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Pizza has always been one of my favorite foods. Good pizza. Sourdough pizza with a thin bottom and crisp, chewy crust – the kind you find in Italy and wish you could make at home. And now you can! This Sourdough Pizza Dough Recipe is so simple and makes the most incredible Neapolitan-style pizza in your home oven.
Friday night is often pizza night at our house and sourdough pizza has really upped our pizza game. This is my go-to sourdough pizza recipe because I can mix it together in the morning and have it ready to bake on Friday night. Easy peasy!
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Why You’ll Love Sourdough Pizza
- 100% Sourdough Recipe – This is my favorite pizza dough recipe that uses sourdough instead of commercial yeast. If you want a quicker sourdough version, try this Sourdough Discard Pizza.
- Texture – You’ll love the crisp and chewy crust—it’s really the perfect pizza recipe. If you want an even chewier pizza, give this Sourdough Focaccia Pizza a try!
- Perfect Mini Pizzas – We love to make mini pizzas out of this dough so that each family member can customize their pizza with their favorite toppings. If you want a non-sourdough version, then try my Quick Pizza Oven Pizza Dough! Or try my sourdough pizza rolls that make the best appetizer.
- Home Oven: I love that you can get amazing quality sourdough pizza straight out of your home oven! If you happen to have a pizza oven, you may want to try my sourdough pizza dough recipe for an Ooni Pizza Oven or my pizza oven pizza dough with instant yeast.
Important Ingredients
- Type 00 Flour: This pizza has the best crumb and chewy crust with finely milled type 00 flour. Italian type 00 flour can be found online or at local grocery stores. If you can’t find type 00 flour you can substitute bread flour. If you use the King Arthur Flour 00 flour, you’ll want to add 50-60 extra grams of flour during mixing to compensate for the protein content.
- Semolina or Flour – I like to use Semolina flour when shaping this pizza dough so that it doesn’t stick during baking.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
Substitutions
- Flour: If you don’t have Type 00 Flour, you can substitute bread flour, whole wheat flour or even all-purpose flour in this recipe. If using all-purpose flour, hold back about 20 grams of water during the mixing to make sure the dough doesn’t get too sticky and difficult to work with.
- Levain: All of my sourdough recipes use a levain method to help keep the recipes consistent. But, this is an easy recipe to substitute 100% hydration sourdough starter for the levain if you have active starter ready to go.
- For Faster Pizza: add ¼ teaspoon instant yeast to the recipe. Cover and rest for 2 hours. Shape into balls. Proof in fridge up to 48 hours OR room temperature for 3-4 hours.
Sourdough Baker’s Timeline
A sample baking schedule helps me when baking with sourdough. Sourdough takes much longer to rise than commercial yeast bread. This schedule helps me plan my bake.
A note: This schedule assumes the dough temperature is 78°F throughout the process. If you’d like to make the pizza all on the same day, skip the cold fermentation and let the dough rise for a few hours before baking.
| Day 1 | |
| 7:00AM – 11:00AM | Mix levain. Let sit for 3-4 hours between 76-78℉ to ferment |
| 11:00 AM | Mix dough |
| 11:00AM – 2:00 PM | Bulk Fermentation: Cover dough and let rest for about 3-4 hours at 78℉ |
| 2:00 PM | Shaping: Separate dough into 4-6 pieces. Shape into balls and rest at room temperature Optional Cold Fermentation – for up to 72 hours |
| 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Rise: Allow the dough balls to rise at warm room temperature (78ºF). |
| 5:30 PM | Preheat pizza stone/steel or rimmed upside-down baking sheet. |
| 6:00 PM | Shape pizza dough. Top and bake. |
How to Make Sourdough Pizza Dough
Mix a Levain or Use Active Starter
Step 1: Mix Levain. Combine active sourdough starter, flour, and water. Let rise for about 3 hours until bubbly and active (Image 1).
Note: If you have ripe, bubbly, active sourdough starter, you can use that in place of the levain in this recipe.
