Delicious Sourdough Pizza Dough

Do you ever have those moments when you desperately want homemade pizza but are trying to eat healthier? That’s exactly where I was when making this recipe, so you’re in luck! 

This sourdough pizza recipe will keep its promise of delicious pizza while making it healthier and maintaining its crispy crust. 

The best part? It’s incredibly easy to make for family pizza nights, and you will likely have most, if not all, of the ingredients already at home!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

This recipe is a great alternative to the traditional pizza you can get either in-store or at the restaurant, which often uses refined flour and other fillers you don’t know about.

Similarly, sourdough is usually healthier than the traditional dough due to:

• Easier to digest as it creates lactic acid that breaks down gluten and other proteins
• Fermentation makes it easier to absorb vitamins and minerals 
• Lower glycemic index, which impacts your blood sugar levels less
• Prebiotics and probiotics, as it contains bacteria and yeast from the fermentation process
• Fewer additives since it needs fewer preservatives compared to traditional commercial yeast-based doughs 

Ingredients

Sourdough Starter: The secret to a healthy and delicious pizza dough! 

Bread Flour: Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, giving your dough the structure and elasticity it needs.

Water: Water is needed to hydrate the flour to start the fermentation process.

All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour adds some tenderness to the dough while still contributing to its structure. Since it has less protein than bread flour, it is less dense.

Salt: Salt both enhances the flavor of the dough and regulates fermentation by controlling yeast activity.

Olive Oil: Olive oil adds richness and flavor to the dough, tenderizing the crumb and sourdough crust a little, resulting in a softer dough.

 

Equipment

Mixing Bowl: You’ll need a medium or large mixing bowl to combine all the ingredients for the dough, as it needs enough space to expand. 

Tea Towel or Plastic Wrap: Cover your dough during the bulk and secondary rise to prevent it from drying out and to keep it warm as it ferments.

Baking Sheet or Bowl: After the first rise, you’ll shape the dough into a ball and place it back into a bowl for the secondary rise, so you will need a clean bowl or sheet for it. 

Refrigerator: To develop the flavors, your pizza sourdough must rest in the fridge.

Cast Iron Skillet: To get that crispy crust and even cook, you will need an iron cast skillet — aim for a 10″ to 11″ one. Alternatively, you could also use a baking pan.

Oven: The master of this recipe is the oven that will bake your pizza. If you have an outdoor pizza oven, even better! Alternatively, you could probably use a baking stone.

Kitchen Shears or Large Scissors: While you can use a pizza cutter or knife, consider using shears or scissors so you don’t damage the skillet. Alternatively, transfer your pizza first before cutting it with a knife.

 

Tip: To make things easier, you could use a stand mixer when mixing the dough for this delicious crust.

Instructions for Best Sourdough Pizza Crust

1. Use a medium or large bowl and mix all ingredients together with the ripe sourdough starter, then leave it covered with a wet tea towel or plastic wrap until it rises to about 75% of its size for about 6-8 hours.
2. Within the first 2 hours, try to do 2-4 sets of stretches and folds. 
3. After your first rise and 2 hours, take your dough out of the bowl and shape it into a ball. You will notice that it’s still quite wet, but it should be elastic and developed. Put your dough back into the bowl and cover it again to let it rise for another 4-6 hours or until it almost doubles in size. 
4. Once your ball of dough doubles in size, cover it in plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out, and put it in the fridge for about 24-48 hours. This is where your dough will develop its flavors.
5. The next day (or when ready to bake), take the dough from the fridge and leave it on the counter for about 3 hours to warm up a little. Then, shape it into a ball and leave it on the counter for another 10-20 minutes for the final proof, which gives the gluten bonds a chance to relax. 
6. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to about 450°F (about 230°C) and prep your skillet with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, coating both the bottom and sides of the 10” to 11” cast iron skillet. 
7. Place the dough into the skillet and turn it within it so it becomes fully coated in olive oil. Stretch the dough to the edges and flatten it to create your crust – if the dough shrinks back, let it rest under a covered towel for 10 minutes and try again. After two tries, it should fit the pan and showcase a nice pizza crust dough. 
8. Now, the fun part: Add 2-3 tablespoons of pizza sauce to the top of your pizza, then sprinkle it with another topping of choice—firm mozzarella cheese and thin slices of tomatoes are my favorite!
9. Bake your pizza on the lower rack for 18-20 minutes until golden; adjust the position for even browning if needed.
10. After baking, loosen the pizza from the skillet and let it cool before moving it to a cutting surface to avoid a soggy bottom.

Tip: Consider using parchment paper under your pizza to make it easier to move to a plate.

Cut your sourdough pizza into wedges with kitchen shears or large scissors to prevent skillet damage, and serve warm! Enjoy!

Substitutions

If you’re allergic or intolerant to any of the ingredients in this sourdough pizza dough recipe, consider substituting: 

If you’re gluten intolerant or have celiac disease, use gluten-free flour blends to create a gluten-free sourdough starter. Similarly, use a gluten-free bread flour blend to substitute the white flour blend ingredient—just keep in mind that using different flours may slightly change the flavor and texture of your pizza crust.

Variations

While my favorite one is the classic Margherita-style pizza, the beauty of pizza is that you can create anything and everything you like with it. If you’re gluten-free, consider making a gluten-free sourdough pizza crust.

For other variations of your crust, you could add other ingredients for a more refined taste, such as:

• Herbs like rosemary, basil, or thyme for an herb-infused pizza dough
• Cheese, where you’d have to cut your dough in two halves, create two thin crusts, and add the cheese in the middle before pushing the edges together to seal it
• Minced garlic and finely chopped onions to get a more savory version
• Crushed red pepper flakes and diced jalapeños for a spicy kick
• Honey or maple syrup if you like your dough slightly sweet, which works great if you want to make a dessert pizza that has toppings like fruits or chocolate
• Turkey tomato cheese pizza has protein, veggies, and carbs; it’s literally all you need

If you prefer a specific type of crust, consider playing around with the variations. The perfect recipe doesn’t really exist – it’s up to you to create the perfect pizza taste. 

