Simple Sourdough Pasta Recipe – Just 4 Ingredients!
This delicious and simple pasta recipe is made with only 4 ingredients: flour, eggs, salt, and sourdough discard. It’s an incredibly easy way to make homemade pasta, and it’s a great way to use up your sourdough discard. Whether you’re impressing your family or serving guests, this recipe makes fresh, flavorful pasta accessible in your very own kitchen.
Enjoy the perfect balance of tangy sourdough flavor and traditional pasta texture with this easy sourdough pasta recipe! You’ll love the simplicity and versatility it brings to your meals. Plus, it’s a great way to elevate any pasta dish you create!
❤️ Why You’ll Love Sourdough Discard Pasta
There was a time when I thought fresh pasta could only be enjoyed at a fancy restaurant or made by someone with Italian grandmother-level skills. The idea of making pasta at home seemed daunting—until I discovered this easy discard sourdough pasta recipe.
This recipe is a game-changer! After months of perfecting it, I can confidently say that making homemade pasta is simpler than you think. If you’re reading this and thinking that pasta-making is beyond your abilities, I’m here to tell you—you absolutely can do it!
You’ll love how simple and rewarding making pasta from scratch can be. Not only does it make your meal feel special, but it’s also a perfect way to use up sourdough discard while impressing your guests (or just treating yourself!). This discard sourdough pasta is your ticket to creating restaurant-quality dishes in your own kitchen.
🍲 Ingredients
Sourdough Discard – unfed, inactive sourdough starter.
All-purpose flour – I like to use Kirkland’s or King Arthurs all-purpose flour, as long as it’s unbleached you can use what you have on hand.
Eggs – This uses two eggs and one egg yolk. This makes the pasta tender and flavorful! If you don’t want to bother with separating the egg yolk, you can substitute this for one tablespoon of olive oil.
Salt – Use whatever salt you have on hand.
👩🍳 How to Make Sourdough Discard Pasta:
- Directly on a clean workspace, pour 2 cups of flour. Make a well in the middle of the flour with your hands. Crack 2 eggs and the yolk directly into the middle. Add the sourdough discard and salt right on top.
- Using a fork, whisk together the eggs and discard while slowly adding flour to the mixture. Use your bench scraper to help incorporate the flour. When the dough has mostly come together, use your hands to knead the dough for 5 – 7 minutes until you have a smooth ball.
- Wrap the dough ball with plastic wrap and let it rest on the counter for one hour.
- Pasta Preparation
- After resting, cut your dough into for equal pieces. Use your rolling pin to flatten each piece into a small rectangle. This makes it easier once you put it in the pasta maker.
- Using the pasta roller, start with the number one and roll your pasta out to your desired thickness. My sweet spot is either 4 or 5. I think the pasta is better the thinner it is, but this is all personal preference!
- Once all your pasta sheets are rolled out, use your bench scraper to cut each piece in half. Switch your attachment to the pasta cutter. (or you can hand cut the pasta with a large knife or pizza cutter and skip this step).
- Flour each sheet before putting them into the cutter. Cut the pasta into noodles and hang them on your pasta drying tree. If you don’t have a pasta drying tree you can add more flour to and twirl each bunch on top of a kitchen towel and cover them.
- Let the pasta dry out for one more hour.
- Cooking:
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add a generous pinch of salt to the water and carefully place the pasta into the pot.
- Let the pasta boil for 5 minutes. Fresh pasta takes a lot less time to cook than the pre-packaged noodles.
- Once your pasta is cooked, drain the noodles and toss with your favorite sauce!
- Serve with a side of garlic sourdough bread and enjoy!
🪄 Tips and Tricks
- The pasta attachment and drying tree are all convenient tools that make the pasta making journey just a little easier. They are not 100% necessary, so if you don’t have them – don’t fret. You will still make great pasta; it might just take a little bit longer.
- I’ve tried pasta many different ways, and each time I find that the thinner the pasta – the better. My sweet spot on the pasta roller is 4 or 5.
- If you don’t want to bother with separating an egg yolk, you can substitute it for one tablespoon of olive oil.
