With this Sourdough Discard Turmeric Bread another bread joins my “discard series”. I chose turmeric because it has a great color, but also a spicy, slightly oriental flavor and therefore fits perfectly to this bread. Turmeric is healthy and has digestive benefits.
This sourdough bread has a more dense texture than other breads, but taste-wise it is fantastic. It’s great as a side with salad or simply spread with butter or cream cheese, but this bread is also delicious as an appetizer with a selection of different dips or as canapés.
If you also collect and recycle your sourdough discard, this is a great recipe to use it. You do not need your active, bubbling sourdough starter, just the discard. Easy, quick and so flavorful.
Tools & Equipment
- 22x11cm / 8,5×4,5-inch loaf pan
- Heatproof pan or 2nd loaf pan
- Large saucepan or bowl
- Parchment paper
- Plastic wrap
- Silicone spatula
- Wire rack
Recipe Tips
Acidity: The long fermentation of the discard starter in the fridge creates strong flavors. If you feel the dough is too acidic, use less discard. Although, the bread will not taste as sour as the dough may smell. It is a matter of preference eventually, of course.
Yeast: For this bread I only use my discarded starter. I gather and keep it in the fridge until I have enough for making a loaf. If you want your bread to rise higher, you can add 3-4g of dry yeast to the dough.
Stand Mixer: I mixed the ingredients in a large saucepan (a large bowl works too) and then kneaded by hand for about 3 minutes. You can of course use a stand mixer for mixing and kneading, but it’s not necessary in my opinion.
Steam: If you have a 2nd loaf pan of the same size or slightly smaller, you can place it on top of the loaf pan with the dough and bake the bread that way. This will create steam. If you don’t have another loaf pan, you can place a heatproof pan at the bottom of the oven and fill it with water to create steam.
Ingredients for Sourdough Discard Turmeric Bread

Step by Step Guide – How to Make Sourdough Discard Turmeric Bread
Combine discard starter, flour, seeds, salt and turmeric and then knead by hand until everything is fully incorporated, for about 3 minutes.



Place the dough on the work surface, roll it around a bit and shape with a little water to fit the loaf pan. Grease the loaf pan and add some oats. Rotate the pan a couple of times until the oats are evenly distributed.



Place the dough in the loaf pan, put some oats on top and cover with the 2nd loaf pan or plastic. Let proof until the dent slowly recovers, for about 3-5 hours.#



Preheat the oven to the highest temperature. Reduce the temperature to 230°C / 450°F and place the loaf pan in the oven with the 2nd pan on top. Bake until core temperature reaches 80°C / 176°F, for about 30-35 minutes. Remove the 2nd loaf pan, release the loaf from the pan and continue baking on parchment until the internal temperature is about 90-95°C / 195-203°F, for another 15-20 minutes.



Storage: Keep the loaf in a cotton bag or wrap it in a large kitchen towel to allow the bread to breathe. At room temperature, it will usually last for about 4-5 days. Do not store your bread in the fridge. To freeze, slice the bread or keep a whole loaf and wrap it tightly in foil, plastic or a freezer bag. If stored properly, the bread will maintain its best quality for about 3 months.


My Summary for Sourdough Discard Turmeric Bread
Difficulty: Simple.
Taste: I have a rye flour starter. Therefore, this is a rye bread with a distinct, strong and sour flavor. The turmeric flavor is also present, but not too overpowering. Just perfect.
Texture: The sourdough discard turmeric bread is moist and has a nice crust. The addition of sunflower seeds adds a nice crunch to the bread.
Time: Preparation time is about 30 minutes, followed by a proofing stage of 3-5 hours. Baking time is between 50-55 minutes. After baking you should let the bread cool completely, preferably overnight, because the next day it tastes even better.


More “BREAD” Recipes
- Artisan Bread
- Basic Sourdough Bread
- Chocolate Banana Bread
- Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread
- White Chocolate Mango Banana Bread