Sourdough Discard Salvadoran Curtido Spiced Slaw and Cheese Crackers
A duo of flavors: tangy curtido (Salvadoran spiced cabbage slaw) paired with crispy, cheesy sourdough crackers made from discard. The crackers are seasoned with cumin and topped with sharp queso fresco, while the curtido brings cooling, vinegar-bright heat with jalapeños and oregano. Perfect as an appetizer spread, side dish, or snack platter.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Wait
- 15 min
- Total
- 1 hr 5 min
- Makes
- About 24 crackers and 2 cups (480 ml) curtido
Steps
Before you start
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) for the crackers
- Have active sourdough discard at room temperature
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper
Toast cumin and prepare
- In a small dry skillet over medium heat, toast the 1 teaspoon (4 g) of cumin seeds, stirring occasionally, for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Transfer to a small bowl to cool, then coarsely crush with the back of a spoon.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Seeds become fragrant and darken slightly
Tip: Toasting releases the cumin's oils; don't skip this step—it deepens the flavor significantly.
Mix cracker dough
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sourdough discard (¾ cup / 180 ml), olive oil (2 tablespoons / 30 ml), and kosher salt (½ teaspoon / 3 g) until smooth.
- The mixture should be thick but spreadable, like softened peanut butter.
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Ready when: Mixture is uniform and no lumps of discard remain
Tip: If the discard is very thick, stir in 1 tablespoon of water at a time until spreadable.
Spread and season crackers
- Divide the dough between two parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Using a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread each portion into a thin, even layer about ⅛-inch (3 mm) thick.
- Don't worry about edges being perfectly neat.
- Brush the top with a very light drizzle of olive oil, then sprinkle evenly with the crushed toasted cumin seeds, grated queso fresco (¾ cup / 85 g), and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper.
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Ready when: Dough is spread evenly and toppings are distributed across surface
Tip: Thin, even layers bake more uniformly and crispen better; use your hands to gently smooth out bumps if needed.
Bake crackers until crispyOven 400°F / 205°C
- Bake the crackers in the preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for 15–18 minutes.
- Halfway through baking (around 8 minutes), rotate the pans front-to-back so they brown evenly.
- The crackers are done when the edges are golden brown and the centers are no longer soft when pressed lightly with a fork.
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Ready when: Edges are golden brown, center firms when pressed and makes a dry cracking sound
Tip: If they're browning unevenly, tent with foil and extend baking by 2–3 minutes rather than increasing the heat.
Cool crackers until crisp
- Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the crackers cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack or parchment paper to cool completely.
- They will crisp further as they cool.
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Ready when: Crackers bend slightly but don't break, with a satisfying snap when fully cooled
Tip: Don't eat them hot—they'll seem chewy. They need to cool to achieve full crispness.
Prepare curtido vegetables
- Thinly slice the green cabbage (about ½ head / 600 g), julienne or thinly slice the carrot (1 medium / 100 g), thinly slice the white onion (¼ / 50 g), remove the seeds from the jalapeños if you prefer less heat, then slice them thinly (2 whole / 30 g), and mince or slice the garlic clove (1 / 5 g).
- Place all vegetables in a large clean bowl.
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Ready when: All vegetables are sliced uniformly and collected in the bowl
Tip: Uniform slices ensure even pickling; a mandoline works well for cabbage and carrot.
Make curtido brine
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the white vinegar (½ cup / 120 ml), water (¾ cup / 180 ml), kosher salt (1 tablespoon / 6 g), and dried oregano (1 teaspoon / 1 g).
- Stir until the salt dissolves completely.
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Ready when: Salt is completely dissolved and brine is clear
Tip: Warm the vinegar and water slightly (about 30 seconds in the microwave) to help salt dissolve faster.
Combine and rest curtido
- Pour the brine over the prepared vegetables in the large bowl and stir gently but thoroughly to combine.
- All vegetables should be submerged in the liquid.
- Cover the bowl loosely and let sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes (or up to 1 hour for deeper flavor).
- The vegetables will soften and the flavors will marry.
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Ready when: Vegetables are slightly softened and have absorbed some of the brine; cabbage is still slightly crunchy
Tip: Curtido is best served at room temperature or lightly chilled; it gets better the next day as flavors deepen.
Break crackers into shards
- Once completely cooled, break or cut the baked crackers into irregular shards 1–2 inches (2.5–5 cm) across.
- If they've cooled for more than 30 minutes, they should snap cleanly.
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Ready when: Crackers break into crispy shards with minimal shattering
Tip: Leave some larger pieces and some smaller; variety in size makes a more appealing presentation.
Assemble and serve
- Transfer the curtido to a serving bowl or small glass jar, reserving about ¼ cup (60 ml) of the brine at the bottom for moisture.
- Arrange the cheese crackers on a platter alongside the curtido, or serve the curtido spooned or heaped on individual cracker shards.
- Drizzle a little of the brine over each bite if desired.
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Ready when: Curtido is in serving dish and crackers are arranged attractively
Tip: For a composed appetizer, top each warm cracker shard with a small dollop of curtido and a tiny piece of fresh jalapeño.
Good to know
Tips
- Sourdough discard should be at its peak (bubbly, doubled, or recently fed) for best rise and flavor in the crackers—sluggish or old discard will result in denser, less-flavorful crackers.
- Curtido is built to develop flavor over time. If serving immediately, let it rest at least 30 minutes; overnight in the fridge is ideal and allows the cabbage to soften while staying slightly crunchy.
- For extra crispness, break the baked cracker sheet into shards while still warm (after 5 minutes on the pan)—this helps them snap cleanly rather than bend.
- Traditional curtido is often served alongside pupusas (Salvadoran stuffed flatbreads) as a cooling condiment, but it's equally delicious with cheese crackers or crusty bread as an appetizer.
Make ahead
Crackers can be baked up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Curtido can be made up to 5 days ahead and refrigerated in a sealed jar; bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving or serve chilled.
Storage & reheating
Crackers: room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days (they soften if exposed to moisture). Curtido: refrigerated in a sealed glass jar for up to 1 week; the vegetables will soften over time but the flavor deepens. Reheat crackers at 300°F (150°C) for 5–8 minutes if they've lost crispness.
Substitutions
- queso fresco → Cotija cheese or feta cheese, finely grated. Cotija is closer in texture and salinity; feta will add more tang and moisture. Use the same amount.
- sourdough discard, active and at room temperature → 1 cup (240 ml) of liquid sourdough starter or refreshed starter fed 4–6 hours prior. Active, bubbly starter gives the best rise and tang. Avoid cold or recently-fed starter.
- dried oregano → Dried marjoram or ½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano plus ½ teaspoon ground cumin. Mexican oregano has a more aromatic, citrus-forward flavor closer to traditional Salvadoran versions.
- distilled white vinegar → Apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar. Adjust amount slightly—apple cider is stronger (use ¼ cup / 60 ml); rice vinegar is milder (use ¾ cup / 180 ml).
