Recipe

Sourdough Discard Pasta

Tangy, chewy fresh pasta made with sourdough discard, eggs, flour, and olive oil, then tossed in a simple brown butter sage sauce. Roll it by hand or with a pasta machine and cut fettuccine or pappardelle.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

A close-up photograph of fresh sourdough discard fettuccine tossed in glossy brown butter with whole sage leaves and grated Parmesan in a warm ceramic bowl

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If you bake sourdough, you already know the routine: feed the starter, save the discard, promise yourself you will use it, then watch it stack up in the fridge like a tiny science project. This is my favorite kind of solution. Turn that discard into fresh pasta that tastes like you tried harder than you did.

Sourdough discard brings a subtle tang and a little extra chew to homemade noodles. It is not sour in a loud way. It is more like the pasta has better posture. We are keeping the ingredient list short, the instructions clear, and the vibe very much: flour on the counter is a sign of a good day.

Below you will find two ways to roll it: old school with a rolling pin, and smooth and speedy with a pasta machine. Then we cut it into fettuccine or pappardelle and finish with a brown butter sage sauce that tastes like cozy confidence.

A real-life kitchen photo of sourdough discard pasta dough being kneaded on a lightly floured wooden countertop with hands pressing and folding the dough

Why It Works

Tangy flavor, better chew: Discard adds fermented complexity and a slightly springy bite, especially after a good rest.
Forgiving dough: Eggs plus discard create a dough that is easy to bring together, even if your discard is a little thick or a little runny.
Two rolling options: You can go full rustic with a rolling pin or get silky, even sheets with a pasta machine.
Quick sauce, big payoff: Brown butter and sage needs almost no prep, but tastes like you lit a candle and put on jazz.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

How to Store It

Fresh, uncooked pasta

Refrigerate: Dust noodles well with flour or semolina, portion into loose nests, and store in an airtight container up to 24 hours. The longer it sits, the more it wants to stick, so add a little extra dusting.
Freeze: Arrange floured nests on a sheet pan and freeze until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag. Use within 1 month for best texture. Cook straight from frozen, adding 30 to 90 seconds.

Cooked pasta

Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days. Add a small splash of water when reheating so the sauce loosens instead of turning greasy.
Reheat: Warm gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a spoonful of water, then finish with extra Parmesan and black pepper.

Common Questions

Does sourdough discard make the pasta taste sour?

Not aggressively. It tastes lightly tangy and more complex. If your discard is very old and very acidic, the tang will be stronger. For a milder flavor, use discard that is 1 to 3 days old.

Do I need active starter, or can I use unfed discard?

Unfed discard is perfect here. We are not relying on it for rise, just flavor and hydration.

Should the discard be room temperature?

Optional, but helpful. Cold discard straight from the fridge can make the dough feel stiff at first. It will smooth out as you knead, or let the discard sit on the counter for 15 to 30 minutes before mixing.

My dough is sticky. Did I mess it up?

Nope. Discard hydration varies a lot. If the dough sticks to your fingers after a 5 minute rest, knead in flour 1 tablespoon at a time until it feels tacky but manageable.

My dough feels dry and crumbly. What now?

Add water 1 teaspoon at a time (or a tiny drizzle of olive oil) and keep kneading. Pasta dough often looks hopeless for the first few minutes, then suddenly turns smooth.

Can I make this without a pasta machine?

Yes. A rolling pin works great. You are aiming for a thin sheet you can almost see your hand through, especially for fettuccine.

Why is my pasta sticking together after cutting?

Usually it needs more flour or semolina dusting, or it sat too long in a tight pile. Toss cut noodles with flour right away and keep them in loose nests.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Large mixing bowl or clean countertop for mixing
Bench scraper (helpful, not required)
Rolling pin or pasta machine
Sharp knife or pizza wheel for cutting noodles
Large pot for boiling
Large skillet for the sauce
Kitchen scale (optional but great for consistent dough)

I started making this because I got tired of being personally judged by a jar of discard I kept ignoring in the back of the fridge. One night I wanted pasta, did not want to go to the store, and thought, “I wonder if the discard can pull its weight.” It can. The dough feels alive, the noodles get that satisfying chew, and the brown butter sage situation makes the whole thing taste like a restaurant plate that accidentally landed in a Tuesday.

