Your guide to the Best Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough recipe. If you’ve never tried sourdough pizza, you’re in for a treat: tender, flavorful, chewy, and full of airy bubbles. The process requires planning, but the results rival pizza parlor pies. Top with your favorite ingredients for a pizza night that stands out.
I was slow to embrace sourdough, but now I’m a convert. What once seemed complicated is actually straightforward—especially this easy sourdough pizza crust. Compared to sourdough bread, the steps feel simpler. With a mature starter, a reasonably warm kitchen, and patience, you’ll have great pizza.
Because sourdough fermentation takes time, start the dough at least a day before you plan to bake. If it’s your first time, consider starting earlier to allow for any unexpected delays.
This recipe was inspired by Alexandra Cooks. I adapted the method to streamline the steps that worked best for me and included a video that demonstrates the process step by step.
Sourdough Pizza Video
If you’ve never made sourdough pizza dough, watch the short video first. It covers the essentials in about 10 minutes.
Keys to Excellent Sourdough Pizza Crust
Follow these tips to make reliable sourdough pizza dough:
- Plan ahead. The method is friendly for beginners, but it requires time. Start at least a day before baking.
- Don’t rush fermentation. Long, slow rising produces the best flavor and texture. Active hands-on time is minimal.
- Refrigerate for extended cold proofing. Chill dough for 6 hours up to 3 days; for longer storage keep dough balls in covered containers.
- Bring dough to room temperature before shaping. Let it sit 30–60 minutes so it’s easier to shape and keeps more bubbles when baked.
- Measure by weight. A kitchen scale ensures consistent results. Cup measures can work in a pinch, but weights are recommended.
Suggested Baking Schedule
A simple schedule to follow:
- Afternoon before: Mix water, starter, salt, and flour. Let the dough rest covered for 30 minutes.
- Evening before: Stretch and fold the dough four times over two hours (every 30 minutes). Cover and let it ferment overnight at room temperature.
- Morning of: Divide the dough into four balls, shape, place in floured towel wells on a baking sheet, and refrigerate at least 6 hours.
- Afternoon of: Remove dough from fridge and let sit 30–60 minutes at room temperature.
- Evening of: Shape, top, bake, and enjoy.
Working with Sourdough Starter
This dough is an excellent use for active discard. If you don’t have a starter, you can create one from scratch, get a portion from a friend, or purchase a ready-made starter. Building a starter takes time—expect at least a week, longer in cooler kitchens.
Other Ingredients
All-purpose flour: Works well; bread flour is optional.
Salt: Fine kosher or sea salt is recommended.
Water: Filtered or bottled water yields a clean flavor; good tap water is acceptable.
Topping Ideas
Classic cheese: Use seasoned tomato sauce and vegan or regular mozzarella. Finish with fresh basil.
Potato and kale: Try thin Yukon potato or butternut squash, torn kale, garlic, and mozzarella (vegan if preferred). Add vegan sausage for a heartier pie.
How to Make Sourdough Pizza Crust
The steps are simple and relaxing. Here’s an overview:
Mix the Dough
- Combine liquids: In a large bowl stir together the water, starter, and salt until partially dissolved.
- Add flour: Stir in the flour until combined. The dough will be very sticky; you can use your hands if preferred.
- Rest: Transfer to a greased bowl, cover with a towel, and rest 30 minutes at room temperature.
Stretch and Fold
- Stretch and fold: Wet your hands slightly and stretch each quarter of the dough over the rest, completing about eight folds (two full rotations). Rest 30 minutes and repeat the sequence three more times for a total of four sessions.
Ferment and Rise
- Bulk ferment: Cover and leave the dough at room temperature (about 70–75°F) for 8–12 hours. In cooler kitchens, allow closer to 12 hours. The dough should rise 50–100%.
Portion and Shape
- Divide: Flour your hands and work surface, transfer risen dough, and cut into four equal portions.
- Shape: Form tight round dough balls by folding the edges underneath while turning to create surface tension.
- Prepare trays: Line a tray with parchment or a floured tea towel and create four wells to hold dough balls. Place dough in the wells, cover with a plastic bag, and refrigerate 6 hours up to 3 days.
Shape & Bake
- Warm up: Bring the dough to room temperature for 30–60 minutes before shaping.
- Preheat: Place a pizza stone, steel, or large cast-iron pan in the oven and preheat to 450°F.
- Shape: Gently stretch each ball into a roughly 10-inch round. Transfer to parchment or directly to a peel for the hot surface.
- Top: Add sauce, cheese, or other toppings. Reserve delicate garnishes like basil or oil for after baking.
