Sourdough Discard Garlic Pull Apart Bread

Sourdough Discard Garlic Pull Apart Bread: This Sourdough Discard Garlic Pull Apart Bread is delicious and fun to eat (and make!). Peel off a buttery, garlicky layer to enjoy on its own, as an appetizer, or as a side dish with a meal. It’s a fun twist on classic garlic bread that you can make with sourdough discard or active sourdough starter, if you prefer!

Why you’ll love this recipe Sourdough Discard Garlic Pull Apart Bread

The irregularity is part of the charm of this recipe, so you don’t need to worry about dividing the dough perfectly, or shaping the pieces into perfect shapes!
- It also makes this a great recipe to make with young or inexperienced bread bakers – it’s very forgiving!
The garlic bread layers are buttery, garlicky, and delicious – and very fun to peel and eat! And if you’re in a garlic mood.
This recipe is best served warm, while the layers are still soft and fragrant!
You can easily modify this recipe to use active sourdough starter instead of sourdough discard, if you prefer.
You can change up the herbs to suit your tastes. Only rosemary? Only parsley? A mix? Something else entirely? Go for it! Sourdough Discard Garlic Pull Apart Bread

Can you add cheese to this recipe?

Yes! If you want to add cheese to this recipe, spread each piece of dough with the butter mixture, then sprinkle with shredded Parmesan. You’ll need about ¼ cup of shredded Parmesan for the full loaf.

How to Make Sourdough Discard Garlic Pull Apart Bread

There are just a few steps and the most involved part (but also the most fun part!) is the assembly. The full recipe with detailed directions is at the bottom of this post.

Step 1: Combine all ingredients except butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. With the mixer on low, slowly pour in the melted butter until a shaggy dough forms.

Step 2: Knead the dough on a work surface for 3-4 minutes until smooth. The dough should be soft, smooth, and not sticky. If needed, add more flour or milk (1 Tablespoon at a time) to reach your desired consistency.

Step 3: Transfer the dough to a large, oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 60-90 minutes until doubled in size.

Step 4: In a small bowl, mix together the softened butter, chopped herbs, garlic powder and salt for the topping. Make sure the butter is very soft to make for easier mixing.

Step 5: Transfer the dough to a work surface and divide into 12 equal-sized pieces. I recommend using a kitchen scale to measure perfectly even pieces.

Step 6: Press and flatten the dough with your hand (you can use a rolling pin if you prefer) into an oval about 4 inches wide (this is the about the width of your pan). This doesn’t need to be exact; the irregularity is part of this recipe!

Step 7: Generously spread each flattened piece with the butter mixture. You’ll use about 1-2 teaspoons of the butter mixture on each piece.

Step 8: Fold the buttered piece in half like a taco.

Step 9: Place the piece fold-side-down in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan. Repeat with the remaining pieces until the bread pan is full.

Step 10: Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 30-45 minutes until puffed. The dough should not rise above the top of the bread pan.

Step 11: Bake until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200 degrees (F) on a kitchen thermometer. While warm, brush with any remaining butter mixture and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Let cool slightly, then serve while still warm.

Storage Sourdough Discard Garlic Pull Apart Bread

Room Temperature Storage: This Sourdough Discard Garlic Pull Apart Bread is best eaten fresh, while it’s still slightly warm. You can store the bread in a sealed plastic bag or airtight container for up to 3 days. If needed, reheat in the microwave for about 30 seconds to make the bread soft and warm again.

Freezer Storage: If you want to store this bread to enjoy later, let it cool fully, then transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, let the bread thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then warm in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. You can also reheat the full loaf in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes.

Substitutions & Variations Sourdough Discard Garlic Pull Apart Bread

This is a very adaptable recipe and below are a few easy substitutions and variations you can try.

Use active sourdough starter – If you’d like to make this recipe with active sourdough starter instead of discard, you can. Omit the yeast, and you’ll also need to adjust the rising times (I have not tried this with active starter, so do not have those rise times currently).
Use different herbs – You can use either parsley or rosemary for this recipe (or a combination of both!). If you like, you can also mix up the herbs and use something else – sage would be wonderful here!
Add cheese – If you’re interested, you can sprinkle ¼ cup of shredded parmesan cheese in between the dough layers as you’re building the bread. Spread each piece with the butter mixture, then sprinkle with cheese and fold as directed.
Use fresh garlic – If you’d like to use fresh garlic instead of garlic powder, you can! One clove of garlic is equal to ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder.