🗒 Example Bakers Schedule
If I want pasta for dinner, this is the time stamped steps that I would follow to make my life as simple and seamless as possible. Just to further drive the point home that anyone can make fresh pasta!
3:30pm – Mix together and knead the dough.
4pm – Wrap and let the dough rest.
5pm: Roll and cut the pasta.
5:30pm – Let the pasta dry out.
6:30pm: Boil the pasta and enjoy warm!
You can also start baking your sourdough bread while you are kneading the pasta dough. This sourdough recipe makes two loaves so you will always have one sitting in the fridge waiting to be baked for special occasions like this!
🗒 Substitutions
These are simple ingredients that don’t require a lot of substitutions, but if you don’t want to fuss with separating an egg yolk, you can substitute it for 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil instead.
- Egg yolk – Olive oil.
Flour Alternatives: Try mixing in semolina for added texture or whole wheat flour for a nuttier flavor.
Greens/Herbs: Incorporate pureed spinach, beetroot, or herbs into the dough for color and additional nutrition.
🗒 Best served with:
- A Warm, Fresh Loaf of Sourdough Bread: There’s nothing better than pairing your homemade sourdough discard pasta with a fresh, warm loaf of sourdough bread. The tangy flavor of the sourdough complements the pasta beautifully, creating a cohesive, delicious meal.
- Italian Dinner Spread: Serve your sourdough pasta alongside an Italian dinner spread—think antipasti, olives, cheese, and fresh salad. This pairing creates a well-rounded, flavorful meal that will transport you straight to Italy.
- Pizza Night: For a fun and delicious pizza night, serve your sourdough pasta as the perfect starter. The homemade, tangy flavor of the pasta enhances your pizza meal and adds an extra layer of authenticity to your Italian-inspired evening.
- No matter how you serve it, sourdough discard pasta is a delightful addition to any meal, offering a perfect balance of flavor and texture.
👝 How to Store Leftovers:
Store your cooked, leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Note: While freezing is an option, the texture and flavor of the pasta may be best when eaten fresh or refrigerated for short-term storage.
🤔 Common Questions
You can, but the consistency will be a little different because the starter will be thicker with more air bubbles. If you want to use active starter, make sure to stir it down before adding it to the pasta.
Sourdough Discard Pasta
Equipment
- Pasta maker Kitchen aid attachment
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 cup sourdough discard
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Directly on a clean workspace, pour 2 cups of flour. Make a well in the middle of the flour with your hands. Crack 2 eggs and the yolk directly into the middle. Add the sourdough discard and salt right on top.
- Using a fork, whisk together the eggs and discard while slowly adding flour to the mixture. Use your bench scraper to help incorporate the flour. When the dough has mostly come together, use your hands to knead the dough for 5 – 7 minutes until you have a smooth ball.
- Wrap the dough ball with plastic wrap and let rest on the counter for one hour.
- After resting, cut your dough into for equal pieces. Use your rolling pin to flatten each piece into a small rectangle. This makes it easier once you put it in the pasta maker.
- Using the pasta roller, start with the number one and roll your pasta out to your desired thickness. My sweet spot is either 4 or 5. I think the pasta is better the thinner it is, but this is all personal preference!
- Once all your pasta sheets are rolled out, use your bench scraper to cut each piece in half. Switch your attachment to the pasta cutter. (or you can hand cut the pasta with a large knife or pizza cutter and skip this step)
- Flour each sheet before putting them into the cutter. Cut the pasta into noodles and hang them on your pasta drying tree. If you don't have a pasta drying tree you can add more flour to and twirl each bunch on top of a kitchen towel and cover them.
- Let the pasta dry out for one more hour.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add a generous pinch of salt to the water and carefully place the pasta into the pot.
- Let the pasta boil for 5 minutes. Fresh pasta takes a lot less time to cook than the pre-packaged noodles.
- Once your pasta is cooked, drain the noodles and toss with your favorite sauce!
- Serve with a side of garlic sourdough bread and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Can you freeze these? I made too much and now am unsure of how to store?
Amazing and simple recipe! It was delicious!
How long can I keep the dried pasta out for? Can I stop then?
So go all the way until the pasta is dried and then cook it a few days later?
Let me know!