Once you try Sourdough Pizza Crust, there is no going back! Chewy, crispy, and super flavorful, it’s the perfect base for all your favorite toppings. Here we’ve added a secret ingredient! Watch the Video.
Pizza, in my humble opinion, is all about the crust and once you try sourdough pizza crust, you won’t want anything else. Not only does it taste better, but it is also much easier to digest, with more nutrients from the fermentation process.
This sourdough pizza dough is incredibly easy to make using simple ingredients. It takes about 10 minutes of hands-on time, with a very adaptable 10 to 48 hours of fermenting time, based on your schedule.
We use the exact same recipe as our Sourdough Bread Recipe but with one optional addition that truly elevates; rice flour! Adding a little rice flour makes the pizza crust light and crispy! Try it – or leave it out, up to you!
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need
- Sourdough Starter – use an active, hungry starter. Make your own sourdough starter from scratch or buy a starter.
- Flour– Pizza flour (00′ flour), bread flour or bread flour all work here. FYI- 00′ flour (double zero flour) is the finest flour you can get, typically from Italy made from durum wheat- and is what is used in Naples, giving their pizza their signature airy pockets, crispy crust and the perfect amount of chewiness.
- Rice flour– optional, to create an amazing texture ( a lighter crispier crust)!
- Salt– sea salt, Himalayan salt
- Water
- Olive oil
*See the detailed ingredients list in the recipe card below.
Ways to Schedule Pizza Dough
Depending on your schedule, pizza dough can be timed to rise in different ways. I personally like a little refrigeration time to slow down the fermentation, which enhances the flavor of the dough (2nd or 3rd option). But in a pinch option- 1 works too.
See the recipe notes for another shortcut.
- Fastest: Make the dough in the morning, let rise during the day on the counter, use it at night. (10-12 hours.)
- Medium: Make the dough in the evening, let it rise overnight, refrigerate until the evening and use it that night. (24 hours.)
- Slowest: Make the dough anytime, place it in the fridge, use it 36-48 hours later. Great for meal prep.
Sourdough pizza Crust (step-by-step instructions)
Step one: In a large bowl, weigh out 385 grams of water ( 1 3/4 cups).
Step two: Zero out the bowl and add 90 grams of active starter ( 1/3 cup).
Step three: Mix well and add the salt (2 teaspoons) stirring to combine.
Step four: Zero out the bowl and add 520 grams of total flour including the optional rice flour (about a 1/3 cup) or 4 cups flour total (spooned and leveled).
I added a 1/3 cup rice flour, then added the remaining 00′ Pizza flour until the combined weight equaled 520 grams. Or skip the rice flour, using only 520 grams of 00′ Pizza flour.
This is roughly 4 cups of total flour, spooned and leveled.
Step five: mix the dough and form a shaggy ball.
The pizza dough should just come together. If it is very dry, add a little more water, just enough to incorporate the flour.
Step Six: Let this rest 10 minutes, then do 1-2 sets of “stretch and folds” 10-15 minutes apart, (same as our sourdough bread method) see the video below.
Step seven: Place in a tall-sided, 2-quart measuring container coated with olive oil – and let this rise according to your schedule -see the 3 options above.
This container is very handy if you want to refrigerate it for the longer proofing period- this way you can easily gauge the rise.
Here I have placed this directly in the fridge for 2 days.
Step eight: Once doubled or almost doubled (1.75) it is ready to use. Divide the dough, on a floured surface, into 4 equal pieces (roughly 220 grams each).
Each pizza dough ball will yield a 10 to 12-inch pizza.
Step nine: Store any remaining dough back in the fridge ( I just use the same container) or feel free to use individual containers.
*The dough can also be frozen individually at this point- see recipe notes.
Step ten: Make your pizza. Let dough rest 45-60 minutes on floured parchment paper or a floured pizza peel.
Preheat oven to 500F with a pizza steel or pizza stone inside. You can also use a sheet pan. If you have convection, use it.
Step eleven: Sprinkle the dough with flour. Stretch out your dough, resisting any urge to flatten it. You want to preserve the air bubbles- so carefully pull out the edges from the middle.
An easy way to do this is to pick it up on one end, let it hang, and turn it letting gravity pull and stretch it down as you turn it, like a wheel. Kind of like how they do in Italy, but without throwing it.
Aim for a 12-inch crust. Place it back on the well-floured surface. Stretch into shape. Aim for thinner in the middle and thicker towards the edges.
Add pizza sauce (or pesto) and fresh mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with pecorino. Now you have a base for other toppings.
Use any toppings you like. Here I’ve added shiitake mushrooms, red onions, oregano, Calabrian chilies and a drizzle of olive oil.
