Burger Buns with Sourdough Starter Discard

Burger buns made with a quick-rise sourdough method, super soft and delicious.

Burgers are something we always have at home — super practical and a lifesaver on busy days or when we've been out all day without anything prepared.

Just having the buns ready in the freezer or freshly made (when I'm organized) and pairing them with homemade ground beef patties with whatever's in the fridge gives us a delicious, quick dinner or lunch — healthier and way cheaper than ordering delivery or takeout.

We know sourdough fermentation usually means a longer rising process, but this recipe combines the unique flavor of levain with a somewhat quicker process. We'll combine starter discard (unfed, inactive starter) with a very small amount of dry active yeast compared to ultra-processed breads, which gives us great texture while cutting down the fermentation time.

Ingredients

1 cup warm water
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/3 cup sourdough starter discard
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 egg
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Method

1
Add all the ingredients to a stand mixer (or a bowl if kneading by hand), starting with: water, yeasts, sugar, butter; then add the remaining ingredients.
2
Mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball, or until it no longer sticks to your hands. It should be elastic and smooth.
3
Let it rest until doubled in size. On a warm day this will be quick, just a few hours; if it's cold, it'll take a bit longer. It's very important to let it rise fully at this stage — that's what determines whether the buns turn out soft and fluffy or dense.
4
Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and shape into balls.
5
Place them on a shallow pan, like a cookie sheet, to bake properly. Use parchment paper to guarantee the buns will release easily from the pan after baking. Gently flatten each ball into a burger bun shape.
6
Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest while the oven preheats, or until the buns have doubled in size.
7
Brush water over the tops of the buns and sprinkle with white and black sesame seeds (you can skip this step if you'd rather not).
8
Bake at medium temperature, 180°C (350°F), until golden on top (about 20 minutes), but let it get nicely golden to make sure it's not raw inside.
9
Tips: Cover with a towel when you take the buns out of the oven so they don't dry out. After the first rise, if you can't or don't want to finish shaping the dough right away, cover it with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to shape and bake. Up to 2 days max. Don't let the buns cool in the pan — take them out and let them cool on a wire rack, to avoid a soggy bottom from trapped steam.