Mix the Pizza Dough
Step 2: Mix the Dough. In a large bowl, mix the flour, water, salt, and ripe levain with a dough whisk, your hands, or use a stand mixer with a dough hook. Mix until a shaggy dough forms (Image 2) and then continue kneading with a damp hand for about 30 seconds until the flour is completely incorporated with the water.
Bulk Fermentation or First Rise
Step 3: Bulk Fermentation/First Rise. Cover the dough and let it rise for 3-4 hours at 78-80ºF. During this time the dough will puff up but won’t double in size (Image 3).
Stretch and Folds: I don’t add stretch and folds to my pizza dough because I find it’s one extra step that doesn’t make a huge difference to the end result. If you want to, you can add in a few sets of stretches. This can help strengthen the dough, but I have found it not especially necessary because this is a flat pizza dough and doesn’t need to hold any specific shape.
Shape and Proof
Step 4: Pre-Shape. Dump the dough on the counter and use a bench knife to separate the dough into 6 pieces, around 150 grams each. Pull/pinch up the sides of each piece until it forms a ball. Roll the ball on the counter using your hand in a cupping shape to seal the ball and create tension (Images 4, 5 6 & 7). Video here.
Place the dough balls in a lightly oiled 9 by 13-inch shallow pan and cover to rise. At this point dough balls can be refrigerated for up to a couple of days (or frozen for up to a week – see frequently asked questions section). Let dough proof for 3-4 hours until puffed up, spread out and risen before baking.
Optional Refrigeration: Dough balls can be refrigerated for up to a couple of days (make the dough a few days ahead of time) or frozen for up to a week – see the Frequently Asked Questions section. Dough that has been refrigerated should be pulled out and allowed to puff up and rise before using.
Shape the Pizza Dough
Step 5: Shape the Dough. Place a pizza stone or baking sheet on the top rack of your oven, closest to the broiling element. Preheat the oven to the highest temperature it will go (500-550ºF).
Take a ball of risen dough (Image 8) and dust each side with flour. Place the dough on a lightly floured countertop or semolina-covered cutting board (Image 9). Use your fingertips to gently press down the dough from the middle of the dough out toward the edges. Do your best not to press any gas out at the rim/edge of the dough. At this point you can lift the dough up and gently stretch the dough, rotating as you go to form a circle until it’s about 8-inches round (Image 10 & 11).
Make the Tomato Sauce: I love using my homemade Neopolitan-style pizza sauce that is purely good quality tomatoes, olive oil, salt blended together. Don’t leave the olive oil out of the mix because it is the fat that helps the sauce stick to the pizza. If you are looking for more flavor, I also love the sauce that I use in my American-style Sourdough Discard Pizza Recipe.
Top and Bake the Sourdough Pizza
Step 6: Top and Bake. If your dough is on the countertop, sprinkle some semolina on a cutting board or pizza peel. Place the pizza dough on the board. Move it around a little so you are sure it is not sticking. If it sticks, add a little extra semolina underneath. This is important for launching your pizza into the hot oven.
Top your pizza with a good sauce, cheese, and any toppings you like (Images 12 & 13). Launch the pizza by thrusting the dough into the oven, on top of the baking stone/steel, or upside down baking sheet. Turn the oven to “Broil” and bake the pizza for about 1-2 minutes. If you notice the dough or cheese burning at all, turn the oven back to Bake at 500-550ºF. Rotate the pizza after 1-2 minutes and bake for another minute or two. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before slicing (Images 14 & 15).
Topping Tips: Don’t load the pizzas up too high with toppings. The crust is delicate, soft, and thin. We love a simple Margherita pizza – fresh mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, and some fresh basil (or oregano) and my kids love pepperoni on theirs. Reserve toppings that don’t hold up as well in the oven (e.g.: prosciutto/fresh herbs/arugula) to put on after the pizza is baked. We also like to get creative and add pesto and mascarpone or even make our favorite Hawaiian Mango Pizza – don’t knock it til you’ve tried it!
How to Store Leftovers
Slice leftover pizza and store it in an airtight ziplock bag or container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Reheat when you want to enjoy a slice.
Amy’s Recipe Tip
This dough also works really well if you have an outdoor pizza oven. I love our Ooni Koda 16 Pizza Oven that is the perfect size for hosting or a large family.
