Gluten free sourdough skillet one pot healthy meal with starter discard
With the combination of meat and vegetables as well as good fats, and healthy carbs it really is a one-pot meal. Have you ever had Bisquick impossible pies? This is the new improved version of that! But it definitely still has the easy meal factor of being a one-dish meal, making it a staple in our family meal plan.
I love having gluten free sourdough starter in my kitchen. Just like a regular sourdough starter, it has a lot of versatility but is safe for those with celiac disease.
You can use this as a basic guide to making different variations, based on what meat and vegetables you want to use. (See more ideas below.) It is also a great way to repurpose leftovers!
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What Makes This Gluten-Free Sourdough Skillet Healthy?
As with most things, the overall quality of ingredients used is a big part of what makes a healthy dish. But this meal also has the added benefit of using a gluten-free sourdough starter for the bread topping. Because we use a gluten-free sourdough starter’s discard, it has already gone through the souring process. Which is great even when using gluten-free grains.
When working with grains Nourishing Traditions recommends soaking, sprouting, and souring grains. These three ways help to make the nutrients more bio-available by breaking down the anti-nutrients, (such as phytic acid) helping to make digestion easier. Some people think souring dough only matters if gluten is involved. But I think if you have gluten sensitivity, it is still good to be mindful of the replacement grains and how they are being used.
Ingredients Needed to Make this Gluten Free Skillet Meal
This gluten free sourdough skillet dinner is so versatile. You can adapt this meal to be whatever sounds good to you or whatever you happen to have in the pantry. Fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables will work just fine. If you are worried about different cooking times depending on what type of vegetables you are using, check out the “tips” area for more on that.
This recipe fits a 10-inch cast iron skillet. If you have a smaller skillet, you can adjust the total amount of ingredients down to fit your skillet.
For the filling you will need:
- Mixed Vegetables
- Some sort of meat (although, this can be optional if wanting a vegetarian option)
- Salt and pepper
- Minced garlic
- 1/2- 1 tablespoon of herbs and spices
For the gluten-free bread topping:
- GF sourdough starter
- Eggs
- Butter
- Cheese (optional)
- Salt
- Baking powder
How to Make this Easy Gluten-Free Skillet Meal Dairy-Free or Vegan
This recipe is easy to adapt for different dietary needs! Here’s how:
Vegan or Vegetarian Version:
- Swap the meat for beans, lentils, or tofu, or simply add an extra cup of vegetables.
- Replace the butter with coconut oil or olive oil.
- Use flax eggs instead of regular eggs (I haven’t tested this personally, but I’ve heard it works well!).
- Skip the cheese—it’s not needed to hold the gluten-free sourdough topping together.
Dairy-Free Version:
- Replace the butter with your preferred oil—coconut, olive, or avocado oil all work well.
- Simply omit the cheese—it’s optional and won’t affect the texture of the dish.
With these simple swaps, you can still enjoy a hearty, nourishing meal while keeping it dairy-free or fully plant-based!
Equipment Needed
This recipe keeps things simple—no stand mixer required! You likely already have everything you need in your kitchen.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Cast iron skillet– this recipe fits best in a 10-inch skillet
- Cutting board– I like a large one that I can dice everything on and just push things off to the side to keep dicing.
- Measuring Spoon
- Measuring cup
- Liquid measuring cup
- Spatula
- Wire whisk
- Kitchen knife
- Mixing bowl– a large bowl to mix the topping in.
- Garlic press– optional depending on how you add garlic
- Cheese grater– if you grate off the block as I prefer.
How to Make Gluten Free Sourdough Skillet One Pot Meal
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and gather all your ingredients.
- Cook the meat in a medium-hot skillet until browned and fully cooked. (If using leftover meat, skip this step.)
- Prep the vegetables while the meat is cooking.
- Remove the cooked meat from the skillet and set it aside.
- Sauté the vegetables in the same skillet:
- Fresh veggies: Cook until tender but still slightly firm.
- Frozen veggies: Add them once the fresh vegetables are nearly done.
- Canned veggies: Stir them in at the end—just warm them up since the dish will finish cooking in the oven.
- Add the cooked meat back into the skillet once the vegetables are ready.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Then, remove the skillet from heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all the sourdough topping ingredients (both wet and dry).
