Perfect Pizza Dough from Sourdough Discard

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Our sourdough discard pizza dough is more than just a recipe; it’s an experience that brings authentic Italian flavors and simple joy to your kitchen. Here’s why this particular recipe stands out as a beloved choice for home bakers and pizza enthusiasts alike:

• Naturally Fermented for Superior Flavor & Digestibility. This homemade pizza crust harnesses the power of natural yeast from your sourdough starter, making it a truly authentic sourdough pizza dough recipe. Unlike commercial yeast, sourdough’s slow fermentation process develops complex flavors, giving your crust a subtle tang and a rich aroma. Moreover, the natural acids and enzymes in sourdough can break down gluten and phytic acid, potentially making the pizza more digestible for some individuals and enhancing nutrient absorption. It’s a healthier, more flavorful alternative to conventional pizza crusts.
• Effortless Overnight Preparation. This recipe requires a double rise, with the initial fermentation being the key to its incredible texture and flavor. To make it incredibly convenient, we’ve designed it as an easy overnight recipe. Simply mix the dough in the evening, let it work its magic at room temperature while you sleep, and wake up to a perfectly fermented dough ready for shaping and baking. This slow, cool fermentation significantly enhances flavor development and makes pizza night planning a breeze. If you’re pressed for time, consider our sourdough discard flatbread recipe, which offers a delicious quick-rise option for flatbread pizzas.
• Ideal for Meal Prep and Busy Weeknights. Sourdough pizza dough is a meal prep superstar! Once prepared, the dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. This flexibility means you can make a large batch, portion it out, and have fresh pizza dough ready to go for impromptu pizza nights, quick lunches, or even last-minute gatherings throughout the week. It’s the ultimate solution for busy schedules, ensuring a delicious, homemade meal is always within reach without the daily effort.
• Reduces Sourdough Discard Waste. For sourdough bakers, discard is a constant. This recipe provides a fantastic, flavorful way to utilize your excess starter, transforming what might otherwise be thrown away into a delectable pizza crust. It’s a win-win for both your pantry and your palate, promoting sustainable baking practices.
• Unmatched Texture and Authentic Italian Feel. The unique fermentation process yields a crust that is both remarkably soft and chewy, yet achieves a delightful crispness when baked at high temperatures. This combination of textures, coupled with the sourdough’s signature tang, creates a pizza experience reminiscent of traditional Italian pizzerias, right in your home.

Crafting the perfect sourdough pizza crust begins with understanding your ingredients. While this recipe keeps things simple, knowing the role of each component and potential substitutions can elevate your baking game.

• Active Sourdough Starter (or Discard) – For optimal results, use a mature starter that is at least a week old and consistently doubles in size within 4-6 hours after feeding. This recipe is specifically designed for sourdough discard, meaning a starter that was fed 12-24 hours prior and is active but not necessarily at its peak. Using discard is an excellent way to impart flavor and structure without needing a freshly fed, bubbly starter. A 100% hydration starter (equal parts flour and water by weight) works best for this recipe’s consistency. If your starter isn’t performing well, refer to our sourdough starter troubleshooting guide.
• All-Purpose Flour – We’ve found that the best flour for sourdough pizza is either a good quality all-purpose flour or a higher protein variety like bread flour. All-purpose flour yields a tender crumb, while bread flour, with its higher protein content, develops more gluten, resulting in a chewier, more robust crust – ideal for those who love a hearty pizza. You can also experiment with a blend of all-purpose and a small amount of whole wheat flour for added flavor and nutrition, or ’00’ flour for an ultra-fine, traditional Neapolitan texture.
• High-Quality Olive Oil – Extra virgin olive oil plays a crucial role not only in flavor but also in contributing to a golden, slightly crispy crust. A good quality olive oil will lend a subtle fruity note that complements the tang of the sourdough. While any olive oil will work, investing in a high-quality extra virgin variety can truly elevate the taste of your pizza.
• Salt – Essential for flavor and controlling fermentation. Use fine sea salt or kosher salt. Avoid iodized table salt, which can sometimes impart an off-flavor and inhibit fermentation. Be precise with measurements, as too little salt will result in a bland dough, and too much can slow down your starter.
• Granulated Sugar (Optional) – A small amount of sugar helps to feed the starter, promoting a more active rise, and contributes to better browning of the crust. If you prefer to avoid sugar, it can be omitted, though your crust might be slightly less golden.
• Warm Filtered Water – The temperature of your water is critical for activating the sourdough starter. Aim for warm water between 95°F and 100°F (35°C-38°C). Water that is too hot can kill your starter, while water that is too cold will slow down fermentation significantly. Filtered water is recommended to avoid any chlorine that might be present in tap water, which can also inhibit yeast activity.

1. Prepare Your Sourdough Starter.
   Ensure your sourdough starter (discard or fed) has been prepared 12-24 hours prior to starting this recipe. This ensures enough active culture is present to leaven your dough effectively, even if it’s not at its peak “fed” activity. A healthy starter is key to a vibrant, flavorful dough. If you’re experiencing issues with your starter, our sourdough starter troubleshooting guide can help you revive it.
2. Combine Ingredients to Form a Shaggy Mixture.
   In a large mixing bowl, combine your active sourdough discard, all-purpose flour, olive oil, salt, granulated sugar, and warm filtered water. Mix these ingredients thoroughly using a sturdy spoon or a dough whisk until just combined. The mixture should appear rough and “shaggy” – this means the ingredients are barely incorporated, forming an uneven, textured mass, as shown in the photo below. Avoid overmixing, as this can lead to tough dough. The dough should feel soft and sticky at this stage.
3. Initial Kneading for Gluten Development.
   Once the shaggy dough has formed, turn it out onto a lightly floured countertop. Knead the dough gently for about 3 minutes. This short kneading period helps to initiate gluten development, leading to a smoother, more elastic dough without overworking it. Your dough should become smooth and tacky to the touch, but no longer excessively sticky.

