Quick & Fluffy Sourdough Dumplings (Discard or Fermented)
Fluffy, tender sourdough dumplings made with discard or active starter. Scoop and drop right into simmering soup—no rolling, no fuss. Includes a quick version and a fermented option.
Servings: 8 makes approx. 14–18 small dumplings
Calories: 137kcal
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups/spoons
- 6-quart enameled Dutch oven I use this Amazon Basics Dutch oven in my kitchen. It’s sturdy, heats evenly, and is the perfect size for dumplings. Any heavy pot with a lid will work.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons double acting baking powder regular will also work
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground sage
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter discard (or active for fermented version)
- 2/3 cup milk
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For Fermented Version (optional rise booster)
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, garlic powder, sage, and pepper.
- Add sourdough starter, milk (or buttermilk), and melted butter. Stir just until a wet, sticky, scoopable dough forms—do not overmix.
- Use a small cookie scoop or spoon to drop dough directly onto the surface of simmering soup or stew. Keep each dumpling about 1 tablespoon in size. Maintain the heat at a low bubble.
- Cover the pot with a lid and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid while cooking!
- After 15 minutes, insert a toothpick into one of the dumplings to check for doneness. If it comes out clean, they’re ready to serve.
Fermented Version (Optional)
- Mix dough as above, using active starter. Cover and ferment for at least 8 hours at room temp, or overnight in the fridge.
- When ready to cook, gently fold in ¼ cup sour cream or buttermilk + ¼ tsp baking soda.Do not overmix after fermentation—fold gently just to combine.
- Proceed with cooking instructions above.
Notes
- Store leftover dumplings in a separate container from the broth to prevent them from getting soggy.
- Reheat in the oven, toaster oven, or microwave.
- Works great in broth-based soups, vegetable stews, or paired with my sourdough chicken and dumplings recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 137kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 330mg | Potassium: 60mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 209IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 1mg