This Sourdough Pizza Dough Recipe makes the best, perfectly crispy, and chewy pizza dough crust with impressive air pockets – it tastes like it came out of a fancy pizzeria. This pizza dough keeps really well in the refrigerator and freezer so it’s perfect for a pizza party.
Watch the video tutorial to see how we make this easy pizza dough with sourdough starter and you will be a pro in no time.
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Sourdough Pizza Dough Video
See how easy it is to make sourdough pizza dough with your active starter. Natasha takes you step-by-step in the easy process. The flavor and texture is excellent.
The Best Sourdough Pizza Recipe
I have been developing this sourdough pizza crust recipe for what feels like ages and I am confident this is the one you’ll make on repeat.
You’ll also be happy to know that it’s make-ahead friendly (it lasts up to a week in the refrigerator) and you can also freeze pizza dough for another time (and yes, I do stockpile this pizza dough in my freezer).
You’ll love the big bubbly edges which are actually my favorite part of homemade sourdough pizza – trust me, you will never throw your crusts away again!
Pizza Dough with Active Sourdough Starter
This pizza dough uses 70% hydration which results in a dough that is easy to handle and cooks up into a light and airy crust that is chewy on the outside and so soft inside. The flavor and texture are actually very similar to our popular Overnight Pizza Dough which uses yeast as leavening.
The sourdough starter adds a lovely layer of flavor, and sourdough can be easier to digest, so if you don’t already have a sourdough starter, it’s surprisingly simple to make one and you’ll be on your way to making some of the best pizza dough you’ve sunk your teeth into.
Ingredients for Sourdough Pizza Crust
This sourdough pizza dough recipe calls for just 4 ingredients, so it’s easy to whip it up when your starter is active and bubbly. Even if you don’t have the right flour on hand, you can substitute it in a pinch.
Flour – we use “00 Flour” (Double Zero flour) for the best stretchy, yet strong texture. It’s the finest flour available and the best for that chewy, crispy pizza crust texture. You can also use all-purpose flour or bread flour if desired. *see our note below for where to buy and substitutions
Salt – fine sea salt adds flavor, but more importantly, it helps strengthen the dough and control fermentation–don’t skimp on this ingredient!
Water – opt for room temperature, filtered water, so the temperature won’t slow the yeast’s fermentation.
Active Sourdough Starter – You’ll need 100 grams of active starter. Feed your sourdough starter 4-6 hours before mixing the dough. The starter should be at least doubled in size, bubbly, and domed at the top.
Semolina flour – optional, but best for dusting the pizza peel. you can substitute with AP or 00 flour.
Where can I get 00 flour?
You can look for it in your grocery store, but I found that not all grocery stores carry it. Locally, I have only found this flour in specialty higher-end grocery stores. For convenience, I purchase it online. Here is my favorite brand of 00 flour, which is also perfect for making homemade pasta.
How to Make Sourdough Pizza Dough
It takes only a few minutes of active prep time to make this sourdough pizza dough, so it’s easy to mix up anytime your starter is active and store until you’re ready to bake. This sourdough pizza dough recipe works on your schedule.
Feed your sourdough starter 4 to 6 hours before you start making the pizza dough. You must start with an active and bubbly starter that has more than doubled in size. See our post on How to Feed Sourdough Starter.
Make the dough – Whisk flour and salt and then add the water and starter. Mix and pinch the dough together until combined. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
Knead the dough – knead on a clean surface or in the bowl for 2 minutes. Oil a bowl and place dough inside. Cover and rest until doubled, around 4-5 hours. Don’t be tempted to speed up proofing. It’s best to rest at room temperature of 70-75°F
Divide the dough – Turn the dough onto a floured surface and dust with flour, then divide into 4 pieces using a bench scraper. Working each piece at a time, fold the dough over itself 8 times turning the dough between folds. Form a ball with each piece and place it in an oiled bowl seam-side down. Cover and place in the fridge for 18 hours or up to 1 week.
Pro Tip:
After the cold ferment stage, you can also use the refrigerated sourdough pizza crust for our Easy Calzone and Stromboli recipes as well
How to Make a Sourdough Pizza Crust
You can change up the toppings any way you want here, but this is a great starting point. Top with our easy Red Pizza Sauce, White Pizza Sauce, or homemade Pesto, plus your favorite toppings for the perfect pizza every time. We even have a super delicious Tuscan Pizza in our Debut Cookbook that would be perfect on sourdough pizza crust!
Prep – When you’re ready to make pizza, remove the dough to come to room temperature, for at least 15 minutes. Put a pizza stone or upside-down baking sheet in the center rack and preheat the oven to 550°F (if your oven won’t go to 550, bake at 500 for a little longer). Chop and prepare toppings and dust the pizza peel with flour.
Shape the Crust – Working one piece at a time, place a ball of dough on a floured surface, and turn to coat. Watch the video above for the best technique! Flatten gently without popping bubbles, and then use the backs of your hands to work the dough into a 10-12” round with a thicker edge. Place on the floured peel.
Add Toppings – spread a light layer of pizza sauce over the center and add light toppings. Shake the pizza peel slightly to be sure the dough isn’t sticking, then slide into the oven to the hot pizza stone. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
Pro Tip:
Don’t overload the pizza with sauce and toppings, because this can weigh down the center and prevent it from baking properly.
What to Serve with Sourdough Pizza
Make this Sourdough Pizza Dough Recipe anytime for a delicious, crowd-pleasing meal. Here are a few of our favorite sides to serve with homemade pizza:
Make-Ahead
This dough keeps really well in the refrigerator or freezer which is perfect for when you’re craving pizza.
