This easy Sourdough Pizza Crust recipe is a lifesaver for those times when you need a quick and simple homemade meal that's also hearty, comforting, and delicious!
The sourdough flavor does SO well as a pizza crust because it balances nicely with the sharpness of cheese, saltiness of pepperoni, and acidity of tomato sauce.
Same Day Sourdough Pizza Dough
Looking for something else to make using your bubbly sourdough starter? (If you haven't jumped on the sourdough starter train yet, here's my easy tutorial to get started! You can make so much with it, from bread to cinnamon rolls to pizza! It's a low maintenance project that gives you lots of yummy things to munch on.) I love this pizza crust recipe because you can start it around lunch time and have fresh pizza dough by dinner, thanks to a few pantry staples and your trusty starter.
The great thing is that this makes 4 eight-inch individual sized pizzas, so it's perfect for families with different taste preferences. (You can also double the recipe if needed.) In the recipe below, I give instructions for how to make 4 classic pepperoni pizzas, but you can really add what you like! Any of your favorite veggie, protein, or even fruit (like pineapple) toppings can be used with this crust. Just be sure you give yourself a few hours when making this recipe because the dough does have to rise twice (once for 30-90 minutes and another time for 3-6 hours). Bon appetit!
Sourdough Pizza Dough Ingredients:
Sourdough starter: Find out how to make your own sourdough starter here! You'll need about ¾ cup of active bubbly starter.
Warm water: Warm water activates the natural yeast in the starter, which will help the dough to rise effectively.
Flour: Flour is what makes the dough thick and bread-like. You can use all-purpose or bread flour.
Sea salt: Sea salt balances the starchiness.
Pizza toppings: I like basic marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni, but use what you like and have on hand!
How to Make Same Day Sourdough Pizza Crust:
- Whisk starter and the water in large bowl.
- Add flour and salt; use the fork to combine well.
- Cover bowl with clean damp kitchen towel; let dough rest for 30-90 minutes.
- Gently pull edge of dough near side of the bowl; push it down into the middle of the bowl. Do this 4 to 5 times around.
- Cover bowl with damp kitchen towel; allow the dough to rest for 3-6 hours.
- Remove the dough from the bowl onto lightly floured work surface; divide dough into 4 equal parts.
- Preheat your oven to 450℉.
- Flatten each dough piece into a round, 8-inch wide, ¼-inch thick circle.
- Top them evenly with pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni.
- Slide the pizza a hot baking stone or hot cookie sheet.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Repeat with remaining pizzas.
- Slice and serve the pizza hot.
Tips for Making the Best Sourdough Pizza Dough:
Good pizza dough is all in the baker's patience!
- Don't skip the dough rise: If you're short on time or want to make pizza in under an hour, this isn't the best recipe. Letting the dough rise two times allows it to get light and airy, which lends to a chewy and balanced crust. Don't skip the rise.
- Be gentle with the dough as you shape it into flat pizza circles: The dough may be a little elastic, so if it's not keeping its shape, move on to the next piece. Letting it sit for a bit will allow it to get more flexible and malleable.
- High heat and a preheated pizza stone: Cooking pizza in high heat allows for a crispy exterior on the crust with a nice and tender texture inside. Plus, I love using a pizza stone for a crispy bottom!
Sourdough Pizza Dough Topping Ideas:
I love a classic marinara, mozzarella, and pepperoni pizza, but here are some additional topping ideas!
- Crumbled sausage
- Ground beef
- Pancetta
- Roasted chicken
- Onion
- Olives
- Broccoli
- Bell pepper
- Mushrooms
- Fresh herbs
- Tomatoes
- Peaches
- Pineapple
- Ricotta
- Burrata
How to Store Sourdough Pizza Dough:
Store cooked pizza that's been cooled completely in a large, airtight zipper-topped bag in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees F. for 10 minutes.
You can also store the dough wrapped in plastic wrap and then placed in an airtight bag in the fridge for up to 5 days or the freezer for 3 to 4 months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight if frozen, and then follow the instructions for the second rise and forming the pizzas.
If you love Pizza, Check these recipes out too:
- Homemade Pizza with Chicken and Bacon
- Homemade Supreme Pizza Recipe
- Breakfast Pizza Sticks
- Supreme Pizza Stuffed Zucchini
- 30 Minute Meaty Margherita Pizza
- 20 Minute Easy Cheesy Pizza Sticks
More sourdough recipes for you:
- Quick Sourdough Biscuits
- Same Day Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
- Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread
- My Favorite Go-To Sourdough Bread Recipe
- How to Make a Sourdough Starter
Same Day Sourdough Pizza Crust
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: 4, 8-inch pizzas 1x
Description
Same day sourdough pizza crust is a lifesaver for those times when you need a quick and simple homemade meal that's also hearty, comforting, and delicious!
Ingredients
- 150 g (¾ cup) active bubbly sourdough starter
- 300 g (1 ¼ cup) warm water
- 500 g (4 cups) all-purpose flour or bread flour
- 10 g (1 ½ tsp) fine sea salt
- 1 can pizza sauce, about 14 ounces
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 ounces sliced pepperoni
Instructions
- Make the dough by adding the starter and the water to a large bowl. Use a fork to whisk them together well.
