• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About Me
  • Shop
  • Privacy Policy
  • Recipe Index
Flour On My Face
  • Home
  • Crock Pot Recipes
  • Easy Freezer Meals
  • Canning Recipes
  • Alfredo Sauce
  • Instant Pot Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipe Index
  • Shop
  • Alfredo Sauce
  • Canning
  • Crock Pot Recipes
  • Easy Freezer Meals
  • Food Dehydrator Recipes
  • Instant Pot Recipes
×
Home » How To Make » How To Make Sourdough Pizza Dough

How To Make Sourdough Pizza Dough

Published: Apr 6, 2020 · Modified: Feb 28, 2024 by Arlene Mobley · This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Jump to Recipe
Homemade Sourdough Pizza

Ready to turn your sourdough discard into something amazing? We're about to make some delicious sourdough pizza dough together.

It's a fantastic way to use up that leftover sourdough starter, and trust me, it's going to add an incredible flavor and texture to your pizza nights. This recipe is super simple and a bit of fun too.

You'll end up with a pizza crust that's perfectly crispy on the outside, wonderfully chewy inside, and packed with that unique sourdough taste. So, let's get our ingredients ready and make some pizza magic happen!

Homemade Pizza made with homemade sourdough pizza dough
Homemade pizza made with sourdough pizza dough

If you are finding it hard to figure out easy meals during this trying time here is a very easy sourdough recipe you can make using your sourdough starter.

Baking with sourdough starter

Sourdough starter is a natural leavening that can be used to make sourdough bread, sourdough biscuits, easy sourdough focaccia, White Cheddar Cheese Focaccia, and sourdough pizza dough.

You can also make things like breadsticks and cheesy breadsticks.

Sourdough starter is a natural leavening that has been used for thousands of years to bake with before anyone could buy store-bought yeast.

When you don't have store-bought yeast you can still bake many of your favorite recipes when you use an active sourdough starter.

NOTE: It takes about a week to feed and grow an active sourdough starter with just flour and water. And many sourdough bread recipes take hours to make.

We are talking 12 to 24 hours or more to allow a loaf of sourdough bread dough to rise properly.

But after about 4 days of feeding a new sourdough starter, you can use it or the sourdough discard to make homemade pizza dough.

Pizza dough doesn't need to have a very high rise when you make it. Unlike a loaf of homemade bread that needs to get a very high rise.

Scroll down below for the recipe card where you will find the ingredient amounts, directions and for one-click printing or to Pin the recipe.

What is sourdough discard?

A sourdough discard is what you would pour out of your sourdough container each time you feed it.

Many people pour the discard down the drain as they make room in their jar or container to add more flour and water to feed the starter.

I have always hated pouring the sourdough discard down the drain because I feel like after all the work involved it is such a waste. Pizza dough is a good way to use it.

If you feel the same way you can make pizza dough or even a flatbread with the discarded sourdough starter.

active bubbles on top of a Sourdough Starter recipe
active sourdough starter

After 3 or 4 days of sourdough feedings, you will start to see many active bubbles forming on the top of the starter. These bubbles are proof that your starter is active enough to make pizza dough with.

a ball of sourdough pizza dough as it rests in a bowl
homemade pizza dough

Homemade Pizza Dough

This pizza dough recipe is easy to make with your new sourdough starter or some of the sourdough starter discard as you are developing your fresh batch of sourdough starter for the first time.

How many pizzas can you make?

This sourdough pizza dough recipe will make enough dough to make two 9 x 13-inch thin-crust pizzas or two 8 or 9-inch thick crust personal pan pizzas.

thin crust pizza on a baking sheet

The pizza dough can be refrigerated for a couple of days before making pizza.

You can also freeze the pizza dough if you don't plan on baking with it immediately.

Thin crust Sourdough Pizza made with sourdough starter discard
Thin Crust Sourdough Pizza

How To Freeze Pizza Dough

After you mix the sourdough pizza dough allow it to rise or rest for one hour. Dived the dough into two equally sized balls and place each ball into a freezer bag.

Place the bags of dough into the freezer. Use the pizza dough within the month. To bake with frozen pizza dough remove the ball of dough from the freezer and allow it to thaw in the refrigerator.

Once the dough has thawed place it into a bowl and coat with olive oil. Place the bowl in a warm area and allow the dough to rise for 1 to 3 hours before making pizza.

a homemade pepperoni personal pan pizza cut into pieces on a wooden cutting board

Prep

Sourdough pizza dough needs an active sourdough starter to make. You can learn how to make a sourdough starter here.