- Whisk until smooth, ensuring there are no lumps.
- Pour the sourdough batter evenly over the meat and vegetable filling. Use a spatula to spread it out if needed.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 400°F until the topping is set.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle shredded cheese on top (if using).
- Return to the oven for another 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the edges are golden brown.
Enjoy your homemade, gluten-free sourdough skillet!
Variations for Different Skillet Dinners
Switch up your weeknight routine with these easy and delicious skillet dinner ideas! With just one pan and a batch of gluten-free sourdough batter, you can create a new twist every week.
Cheeseburger Pie – Classic comfort food! Browned hamburger, diced onions, and cheddar cheese. Top with your favorite burger toppings once plated—think pickles, ketchup, or even a drizzle of special sauce!
Fajita Style – Sauté beef or chicken with diced peppers and onions, then top with Colby Jack cheese—or Pepper Jack if you like a little kick!
Vegetable Delight – Perfect for veggie lovers (and anyone who just wants more plants on their plate). Mushrooms, peppers, spinach, onion, fresh herbs, and cooked lentils make this a hearty, satisfying option.
Taco Pie – A fiesta in a skillet! Ground beef, chicken, or turkey mixed with black beans, corn, peppers, and onions. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and serve with salsa and avocado!
Fresh from the Garden – Light and flavorful! Chicken, summer squash, carrots, corn, and tomatoes, finished with melty mozzarella cheese.
BBQ Skillet – The perfect way to repurpose leftover BBQ! Shredded meat, onions, corn, and green beans, all topped with cheddar cheese for a smoky, savory meal.
Pantry Special – Made with ingredients you probably already have on hand! Chicken, carrots, onions, and peas come together for a simple, comforting dinner, finished with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese.
Get Creative! The possibilities are endless—maybe a curry-inspired version? A Mediterranean take with olives and feta? I’d love to hear what flavor combinations you try in the comments below!
How to Store Any Leftovers from the Gluten-Free Sourdough Skillet
Storing Leftovers:
- Let the skillet cool to room temperature before storing.
- Transfer leftovers to an airtight container—avoid storing them in the cast iron skillet.
- Refrigerate for 3-4 days.
Freezing Leftovers:
- Place cooled leftovers in a freezer-safe container.
- Freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheating Instructions:
- Stovetop or Oven: Transfer leftovers to a preheated cast iron skillet. Make sure the sourdough topping stays on top to prevent sogginess.
- Oven Method: Bake at 350°F until heated through.
- Stovetop Method: Use low heat to allow even warming—this prevents burnt edges and a cold center.
Tip: Always preheat your cast iron skillet before adding food to prevent sticking.
Enjoy your leftovers just as delicious as the first time!
Where to Get Gluten Free Sourdough Starter
You can get some gluten-free cultures from Cultures for Health on Amazon and make your own! This gives you a jump start on cultivating these wild yeast strains.
You can also try to start your own with these directions from King Arthur.
Personally, I was gifted some GF sourdough starter from a friend.
In my post Gluten Free Sourdough Starter: How to Activate It I share how to get it started as well as how I would transition to using King Arthur gluten-free flour blend.
King Arthur, Measure for Measure Flour, Certified Gluten-Free is my preferred GF all purpose flour blend that I use in my kitchen.
Things to Know When Making a Quick Weeknight Meal
Save time by prepping your ingredients ahead of time.
- Prep the Filling: Cook the meat, sauté the vegetables, and mix them with seasonings. Let cool to room temperature, then store in the fridge.
- If you don’t have a large container, a mixing bowl covered with plastic wrap works fine.
- Make the Sourdough Topping: Whisk all the topping ingredients together, cover, and refrigerate.
- When Ready to Cook:
- Warm your skillet with butter or oil.
- Add the filling and heat it through.
- Let the sourdough topping sit at room temp for a few minutes.
- Once the filling is hot, pour the topping over and follow the rest of the recipe for baking times.
Simple, quick, and stress-free!
Faq for Gluten Free Sourdough Skillet
When referencing sourdough, (be it gluten-free or not,) discard is referring to the portion that is removed before feeding the rest of the starter to become active and bubbly.
Technically, no you could use a feed sourdough starter and still get good results.
