Vegan Sourdough Discard Sweet Potato and Sage Crackers

Name: Vegan Sourdough Discard Sweet Potato and Sage Crackers
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 24 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ¾ cup (180 ml) sourdough discard (unfed or recently fed), at room temperature; ½ cup (115 g) sweet potato, roasted and cooled, peeled, mashed until smooth; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil; 3 tablespoons (30 g) nutritional yeast; 2 tablespoons (6 g) fresh sage leaves, finely chopped; ½ teaspoon (2 g) garlic powder; ¾ teaspoon (4 g) fine sea salt; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) freshly ground black pepper

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crispy, savory crackers made with sourdough discard and roasted sweet potato, seasoned with fresh sage and nutritional yeast. These are an excellent way to use up your discard while creating an earthy, umami-rich snack that's entirely plant-based. The sweet potato adds natural sweetness and moisture, while sage brings herbal depth. They're thin and crunchy with lacy, caramelized edges.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 35 min
Makes: 24 crackers (about 6 oz / 170 g total)

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Steps

Before you start

Have your sourdough discard at room temperature and active (recently fed ideally)
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper
Roast or microwave the sweet potato until tender so it mashes easily

1
Mix the dough
- In a medium bowl, combine the sourdough discard, mashed sweet potato, and olive oil.
- Whisk or stir with a fork until completely combined and smooth, about 1 minute.
- The mixture should feel slightly sticky but spreadable, with no lumps.
- If there are any rough bits of sweet potato, press them through with the back of your fork.
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Ready when: Mixture is smooth and uniform, no lumps of sweet potato visible
Tip: If your sourdough discard is very thick, add 1 teaspoon of water to loosen it slightly.
2
Season the mixture
- Stir in the nutritional yeast, chopped fresh sage, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Mix thoroughly until the seasonings are evenly distributed throughout, about 1 minute.
- The mixture should smell fragrant and herbal.
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Ready when: Seasoning is evenly distributed with no pockets of yeast or herbs
Tip: Taste a tiny amount and adjust salt or sage to your preference if needed.
3
Spread on prepared sheets
- Divide the mixture evenly between the two prepared baking sheets (about 1.5 tablespoons per sheet).
- Using the back of a spoon or an offset spatula, spread the mixture as thinly and evenly as possible across each sheet—the thinner you spread it, the crispier the crackers will be.
- Aim for a layer about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick.
- Leave about ½ inch (1 cm) of space at the edges to allow for some spread and browning.
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Ready when: Mixture covers each baking sheet in an even, thin layer with minimal gaps
Tip: Wet your spatula with a little water to help the sticky mixture spread without tearing.
4
Bake until crispyOven 425°F / 220°C
- Place both baking sheets in the preheated 425°F (220°C) oven on the middle and lower racks.
- Bake for 18–22 minutes, until the crackers are deeply golden brown and crispy throughout.
- At the 10-minute mark, quickly open the oven and swap the positions of the two baking sheets (lower to middle and vice versa) so they bake evenly.
- The edges will be darker and more caramelized than the center, which is ideal for flavor.
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Ready when: Crackers are dark golden brown, feel crispy to the touch, and release easily from parchment
Tip: If your oven has hot spots, rotate the sheets halfway through. The crackers should be completely crispy before removing—they may still feel slightly soft when hot but will crisp further as they cool.
5
Cool and serve
- Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the crackers cool on the parchment for 5–10 minutes.
- They will continue to crisp up as they cool.
- Once completely cooled, break them into irregular pieces (you can tear them by hand into bite-sized shards or leave them larger if you prefer).
- Store in an airtight container.
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Ready when: Crackers are completely cool, firm, and break cleanly with a snap
Tip: Do not skip the cooling step. They need time to harden and become properly crispy; they won't achieve the right texture if eaten warm.

Good to know

Tips

This recipe is perfect for using up sourdough starter discard during regular feeding cycles. Unfed discard or recently fed discard both work; the crackers don't require a strong fermentation.
The thinner you spread the mixture, the crispier and more lacy your crackers will be. A ⅛-inch (3 mm) thickness is ideal for maximum crunch.
Don't be alarmed if the crackers look darkly caramelized at the edges—this is where the flavor develops. Dark golden brown is your target, not pale.
To roast a fresh sweet potato: poke it with a knife, bake at 400°F (200°C) for 40–50 minutes until very soft, then cool and scoop out the flesh.

Make ahead

Store completely cooled crackers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze for up to 1 month. To refresh, warm them in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 3–5 minutes until crispy again.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: Up to 5 days in an airtight container or resealable bag. Freezer: Up to 1 month in an airtight container. To reheat: Warm in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 3–5 minutes to restore crispness. Do not refrigerate, as moisture will make them soft.

Substitutions

fresh sage leaves → dried sage (use 1 teaspoon instead of 2 tablespoons). Dried sage is more concentrated. Rosemary or thyme also work well for an herbal flavor.
sweet potato, roasted and cooled → roasted butternut squash or pumpkin purée. Use the same weight (115 g). Butternut squash will be slightly less sweet; pumpkin is very similar in flavor.
nutritional yeast → grated Parmesan cheese (30 g) for a non-vegan version. Parmesan adds a sharp, umami punch instead of the milder cheesy-savory flavor of nutritional yeast.
garlic powder → minced fresh garlic (2 cloves, minced very finely). Fresh garlic will add moisture, so reduce the olive oil to 1.5 tablespoons to compensate.