Step twelve: Bake! Slide the pizza onto the hot stone. If using parchment just leave the pizza on the parchment, baking it on the parchment, on top of the stone.
Depending on your oven, and the thickness of your pizza dough, the pizza will be ready anywhere from 6-8 minutes- if you are in the 10-12 inch diameter range.
Feel free to broil the top for a minute or two.
Slide it onto a cutting board and cut it into 6-8 pieces. This is the perfect amount of pizza for 2 people, with a leafy green salad, although I’m guilty of having more.
Recipe Faqs
Tough pizza crust can be caused by too much flour, overworking the dough, rolling out the dough, overcooking the dough, over-proofing the dough or under-proofing the dough.
Yes, sourdough pizza dough can be frozen, but I have noticed it is less bubbly and less airy. It still works though. 🙂
Yes, to speed up the process, you can use a little yeast, like a 1/2 teaspoon. For example, if you want to make pizza crust in a shorter amount of time ( 4-6 hours), add a bit of yeast. The crust will not be fully fermented- but in a pinch, this works.
A tiny bit of rice flour lightens the crust and gives it a deliciously crispy chewy texture. This is optional of course.
Pizza flour (00′ Flour) or bread flour (or a blend of both) is the best flour to use in sourdough pizza dough. However, all-purpose bread flour will work too. Always try to opt for organic flour if possible!
More recipes to try!
Basic Pizza Equipment
Here is what you absolutely need:
- A large bowl and a mixing utensil.
- A sheet pan or a cast iron skillet.
- A sharp knife.
Here are some fun, handy extras!
- a kitchen scale
- a high-sided, 2-quart measuring container with a lid.
- a pizza peel or parchment paper
- a pizza stone or a pizza steel
- a pizza cutter.
Enjoy this recipe- I can’t wait to hear about all the different pizzas you create! Leave a comment and ⭐️ rating below. Happy Weekend!
Sourdough Pizza Crust Video
Sourdough Pizza Crust
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 12 hours
- Total Time: 12 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 x 12-inch pizzas 1x
- Category: sourdough
- Method: fermented
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Once you try Sourdough Pizza Crust, there is no going back! Chewy, crispy, and super flavorful, it’s the perfect base for all your favorite toppings. Here we’ve added a secret. Watch the video.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups water, 385 grams
- 1/3 cup sourdough starter , 90 grams
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 4 cups 00′ pizza flour (spooned and leveled), 520 grams (see notes)
- olive oil for coating, flour for dusting.
Instructions
- Make the pizza dough: Place water in the bowl. Stir in the starter and the salt, combining well. Stir in rice flour if using. Then add main flour and stir (with a fork or wooden spoon) to create a shaggy ball, incorporating all the dry flour. Let sit covered 10 minutes.
- With wet hands, do two sets of stretch and folds, 10-15 minutes apart (see video above), then place dough in a 2-quart measuring container and cover.
- Proof dough: Choose your rising schedule from the 3 options in the notes. When the dough has doubled (or almost doubled 1.75) it is ready to use.
- Divide pizza dough by 4 (220 grams each) for 10-12 inch pizzas, storing extras in the fridge- best used within 2-3 days (or freeze).
- To make a pizza, let the dough come to room temp on a floured pizza peel or floured parchment for 30-45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 500F preferably with a pizza stone or steel inside on middle rack.
- Stretch out the dough- pulling it from the middle outward, resisting the urge to roll it or press it down preserving those air bubbles! Stretch outward, aiming for 10-12 inches and thinner in the middle.
- Build your pizza. Add your favorite sauce, fresh mozzarella cheese, pecorino, and your favorite toppings.
- Bake: Slide pizza onto a pizza stone or sheet pan (leave it on the parchment) and bake for 6-8 minutes- depending on the thickness of the dough. Feel free to broil for a couple of minutes.
- Cut and enjoy!
Notes
Flour: Substitute ⅓ cup rice flour (40 grams) for ⅓ cup of the 00′ flour … for a crispier texture! Or substitute the 00′ pizza flour with bread flour or all-purpose flour.
This recipe makes 4 x 12-inch pizza crusts.
To freeze pizza dough, coat in olive oil and place in a ziplock, removing air.
For wood fired pizza ovens: If using AP or bread flour, preheat until the pizza oven stone temperature reaches 650F. With a lightly dusted pizza peel, launch the pizza and bake for 3-4 minutes, rotating every 30 seconds as needed and until the cheese is lightly browned. If using 00 flour, preheat until the stone temperature reaches 850F and the flame is high; launch the pizza and bake for 1 – 2 minutes, rotating frequently.
