Sourdough Pizza Dough Recipe

Sourdough Pizza Dough baked with cheese and basil

Yield: individual pizzas

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 5

Bulk Fermentation Time: 9

Total Time: 9 35

Sourdough pizza dough is easy to make, stores for days, and delivers a chewy, flavorful crust perfect for your next pizza night.

4.75 from 36 votes

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Equipment

Ingredients

Sourdough Pizza Crust

100 grams active and bubbly starter 1/2 cup
350 grams warm water 1 1/2 cups
30 grams extra virgin olive oil 3 Tablespoons
500 grams bread flour 3 1/2 cups
10 grams salt 1 1/2 teaspoons

Pizza Toppings

pizza sauce
freshly shredded cheese
your choice of toppings

Instructions

Mix the Dough:

To a straight-edge bowl, add the sourdough starter, olive oil, and warm water.
I love using this bowl because it allows me to clearly see when the dough is done rising.
100 grams active and bubbly starter, 350 grams warm water, 30 grams extra virgin olive oil
Mix with a Danish dough whisk or by hand until the water is milky white and most of the starter is dissolved.
Pour the bread flour and salt into the wet ingredients. Mix until all of the dry ingredients have been incorporated. The dough will be sticky.
500 grams bread flour, 10 grams salt
Cover the dough with the bowl cover or plastic wrap and leave it to rest for at least 30 minutes.

Stretch and Folds:

Once the Sourdough Pizza Dough has rested for at least 30 minutes, remove the bowl cover.
Wet your finger to prevent the dough from sticking.
Scrape the sides of the bowl with a bowl scraper. Then, take a small piece of the dough with your fingers, pull it up towards you, and then fold it on top of the pizza dough. Turn the dough a quarter turn clockwise and perform the same stretch and fold.
Continue to do this motion about 10–15 times. The dough will begin to look smoother.
Cover the bowl again and allow it to rest for another 30 minutes.
Repeat the same stretch and fold at least 3 more times (for a total of 4 sets of stretch and folds) with 30 minutes of rest in between each set.

Bulk Fermentation:

After all of the stretch and folds are complete, cover the bowl and allow the dough to ferment until the dough has doubled in size, at room temperature in a warm spot.
In my 70 degrees F kitchen, this took an additional 6-8 hours. Warmer temperatures will rise faster, so adjust appropriately to your environment.

Cold Rise:

Once the dough has doubled in size, remove the dough from the bowl. With a bench scraper, divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and gently shape into dough balls. Place each dough ball in a greased, reusable container, cover and place the sourdough pizza crust in the fridge until ready to use.
You can store this pizza dough for up to 36 hours.

Shape:

One hour or so before you are ready to bake the Sourdough Pizza, carefully remove the sourdough pizza dough from its container (without disturbing all the bubbles) and place it on a generously floured workspace. I like to flour my hands to prevent the dough from sticking!
Sprinkle the top of the dough with plenty of flour and cover the mounds with a clean tea towel.
Let the dough rest for at least 1 hour to come to room temperature, or until it has puffed up and looks light and airy.
This will take longer in a cool kitchen, while the dough will rise faster in a warmer kitchen.
In the meantime, place your pizza stone into the oven and preheat at 550 ºF for at least 1 hour before cooking.
Don't have a pizza stone? I share other cooking options below!

Cook:

Once the dough looks light and airy, gently place one dough ball onto a piece of parchment paper. Carefully shape the dough ball into a 9-inch round (you don’t want to pop all of those air bubbles!) Once shaped, top with 2 Tablespoons of sauce, cheese and all your favorite toppings, measure with your heart!
pizza sauce, freshly shredded cheese, your choice of toppings
Slide the piece of parchment paper with the pizza on top of the pizza peel, then carefully slide the parchment paper onto the pizza stone. Bake for 5-6 minutes or until the cheese is melty and the crust is gold brown. Transfer the cooked pizza to a cutting board, slice and enjoy!

Notes

Sample Sourdough Pizza Dough Schedule

This schedule is a guideline and assumes the dough temperature is maintained at around 68-70ºF.

8 pm - Mix Dough

8:30 pm - First Stretch and Fold

10 pm - First Rise

NEXT DAY

6 am - Store Sourdough Pizza Dough in the fridge

4 pm - Remove Pizza Dough from the fridge

5:00 pm - Shape and bake

How to Store

Room temperature for immediate use: If you plan to use the dough within a few hours, you can store it at room temperature. Place it in a covered bowl or under a damp cloth to prevent drying out. However, this method is less ideal for longer storage and can lead to over-proofing if left out too long.

Refrigeration: Place the dough in a reusable container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. This way, you’ll have dough ready for a quick pizza party or a delicious pan pizza the next morning. Alternatively, you can store it in a bowl covered tightly with plastic wrap in the refrigerator. Before using, let it come to room temperature, and it may need a bit more time to rise.

Long-term Storage: Divide the dough into equal portions of your desired size for individual pizzas. Wrap each portion tightly in plastic wrap and place the wrapped dough in a freezer bag or airtight container. It can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Thawing: To use frozen dough, transfer it to the refrigerator 24 hours before you need it. Let it thaw and rise in the refrigerator. Alternatively, you can thaw it at room temperature for a few hours, but be sure to let it rise properly before using.

How to Reheat

To reheat leftover Sourdough Pizza, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and place the pizza on a rimmed baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the pizza has heated through and the cheese is melty.

FAQs:

Can I make this Sourdough Pizza without a Pizza Stone?

Yes, you can! Instead of a pizza stone, you can use a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Preheat and cook with the cast iron skillet just as you would with the pizza stone.

You could also cook the pizza dough in a nonstick skillet, about 5-6 minutes on medium-high heat, then carefully transfer the pizza onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper before broiling to melt the cheese on top.

How Long Should I Let the Dough Rest Before Baking?

Let the dough rest for at least an hour after removing it from the fridge to reach room temperature to ensure easier shaping and a lighter crust.

How Can I Get a Chewy Crust?

Use bread flour, which has a higher protein content, to help create a chewier crust. If using 00 pizza flour, you can also adjust the water content slightly.

Can I freeze the Sourdough Pizza Crust?

Yes! After the bulk fermentation, divide the sourdough pizza dough into 4 equal pieces, place in a freezer bag; freeze for up to 3 months.

This recipe card was updated on 03/09/26.

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