To Refrigerate: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week. It will have a more pronounced sourdough flavor as it sits in the refrigerator. I think it gets better with time. Choose a container that has room for expansion.
Freezing: Once the dough has completed its overnight cold fermentation in the refrigerator, you can freeze and store it for up to 3 months. See how to freeze pizza dough for all of our best tips.
To Reheat: Thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight then the dough is ready to use for forming a pizza crust.
This tested and approved Homemade Sourdough Pizza Dough recipe makes the best homemade pizza with a chewy and crispy crust. The dough is made ahead, so you just top it with your favorite sauce and veggies for an incredible meal.
More Sourdough Recipes
Sourdough Pizza Dough is one of our family’s favorite ways to use our active starter. Once you try pizza, try these other favorites:
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Sourdough Pizza Dough Recipe
This is the only Sourdough Pizza Dough Recipe you’ll ever need. We’ve tested and perfected this recipe to make the best crispy and chewy crust for the most delicious homemade sourdough pizza, calzones, and stromboli. It also keeps well in the refrigerator and freezer.To make this process easier and more precise, weigh your ingredients into the bowl over a kitchen scale.
Prep Time: 20 minutes minsCook Time: 10 minutes minsResting Time: 22 hours hrs 30 minutes minsTotal Time: 23 hours hrs
Servings: 8 servings (makes 4, 10″ pizzas)
Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark
How to Make Sourdough Pizza Dough:Feed your sourdough starter 4 to 6 hours before you start making the pizza dough. You must start with an active and bubbly starter that has more than doubled in size. See our post on How to Feed Sourdough Starter. Make the Dough – Whisk together flour and salt. Add water and starter and mix with a firm spatula then use your hands to pinch the dough and mix until really well combined. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.Knead and Proof – Knead the dough in the bowl or on a clean work surface for 2 minutes then transfer to a bowl coated with olive oil. Cover and proof for 4-5 hours or until the dough has risen at least 50% in volume. Do not speed up the process but proof at room temperature 70-75 ̊F.Fold dough and Refrigerate– Transfer dough to a floured surface and turn to coat lightly in flour so it isn’t sticky. Use a bench scraper to divide the dough into 4 equal-sized pieces. Fold each piece of dough in half 8 times, gently pulling the sides over the center like closing a book, turning the dough each time and repeating for 8 folds. Form a ball in your hands and transfer each piece of dough to a lightly oiled bowl seam-side-down, cover and refrigerate overnight (18 hours) or up to 1 week.*How to Form a Sourdough Pizza Crust:PREP: Remove the dough 15-30 minutes before using it to let it relax while preheating the oven or pizza oven. For oven baking: Place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet onto the center rack of the oven and preheat to 550 ̊F. Lightly flour a pizza peel and prep toppings.Shape the Crust: Transfer 1 piece of dough to a lightly floured surface, turning to lightly coat in flour. Flatten the dough gently with your fingertips, moving the bubbles to the edges. DO NOT pop any bubbles. Lift the dough over the backs of your hands and roll your knuckles under the center of the dough, working outward as you rotate the dough along your knuckles, leaving a slightly thicker edge. Continue working the dough until a 10-12” pizza has formed. It will shrink slightly when you set it down. Place the dough down on a semolina-dusted pizza peel. Give the pizza peel a little shake to make sure the pizza slides over it and is not sticking.Add Toppings: Spread on a light coating of pizza sauce and toppings. Give the pizza another shake to make sure it slides on the pizza peel (to ensure it doesn’t stick while transferring to the hot pizza stone). Slide the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone and bake at 550 ̊F for 8-10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and some of the larger bubbles on the crust are lightly scorched to ensure a crisp crust.
“00” Flour (Double Zero flour) is the best flour for making pizza dough. If you can’t find it, you can substitute it with bread flour or All-purpose flour.
Semolina is best for keeping the pizza dough from sticking to the peel, but you can substitute with 00 Flour, All-purpose, or bread flour.
Baking in the Oven – For oven baking: Place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet onto the center rack of the oven and preheat to 550 ̊F. Lightly flour a pizza peel and prep toppings. Tip: If your oven only heats to 500, that’s ok, just bake slightly longer.
Measuring Tip: To make this process easier and more precise, weigh your pizza ingredients into the bowl over a kitchen scale. If you don’t have a scale, see our post on How to Measure Ingredients.
Don’t overload with toppings and sauce to be sure it cooks properly in the center.
To Freeze – After the cold ferment for at least 18 hours in the refrigerator, you can place freezer-safe containers of dough into the freezer to store for up to 3 months. See How to Freeze Pizza Dough.
239kcal Calories50g Carbs7g Protein1g Fat0.1g Saturated Fat0.3g Polyunsaturated Fat0.1g Monounsaturated Fat585mg Sodium67mg Potassium2g Fiber0.2g Sugar11mg Calcium3mg Iron
Nutrition FactsSourdough Pizza Dough RecipeAmount per Serving% Daily Value** Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Good Things
The best kind of cooking is when your visitors can get in on the action. My husband’s family was visiting from California, and I happened to have ten pizza doughs in the fridge from all of the pizza filming and recipe development process for this video recipe, so of course, we had a pizza night. Vadim captured this fun moment where Nadya and I were laughing over forming the dough.
P.S. I would LOVE your recommendation for a great pizza oven – if you have one that you are happy with, please let me know in the comments!