Dough Schedule:
- Fastest: Make the dough in the morning, let rise during the day on the counter, use it at night. (10-12 hours.)
- Medium: Make the dough in the evening, let it rise overnight, refrigerate until the evening and use it that night. (24 hours.)
- Slowest: Make the dough anytime, place it in the fridge, use it 36-48 hours later. Great for meal prep.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12 inch pizza crust
- Calories: 535
- Sugar: 1.4 g
- Sodium: 1304.4 mg
- Fat: 1.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 111.3 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 15.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
1 times recipe the grams of flour is not correct. Cups is correct.. thanks.
I am so sorry the multiplier is not working correctly at the moment. Working on it!
I’m making this for the first time and noticed when switching portion sizes it’s not doing it correctly anywhere except the measurements if you’re weighing it. Not sure if this is something you can fix or if there’s an issue with the program
I know- it is glitchy and I can’t seem to fix it- sorry!
Should I parbake my crust before adding sauce, cheese and toppings?
No need! Just keep the topping light to not overload the crust.
If using starter ( less than a week since it’s been fed) from the fridge, can I just take 90 grams straight from the starter stored in the fridge and start making my pizza dough of do I need to leave it out from the fridge first before making my dough? Thanks.
Hi Marie! So if it has peaked, it is good to go. If it hasn’t fully peaked, I would let it sit out and get “hungry” before using it.
So do you mean if I take 90gms of well established starter from the fridge to use for my pizza dough do I have to feed it again to peak or can I just use it straight from the fridge. I don’t know what you mean when you say as long as it has peaked. It’s a starter that has been in the fridge. Thank you.
Hi Marie, you can use it straight from the fridge, as long as it has been in there a few days after feeding. 🙂 You want to use “hungry” starter. For example if you fed it this morning, and put it straight back in the fridge and tried to use it tonight, it probably hasn’t had a chance to metabolize the the flour yet (or rise to its peak). Does that make sense?
Thank you
Would this recipe work as well with brown rice flour instead of white?
That should work just fine Mary!
We used our sourdough discard from our sourdough bread. We made it at the last minute. We only had all purpose flour on hand. We let it rest and then did two stretch and folds. Let it rest again and then made a few different pizzas. All within 45 minutes. They were cooked on a pizza stone in a very hot outdoor gas barbecue at 500 degrees. They only needed about 4-5 minutes. Different toppings with fresh basil, fresh mozzarella cheese, homemade tomato sauce., sausage, caramelized onions was delicious in different variations. They were as good or better than any of the high end pizza restaurants in SF bay area. Thank you again Sylvia for your fabulous recipes.
Great to hear Melissa!
Hi – I made the pizza dough this morning around 6:30 am and noticed 12 hours later it has hardly risen. Did I do something wrong or it should double in size by morning ? I am not using it until tomorrow evening . Thanks
Well, it depends on if you added yeast, or how active your starter is, room temp- or if you refrigerated right away?
Is there no need to make into dough balls first and prove before pressing into pizza base? Will the dough resist being pressed out for pizza crust if left out of fridge?
Hi Maureen, I usually proof the dough before dividing into balls.
I love your sourdough recipes, and I have made the pizza crust several times with great success. I made some about a week ago and didn’t cook it all. I was wondering if I could feed what I had leftover, or should I start again from scratch? Thank you!
I am not sure! Interesting idea! I suppose you could experiment??
I have made this crust twice now and My family is in love with this new type of pizza crust. It is delicious for sure. It is a little sticky and hard to work with. Could I add just a bit more flour, or would that change it too much?
Thanks
Hey Donna- yes feel free experimenting with this!
Can you use discard or does it need to be fed active bubbly starter?
If the discard is less than a week old, it should be fine- or use fed. 🙂
When using the medium method in the morning after the rise do you put right in the fridge or do you divide into 4 first? Confused on when you split it.
You can split it up when you pull out to use later- or you can portion it out after the long rise. Either works!
I am about to make this but I am unclear about the slowest rising method. Do you take it directly from making it to the fridge? No rising or stretch and folds at all?
Hi there, do the 2 sets of stretch and folds, then place it directly in the fridge. 🙂
Great recipe, easy to follow. Will make again.
Awesome to hear!
Sylvia at what stage do you freeze the dough? And when you use the slowest rise method, do you just take the dough out an hour or so before making it to let it warm up? Thanks so much — I just made my first batch so have not eaten it yet, but it sounds great!
I would freeze it after the long rise. And thaw in the fridge overnight.
Okay, thank you!
