Sourdough Pizza Crust Recipe
This sourdough pizza crust bakes thin and crisp with a nice chew. You can roll it paper-thin or stretch it by hand. It works beautifully in an oven, on the grill, or in a wood-fired oven. Use an active starter or discard and get delicious sourdough flavor without a long wait.
Why This Crust Works
- This crust is easy to work with. You can roll or stretch it and it doesn’t break.
- It has the perfect chew.
- The middle isn’t soggy like some commercial yeast dough tends to be.
- The flavor is a bit tangy, as sourdough tends to be.
- It only has four ingredients and no sugar.
- This recipe produces a nice, chewy crust.
If you are interested in starting your own starter, it takes about ten days to have a batch ready to make all your favorite bread and dough. See how to in our recipe for Sourdough Starter.
Many grocers sell sourdough starter in the bakery section, or buy it online. (affiliate)
What You Need
- Sourdough Starter: Both the fed starter and discard can be used for this recipe.
- Water: You can use distilled water or purified water. Tap water with chlorine isn’t appropriate. Use warm water, 105°F, to speed up the fermentation process.
- Flour: All-purpose flour works well, but you can use 00 pizza flour or pizza flour for a chewier crust.
- Salt: Regular table salt is fine, or use your favorite, we like sea salt.
How to Make Sourdough Pizza Crust
Measure (weigh) starter. Use either the fed or the discarded starter.
Add starter, non-chlorinated water, flour, and a bit of salt to the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix spatula until incorporated.
Use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment , kneading at medium-low speed for 5-7 minutes, adding more water or flour to make a good dough consistency (dough should be smooth and elastic, not wet or sticky). OR, knead by hand for about 10 minutes. The goal is that the dough passes the windowpane test meaning a small piece of dough can be stretched very thin without breaking.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before rolling. This is called cold or bulk fermentation.
Stretch and roll the dough on a lightly floured surface or board to the desired thickness. Keep in mind that the dough will rise while cooking.
How to Cook the Sourdough Pizza
How to Bake in the Oven
Top with your favorite toppings and bake on a preheated pizza stone or baking pan until the crust is golden and the toppings are slightly browned.
How to Grill
With a very hot grill (500° F), place dough directly on grates, or use a grilling mat, or preheat a pizza stone. Flip the dough when it’s browned (only about 3 minutes). Immediately after turning, top with the sauce and toppings. Close lid. It should only take 3 minutes on the other side, too.
How to Use a Wood-fired Outdoor Pizza Oven
Build your pizza. Use a pizza peel to slide it into the oven. Bake near the mouth of the oven to prevent scorching. Turn often. Cook time is fast, so watch closely.
Let the pizza rest for a couple of minutes. Slice and enjoy!
Doughs made from Sourdough Starter are easy to work with and very forgiving. I find that measuring your ingredients by weight is far more accurate than measuring by volume. (Ounces or grams vs. cups) For this reason, I would suggest that if you are going to dabble in the world of sourdough starters, invest in a kitchen scale. They are pretty cheap online.
Topping Variations
Like any other pizza dough, this dough can make any of your favorite pizzas. It is totally customizable to your family’s tastes. Below is a list of some of our favorite pizza toppings.
- Classic Margherita: Margherita has tomatoes, mozzarella and basil.
- Pepperoni: Classic pepperoni with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese.
- Sausage Mushroom: Crumbled Italian sausage and sautéed mushrooms with mozzarella.
- Chicken and Spinach: Diced, cooked chicken and sautéed spinach with lots of garlic.
FAQs
Yes. Wrap individual portions of dough in plastic wrap tightly. Place the wrapped dough in a freezer bag. Freeze up to three months.
Remove a portion of the dough from the freezer and thaw it in the fridge overnight. Pull the dough out of the freezer about two hours before rolling the dough.
Sourdough pizza is made with active sourdough starter. It has a distinct tangy flavor and a more robust texture. Traditional pizza uses commercial dry active yeast. It isn’t as flavorful, and the texture isn’t as sturdy.
Yes. The flavor will be milder than active starter.
Let it rest 10 minutes to relax the gluten then try again
Use a cast-iron skillet, a pizza pan or a heavy-duty baking sheet with parchment paper.
Move the rack higher or reduce the bottom heat. Dust the peel with a light amount of flour or semolina to prevent sticking.
Yes, let the dough rest for 1 to 2 hours after removing it from the fridge. It’s easier to shape, and the crust is lighter.
Other delicious pizzas
- Chicken Florentine Pizza
- Lobster Pizza
- Breakfast Pizza
- Tuna Pizza
- Thin Crust Chicken Pizza
- Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza
- Ham Pineapple Pizza
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Enjoy. And have fun cooking!
Sourdough Pizza Crust Recipe
Ingredients
- 7.5 ounces sourdough starter (100% hydration, fed or discard)
- 16 ounces water
- 26 ounces all-purpose flour (or 00 pizza flour)
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Weigh all ingredients. This gives the most consistent dough.
- Mix all ingredients together in mixer bowl with spoon or spatula.
- Knead by hand or with a dough hook mixer attachment for 5-8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Start with 650 grams of flour, and add more, as needed.
- Place in an oil-covered bowl and tightly wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight, up to 2 days.
- Optional: Freeze at this stage. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then in freezer bags, for up to 3 months.
- Bring the dough to room temperature, divide into portions, and roll or stretch thin.
- Top with desired toppings. Bake 450°F for 15-18 minutes, until crust and toppings are browned.
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Notes
- If your dough is sticky, add flour a tablespoon at a time until a smooth ball forms.
- Humidity affects yeast doughs. On humid days, add more flour as needed.
- Measure flour carefully. Different brands absorb liquid differently.
- Starter hydration matters. This recipe assumes 100% hydration. Adjust flour if using a different type.
- Don’t overload with sauce, or the crust will turn soggy.
- Oven temps vary. Check the crust 5 minutes before the suggested time.
- For an extra crisp base, par-bake the crust for 5 minutes before adding toppings.
- Chicken Florentine Pizza
- Lobster Pizza
- Breakfast Pizza
- Tuna Pizza
- Thin Crust Chicken Pizza
- Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza
- Ham Pineapple Pizza
Nutrition
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I get a small commission if you click the link and purchase something, at no additional cost to you. See FTC Disclosure, here.
Originally published April 15, 2019. Updated August 29, 2025.
I just made this today and it is really a keeper! I left it in the refrigerator about 24 hours and followed your directions. Just the best pizza crust ever–pillowy and wonderful flavor. Thanks for a great recipe!
Oh great! I’m so glad you liked it! We love it too! Thanks for letting me know! Xoxo
I am working on making a sourdough starter now. This is my all time favorite pizza.