Sourdough Discard Baked Crispy Spinach and Pine Nut Rounds

Name: Sourdough Discard Baked Crispy Spinach and Pine Nut Rounds
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 1 cup (240 ml) sourdough discard, at room temperature; 4 cups (120 g) fresh spinach, loosely packed; ½ cup (70 g) pine nuts, finely chopped; 3 cloves (10 g) garlic, minced; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; ¼ cup (25 g) finely grated Parmesan cheese; to taste sea salt; to taste freshly ground black pepper; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) red pepper flakes (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Golden-brown crisps made from sourdough discard mixed with wilted spinach, toasted pine nuts, and garlic. These savory rounds bake until crispy and crackling, perfect for snacking, serving alongside soups, or as a Mediterranean-inspired appetizer. The sourdough gives them a slight tang and remarkable crispness.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 25 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 55 min
Makes: 12 crisps

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C)
Have sourdough discard at room temperature
Line baking sheets with parchment paper

1
Toast pine nuts
- Place chopped pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat.
- Toast for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly golden.
- Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
- The nuts should smell warm and nutty.
- Don't walk away—they can burn quickly.
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Ready when: Pine nuts are golden and fragrant
Tip: Watch carefully; pine nuts burn easily. If they darken too much, start over.
2
Wilt spinach with garlic
- In the same skillet, heat 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add spinach in batches, stirring with a wooden spoon until completely wilted, about 3–4 minutes total.
- The spinach will release water.
- Pour the contents into a fine-mesh strainer and press gently with the back of a spoon to remove excess moisture.
- Let cool for 2 minutes.
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Ready when: All spinach is wilted and dark green
Tip: Removing moisture is crucial—wet spinach will make soggy crisps. Press firmly.
3
Mix dough and fillings
- In a bowl, combine the room-temperature sourdough discard with the cooled wilted spinach, toasted pine nuts, finely grated Parmesan, remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil, sea salt to taste, black pepper to taste, and red pepper flakes if using.
- Stir until well combined.
- The mixture should be thick and spreadable, like a rough paste.
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Ready when: All ingredients are evenly incorporated
Tip: Mix thoroughly so spinach and pine nuts are distributed throughout the dough.
4
Shape into rounds
- Using a spoon or small scoop (about 1½ tablespoons or 22 ml per round), drop portions of the mixture onto two parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
- You should have 12 rounds total (6 per sheet).
- Using the back of a fork, gently flatten each round into a disc about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.
- Don't press too hard, or they'll spread too much.
- They should look like small, bumpy patties.
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Ready when: All 12 rounds are shaped and flattened
Tip: Keep them roughly uniform in size so they bake evenly.
5
Bake until crispyOven 400°F / 205°C
- Place both baking sheets in a 400°F (200°C) oven on the upper and middle racks.
- Bake for 22–25 minutes, swapping the sheets halfway through (top to bottom, bottom to top), until the rounds are golden brown at the edges and firm to the touch.
- The tops should be dry and slightly darkened.
- They will continue to crisp as they cool.
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Ready when: Edges are deep golden brown; tops are firm and dry
Tip: Swap sheets at the halfway mark for even browning. Don't underbake—they need time to crisp throughout.
6
Cool and crisp
- Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the rounds cool on the parchment for 5–10 minutes.
- They will firm up significantly as they cool.
- Transfer to a wire rack or serve warm.
- They will become increasingly crispy as they cool to room temperature.
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Ready when: Rounds are firm and no longer soft in the center
Tip: Patience here pays off—they'll be much crunchier once fully cooled.

Good to know

Tips

The key to crispy crisps is removing as much moisture as possible from the spinach. Don't skip pressing it in the strainer.
Sourdough discard brings a subtle tang and helps the crisps brown deeply. If your discard is very runny, let it sit for 30 minutes to thicken slightly before using.
These pair beautifully with creamy soups (tomato bisque, butternut squash) or can be served as a standalone snack with hummus or labneh.
For extra flavor, add a pinch of nutmeg or a small amount of finely grated lemon zest to the spinach mixture.

Make ahead

Prepare the spinach and pine nut mixture up to 2 hours ahead; cover and refrigerate. Shape and bake when ready. Baked crisps keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days."

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 3 days in an airtight container. Refrigerator: up to 5 days in a sealed container. Freezer: up to 1 month in a freezer-safe bag. Reheat on a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5 minutes to re-crisp, or eat at room temperature.

Substitutions

pine nuts → Chopped almonds or walnuts. Use the same weight. Toast the same way. Almonds and walnuts will be slightly less delicate but equally delicious.
fresh spinach → Frozen spinach, thawed and drained thoroughly. Use 3 cups (180 g) frozen spinach (about 6 oz). Thaw completely and squeeze out excess moisture in a clean kitchen towel before wilting.
finely grated Parmesan cheese → Pecorino Romano or aged Manchego. Use the same weight. Both will add a sharper, more assertive flavor.
sourdough discard → Thick active starter (if fed and bubbly). Use the same volume. The starter should be at peak activity and thick in consistency for best results.