Tips

Finding a warm area to let your dough rise might be difficult. Here are a couple of places that are perfect for rising dough. Do not expect the pizza dough to have a huge amount of rise. The more active of a starter you use the more rise you will have. The dough will rise more when you bake it.

  • If your oven has a proofing setting follow the manufacturer's directions and place the bowl in the oven.
  • Turn your oven on to the lowest setting before beginning the recipe. Turn the oven off when it has reached the lowest temp and crack the oven door open. Put the bowl of dough into the warmed oven and close the door to rise.
  • Place a bowl of water into the microwave and heat for 3 minutes. Quickly open the door, remove the bowl of water and place the bowl of dough inside the heated microwave to rise. Do not open the door for at least an hour.
  • Turn the light on in your oven. Place the bowl of dough into the oven to rise.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups sourdough starter
  • 4-5 tablespoons olive, divided

Directions

  1. In a medium-size bowl mix the salt, into the flour with a wooden spoon.
  2. Add the sourdough starter and 4 tablespoons of olive oil to the bowl. Using a wooden spoon mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until it forms into a shaggy ball.
  3. NOTE: If the dough seems very wet sprinkle with a little flour until it comes together and holds its shape. If the dough seems very dry and powdery drizzle 1 teaspoon more of olive oil and knead the oil into the dough.
  4. Knead the pizza dough using the heel of your hand in the bowl until it is soft and forms a ball, 5 minutes or so.
  5. Drizzle olive oil into the bowl and flip the ball of dough around so all sides are covered with oil. Cover the bowl and place it in a warm area to rest.
  6. Allow the dough to rest and slightly rise for an hour for quick pizza dough or up to 8 hours before forming into your pizza crust.
  7. At this point in the recipe, you can place the bowl of dough into the refrigerator for a slow overnight rise. The dough will rise slowly overnight and the sourdough flavor will have more time to develop. You can leave the dough refrigerated for up to three days before baking with it. You can also slip the dough into a freezer bag and freeze it to use at a later time.
deep dish sourdough pizza dough covered with pizza sauce before adding the toppings
deep dish pizza

How To Make a Pizza

  1. Preheat the oven to 450 F. degrees.
  2. Cut the ball of dough into two equal-sized pieces. If making deep dish pizza grease an 8 or 9 inch round cake or pie pan with olive oil.
  3. Place the ball of pizza dough into the center of the pan. Flatten the dough ball and using the heel of your hand to push the dough out to the edges of the round pan. If the dough springs back let the dough rest for about 5 minutes and then work the dough to the edges of the pan again. Repeat with the second piece of dough.
  4. Spread 2 to 3 tablespoons of pizza sauce over the pizza dough and top with shredded cheese and your favorite pizza toppings.
  5. To make a 9 x 13-inch thin-crust pizza grease a low rimmed baking sheet or cookie sheet with olive oil. Place one dough ball into the center of the baking sheet. Use your hand and fingers to work the dough into a rectangle shape. Spread sauce and pizza toppings over the top and bake in the preheated oven.
  6. Bake the deep dish pizza for 9 to 12 minutes until golden brown on the bottom and the thick dough is cooked through the center. Bake the thin crust pizza for 9 to 10 minutes.
  7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly so the cheese firms up enough to cut the pizza into slices.

Helpful Products

LaiYHe, 6LaiYHe, 6Mora Ceramic Large Mixing Bowls - Set of 2 Nesting Bowls for Cooking, Serving, Popcorn, Salad etc - Microwavable Kitchen Stoneware, Oven, Microwave and Dishwasher Safe - Extra Big 5.5 & 3.6 Qt - WhiteMora Ceramic Large Mixing Bowls - Set of 2 Nesting Bowls for Cooking, Serving, Popcorn, Salad etc - Microwavable Kitchen Stoneware, Oven, Microwave and Dishwasher Safe - Extra Big 5.5 & 3.6 Qt - WhiteTEEVEA Danish Dough Whisk Stainless Steel Dough Whisk Dutch Style Bread Dough Hand Mixer Wooden Handle Kitchen Baking Tools Bread Making Tools and SuppliesTEEVEA Danish Dough Whisk Stainless Steel Dough Whisk Dutch Style Bread Dough Hand Mixer Wooden Handle Kitchen Baking Tools Bread Making Tools and SuppliesPowdered Sugar Flour, Powdered Sugar Shaker Duster Flour Dispenser Shaker with Spring-operated Handle Stainless Steel One-handed Operation Shaker Duster for Sugar Flour and SpicesPowdered Sugar Flour, Powdered Sugar Shaker Duster Flour Dispenser Shaker with Spring-operated Handle Stainless Steel One-handed Operation Shaker Duster for Sugar Flour and Spices4PCS Silicone Basting Pastry Brush, MONGSEW Heat Resistant Food Brush Spread Oil Butter Sauce for BBQ Grill Baking Kitchen Cooking, BPA Free, Dishwasher Safe (Multicolor, 4 Pcs)4PCS Silicone Basting Pastry Brush, MONGSEW Heat Resistant Food Brush Spread Oil Butter Sauce for BBQ Grill Baking Kitchen Cooking, BPA Free, Dishwasher Safe (Multicolor, 4 Pcs)Flour Sack Kitchen Towels |Cotton Blank Towel | Tea Towel Crafting Embroidery for Easter|Flat Thick Absorbent Quick Dry | Baking Bread Proofing Linen Cover, Washable Set of 3, 18 x 28 Inch,WhiteFlour Sack Kitchen Towels |Cotton Blank Towel | Tea Towel Crafting Embroidery for Easter|Flat Thick Absorbent Quick Dry | Baking Bread Proofing Linen Cover, Washable Set of 3, 18 x 28 Inch,White

