Looking for Sourdough? 
There's no pizza like sourdough pizza! With a crispy, chewy crust that is perfectly charred on top and bottom and loaded with all the good stuff.
We've developed an easy overnight dough that will hold all your favorite pizza toppings and bake to perfection every time, without a pizza peel.
Get your stretchy pants ready because you won't be able to eat just one slice!
We love all things sourdough around here, and pizza crust is right at the top of the list. Especially when it's this easy to make!
This is the perfect recipe to use with your leftover sourdough starter discard. Just like our cinnamon rolls, pancakes and sourdough biscuits, plan to make the dough the night before you want to bake.
Let the dough ferment on the counter while you sleep and then pop it in the fridge the next morning. Your pizza dough will be waiting for you to bake when you get home from work and you'll be ready to get dinner on the table!
Be sure to check out the recipes for Neapolitan-style pizza sauce and homemade pesto. The perfect compliment to your pizza!
There's only a few steps standing between you and sourdough pizza crust bliss. Let's go over the basic steps, so you can get some in your belly, ASAP!
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Sample baking schedule
Here's my baking schedule for family pizza night!
- 8 PM - The night before, mix the dough, cover the bowl and let it sit at room temperature overnight.
- 8 AM - The next morning, perform one set of stretches and folds. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge until ready to cook.
- 5 PM - Remove bowl of dough from fridge.
- 5:30 PM - Cook pizzas.
Step by step instructions
STEP 1. Mix the pizza crust ingredients in a large mixing bowl until they come together and form a shaggy mass. Cover the bowl and let it ferment on the counter at room temperature overnight.
STEP 2. The next morning, perform one set of stretch and folds, cover the bowl and place in the fridge until ready to bake. (The dough can be used to make the pizza crust at this point.)
STEP 3. Remove the dough from the fridge and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions, flour your work surface and shape each portion into a ball shape. Cover with a towel and let rest 30 minutes.
STEP 4. Turn your oven's broiler on HI and preheat your cast iron skillet over medium-high heat on the stove-top.
Working one at a time on a floured surface, press a dough ball into an 8" wide circle. If the dough is sticky, generously flour the work surface and the top of the dough as needed to prevent sticking.
TIP - If the dough is stiff and hard to shape, let it rest for 15-20 minutes to allow the gluten to relax. This will make it easier to stretch into a nice round shape.
STEP 5. Carefully lay the crust into the hot skillet, making sure not to burn yourself.
STEP 6. Immediately place your pizza toppings onto the crust. Cook on the stove-top for 5-6 minutes. Use a spatula to lift the crust in order to check the bottom for doneness. It should have a nice char.
Once the bottom is well cooked, transfer the skillet under the broiler for 2-4 minutes to cook the toppings. Check on the pizza frequently to avoid the crust and toppings from burning.
STEP 7. Remove the pizza from your oven and cut into slices!
Cooking this sourdough pizza crust in a cast iron skillet makes all the difference! It's so easy to go from stove-top to broiler without messing up the pizza crust.
Tips for success
- If you do not have an oven-safe or cast iron skillet, start the pizza on the stove-top in a non-stick skillet. When the pizza is ready to go under the broiler, carefully slide the crust onto a baking sheet to finish it.
- Remember, don't be afraid to generously flour the work surface and the dough while shaping the pizza crust. Anytime your hands start to stick, add more flour.
- Have your pizza toppings ready to go before you shape the dough into the pizza crust. It only takes a few minutes on the stove-top before it's ready to pop into the oven to finish.
- This recipe makes (4) 8" pizza crusts. The ingredients can be divided in half to make (2) 8" pizzas or (1) 16" pizza.
Adjustments for high humidity and warmer weather
- In warmer months, reduce the amount of water by 25 grams in the initial mix. If the dough seems too stiff, slowly add the remaining water until you achieve the correct hydration level.
- You can adjust the flour measurements to 75g whole wheat flour and 425g all-purpose flour. The whole wheat needs more water than all-purpose, thus slightly reducing the hydration level of the dough.
How to freeze pizza dough
To freeze unbaked pizza dough, form the dough into 4 balls. Coat them with oil to prevent sticking and place each one into an individual freezer bag. Make sure to remove any air from the bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When ready to use, thaw the dough in your refrigerator for 12 hours or overnight. Once you're ready to bake, remove the dough from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Shape the pizza crust and bake according to directions.
- Shape the crust and cook in the cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes. Finish under the broiler for 1-2 minutes.
- Let cool and freeze in a freezer-safe bags between sheets of parchment paper.
- When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C). Remove the crust from the freezer and place on a baking sheet. (No need to thaw.) Add desired toppings. Bake about 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden and toppings are cooked through.
Recommended kitchen tools
- cast iron skillet (affiliate link)
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Other sourdough recipes you may like:
If you make this recipe let us know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating in the comment section below!
Sourdough Pizza Crust Recipe
EQUIPMENT
- Mixing Bowls
- Kitchen Scale
- 12" Cast Iron Skillet
INGREDIENTS
Sourdough pizza crust
- scant ½ cup (100 g) sourdough starter discard
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) olive oil
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon (50 g) whole wheat flour
- 3 ¾ cups (450 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ⅓ cups + 2 tablespoons (350 g) water (see notes)
Pizza toppings
- pizza sauce
- homemade pesto
- your choice of toppings
INSTRUCTIONS
The night before
- Add the pizza crust ingredients to a large mixing bowl and use your hands to mix until they are fully incorporated. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to ferment at room temperature overnight.