Sourdough Discard Pasta

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 45 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 1 hr 25 mins

Servings 4

Ingredients

For the sourdough discard pasta

260 g (about 2 cups) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large eggs
120 g (about 1/2 cup) sourdough discard (100% hydration is ideal, but most discard works)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 to 3 tablespoons water, as needed (discard hydration varies)

For the brown butter sage sauce

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 to 16 fresh sage leaves, patted dry
1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced (optional but recommended)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
1/2 to 1 cup pasta water, reserved (you will not always need it all)
Optional: pinch of red pepper flakes, lemon zest, or toasted walnuts

Instructions

Make the pasta dough

Mix the dry ingredients. In a bowl (or right on the counter), whisk together the flour and salt.
Add wet ingredients. Make a well in the center. Add eggs, sourdough discard, and olive oil. Use a fork to beat the eggs, then gradually pull flour in from the sides until a shaggy dough forms.
Knead. Knead 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. If it is sticky, dust in a little flour. If it is dry, add water 1 teaspoon at a time. The goal is a dough that feels firm, smooth, and only lightly tacky. It should spring back slowly when you press it.
Rest. Wrap tightly and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This relaxes gluten so rolling is easier and the noodles cook up tender with a chewy bite.

Yield note: This makes roughly 1 pound (about 450 g) fresh pasta, enough for 4 as a main or 6 as a side.

Roll the dough

Option A: Pasta machine

Divide. Cut dough into 4 pieces. Keep the ones you are not using wrapped.
Flatten. Press one piece into a rectangle. Dust lightly with flour.
Sheet it. Run through the widest setting. Fold into thirds like a letter, then run through again. Repeat 2 to 3 times until the sheet looks smooth.
Thin it out. Continue rolling through progressively thinner settings until you reach your preferred thickness. On Marcato-style machines, setting 5 or 6 is a nice medium-thin sheet for fettuccine and pappardelle.

Option B: Roll by hand

Divide and dust. Cut into 2 to 4 pieces. Work with one piece at a time on a lightly floured surface.
Roll thin. Roll from the center outward, turning the dough often, dusting as needed. Aim for a sheet about 1 to 2 mm thick. If the dough keeps springing back, let it rest 5 minutes and try again.

A single photograph of a thin sheet of pasta dough being rolled with a wooden rolling pin on a lightly floured countertop

Cut fettuccine or pappardelle

Prevent sticking. Dust the pasta sheet with flour or semolina.
For fettuccine: Fold the sheet loosely into thirds, then slice into 1/4 inch (6 mm) ribbons. Unfurl and toss with a little flour.
For pappardelle: Slice into 3/4 to 1 inch (2 to 2.5 cm) ribbons. This shape loves a buttery sauce and feels fancy with zero extra effort.
Portion. Twirl into loose nests and set on a floured sheet pan while you finish the rest.

Cook the pasta

Boil water. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt it like it means something. Translation: it should taste pleasantly salty, like the sea but not a punch in the face.
Cook. Add fresh pasta and cook 2 to 4 minutes, stirring gently, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining (you will likely use 1/2 cup, but extra is good insurance).

Brown butter sage sauce

Brown the butter. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Keep cooking, swirling, until it foams, then turns golden with nutty brown bits, 3 to 6 minutes.
Fry the sage. Add sage leaves and cook 20 to 30 seconds until crisp. Add garlic (if using) and cook 10 to 15 seconds, just until fragrant.
Toss the pasta. Add drained pasta and 1/4 cup pasta water. Toss vigorously to emulsify into a glossy sauce. Add more pasta water as needed.
Finish. Reduce heat to low or take the pan off the heat, then add Parmesan, black pepper, and salt to taste. Toss until silky. If you want a bright pop, add a little lemon zest right at the end.

Tip: If the sauce looks greasy instead of silky, you just need more pasta water and more tossing. That starchy water is the peace treaty.

Nutrition information is estimated.

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