The benefit though of using only a discard starter is the grains have already gone through the fermentation process. This gluten-free sourdough skillet recipe is not like a regular bread recipe, there is no bulk fermentation time.
Yes! You can make the meat and vegetable of your choice ahead of time for the filling, and freeze it in ziplock bags. And then make the topping the day of cooking.
No, you could adapt it to using a 9×13 glass pan instead. Just cook the filling ingredients in a frying pan, then add them to the glass pan. Mix up the gluten free sourdough topping and pour over the filling and bake as usual.
Want More Gluten Free Sourdough Recipes?
Check out my gluten-free sourdough bread recipe the next time you want to try out new gluten-free bread recipes. How to Make Gluten Free Sourdough Bread with Recipe
If you want to see every gluten-free sourdough recipe I have, you can check out my gluten free sourdough category here.
If you’re looking for the Best Gluten-Free Sourdough Discard Pancakes, you’re in for a treat! These fluffy American-style pancakes are absolutely delicious. I always keep extra gluten-free sourdough starter on hand so I can quickly whip up a batch. And when I’m craving something crispy, I switch things up with my Gluten-Free Sourdough Discard Waffles. Whether you’re in the mood for soft and fluffy or golden and crispy, your sourdough discard has you covered!
Notes:
Fed or discard starter: You can use fed or discarded gluten-free sourdough starter for this recipe.
If you do use a fed starter, make sure there is extra space in your cast iron skillet for it to rise a bit more than a discarded starter may. Some people prefer placing the skillet on a cookie sheet in case of any spills from overflowing topping.
For the cheese topping: you can also mix the cheese into the gluten-free bread topping mixture when whisking it all up. (Rather than melt it on top.) I enjoy it both ways, although melty cheese is always a winner in our house.
The Specific Recipe I used:
The pictured meal is 1 pound of ground chicken. 1 cup of diced onions, 2 1/2 cups diced carrots and peppers, and 1/2 cup of frozen corn that I added towards the end of sauteeing the fresh vegetables. Topped with raw cheddar cheese.
If you love this recipe as much as our family does, I’d love for you to come back and leave a review! Or pin it for later!
Gluten Free Sourdough Skillet One Pot Meal
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet I use a 10 inch pan, 12 inch also works.
- cutting board
- Measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- liquid measuring cup
- Spatula
- Wire Whisk
- knife
- Mixing bowl
- Garlic press
- Cheese grater
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 pound ground chicken or any other meat or substitution
- 4 tbsp oil divided, (avocado oil, sunflower oil or other high heat oil.)
- 4 cups mixed vegetables diced (Canned, frozen or fresh)
- 1/2-1 tsp salt to taste
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp seasoning blend Italian, Mexican, or a no salt seasoning blend. Whatever goes well with your flavors.
- 3 cloves garlic minced
Gluten Free Sourdough Bread Topping
- 1 1/2 cups gluten free sourdough starter can be recently fed or discard
- 3 tbsps butter melted, cooled a bit
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp seasoning blend Italian, Mexican, or a no salt seasoning blend. Whatever goes well with your flavors.
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese Optional, any cheese that melts well will work.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Preheat the cast iron skillet on the stove top.
- Cook the meat in the skillet till completely cooked. (If using leftovers, skip this step.) 4 tbsp oilOil the skillet with 2 of the 4 tablespoons of oil and 1 pound ground chicken
- Remove the cooked meat from the skillet and set aside. (Also remove any excess fat that may be left in the skillet
- Add the remaining 2 tbsp oil to the skillet.
- Saute the vegetables in the skillet. (If using onions, cook those first till soft. Then add the rest of your vegetables to finish cooking.) This should take about 6 minutes on medium heat. 4 cups mixed vegetables
Make Gluten Free Sourdough Bread Topping
- While the vegetables cook, mix together the gluten-free sourdough bread topping. (But don't forget to continue to stir vegetables in the skillet occasionally too).
- Add all topping ingredients, except for the cheese, to a large mixing bowl. 1 1/2 cups gluten free sourdough starter 3 tbsps butter 1 tsp salt 2 tsp baking powder 3 eggs 1 tsp seasoning blend
- Whisk until well combined. Set aside.