The next morning
- Perform a set of stretch and folds. Wet your hand with water to prevent the dough from sticking. While the dough is still in the bowl, gently pull one side of the dough up and over itself. Turn the bowl and repeat this on all sides of the dough until you turned the bowl full circle.
- Cover the bowl and place in the fridge, up to 36 hours until ready to bake. (The dough can be used at this point to make your pizza, the cold ferment is optional.)
That night
- Remove the dough and let rest on the counter for 30 minutes to come to room temperature.
- Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and on a generously floured work surface, shape each portion into ball shape. Cover the mounds with a tea towel let rest 30 minutes.
- Turn on your oven's broiler and heat a cast iron skillet over medium to medium-high heat. While the skillet is preheating, use your hands to press a ball of dough into an 8" circle on a floured surface. Use more flour as needed to prevent sticking. (If you find the dough difficult to shape into a pizza crust, let it to rest on the counter for 15 minutes in order for the gluten to relax.)
- When the skillet is hot, lay the circle of dough onto the skillet. Immediately place the sauce and toppings on the crust and cook for 5-6 minutes or until the bottom of the crust is starting to char.
- Once the bottom has turned brown and charred, transfer the cast iron skillet to the broiler to finish baking the top of the pizza 2-4 minutes. Remove, slice and serve hot.
NOTES
- This recipe has been EDITED on 12-15-20 from the original, with the following changes: water- reduced from 1 ½ cup (375g) to 1 ⅓ cup + 2 tablespoons (350g).
- If you do not have an oven-safe or cast iron skillet, start the pizza on the stove-top in a non-stick skillet. (If it is not a non-stick skillet, spray a little cooking oil to prevent the crust from sticking.) When the pizza is ready to go under the broiler, carefully slide the crust onto a baking sheet to finish it.
PREVIOUS
Sam T says
I am thinking of putting this sourdough pizza on a wood pellet grill. Will this work? I am going to use an Emile Henry square stone. I do understand for a medium, pan-style crust, I have to turn the tempeture down 20degrees.
Amy says
Yes it will work!
Jennifer says
I see in previous comments you confirmed bread flour can be used instead of AP flour. Is this just in the recipe or unbleached KA bread flour can be used in feedings as well? Also, for feeding the starter if we use unbleached AP flour…..is that what we are supposed to use for the recipe as well? I’ve made the dough twice now and it just didn’t come out well so I’m trying to find out where I went wrong.
Thanks!!
Amy says
The starter and the dough can be made with whatever flour you have. You can feed your starter and mix the dough with AP or feed the starter with AP and mix the dough with bread flour. That shouldn't affect the results. For this recipe, you don't need to feed the starter before mixing the dough.
Merilee says
Loved your Video, it was very helpful. I will be baking this in a Toaster Oven. My kitchen is under construction at the present time. Will let you know how it turns out.
Thanks Merilee
Jaysen says
How do I know if my pizza dough overproofed?? It was probably triple in size this morning ! I left it out for about 12 hours overnight and it was super full of ait and fluffy. It completely deflated with the stretch and folds. I put it in the fridge for dinner tonight !
Amy says
It sounds like its over-proofed. It's ok that it deflated. It should be easy to work with when it's cold.
Tina says
This sounded like a good idea…not heating the house up getting the pizza stone up to temp but it was a failure. The crust recipe maybe was good but I agree with the last commenter; the skillet to broiler didn’t work out at all…the crust was undone on the sides but the toppings were charred,…the skillet continues to cook the bottom of the crust so it burns. I’ll try the crust recipe out next time using my baking stone and the oven at 450 as I usually do and see how the crust recipe turns out.
Amy says
Sorry the method didn't work out for you.
Kaitlin says
I would definitely skip the cast iron skillet part and just put it in the oven at 400 for 20 mins like another comment suggested. I followed the baking instructions and had issues with the crust being undercooked which was really disappointing. I’ll try again after awhile but using the oven to bake.
Cindy says
Try turning on the broiler for 10 minutes before placing the pizza on the stone. It should help to brown the bottom just right!
Jacey says
does anyone know if i can just use all purpose flour for the whole thing instead of whole wheat and all purpose? really excited to make but dont have whole wheat on hand
Amy says
Yes you can!
Nisha says
Hi Amy - can I make my pizza in a pizza oven instead of a cast iron skillet or oven ? I have an Ooni Pizza Oven and would love to try this discard recipe. Thank you.
Amy says
Yes you can!
Samantha Eve says
SOOO GOOD! i make this recipe multiple times a month for my family. So tasty, fun and pretty easy! I use non-dairy cheese and it’s perfect 👌🏻 Thanks!
Daniella says
This may be a silly question but when you say “cook” until charred - do you mean on the stovetop or in the oven? Thank you!!
Amy says
I look for a good char on the bottom of the crust before I transfer it to the broiler. Then I wait until the edges have a char before removing it from under the broiler.
Cynthia says
There are no stupid questions. Always choose to learn.