Perhaps you’re side-eyeing the bubbling sourdough starter on your kitchen counter right now and thinking to yourself: “Now, what do I do with you?”
Or, maybe you’re in peak lockdown mode and want to give baking sourdough a crack as a way to pass the time.
Regardless of how you got here, or whether you’ve got a loaf in your life, I’m here to share downright delicious sourdough topping recipes to take you straight to flavourtown!
And, I’m not talking about slapping some butter on your freshly-baked sourdough and calling it a day. I’ve compiled a list of my top 5 ways to eat sourdough to help inspire your taste buds and prove to everyone that sourdough is no one-trick pony. Sweet, savoury, spicy – sourdough can do it all, so it’s time we all started thinking outside the bread box and experimenting with flavours and textures.
Jump to:
1. Greek-style sourdough toast
If you, like myself, have been dreaming of balmy days spent laying out on the beach in Mykonos, then let this sourdough recipe transport your taste buds to the Greek Islands.
All you need for this quick recipe is some kalamata olives, tomatoes, cucumber, red wine vinegar capers – which you stir in a medium bowl until the ingredients are combined.
Then, simply spoon the ingredients onto your toasted sourdough, top with crumbled feta, dill sprigs, pepper and bon appetit!
It’s a simple, yet healthy, recipe for a last-minute lunch or dinner that will always leave your guests wanting more.
2. Sourdough French toast with berries
If you’re a self-proclaimed ‘sweet tooth’, then you’re going to lurve this recipe for sourdough French toast with berries.
Unlike basic supermarket bread, what makes this recipe even more special is that the sourdough gives the crust that extra crunch and the delicious tang that really complements the sweet ingredients.
For this recipe you’ll need the usual salt, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla extract and sugar to dip your sourdough. Then, simply cook your bread until it’s golden brown and top with berries, maple syrup and any other goodies your imagination can dream up.
3. Smoky port baked beans on sourdough
If you’re looking for a restaurant-quality take on classic baked beans on toast, then this recipe is for you.
This smoky port baked beans recipe is slightly more complicated than the previous one, but trust me when I say it’s worth the effort.
For this recipe you’ll need an onion, garlic, paprika, tomato paste, passata, zucchini, cannellini and black beans, as well as tawny port for a delicious flavour. Cooking time should take about 20 minutes, but it should make up to eight servings, so you can enjoy it for days or freeze it for later.
Once cooked, top your fresh sourdough with your mixture and the final touches – rocket, romano cheese and olive oil. Your guests will be seriously impressed if you whip this recipe out on a Sunday morning.
4. Healthy sourdough pizza toast
Everyone loves pizza. It’s a fact of life. As certain as the sun rises each morning, humans love pizza.
So, it would be criminal not to include a sourdough pizza recipe in here. However, I’ve put a healthy spin on classic pizza with this recipe, which includes mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and fresh basil.
Don’t worry – it still includes all the good stuff, like marinara sauce, oregano and bocconcini cheese.
To ‘bake’ the pizza you simply need to switch your oven to ‘broil’ and bake your pizza toast until the cheese is melted and sourdough is crispy and golden. Or, alternatively, you can cook it under the grill.
5. Classic bruschetta on sourdough
With a history tracing back as far as the 15th Century, there’s a reason Italians have been eating this bread-topped delicacy for centuries – it’s delicious.
If you’ve never tried your hand at homemade bruschetta, then this recipe is the perfect place to start. It’s simple and only uses a handful of ingredients, including cherry tomatoes, basil, olive oil, salt and pepper for the topping and sourdough toast for the crunchy base.
The secret to the art of bruschetta is to brush each side of the sourdough with olive oil before you grill it to give it that crunch and make sure you drizzle some of the juice from the tomato mixture on the final dish before serving.
Now that I’ve shared my top 5 ways to eat sourdough, I hope that you’re feeling inspired to go out on your own and create your own sourdough creations. Remember that it was the flavour renegades who came up with pairings like chicken and waffles, or bacon and maple syrup. So, don’t be afraid to explore uncharted flavour territories with your recipes.
Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram @youkneadsourdough and check out our Complete Sourdough Starter Kit for all of your home-baking needs.