- Add the flour and salt, and use the fork to combine well. Stir until the mixture comes together into a basic rough dough and you’ve incorporated the flour well. You can finish mixing by hand to incorporate all of the flour as needed.
- Cover the bowl with a clean damp kitchen towel, and let the dough rest for 30 minutes to 1 ½ hours, depending on your schedule.
- While the dough is resting, feed your starter and store it according to your preference.
- After the dough has rested, use your hands to gently pull the edge of the dough near the side of the bowl and push it down into the middle of the bowl. Do this, rotating round the bowl, until the dough starts to look like bread dough and comes together in more of a ball. This should take about a minute of going round the bowl 4 to 5 times, pulling and tucking into the center.
- Cover the bowl with the damp kitchen towel and allow the dough to rest for 3 to 6 hours at room temperature, about 70℉ (21℃). The timing here is very flexible and can work with your schedule.
- After the dough has rested, remove the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface, and divide the dough into 4 equal parts.
- Preheat your oven to 450℉ (230℃).
- You’ll need a baking stone or cookie sheet to bake your pizza on. If you don’t have a baking stone, you can turn your biggest cookie sheet upside down (so that the flat side is up) or use a rimless sheet. If you are using a stone, let the stone heat for 30 minutes in the oven. If using a baking sheet, let it heat for 10 minutes in the hot oven.
- Tear 4 pieces of parchment paper from the roll that are about 12 inches wide.
- While holding one piece of dough in two hands, gently press it between your thumb and fingers to start forming it into a flat disc by hand. When the dough is about a 5-inch wide circle, place it on one piece of parchment paper.
- Repeat with remaining pieces of dough.
- Return to the first piece of dough that has been resting while you worked with the other pieces, and use the tips of your fingers to gently push the dough into a wider even circle.
- If the dough is springing back into shape when you are trying to make it flatten out into the flat crust shape, work with it for a minute, and then move on to shaping the other pieces. Letting them rest a little in between shaping will make them easier to work with.
- When all 4 crusts are about ¼ inch thick and roughly an 8-inch circle. Top them evenly with pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni.
- When the pizzas are all ready, working with one pizza at a time, slide the pizza still sitting on the parchment paper onto a rimless cookie sheet or one that is upside down. This will help you get the pizza to the oven.
- Open the oven and slide the pizza which is still on the parchment paper, from the cookie sheet onto the hot baking stone or hot cookie sheet. I just tug on the edge of the parchment paper with my hands and slide it onto the stone. BE CAREFUL! Your oven is set to 450 degrees. It’s super hot!
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the top is bubbly and the edges are starting to brown. When the pizza is done, tug the edge of the parchment paper and slide the pizza back onto the cookie sheet you used to transfer it to the oven. Again, be careful!
- Repeat with remaining pizzas.
- Slice and serve the pizza hot.
Notes
- I’ve found it’s easier to make a couple of smaller pizzas than working with a larger amount of dough to make larger pizzas.
- Feel free to double this recipe if needed.
- If you aren’t up for moving the pizza in and out of the hot oven, you can simply spread out your dough on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and make your pizza on top of the baking sheet. Then place the prepared pan in the hot oven and allow to bake; the pizza will take 5 minutes longer to cook this way.
- If your pizza stone is large enough, you can bake 2 pizzas at a time.
- Feel free to change up the toppings to your liking; you have a ton of flexibility here.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Sourdough
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: sourdough pizza crust, sourdough pizza crust recipe, sourdough pizza dough, sourdough discard recipe
Homemade sourdough pizza dough is so good and much simpler than you'd imagine. Have freshly baked pizza tonight with this easy recipe!
Angela
How many times do you tuck and pull? Most recipes I’ve read call to do it 4 times in about 20-30 minute increments.
Melissa
I just do it once!
Jenny
Favorite fast sourdough pizza crust! I’ve been making this about once a week for a month now. Glad to have found your recipe! Thanks.
★★★★★
Melissa
I love that Jenny! It's my favorite pizza crust for sure!
Liz
I’ve made this recipe before, and it’s delicious! I’m now making a double batch to put in the freezer for easy weeknight meals once school is back in session.
Do I freeze before the second rise as a large dough or after the second rise and divided into four parts?
Thanks!
★★★★★
Melissa
I'd freeze it before the second rise in 4 parts.
Katy Carlock
Fabulous recipe, i added 1T of olive oil otherwise worked out perfectly, thanks!!
★★★★★
Carol
At what point did you add your olive oil? As was that a teaspoon or tablespoon?
Thank You
Kaysha
These are so fun to make and turned out so well! I love the trick of pre-heating the baking sheets to get a crispier bottom - thank you!!
★★★★★
Jess
I’ve made this a few times and it’s always great! I bake it in the parchment on a pizza pan but I take it off the parchment after 10 minutes and put it directly in the pan to get the bottom crispy.
Can this dough be made at night then left out to rise overnight?
★★★★★
Melissa
Yes! I do that very often.
Marie claire Galea
My starter is kept in the fridge and fed weekly - do i still use 150g of it please?
Melissa
Yep, you can pull it out and feed it extra is you don't have 150g.
Erica
Thank you so much for this recipe! Can the dough be made ahead of time and be refrigerated or frozen for later use?
★★★★