Hi Sylvia! LOVE the recipe. How long do you think it would be good for in the freezer? And, after thawing in the fridge, does it need to sit out for any amount of time before shaping?
Thanks!!
Hi Victoria, glad you are enjoying this one! I think it should be fine up to 3 months in the freezer, Yes, once thawed, remove from fridge like you would normally, and set on the counter for a bit.
Great pizza dough recipe!
Thanks Raymond!
I’m not sure why, but I am not able to view your “Fold and stretch” video tutorial 🙁 The link is not clickable… Please help?!
You may have your adblocker on? Try a different browser?
Great sourdough pizza recipe!! I followed the exact steps from your post and the pizza turned to be perfect! Everyone in my family liked the crust of this sourdough pizza. I will make this again next week! Thank you Sylvia !
Great to hear! So happy the whole family enjoyed this Nune!
I am so happy you created a sourdough pizza crust post!! Thank you!!! I made one large 11×17 pie in a shallow pan with raised edges. After the initial proof, I proofed it for another hour in the pan and baked it for longer (12-15 mins? – I used my intuition on when to take it out) it turned out perfectly!! I am amazed. I put charcuterie meats and fresh jalapeños on mine! I am so excited to make more pies!!
Awesome Angeli! Glad this worked- yes, a larger pan pizza will take longer to bake and glad you used you intuition here.
I’ve been searching for the perfect sourdough pizza crust since beginning my sourdough journey with you almost 3 years ago. THIS IS IT!!! I should have known all it took was a slight tweak of your bread recipe! I’ve been making pizza doughs for over 25 years- this is the best so far. Thank you!
This makes me so happy! I’m so glad you enjoyed this Jennifer. I hesitated to put it out there because it just seemed too easy but people kept asking and this is what we do at home and wanted to share. 🙂
This is the best pizza crust I’ve ever made. The rice flour is wonderful! A light chewy bubbly crust with the perfect amount of crisp. I’ve been making all your sourdough recipes beginning with your starter. Life changing. Cheers from London.
Great to hear Henry and I love that you have been enjoying your sourdough journey.
Csn I use whole wheat, multigrain or rye flour instead of white flour? I make rye sourdough bread. Rye and rice flour are is the only flours I stock in my kitchen.
Give it a try Annette- I haven’t done it with pure rye, so not entirely sure about the outcome. 🙂
Hi Sylvia I had a fluffy pizza like bread at our local pizzeria recently which went brilliantly with buffalo mozzarella in a garlicky anchovy butter/oil sauce. Like pizza without the topping. Would this recipe turn out like that without any toppings?? Maybe a spritz of EVOO?
It sounds like you had focaccia bread? I have not tried this pizza dough in that style. If I were to use this recipe in focaccia, I would let it come to room temp, stretch it gently out on a well-oiled sheet pan, or shallow pan with edges (oiled), let it rise again until bubbly and puffy, drizzle the top with olive oil, and bake it at a lower temp- like 425F.
Hi No, it definitely wasn’t focaccia. It was exactly the chew of a pizza base without any topping. They just called it wood fired bread. I will try regular pizza dough without toppings and let you know….(I am lucky enough to have a wood fired pizza oven!)
Interesting! How fun to have a wood-fired oven!
I knew absolutely nothing about sourdough until I read Sylvia’s article on making your own starter and no-knead sourdough bread.
Now “Bubbles” our sourdough starter is approaching her third birthday and thanks to your recipes and ideas not once have I thrown away the discard from the weekly feeding!
Sourdough crackers and sourdough kimchi pancakes are a regular staple in our home but I have now discovered the joy of sourdough pizza base!
My goodness, this really is the bomb!
I recently purchased a little pizza oven and was buying bases from the store. I admit to feeling somewhat silly for doing this now I know how simple, more cost effective and way tastier this option is.
Thanks Sylvia for more culinary enhancements to my life! (My partner loves you to!😂)
Oh, and the suggested optional addition of the rice flour is just sensational! Thankyou!
Thanks Marco! I’m so happy you have been enjoying the sourdough journey. The pizza dough is another fun one! And wow- Sourdough kimchi pancakes- what a great idea!
Have you ever used Einkorn flour in any of your recipes? I can only use this flour now after healing cancer naturally per my nutritionist. It’s so much more flavorful and healthier. I love your blog but would definitely prefer to see some Einkorn in your recipes. I have an einkorn sour dough starter that I can sub but it’s a little different in how you work with it. Just thought I’d suggest as it’s easier to digest and has 40% more protein. It’s the original wheat before being hybridized.
I love Einkorn and I think it would be just fine using it! May need to adjust the water a bit?