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This sourdough pizza crust is made with simple ingredients and makes the best homemade pizza! This is an easy recipe that’s perfect for anyone who is just starting to work with sourdough.
Looking for more ways to use sourdough? Try these Sourdough Discard Waffles.
It’s been a while since I shared a sourdough recipe and what better way to make a comeback than with pizza? This sourdough pizza crust is easy to make and has the most incredible flavor. The outside of the crust is perfectly crisp while the inside is tender. All you have to do is add your favorite pasta sauce, some cheese, and voila!, artisan pizza made right in your kitchen. This dough recipe makes enough for two pizzas.
As with my sourdough bagel recipe, this pizza crust will take two days to make. You’ll make the dough the first day, then let it do a slow rise overnight for 8-10 hours. On day two, it’s time to make pizza!
Why Does it Take 2 Days to Make Sourdough Pizza Crust?
They say all good things come to those who wait, and that is nowhere more true than with sourdough. The sourdough needs time to rise and develop flavor. Without added yeast, this can take anywhere from 8-10 hours. That means you will start your dough one day, then make your pizza the next day.
There are two ways to look at the time required to make a good sourdough crust: You could feel annoyed that you can’t make a spur-of-the-moment pizza start-to-finish in 20 minutes. Or, you could focus on how much easier recipes like this can make your life with a bit of advance planning.
I usually make this dough the night before I know we’re going to have a busy day. Then the day of, I let the dough do its final rise for at least an hour before I want to cook it. (If a bit more time for the final rise is easier for your schedule, that’s fine too.)
All that being said, if you do want to make pizza start-to-finish in one day, my traditional pizza dough recipe will do the trick.
What You’ll Need
So what will you need to make sourdough pizza crust? Here is a quick rundown of ingredients for both the pizza dough itself, and some simple pizza toppings. Feel free to mix up the toppings according to your tastes and be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for specific amounts.
Tools
- Pizza stone – While not 100% required, I strongly recommend using a pizza stone for this recipe. You can technically cook pizza on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, but you won’t get that crisp exterior and soft interior. You need the heat of the stone to achieve that thin, New York Style pizza crust.
- Pizza peel – This makes it much easier to put your uncooked dough onto the pizza stone. It also makes it easier to remove the cooked pizza from the oven.
For the Sourdough
- Active sourdough starter – I recommend feeding your sourdough starter in the morning, then make the dough in the evening. This way there is enough time for the stater to become fully active.
- Water
- Olive oil – I prefer extra virgin
- All-purpose flour – I have not tested this recipe with whole wheat flour.
- Sugar
- Salt – Kosher salt or sea salt.
For the Pizza Toppings
- Cornmeal – This is just for thinly coating your pizza peel.
- Pasta sauce – Use whatever your favorite kind is. I like Newman’s Own marinara sauce if I’m not using homemade sauce.
- Mozzarella cheese – Other kinds of cheese work too, anything melty and that you enjoy on pizza!
- Fresh basil, crushed red pepper flakes, dry oregano – Optional toppings. Feel free to mix this up!
How to Make Sourdough Pizza
Day One: The Night Before (Make the Dough)
Step 1: In a stand mixer, place the large mixing bowl and attach the dough hook. In the mixing bowl, add the sourdough starter, water, and olive oil. Turn on low and mix until just combined. Next, stir in the flour, sugar and salt. Mix again until a soft dough starts to form. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 20 minutes.
Step 2: After 20 minutes, turn the mixer back on to knead with the hook for 1 minute. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes again. Do one more final knead for 1 minute on low. Your dough should retain tension now, if not, do one more round of kneading and resting.
If your dough is very sticky or too loose, you can add more flour 1/2 tablespoon at a time. The amount of flour required can vary depending on humidity in your home – in fact, the amount required can vary from day to day. The important thing to focus on is the texture of your dough. It should not be sticky, but it should not be dry or crumbly either. You want a soft ball of dough that holds together easily.
Step 3: Cover again with your plastic wrap and place the bowl in a draft-free area and let it rise until it is double in size. This should take roughly 8-10 hours depending on the temperature of your home. (I like to place the dough in a cooled oven with the light on.)
Day Two: Shaping the Dough & Assembling Your Pizza
Step 4: Once your dough has doubled in size, dump it out unto a well floured surface. Divide dough into two equal parts and form each into a round ball. (If you are not making both pizza crusts, wrap one tightly in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for a different day.)
Step 5: Take out a large piece of parchment paper and lightly flour. Place your dough in the middle and lightly flour the top. Using a rolling pin, gently roll out the dough until it is about ¾ inch in thickness. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap and let it rest for 1 hour.
