Easy Sourdough Pizza Crust Recipe | A Family Favorite
Pizza is in regular rotation here in our kitchen. I love that I can be creative and use any pizza toppings we like. This sourdough pizza crust is the perfect base for your next pizza party!
You don’t have to have an outdoor pizza oven to make a terrific pizza. All you need is a home oven and imagination to make this sourdough pizza recipe!
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If you are brand new to sourdough, start here: https://therosehomestead.com/how-to-make-a-sourdough-starter/
Sourdough is the center of all of my bread products. From sandwich bread https://therosehomestead.com/sourdough-sandwich-bread/ to cake https://therosehomestead.com/sourdough-chocolate-zucchini-cake/, I love my sourdough starter! So, when it comes to pizza, obviously sourdough is best!
I have a pizza crust made with commercial yeast: https://therosehomestead.com/pizza-crust-made-with-freshly-ground-wheat/ However, I never posted my sourdough pizza crust recipe. So, today, let’s take our pizza to the next level!
I love this recipe because I start it the morning before I am going to make the pizza for dinner and just let it rise all day. By the time I’m ready to start dinner, the crust is ready to shape and bake.
Why Sourdough?
The process of long fermenting sourdough makes bread products easier to digest for those who are sensitive to gluten. **SOURDOUGH IS NOT FOR THOSE WHO ARE GLUTEN INTOLERANT**
The longer you ferment your sourdough, the more it breaks down the phytic acid that can be hard to digest.
I prefer to ferment for 4-12 hours. I have made products that fermented close to 24 hours, however, I recommend not going beyond 24 hours due to the possibility of over fermentation.
What you will need for this recipe
Sourdough Starter
You will need to use active sourdough starter. This means the starter was fed within the last 24 hours and is bubbly.
Although you can use sourdough discard, keep in mind it may take longer for the dough to ferment.
Flour
You can use all-purpose flour, bread flour, or whole wheat flour for this sourdough pizza dough recipe.
Water
Use filtered water if possible. Most tap water has chlorine in it and may alter the taste of the pizza crust and inhibit the growth of the natural yeasts.
Salt
I use Redmond’s Real Salt in all of my baking for its mild flavor. Any sea salt will work just fine.
Equipment you may want to make this recipe
Pizza Peel
A pizza peel is a flat piece of wood or metal that transfers the pizza dough to a pizza stone or baking steel.
Pizza Stone, Baking Steel, or Cast Iron Skillet
You want a heavy vessel that will retain heat well and baking evenly. Either of the above will work just fine.
My favorite Cast Iron is linked here: https://fieldcompany.com/THEROSEHOMESTEAD
Stand Mixer
A stand mixer makes the kneading process so much easier. Using the dough hook attachment you can quickly knead your dough.
This is the stand mixer I use and LOVE: https://collabs.shop/xmipvy
Step By Step Instructions for making the Best Sourdough Pizza Crust
Mixing the dough
The morning before you want to make pizza for dinner, add the starter, room temperature water, salt, and 2 1/2 cups of the flour to the bowl of your stand mixer. Start the mixer and slowly add the remaining half cup of flour.
*Note: If your home is really cool, start the recipe with warm water. Not hot, just lukewarm to jumpstart the fermentation process*
Kneading the dough
Let knead for 10-15 minutes or until it becomes glossy and very stretchy. The goal is for the dough to pass the windowpane test meaning a small piece of the dough can be stretched very thinly without breaking.
Alternatively, you can mix up the dough the night before and allow the bulk fermentation to happen overnight on the countertop.
Bulk Fermentation
Roll into a tight ball and place the ball of dough in a lightly greased large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise for 4-8 hours.
Alternatively, you can place the dough in the fridge after it rises for at least 4 hours and make the pizza whenever you want.
After your dough has risen for several hours it will be bubbly and have an airy feel when pressed with your finger.
Baking
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.
Prepare your baking vessel by lightly greasing it. I like to use a cast iron skillet or a small quarter baking sheet.
Press your dough out from the center outwards in your pan until it covers the pan. Add your favorite toppings to the dough.
*Avoid using a rolling pin to shape your crust as this will push all of the bubbles out of the dough*
Alternatively, place your dough on a lightly floured surface and press out to the thickness you desire.
Meanwhile have your pizza stone or baking steel preheating in the oven.
Flour the pizza peel and transfer your dough to the peel. Add toppings and slide the dough onto the preheated pizza stone or baking steel.
When the pizza is done slide the peel underneath and pull pizza out.
I prefer simple pizzas. Fresh ingredients are my go-to.
For this particular pizza, I topped it with a simple tomato sauce, thinly sliced zucchini and summer squash, onion, fresh herbs, and cheese.
Serving Suggestions
Top with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella cheese.
Top with homemade pizza sauce, pepperoni, onions, mushrooms, and cheese.
Storage Tips
Store leftover pizza in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Store cooled pizza in freezer safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Sourdough Pizza Crust
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer
- 1 Large mixing bowl
- 1 Baking vessel Cast iron or Quarter size baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 cups flour
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in the bowl of stand mixer. Add only 2 1/2 cups of the flour and slowly add the remaining half cup until dough pulls from side of bowl.
- Knead 10-15 minutes or until glossy and very stretchy.