Expert Baking Tips Sourdough Discard Garlic Pull Apart Bread

Make sure to knead the dough long enough. The dough should be smooth and not sticky. If needed, add more flour or non-dairy milk (1 Tablespoon / 10 grams at a time) to reach your desired consistency.
Let the dough rise long enough. Dough will rise quicker in a warmer room, and slower in a cooler room. If it needs more time, give it more time!
Shaping the dough does not have to be perfect. Part of the fun of this recipe (and others like my Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites) is the irregularity of the garlic bread layers. Embrace it and shape the dough pieces by hand, let them be irregular shapes, and don’t worry about them being the same size.
Be generous with the butter mixture on each piece of dough. You’ll also want to keep a little bit of the butter mixture to brush on the warm bread when it comes out of the oven!
Do not let the dough rise past the top of the bread pan during the second rise. If it does, it will still be delicious, but you’ll run the risk of the dough folding and falling over the edge of the pan as it bakes.
Use a kitchen thermometer to make sure the loaf is fully baked. When finished, the loaf will reach an internal temperature of 200 degrees (F).

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 40minutes

Rise Time: 2hours hrs 15minutes

Total Time: 3hours hrs 20minutes

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 510 kcal

Ingredients Sourdough Discard Garlic Pull Apart Bread

For the bread

¼ cup non-dairy or regular dairy milk warmed to 110℉
1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 cups + 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
200 grams (about ¾ cup) sourdough discard unfed, at room temperature
1 egg lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley or rosemary chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted

For the topping

7 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley or rosemary chopped
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
flaky sea salt for topping

Instructions Sourdough Discard Garlic Pull Apart Bread

Combine the warmed milk, instant yeast, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook*. Add the flour, sourdough discard, beaten egg, chopped herbs, salt, and garlic powder. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add 2 Tablespoons of melted butter. Increase speed to medium and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
Transfer the dough to a smooth work surface and knead until a smooth dough forms, about 3-4 minutes. The dough should be smooth and slightly tacky (but not sticky). If needed, add more flour or milk (1 Tablespoon / 10 grams at a time) to reach your desired consistency.
Transfer the dough to a large greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 60-90 minutes, or until doubled in size.
While the dough rises, make the topping. In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, chopped herbs, garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix until combined. Set aside 1 Tablespoon of this mixture to brush on the loaf when it comes out of the oven.Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and set aside**.
After the rise, turn the dough onto a smooth work surface and divide into 12 equal-sized pieces. I recommend using a kitchen scale to divide the dough evenly (for me, each piece was about 55 grams).Flatten each piece with the palm of your hand into a rough circle about 4 inches in diameter, then spread with 1-2 teaspoons of the butter mixture. Fold the piece in half like a taco, then transfer to the prepared baking pan with the fold-side down on the bottom of the pan. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough, using all but the 1 Tablespoon of the butter mixture you’ve kept for brushing on the loaf when it comes out of the oven.
Cover the pan with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise 30-45 minutes until the dough is puffed. The dough should not rise above the edges of the loaf pan.
Preheat the oven to 350℉.
Bake for 30 minutes, then cover with aluminum foil and bake an additional 5-10 minutes. The final loaf will be golden brown, and if you use a kitchen thermometer, the internal temperature will reach about 200℉.While the loaf is still warm, brush with the remaining butter mixture and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then serve.

Notes Sourdough Discard Garlic Pull Apart Bread

This recipe can be made without a stand mixer. To do so, mix the dough in a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon, then knead by hand. **If you are doubling or tripling this recipe, you will use 2 (for doubling) or 3 (for tripling) 9×5-inch baking pans. To make this recipe with active sourdough starter, omit the yeast and replace the sourdough discard with active starter (200g). You will also need to increase the rise times.

Nutrition Sourdough Discard Garlic Pull Apart Bread

Calories: 510kcalCarbohydrates: 73gProtein: 12gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 613mgPotassium: 160mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 677IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 38mgIron: 4mg