To bake in a pizza oven: Turn the pizza oven on. Preheat for 30 minutes to about 700ºF. Follow any directions specific to your pizza oven. Bake at around 700ºF for about 30-40 seconds. Rotate the pizza and bake for 30-40 more seconds until the crust is golden with a few scattered black/charred spots. Let cool for a minute before slicing and enjoying.
Frequently Asked Questions
I get asked this question all the time: Does freezing pizza dough work? And I get it – we all want to simplify dinnertime where we just have to pull out the pizza dough, let it thaw, and bake it. Unfortunately 100% sourdough is very temperature dependant and because of this, the wild yeast tends to die off at colder temperatures. I have found that this pizza dough freezes well for about one week. After that, it doesn’t quite come back the same and won’t rise as well.
Sourdough discard pizza dough on the other hand, because it is made using instant yeast, has a longer leeway, and can stay in the freezer for up to a month after the first rise. If you want to freeze the pizza dough, make sure to let it rise initially. Then shape into balls and freeze the dough balls in an airtight container or plastic bag. When you want to use the dough, let it defrost and puff up before using it.
If you want to make this pizza ahead of time, I recommend par-baking the crusts until they are baked but pale. Let the crusts cool. Then freeze in a ziplock bag or airtight container. When you want a pizza, pull the crust out, top it, and heat it back up in the oven for a couple of minutes.
Type 00 flour is known for being used to make traditional Neapolitan-style pizza. It gives a light/tender/crispy/chewy/thin crust all at the same time. In Italy, flour is categorized by how finely ground it is (unlike in the US, where flour is categorized by protein content). Type 00 flour is the most finely ground flour, with almost all of the bran and germ sifted out. The type 00 flour used for pizza has an 11-12% protein content. It has the most stretch and extensibility after mixing, making it perfect for pizza dough.
If you can’t find Type 00 flour, you can use good quality bread flour or even substitute all-purpose flour – though you may need to add a little more flour to compensate for protein content with all-purpose. It won’t be quite as extensible/light/airy but will still taste delicious.
Yes, you can. You may prefer using this homemade pizza dough recipe that I’ve used for many years of family pizza nights or try my Ooni Pizza Dough recipe if you have a pizza oven. You can also modify this recipe:
To make pizza with instant yeast and sourdough: Add ¼ teaspoon of instant yeast to the recipe. Cover and rest for 2 hours. Shape into balls. Proof in fridge for up to 48 hours OR room temperature for 3-4 hours.
To make pizza without sourdough and only instant yeast, Leave out the sourdough and add 2 teaspoons of instant yeast (about 4 grams). Rest for 2 hours at room temperature. Shape into balls and let sit in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours OR at room temperature for 3-4 hours before using.
Sourdough Pizza Recipes
Sourdough Pizza Recipes
If you tried this Sourdough Pizza Dough Recipe or any other recipe on my website leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Happy Baking!
Sourdough Pizza Dough Recipe
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Equipment
- baking stone or steel
Ingredients
Levain (1:1:1, ready in 3-4 hours at 78ºF)
- 30 grams sourdough starter, about 2 Tablespoons
- 30 grams flour, about 1/4 cup
- 30 grams water, about 2 Tablespoons
Sourdough Pizza Dough
- 500 grams type 00 flour, see recipe notes, about 3 3/4 cups
- 340 grams water, about 1 cup plus 6.5 Tablespoons
- 75 grams levain, see recipe notes, about 1/3 cup
- 12 grams salt, about 2 teaspoons
- flour/semolina for shaping
Pizza Sauce (Neapolitan Style)
- 1 28 oz can San Marzano-style tomatoes, whole peeled or crushed, see recipe notes
- 40 grams extra virgin olive oil, about 3 Tablespoons
- 2 grams salt, about 1/4 teaspoon
- pinch of crushed red pepper, optional
Instructions
Levain (1:1:1 ratio ready in 3-4 hours at 78-80ºF)
- Mix together 30 grams starter, 30 grams flour and 30 grams water. Cover and let rest in a warm 78ºF place for 3-4 hours until bubbly and active. If it is colder than the 75-80 degree range, use warm water to mix the levain. If the ingredients are warmer than 75-80 degrees, use cooler water. You can substitute 100% hydration active, ripe sourdough starter for the levain in this recipe.