 

More Pizza Recipes

  • Pepperoni Pizza Bombs
  • Single Serve Personal Pan Pizza made with a yeast dough
  • Freezer Pizza Dough made with a yeast dough

Print the Recipe

Email questions or recipe requests to flouronmyface@gmail.com. Follow me on Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.

Deep dish personal pan pizza made with sourdough pizza dough made from sourdough starter discard

Sourdough Pizza Dough

Arlene Mobley - Flour On My Face
How To Make Sourdough Pizza Dough
Sourdough Pizza Dough is easy to make with sourdough starter or your sourdough starter discard. This pizza crust recipe will make enough dough to make 2 9 x 13 inch thin crust pizzas or two 8 or 9 inch thick crust personal pan pizzas.
5 from 1 vote
Rate this Recipe
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
Click here to add your own private recipe notes.
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time 4 hours hrs
Cook Time 12 minutes mins
Total Time 4 hours hrs 12 minutes mins
Course Bread, Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 16 Servings
Calories 67 kcal

Ingredients  

  • 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups sourdough starter
  • 4 tablespoons olive (divided)
Follow Flour On My Face on Pinterest

Instructions 

  • In a medium-size bowl mix the salt, into the flour with a wooden spoon.
  • Add the sourdough starter and 4 tablespoons of olive oil to the bowl. Using a wooden spoon mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until it forms into a shaggy ball. 
  • NOTE: If the dough seems very wet sprinkle with a little flour until it comes together and holds its shape. If the dough seems very dry and powdery drizzle 1 teaspoon more of olive oil and knead the oil into the dough.
  •  Knead the pizza dough using the heel of your hand in the bowl until it is soft and forms a ball, 5 minutes or so. 
  •  Drizzle olive oil into the bowl and flip the ball of dough around so all sides are covered with oil. Cover the bowl and place it in a warm area to rest. 
  • Allow the dough to rest and slightly rise for an hour for quick pizza dough or up to 8 hours before forming into your pizza crust.
  • At this point in the recipe, you can place the bowl of dough into the refrigerator for a slow overnight rise. The dough will rise slowly overnight and the sourdough flavor will have more time to develop. You can leave the dough refrigerated for up to three days before baking with it. You can also slip the dough into a freezer bag and freeze it to use at a later time.

How To Make a Pizza

  • Preheat the oven to 450 F. degrees. 
  • Cut the ball of dough into two equal-sized pieces. If making deep dish pizza grease an 8 or 9 inch round cake or pie pan with olive oil. 
  • Place the ball of pizza dough into the center of the pan. Flatten the dough ball and using the heel of your hand to push the dough out to the edges of the round pan. If the dough springs back let the dough rest for about 5 minutes and then work the dough to the edges of the pan again. Repeat with the second piece of dough. 
  • Spread 2 to 3 tablespoons of pizza sauce over the pizza dough and top with shredded cheese and your favorite pizza toppings.
  • To make a 9 x 13-inch thin-crust pizza grease a low rimmed baking sheet or cookie sheet with olive oil. Place one dough ball into the center of the baking sheet. Use your hand and fingers to work the dough into a rectangle shape. Spread sauce and pizza toppings over the top and bake in the preheated oven.
  • Bake the deep dish pizza for 9 to 12 minutes until golden brown on the bottom and the thick dough is cooked through the center. Bake the thin crust pizza for 9 to 10 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly so the cheese firms up enough to cut the pizza into slices.
  • 2 pizza crusts,