Step 6: While the dough is resting; place the pizza stone in a cool oven, on the middle rack and then preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. While your oven and stone preheats, prepare your sauce and toppings of choice.
Step 7: After letting your crust rest, add a thin coat of cornmeal to your pizza peel and transfer the dough to your peel. Gently poke the top of your dough with a fork a few times. This will help prevent the dough from bubbling while baking. Top with your favorite tomato sauce and toppings.
Step 8: Slide the pizza onto the preheated stone. Bake for 13- 15 minutes or until the crust is crispy and slightly golden. Remove from the pizza stone and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!
Tips for Success
- Use a pizza stone and pizza peel – Both of these tools will help you get the best homemade sourdough pizza. The peel makes it easy to transfer the dough on/off the stone, while the stone will give you that crisp crust exterior.
- Add extra flour slowly – If your dough is sticky you can add extra flour to achieve the correct texture, but do so a little bit at a time. I usually sprinkle the extra flour over the top of the dough, knead it briefly, then inspect the dough to see if any additional flour is required.
- Mix it up – The topping suggestions here are for a simple, classic New York style pizza. Feel free to mix things up by adding your favorite toppings. When making pizza for myself, I usually add baby spinach + mushrooms sautéed with a bit of garlic in olive oil. I add these on top of the cheese, then add a sprinkle of parmesan and a few pinches of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Add some sides – I personally love eating homemade pizza with fried green tomatoes or air fryer broccoli. Add some mango lemonade in there and you’ve got yourself an incredible meal!
How to Store and Reheat Leftover Pizza
- Fridge: You can store leftover pizza in the fridge for 2-3 days. Let the pizza slices come to room temperature, then place them in an air tight container and place them in the fridge.
- To reheat: Warm your oven to 350F and place the slices you want to eat on a baking tray lined with a silpat or parchment paper. Heat them in the warmed oven for about 5 minutes. You can also use a microwave, but this usually softens the pizza crust too much for my liking. The oven method heats everything up without sacrificing anything in the crust.
How to Store and Use Extra Dough
This recipe makes enough sourdough pizza dough for two pizzas. If you are only making one pizza, wrap the other ball of dough tightly in 3-4 layers of saran wrap, then place that in a large bowl or gallon ziploc bag. Store in the fridge for 4-5 days.
When you’re ready to use the dough, remove it from the fridge and let it warm to room temperature before proceeding with shaping the dough as described in Step 5 above.
Easy Sourdough Pizza Crust Recipe
Ingredients
For the Sourdough
- ¾ cup active sourdough starter
- 1 ½ cups water
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Pizza Toppings
- ¼ cup cornmeal, for coating the pizza peel
- ½ cup pasta sauce
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- Optimal toppings: Fresh basil, red pepper flakes, etc.
Instructions
Day One: The Night Before
- Step 1: In a stand mixer, place the large mixing bowl and attach the dough hook. In the mixing bowl, add the sourdough starter, water, and olive oil. Turn on low and mix until just combined. Next, stir in the flour, sugar and salt. Mix again until a soft dough starts to form. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 20 minutes.
- Step 2: After 20 minutes, turn the mixer back on to knead with the hook for 1 minute. Recover and let rest for 20 minutes again. Do one more final knead for 1 minute on low. Your dough should retain tension now, if not, do one more round of kneading and resting.
- Step 3: Cover again with your plastic wrap and place the bowl in a draft-free area (I like to place in a cooled oven with the light on) and let it rise until it is double in size. This should take roughly 8-10 hours depending on the temperature of your home.
Day Two:
- Step 4: Once your dough has doubled in size, dump it out unto a well floured surface. Divide dough into two equal parts and form each into a round ball. (If you are not making both pizza crusts, wrap one tightly in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for a different day.)
- Step 5: Take out a large piece of parchment paper and lightly flour. Place your dough in the middle and lightly flour the top. Using a rolling pin, gently roll out the dough until it is about ¾ inch in thickness. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap and let it rest for 1 hour.
- Step 6: While the dough is resting; Place the pizza stone in a cool oven, on the middle rack and then preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. While your oven and stone preheats, prepare your sauce and toppings of choice.
- Step 7: After letting your crust rest, line your pizza peel with a thin coat of cornmeal and transfer the dough to the peel. Gently poke the top of your dough with a fork a few times. This will help prevent the dough from bubbling while baking. Top with your favorite tomato sauce and toppings.
- Step 8: Slide the pizza onto the preheated stone. Bake for 13- 15 minutes or until the crust is crispy and slightly golden. Remove from the pizza stone and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- I recommend using a pizza stone and a pizza peel to get a crisp sourdough pizza crust.