Sourdough Discard Banana Pancakes (Vegan)

These sourdough banana pancakes are such a great way to use your extra sourdough discard! They can be all done within 20 minutes and yield fluffy, light, vanilla-flavored banana pancakes your whole family will love. This recipe is completely vegan, egg-free and dairy-free!

Baking with sourdough starter not only makes for amazing homemade rustic bread, but also, you can use sourdough discard to make all sorts of tasty baked goods!

Including sourdough starter in recipes to make muffins, cookies and sweet loaves deepens the flavor, promotes a fluffy texture and also, it incorporates some extra gut-friendly nutrients for supporting digestion.

Plus, using your extra sourdough discard to bake treats is such a great way to avoid waste. It's a win-win!

If you are baking bread often, you must already know that sometimes you can end up with too much starter that you don't need to make bread. This is because you need to remove and discard a portion of your starter before feeding it to keep it alive and happy, otherwise, you would end up with too much of it. But don't put it to waste, this discarded portion can be used in many sweet and savory recipes!

Some of our favorite ways to use sourdough discard are to make peanut butter cookies, sourdough apple muffins and blueberry bread. And this time, I was looking for something I could make for my family on Sunday mornings, so I made sourdough banana pancakes!

The match of tangy sourdough + sweet banana is absolutely amazing and what makes this recipe so special. The batter comes together within minutes and they are super easy to make!

Let me know if you give them a try! ❤️

Vegan banana pancakes using sourdough discard

This pancake recipe is completely vegan (plant-based), meaning that there are no eggs and no milk (or buttermilk) used to make them.

Don't worry though! You can make pancakes without eggs, especially when adding sourdough discard to the batter as it helps make them lighter. The starter also adds tons of complex flavors that make them even more interesting.

As a side note, the sourdough discard used in this recipe is not meant to help rise the pancakes but is more of a flavor boost and texture enhancer. For this reason, you will still have to add a leavening agent (baking powder) to allow the pancakes to rise.

Why you should try this recipe

• Easy and quick
• Amazing way to use up your extra sourdough starter
• Makes for a healthy and filling breakfast
• Packed with delicious tangy, sweet and vanilla flavors
• Great texture that's fluffy and light
• Kid-friendly and perfect for family brunch
• Completely vegan, egg-free and dairy-free

Ingredients you will need

(full ingredient details below in the recipe card)

• Sourdough starter: you can use either an active sourdough starter or an unfed sourdough discard, both will work.
• Banana: you will need ¾ cup of mashed banana, which is about 1.5 banana. Make sure the bananas are very ripe for the best result.
• Plant-based milk: use any kind of milk that you like. I used oat milk from Oatly, but almond milk or soy milk is great too.
• Flour: I recommend using unbleached all-purpose white flour for these pancakes. Avoid bread flour to avoid pancakes that are dense or tough.
• Baking powder: leavening agent.
• Sweetener: I like to add a little maple syrup to my pancake batter, although this is optional. The bananas also bring some sweetness naturally!
• Vanilla extract: also optional, but highly recommended for a boost of flavor and to enhance the sweetness of the pancakes.
• Salt.

How to make sourdough discard banana pancakes

(all the details are in the recipe card down below)

Combine the wet ingredients

In a large bowl, add the sourdough discard, mashed banana, plant-based milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Use a large whisk to combine until smooth.

Add dry ingredients

Then, add the flour, baking powder and salt and keep whisking until there are no dry lumps anymore.

Cook

Warm up a large nonstick pan over medium heat with a little oil (I like using oil spray). Then, use about ¼ cup of batter per pancake and pour into the pan. You should be able to cook 3-4 pancakes per batch.

Cook for 3-4 minutes on medium-low heat, then flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes. The pancakes are ready to flip once there are many holes forming on top and the underneath is golden brown. Transfer over a plate and keep going with the next batch. You should be able to make 10-11 pancakes.

Helpful tips

• Make sure to mash the bananas until very smooth! I like using a fork instead of a potato masher for a thinner and more uniform result.
• The riper the bananas are, the better! Super ripe bananas are sweeter and turn into a smooth and almost saucy consistency when mashed, which works better for making a pancake batter.
• You will get different results depending on how old your sourdough discard is: the older, the more sour the flavor will be.
• Watch the pancakes as they cook and control the heat so they can be cooked through in the middle without burning on the outside. The trick is to keep your pan not too hot so you don't have to flip them too early! You can cover them if needed while they cook.
• Try not to overmix the batter as it can result in gummy or tough pancakes!

Serving suggestions

These vanilla-flavored pancakes are amazing served with berries and maple syrup. Other fresh fruit, such as sliced bananas or peaches, also would be delicious.

Other pancake toppings to try when serving:

• Shredded coconut
• Sautéed cinnamon apples
• Chopped walnuts
• Granola
• Peanut butter drizzle
• Caramelized bananas
• Yogurt (we love the cashew-based yogurt from Forager Project)
• Chocolate sauce
• Dust of powdered sugar or cacao powder

You can also add some extra ingredients to the pancake batter, such as blueberries, a pinch of cinnamon, chocolate chips or chopped walnuts!

FAQs

Can I use whole wheat flour?

You can swap up to 50% of the amount of flour for whole wheat flour. You might need to add a little extra milk as whole grains absorb more moisture.

Can I make them ahead?

Yes! You can make a double batch, let the extra pancakes cool down and then, transfer to an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat briefly in a pan or use a toaster oven. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months!

Can I use frozen bananas?

Yes! Make sure to let them thaw at room temperature first, then remove the extra liquid or moisture from thawing the fruit before mashing and using in the batter.

More vegan sourdough discard recipes to try

• Sourdough carrot muffins
• Strawberry sourdough muffins
• Sourdough granola
• Sourdough discard sandwich bread
• Sourdough discard brownies
• Sourdough discard blueberry scones
• Vegan sourdough apple bread

I hope you enjoyed this sourdough banana pancake recipe! If you have any questions, please leave them in the comment section below. Your feedback is so helpful!

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