- Add the cooked meat to the skillet filled with the sautéed vegetables and add the seasonings. 1/2-1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp ground black pepper 1 tbsp seasoning blend
- Add 3 cloves of minced garlic, stir to combine. 3 cloves garlic
- Cook for 30 seconds.
- Make sure the filling mixture is evenly distributed in the skillet.
- Remove the cast iron skillet from the stove top heat.
- Pour the gluten-free sourdough bread topping over the filling mixture.
- Use a spatula to make sure it is also evenly spread over everything.
- Transfer the skillet into the preheated oven.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the skillet.
- Top with the 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese. 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
- Return to the oven for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is melted.
Notes
Vegan or Vegetarian Version:
- Swap the meat for beans, lentils, or tofu, or simply add an extra cup of vegetables.
- Replace the butter with coconut oil or olive oil.
- Use flax eggs instead of regular eggs (I haven’t tested this personally, but I’ve heard it works well!).
- Skip the cheese—it’s not needed to hold the gluten-free sourdough topping together.
Dairy-Free Version:
- Replace the butter with your preferred oil—coconut, olive, or avocado oil all work well.
- Simply omit the cheese—it’s optional and won’t affect the texture of the dish.
Skillet Dinner Variations
Switch up your weeknight routine with these easy and delicious skillet dinner ideas! With just one pan and a batch of gluten-free sourdough batter, you can create a new twist every week. Cheeseburger Pie – Classic comfort food! Browned hamburger, diced onions, and cheddar cheese. Top with your favorite burger toppings once plated—think pickles, ketchup, or even a drizzle of special sauce! Fajita Style – Sauté beef or chicken with diced peppers and onions, then top with Colby Jack cheese—or Pepper Jack if you like a little kick! Vegetable Delight – Perfect for veggie lovers (and anyone who just wants more plants on their plate). Mushrooms, peppers, spinach, onion, fresh herbs, and cooked lentils make this a hearty, satisfying option. Taco Pie – A fiesta in a skillet! Ground beef, chicken, or turkey mixed with black beans, corn, peppers, and onions. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and serve with salsa and avocado! Fresh from the Garden – Light and flavorful! Chicken, summer squash, carrots, corn, and tomatoes, finished with melty mozzarella cheese. BBQ Skillet – The perfect way to repurpose leftover BBQ! Shredded meat, onions, corn, and green beans, all topped with cheddar cheese for a smoky, savory meal. Pantry Special – Made with ingredients you probably already have on hand! Chicken, carrots, onions, and peas come together for a simple, comforting dinner, finished with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese. Get Creative! The possibilities are endless—maybe a curry-inspired version? A Mediterranean take with olives and feta? I’d love to hear what flavor combinations you try in the comments below! Fed or Discard Starter: You can use fed or discarded gluten-free sourdough starter for this recipe. If you do use a fed starter, make sure there is extra space in your cast iron skillet for it to rise a bit more than a discarded starter may. Some people prefer placing the skillet on a cookie sheet in case of any spills from overflowing topping. For the cheese topping: you can also mix the cheese into the gluten-free bread topping mixture when whisking it all up. (Rather than melt it on top.) I enjoy it both ways, although melty cheese is always a winner in our house. The specific recipe I used for the pictured meal is 1 pound of ground chicken. 1 cup of diced onions, 2 1/2 cups diced carrots and peppers, and 1/2 cup of frozen corn that I added towards the end of sautéing the fresh vegetables. Topped with raw cheddar cheese. If multitasking isn’t a strength for you, cook the vegetables and add the meat to the skillet. Then follow that step with adding the minced garlic. After that step, remove the skillet from heat and mix up the gluten-free sourdough bread topping without having anything cooking on the stovetop. Finish as directed.Recommendations:
Need a delicious dessert to go with this meal? Check out my Gluten Free Gooey Butter Cookies, they are a fan favorite!
This looks delicious! Saving to Pinterest to make later!
I’m so glad you like it! Thank you 🙂
Looks delicious and so excited it’s gluten free.
I’m so glad! Gluten free diet people still need the good food, right?!
Oh man. This recipe alone makes me want to go out and buy a cast iron skillet! Thanks for sharing. Can’t wait to try it!
lol a cast iron skillet is definitely a great tool to have in the kitchen. 🙂