can I use regular milk?
Jessica Vogl says
Yes!
Shelbi says
Can you freeze the dough vs after they are baked?
Jessica Vogl says
You could shape the dough into rolls, then cover and freeze in the baking pan. When you're ready to bake, you'd let them thaw to room temperature, then complete the second rise (until nice and puffy) and then bake!
Gina Mustoe says
Love this recipe and the final result was beautiful fluffy, flavorful rolls that everyone devoured!
I did lessen the temperature because oven tends to run hotter than you expect and they came out perfect!.
Thank you Jess!
Kelli says
Good but baking time seems way wrong. They were brown after 10 minutes at 375 but not done though. Should be lower temp for lower time
Jessica Vogl says
I haven’t had that feedback before with this recipe - thanks for sharing!
Lillian says
Same thing happened with mine!