Video

Recipe Expert Tips

  • Proofing ovens: If your oven has a proofing setting follow the manufacturer's directions and place the bowl in the oven.
  •  Warmed oven: Turn your oven on to the lowest setting before beginning the recipe. Turn the oven off when it has reached the lowest temp and crack the oven door open. Put the bowl of dough into the warmed oven and close the door to rise.
  •  Rising: Place a bowl of water into the microwave and heat for 3 minutes. Quickly open the door, remove the bowl of water and place the bowl of dough inside the heated microwave to rise. Do not open the door for at least an hour.
  •  Turn the light on in your oven. Place the bowl of dough into the oven to rise.
  • Nutritional value is for 1 slice of pizza without sauce or topping.
  • Refrigerated dough: You can place the bowl of dough into the refrigerator for a slow overnight rise. The dough will rise slowly overnight and the sourdough flavor will have more time to develop. You can leave the dough refrigerated for up to three days before baking with it. You can also slip the dough into a freezer bag and freeze it to use at a later time.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 67kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 177mgPotassium: 13mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 8IUCalcium: 3mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Share a picture on Instagram and tag @flouronmyface2

More How To Make

  • Homemade Italian Seasoning in a glass spice jar.
    Homemade Italian Seasoning
  • 4 image collage of cream recipes made with half and half.
    Half and Half Recipes
  • A salad bowl with a mixed salad topped with homemade croutons.
    How To Make Homemade Croutons
  • Sourdough Focaccia cut into pieces on a plate with a bowl of dipping oil.
    How to Make Sourdough Focaccia
  • Share
  • Email
  • Reddit
  • Flipboard
  • Bluesky

About Arlene Mobley

Arlene Mobley author of Flour On My Face-a Food & Lifestyle website helping busy families get dinner on the table by serving easy recipes every week.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Angelina

    October 20, 2020 at 2:09 am

    5 stars
    Thank you for sharing. I've just rolled my balls to overnight slow-rise in the refrigerator...and the "proof" shall be in the pudding, so to speak! I look forward to updating you on the results (which started with a variation of your sour dough starter). I searched online and found your recipe simple enough to motivate me. Now, I have a new addition to the family (my sour dough starter "Veronica," named by consensus). We love sour dough for its ability to deactivate many immunoreactive proteins in wheat and other grains. I am ketogenic too, so I cut the recipe with both fiber and lupin flour (which is a very high-fiber, non-grain, gluten-free flour: 1/2 Italian wheat, 1/4 lupin flour, 1/4 fiber, olive oil, salt). This is as close to pizza as I have gotten since I was in Italy...just in time to celebrate my birthday and inspire my social networking audience.

    Reply
5 from 1 vote

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Arlene Mobley the cook & photographer here at Flour On My Face. I have been cooking for my family for over 40 years. I love sharing recipes to help busy families get dinner on the table.

More about me →

social
social
social
social

We Have Been Featured In

Alfredo Sauce Recipes

  • A bowl of alfredo gnocchi soup served with buttered bread.
    Chicken Alfredo Gnocchi Soup

  • Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce served over fettuccine with garlic sticks.
    Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

  • A bowl filled with creamy chicken tortellini alfredo on a table.
    Chicken Tortellini Alfredo

  • A creamy roasted garlic alfredo served over pasta on a green dinner plate.
    Roasted Garlic Alfredo Sauce

See more Alfredo Sauce Recipes →

Cheesecake Recipes

  • cheesecake graham cracker crust pressed into a baking pan.
    Cheesecake Graham Cracker Crust Recipe

  • A single slice of apple cheesecake garnished with whip cream, caramel sauce and chopped pecans on a dessert plate.
    Apple Cheesecake

  • A slice of choclate cheesecake filling on a white dessert plate.
    Chocolate Cheesecake Filling

  • Sliced White Chocolate Cheesecake filling baked with a ladyfinger crust and garnished with whip cream, chocolate curls and berries.
    White Chocolate Cheesecake Filling

See more Cheesecakes →

Breakfast Recipes

  • Serving apple fritter casserole from a baking dish with spoon.
    Apple Fritter Casserole

  • Preview collage of 4 breakfast casseroles.
    Best Breakfast Casseroles

  • A square serving piece of biscuits and gravy casserole with gravy drizzled over the top on a plate.
    Biscuits and Gravy Casserole

  • Kielbasa Breakfast Casserole in a bowl served with toast and juice.
    Kielbasa Breakfast Casserole

See more Breakfast Recipes →

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

Flour On My Face is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Copyright ©2025 Flour On My Face

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.