Storage

Here’s how you can store, reheat, and freeze your sourdough pizza dough:

To Store: Once the sourdough pizza has cooled completely, store any leftover slices in an airtight container or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap in the fridge, where you can store them for up to 2-3 days.

To Reheat: To reheat your pizza slices, you have three options: baking, frying, or microwaving. 

• If you want to use the oven to warm it up, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake it for about 8-10 minutes, or until it’s heated through and the crust becomes crispy again. 
• Alternatively, place a skillet over medium heat and set the pizza pieces in it before covering it. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the bottom is crispy again and the toppings are heated through.
• While you could try to microwave it, it may become a little chewy. However, if you still want to give it a try, cover your pizza with a paper towel and microwave on high for 30-60 seconds or until heated through.
• You can even reheat it in the air fryer.

To Freeze: First, let the pizza cool completely to freeze any leftovers. Then, wrap each individual slice or the entire pizza tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil or place them in a freezer-safe bag and store them for 1-2 months. Before you try to reheat it, let it thaw in the fridge overnight.

Serving Suggestions

What’s your favorite pizza? Use those toppings! However, if you want to try something new, consider using any of these toppings (or a combination thereof!):

• Pepperoni
• Sausage (Italian, breakfast, or chorizo)
• Tomato sauce
• Ham or bacon
• Chicken (grilled or roasted)
• Ground beef
• Meatballs
• Anchovies
• Olives (green, Kalamata, or black)
• Seafood like shrimp
• Prosciutto
• Plantains 
• Any type of cheese, such as Feta, Goat, Blue, or Ricotta cheese
• For a dessert version, use maple syrup, Nutella, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, and/or fruits
• Any other ones you can think of!

FAQ

Can I make this recipe without a cast iron skillet?

While the cast iron skillet is one of the best ways to get you that crispy crust you know and love, you can also use a pizza stone, baking sheet, pizza pan, or even a grill!

How can I prevent the pizza crust from becoming soggy?

Don’t use as much sauce or moisture-rich toppings to prevent a soggy pizza crust. However, if you want to stick to how you like your pizza, you could also pre-bake the crust for a few minutes. 

Can I make the pizza dough ahead of time and freeze it?

Absolutely! After the initial rise and shaping, wrap the dough tightly in plastic or aluminum foil, then place it in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2-3 months. When you’re ready to make your pizza, thaw the dough overnight in the fridge.

Related Recipes

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• Sourdough Discard Bagels with Yeast

You’ll Love This Sourdough Pizza Dough

Whether you want to have a romantic night with your loved one or you’re craving some good self-care time on your own, this recipe will not disappoint. Next to being much easier than you probably thought (especially since it is a sourdough recipe!), it will surprise you how delicious it actually is. 

Recipe Card Information

1. Name: Delicious Sourdough Pizza Dough
2. Short description: This sourdough pizza dough is incredibly easy to make for family pizza nights. You will likely have most, if not all, of the ingredients already at home. All you need is the instructions and a little bit of patience.
3. Preparation and cooking times:
   1. Preparation Time: About 8-10 hours (including rises and fermentation)
   2. Cook Time: 18-20 minutes
   3. Total Time: Approximately 10-12 hours
4. Number of servings and serving size
   1. Makes 1 large pizza (10 to 11 inches in diameter)
   2. Serving Size: Typically, this would serve about 4 people if divided into 4 slices
5. List of ingredients
   1. 1/2 Cup Sourdough Starter
   2. 1 and 1/4 Cups Bread Flour
   3. 1/2 Cup Water
   4. 3/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
   5. 1 Teaspoon Salt
   6. 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
6. Step-by-step directions.
   1. Use a medium or large bowl and mix all ingredients together with the ripe sourdough starter, then leave it covered with a wet tea towel or plastic wrap until it rises to about 75% of its size for about 6-8 hours.
   2. Within the first 2 hours, try to do 2-4 sets of stretches and folds. 
   3. After your first rise and 2 hours, take your dough out of the bowl and shape it into a ball. You will notice that it’s still quite wet, but it should be elastic and developed. Put your dough back into the bowl and cover it again to let it rise for another 4-6 hours, or until it almost doubles in size. 
   4. Once your ball of dough doubles in size, cover it in plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out and put it in the fridge for about 24-48 hours – this is where your dough will develop its flavors.
   5. Next day (or when ready to bake), take the dough from the fridge and leave it on the counter for about 3 hours to warm up a little. Then, shape it into a ball and leave it on the counter for another 10-20 minutes for the final proof, which gives the gluten bonds a chance to relax. 
   6. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to about 450°F (about 230 C) and prep your skillet with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, coating both the bottom and sides of the 10” to 11” cast iron skillet. 
   7. Place the dough into the skillet and turn it within it so it becomes fully coated in olive oil. Stretch the dough to the edges and flatten it to create your crust – if the dough shrinks back, let it rest under a covered towel for 10 minutes and try again. After 2 tries, it should fit the pan and showcase a nice pizza crust dough. 
   8. Now the fun part: Add 2-3 tablespoons of pizza sauce on top of your pizza, then sprinkle it with another topping of choice – firm mozzarella cheese and thin slices of tomatoes is my favorite!
   9. Bake your pizza on the lower rack for 18-20 minutes until it’s golden; adjust the position for even browning if needed. 
   10. After baking, loosen the pizza from the skillet and let it cool before moving it to a cutting surface to avoid a soggy bottom.