- Bake: Slide the pizza (parchment included) onto the preheated surface and bake 10–12 minutes until crust is golden and cheese is melted.
- Finish: Remove, garnish, let cool a few minutes, slice, and serve.
Pro Tips
- Wet your hands: Keeps the sticky dough from clinging while you stretch and fold.
- Watch temperature: Warmer kitchens speed fermentation; cooler kitchens slow it down. The dough is ready to portion when it has risen 50–100%.
- Don’t overwork when shaping: Gentle stretching preserves airy crumb. If it resists, rest 10–15 minutes and try again.
- For a crisp crust: Stretch dough thin before topping.
- For a fluffy crust: Keep it slightly thicker.
- Use parchment: It makes transferring topped pizzas to hot surfaces much easier.
- Preheat your baking vessel: Ensures a crisp bottom and even bake.
- Moderate toppings: Too many can prevent the crust from cooking through.
- Bake multiple pies: If your oven fits more than one preheated vessel, you can bake several at once.
Outdoor Pizza Oven Instructions
For Neapolitan-style pizza in an outdoor oven:
- Preheat the oven to around 700°F.
- Shape the pizza and dust the underside with semolina or fine cornmeal.
- Place dough on a peel, top, and slide into the oven.
- Bake 2–4 minutes until charred and blistered to your liking.
- Remove, garnish, and enjoy.
Freezing Notes
Freezing works fine. You can freeze unbaked dough balls or par-baked crusts. Par-bake crusts 1–2 minutes at 450°F before cooling and freezing to preserve structure.
- To defrost unbaked dough: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then let sit 30–60 minutes at room temperature before shaping and baking.
- To use par-baked crusts: Thaw in the fridge overnight, top, and bake at 425°F for about 8 minutes until hot and golden.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. This dough develops gluten through long, slow fermentation. Instead of kneading, use repeated stretch-and-folds to build structure without making the crust heavy.
Sourdough fermentation can make bread easier to digest and may increase certain nutritional aspects compared with some commercial breads. That said, toppings and portion sizes determine the overall healthfulness of a pizza.
More Italian-Inspired Vegan Recipes
- Pasta Carbonara
- Mushroom Alfredo Pasta
- Arrabbiata Sauce
- Pasta Puttanesca
Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough
Equipment
- Pizza Stone (or pizza steel or cast iron)
Ingredients
Sourdough Pizza Dough
- 375 g water (1 1/2 cups + 2 tbsp)
- 100 g active sourdough starter (about 1/2 cup)
- 10 g salt (1 heaping tsp)
- 500 g all-purpose flour (about 3 1/2 cups), plus extra for dusting
Marinara Cheese Pizza
- 1 cup seasoned tomato sauce
- 1 cup vegan mozzarella-style cheese
- Handful fresh basil to garnish
Potato Kale Pizza (or Butternut Squash)
- 1 cup vegan mozzarella-style cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1–2 cups thinly sliced Yukon potato or butternut squash
- 3 cups torn curly or dino kale, massaged lightly
- 1/2 tsp olive oil to garnish
Instructions
Mix the Dough
- Combine water, starter, and salt in a bowl, stirring to dissolve.
- Add flour and mix until combined; the dough will be sticky.
- Transfer to a greased bowl, cover, and rest 30 minutes at room temperature.
Stretch & Fold
- Dampen hands and stretch-and-fold the dough about eight times.
- Let rest 30 minutes, then repeat. Complete this sequence four times total.
Ferment & Rise
- Cover and leave at room temperature (about 70–75°F) for 8–12 hours until risen 50–100%.
Portion
- Flour hands and workspace, transfer dough, and divide into four equal pieces.
- Shape each piece into a tight ball by folding edges under and turning.
- Place balls in floured towel wells on a baking tray, cover with plastic, and refrigerate 6 hours up to 3 days.
Shape & Bake
- Remove desired dough balls and let warm 30–60 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 450°F with a pizza stone, steel, or cast-iron pan inside.
- Shape each ball into a ~10″ round, transfer to parchment, top, and slide onto the hot surface.
- Bake 10–12 minutes until golden. Remove, garnish, and serve.
Notes
Storage: Cooled pizza keeps in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days. Reheat slices in a toaster oven or at 350°F for 3–5 minutes.
Freezing: See freezer notes above. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
Recipe Pro-Tips:
- Wet your hands before handling sticky dough.
- Warmer kitchens speed fermentation; cooler ones slow it.
- Handle gently when shaping to preserve bubbles.
- Use parchment for easier transfers to the oven.
- Preheat your baking surface for a crisp crust.