4. Long Fermentation for Enhanced Flavor.
   Return the kneaded dough to the mixing bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, and allow the sourdough discard pizza dough to rise at room temperature for at least 8 hours. This extended, slow fermentation is crucial for developing the deep, complex flavors characteristic of sourdough and achieving that wonderfully pillowy and chewy pizza crust. For ultimate convenience, we highly recommend preparing the dough the night before you plan to bake. Simply set the covered bowl on your kitchen counter to rise overnight. The dough needs a warm, consistent room temperature environment to ferment properly.
5. Wait for the Dough to Double in Size.
   Resist the urge to punch down the dough until it has visibly doubled in its original size. A helpful tip for visual tracking: mark the starting level of the dough in the bowl with a piece of masking tape or an erasable marker. Once it has achieved its doubled volume, gently punch the dough down in the bowl to release the gases, then flip it over. This ensures even fermentation and prepares the dough for its next stage.
6. Refrigerate for Optimal Handling and Storage.
   After the initial rise and punch-down, re-cover the bowl with plastic wrap and transfer the dough to the refrigerator. Chilling the dough slows down fermentation even further, making it much easier to handle and shape. It also allows the flavors to continue to develop. Remove the dough from the fridge about 1 hour before you intend to bake your pizzas, allowing it to come to a more manageable temperature for shaping.

7. Portioning for Perfect Pizzas.
   Our sourdough pizza crust recipe yields enough dough for two large pizzas or four to six personal-sized pizzas. For consistent results, you can weigh each portion of dough; alternatively, you can simply eyeball it. When dividing the dough, use a bench scraper or a sharp knife to make clean cuts. Tearing the dough can disrupt its delicate structure and make it tougher to work with. Proper portioning ensures each pizza bakes evenly and has the ideal crust thickness.

8. Hands-On Shaping for an Authentic Crust.
   Shaping sourdough pizza dough is best done by hand, using your palms and fingertips. A rolling pin isn’t necessary and can actually press out too much air, resulting in a denser crust. Gently flatten the dough with your palm, then use your fingers to stretch and push it outwards from the center, rotating as you go. This technique preserves the airy structure developed during fermentation, leading to a lighter, more tender crust.

9. Create a Defined Crust Border.
   As you shape, remember to leave a slightly thicker border around the edge of the dough. This creates that desirable puffed-up crust (cornicione) that is characteristic of authentic Italian pizza. For large pizzas, aim to shape the dough to about 14 inches in diameter. Smaller, personal-sized pies should be between 10 and 12 inches across.

🎯 Pro Food Safety Tip

To prevent food poisoning and ensure a safe, delicious meal, always pre-cook any meat toppings (like sausage, chicken, or bacon) before adding them to your pizza. This ensures they are fully cooked by the time your pizza crust is golden and bubbly.

🎯 Baking Pro Tip

For an exceptionally crispy base and a better rise, bake your sourdough pizza on a preheated pizza stone or a cast iron griddle. These tools help to conduct heat more efficiently, simulating the high temperatures of a professional pizza oven.

Absolutely! You can easily freeze unbaked sourdough crusts after they have been shaped. This is a fantastic way to prepare for future pizza nights. You can even freeze fully assembled, unbaked pizzas. When properly wrapped, they will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. For comprehensive instructions and helpful freezing tips, be sure to read our detailed post on how to freeze pizza dough and how long you can keep pizza dough in the fridge.

The key to a golden and satisfyingly crispy sourdough pizza crust lies in high heat. We recommend baking your sourdough pizza at the highest temperature your oven can safely reach, typically around 450°F (230°C) to 475°F (245°C). For even better results, preheat a pizza stone or cast iron griddle in the oven for at least 30-60 minutes before baking. This intense, direct heat from the preheated surface quickly cooks the crust, promoting a rapid rise and a beautifully crisp texture. Individual pizzas usually bake in 10-15 minutes, while larger pies may need a few minutes longer, typically 15-20 minutes. Keep an eye on them for that perfect golden brown.

When we refer to “active starter” for this sourdough discard pizza dough, we mean a mature sourdough starter that is at least a week old and consistently demonstrates vigor by doubling in size within 4-6 hours after being fed. Importantly, for *this specific recipe*, you do not need to use your starter at its absolute peak activity immediately after feeding. Instead, this recipe is designed to use sourdough discard, which is the portion of your starter that was fed 12-24 hours prior and is still active but has passed its peak. This method effectively utilizes discard while still providing enough leavening power and characteristic sourdough flavor for your pizza.

Several factors can affect sourdough rise. Ensure your starter is truly active (as described above). The water temperature is crucial; too hot will kill the starter, too cold will slow it down. Room temperature also plays a role; if your kitchen is too cool, the fermentation will be sluggish. Give it more time, especially if it’s cool. Sometimes, gently folding the dough every few hours during the rise can also help strengthen it and encourage activity. Check the expiration date of your flour, and avoid using chlorinated tap water.

Yes, you can certainly incorporate whole wheat flour! However, whole wheat flour absorbs more water than all-purpose flour and can result in a denser crust. We recommend starting by substituting only 25-50% of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. You might also need to add a small amount of extra water, perhaps a tablespoon or two, to achieve the desired dough consistency. The whole wheat will add a nuttier flavor and increase the nutritional value of your crust.

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Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough

Renae Gerhardstein