Sourdough Pizza Dough
- In a bowl, mix together the ripe levain, water, salt and flour with a dough whisk, your hands or a stand mixer. Once a shaggy dough forms, use damp hands to pick up one side of the dough and fold it over on itself. Repeat until the dough is cohesive and mixed together (about 30 seconds to a minute).
- Bulk Fermentation/First Rise: Cover the dough with plastic wrap, a shower cap or even a kitchen towel and let rise for 3-4 hours at 78-80º Fahrenheit. The dough will puff up and rise a little bit but won't double in size.
- Pre-Shape Dough into Balls: Prepare a 9 by 13-inch pan with a light drizzle of olive oil. Use a bench knife to separate the dough into 6 pieces, around 150 grams each. Pick up a piece of dough and pull/pinch up the sides until it forms a ball. Roll the ball on the counter using your hand in a cupping shape to seal the ball and create tension. Place the dough ball in the pan and repeat with the other balls of dough. Cold Refrigerated Option: Once the balls are shaped, the dough can be refrigerated for 48-72 hours for a long cold ferementation.This will give great flavor to your pizza dough if you planned ahead for pizza night. Skip this step for same-day pizza.
- Proof the Dough (Second Rise): Cover the dough balls and let rise for about 3 hours at warm room temperature (78ºF). After the dough has risen and puffed up, it can be used immediately for pizza or placed in the refrigerator for a couple hours if needed.
- Prepare the Oven: Move the rack to the highest setting in your oven near the broiling element. Put a pizza stone/steel or an upside-down rimmed baking sheet on the rack. Preheat the oven to 500-550ºF for 30 minutes.
- Prepare a cutting board or pizza peel. Sprinkle semolina flour or cornmeal on the board. This creates some friction for the pizza to slide around and not stick when you launch the pizza into the oven.
- Make Pizza Sauce: In a blender, blend together the whole or crushed tomatoes, olive oil and salt. Add crushed red pepper if desired.
- Shape Dough: Take a piece of dough and cover both sides of the dough and your hands with some flour. Use your fingertips to gently press down the dough from the middle of the dough out toward the edges. Do your best not to press any gas out at the rim/edge of the dough. You want the crust/edge to rise as high as possible. At this point you can lift the dough up and rotate it around your fingers in a circular motion, stretching the dough as you go. Set the dough on the prepared board. Make sure the pizza dough can move around a bit. If it sticks, add a little more semolina/cornmeal or flour to the bottom of the pizza dough. Each piece of dough makes about an 8 inch pizza.
- Top the Pizzas: Top your pizza with sauce, good quality mozzarella (not pre-shredded if you can help it) and any toppings you’d like. Reserve toppings that don’t hold up as well in the oven (e.g.: prosciutto/fresh herbs/arugula) to put on after the pizza is baked.
- Bake the Pizzas: Turn the oven on to high broil. Launch the pizza on top of the baking stone/steel/upside-down sheet pan by thrusting the board with the topped pizza on it quickly into the oven and pulling the board back out, leaving the pizza to bake on top of the stone. Broil for 1-2 minutes (watch closely). Depending on your oven you may need to change the setting back to bake 500-550ºF instead of broil – every oven will be a little bit different. After 1-2 minutes, rotate the pizza using a pizza peel or a combination of oven mitts and a fork. Bake for another minute or two until the crust is evenly golden with a few scattered black/charred spots. Remove the pizza from the oven and let cool for a minute before slicing and enjoying. Repeat with the remaining pizzas.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I got to step 3 and my dough was very sticky. I did let it bulk ferment/ first rise for more than 4 hours. I tried using flour and damp hands to manage the dough so I could create tension to shape them but it def was not as neat and clean as the video you provided for reference. Did I let the dough rise for too long or not enough?
It likely over-fermented a bit—this dough should only get slightly puffy, not doubled. Next time, shorten the bulk and it should be much easier to shape.