- Place in lightly greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 4-8 hours.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Lightly grease baking vessel of your choice. Spread the dough evenly on the vessel moving from center outwards until the dough covers the pan.
- Top with your favorite toppings.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and cheese is melted.
Hi Mary! Blessings to you and Casey!
May I double the recipe to make a larger pizza pan?
Thank you!
Sandy 🙂
Absolutely! This is a great recipe to make double or triple and freeze it so you have pizza crusts on hand, as well!
Thank you!
Mary, I’m so upset. I am having problems with my sourdough batters and my kitchenaid I made the pizza dough early this morning and it doesn’t look like it rising right. Any ideas on why that might be? When I save up I’m going to get a nutramill. Thanks!
Honestly, that is why I sold my KitchenAid and got the Nutrimill. It just never seemed to knead it well enough. However, the good news is, since it’s pizza crust, it will be just fine! You don’t need a huge rise since you will be patting it out in a pan before baking. I’m sure it will be great even if it doesn’t rise as much. Also, with that amount of dough, you may not see as much of a noticeable rise. But, when you turn it out of the bowl, you should see the bubbles and signs of fermentation. I sure hope this helps! My advice is when using a KitchenAid, you need to add more time to the kneading and make sure the dough is glossy and stretchy before stopping…Let me know how the pizza turns out!
Thanks so much! You’re always a great encourager!!!
Good morning! It cam out so good Sweetie! You were right! I took pictures but can’t find a way to. Thank you so much!!!!
Sandy Raiano:)
I plan to make this next week, and am wondering if I need to use fed or unfed starter. It is has been sitting in the fridge for several weeks, unfed. Thinking it might be a good idea to feed it anyways! But it is always good to know which would be best or if it matters.
I would feed it if it’s been unfed for a few weeks. I make this every Saturday. We just finished having pizza with this crust and we just love it!
Thank you for answering so quickly! Fed starter is always best for everything. I know it will be great!
I made this Saturday and it’s one of the few sourdough recipes I tried that came out perfect! I can’t thank you enough…I hope for this to become one of our weekly favorites. One question, do you have a good timeline of about when to start it if you’re making it for let’s say Friday pizza night? I just can’t seem to get my timing right.
What kind of flour?
Question, when you say “add water” to a recipe, do you mean distilled water or bottled water? Is the water to be hot, cold or what.
It’s filtered or bottled water and it is room temperature or lukewarm.
Mary Rose this is the best pizza base I have made. My husband said we will never buy bought pizza again. I topped it with my home made tomato base sauce with a sprinkle of parmigiana cheese then topped with mozzarella cheese with dobs of basil paste. It was so yummy.
Thank you Mary Rose you are an inspiration ❤️
Can’t wait to try this recipe! Two questions. Do you have a tomato sauce recipe for the pizza that you’d like to share? Also, if O freeze part of the dough, what steps are best for storing it (in a ball, rolled out?) And what is the thawing process? Thank you!
I used canned salsa that I put up every summer. For the salsa, I just use Mrs. Wages medium salsa mix. I store my dough in a freezer bag that has been lightly oiled. I take it out in the morning and it thaws by afternoon. I just thaw it on the counter and then put it in the fridge after it’s thawed until I am ready to use it.
I don’t have a stand mixer. Is there an alternate way to make it?
Sure, just hand knead until soft and stretchy.
Hi Mary,
I am making your pizza dough recipe for tonight and I need to make dinner in less than 4 hours. The dough has been resting/fermenting/rising for an hour and it isn’t rising at all. It never did get glossy even after 15 min. in the mixer, but it was good and stretchy. Is this a lost cause? I am used to baking with yeast and am fairly novice with sourdough. Suggestions at this point?
No, it’s fine. You can still proceed with making the pizza. It will proof. Just go ahead when it’s dinner time and make the pizza. I’m sure it will turn out great!
It did turn out great! Baked on a preheated pizza stone. DH really liked it. I split it in half since we prefer a thinner crust and I liked how the dough handled as I was getting it prepped for toppings. I really like how you simplify things b/c everywhere I read about stretch and folds, long and even multiple ferments in the fridge, proofing boxes, bannetons, etc. Our ancestors did not do all of these fussy things! Keep it simple is my motto. Thanks for your encouragement.
Yay, I’m so glad!
I have always wanted to make sourdough breads etc., but was intimidated by the process. Thanks to you I am no longer intimidated 🙂 I love your videos and your recipes. I made the pizza dough tonight and it turned out so good! Thank you for sharing :)!!!
Making this again, always comes out great, thanks Mary!
Do you preheat your cast iron before pressing the dough on it? Hoping to give this a try tomorrow!
No, I just put it in the cool pan.
Thank you!!!
Hi Mary… wondering what kind of flour you’re using in this recipe??AP??
What size cast iron skillet do you use. I’m trying to figure out how big a pizza this makes. Thanks.
It’s a 12 inch skillet.
Thank you Mary, I am kneading this by hand though. It wore me out after 15 minutes and I didn’t get a gloss. I’m hoping it was stretchy enough. I didn’t get that “stained glass”look? Is that what it’s called? Oh well I’m going to use it it anyways after it sits for eight hours. Hope you have a great day on the homestead.
I’m sure it was just fine. Let me know how it went!