This sourdough pizza dough recipe is for anyone who loves a flavorful crust with a perfect balance of chew and crisp. The long fermentation adds a lot of flavor with a slight tang and unmatched airy crust.
The process takes longer than a yeast-based pizza dough, but most of the time is hands-off. You'll first mix it, let the dough rest and ferment slowly with minimal handling. After shaping and baking you will end up with a crust that's soft, airy, and perfectly crunchy at the same time.
I've included step-by-step instructions for feeding your starter, mixing, shaping, and baking sourdough pizza. That is everything you need to make perfect sourdough pizza at home!
I'm also sharing lots of secrets I have learned in my very own journey to master the best homemade pizza. Even tips I have learned in masterclasses with great pizzaiolos, like:
- How to get an airy pizza crust with large holes
- How to get perfectly baked pizza crust at home
- How to get the cheese to melt just right, not too much, not too little
- How to get beautiful pizza that's not soggy
If you want a quicker option, I also have a pizza dough recipe made with instant yeast. It's simple, reliable, and ready in just a few hours. Perfect for an easy homemade pizza night without the long wait.
Jump to:
- Ingredients For Sourdough Pizza Dough
- Equipment Needed To Make Sourdough Pizza Dough
- Secrets For Perfect Sourdough Pizza
- Key Steps To Making Sourdough Pizza Dough
- Storage For Your Sourdough Pizza
- Reheating Your Sourdough Pizza
- Make Ahead Instructions For Sourdough Pizza
- Substitutions
- Make This Recipe In Bulk For Pizza Night or For Sale
- Sourdough Pizza Dough Recipe
- Related Recipes
- subscribe to get my recipes
Ingredients For Sourdough Pizza Dough
This dough is simple, but each ingredient has a job to do so you get that soft, chewy, flavorful sourdough crust every time.
- Filtered water at room temperature. I like to only use filtered water whenever I work with sourdough. This is just to make sure that the chlorine in tap water doesn't interfere with the activity of my sourdough starter.
- Active sourdough starter. This is the natural leavening in the recipe. It gives the dough its rise and a lot of flavor.
- Olive oil. Adds tenderness, flexibility, and a hint of richness that helps the crust brown beautifully.
- All-purpose flour or 00 flour. Both create a soft, stretchable dough that's easy to shape.
Avoid bread flour for this recipe, which can make the crust too tough and elastic for sourdough pizza.
- Fine sea salt. It strengthens the gluten, balances flavor, and helps control fermentation so the dough doesn't rise too fast.
and then of course you can top your pizza with whatever you would like 🙂
For this recipe I am using tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese.
See recipe card for quantities.
Equipment Needed To Make Sourdough Pizza Dough
The dough comes together easily by hand, but if you are planing to make several batches at once (for a pizza party, for example), then you might want to use your stand mixer (or my favorite bread mixer that I always recommend) to give your hands a break.
For measuring, I strongly recommend using a kitchen scale. It's the best way to ensure accuracy and that you get the same results I do. But a set of measuring cups and tablespoons would get the job done.
For baking in a home oven, I strongly recommend getting a baking steel for the best results (Use code Maria to get 10% off). The way it heats up and transfers that heat to the pizza crust (or any bread you bake on it) is unmatched and helps the crust bake just right. If you have a pizza stone or pizza pan, those work too, but you might get different results.
Oth erquipment you'll need:
- large bowl
- baking sheet
- pizza peel
- oven thermometer
Secrets For Perfect Sourdough Pizza
These little habits make a big difference in how your sourdough pizza bakes, from the airy rim to the bubbly, melty cheese.
Proof to the sweet spot
Use the timing in the recipe as your guide, but let the dough tell you when it is ready. In a cooler kitchen, it may take a bit longer; in a warmer one, it may move faster.
You are looking for dough that is puffy, relaxed, and easy to stretch. If it looks very loose, fragile, and overly gassy, it has gone too far and will bake up flatter.
Heat the oven like a pizzeria
For sourdough pizza dough to really spring, it needs strong heat. Preheat your oven to 550°F (290°C), or as hot as it will go, for 45 to 60 minutes with your baking steel, stone, or inverted baking sheet inside so it is scorching hot by the time you launch the pizza in it.
Use a baking steel if you can
Steel stores and transfers heat very quickly, which helps sourdough pizza dough spring in the oven and gives you that deeply colored, spotted crust. If you do not have a baking steel, a pizza stone will still work; just expect a slightly longer bake to get the same color.
If you do not own a steel or stone
A perforated pizza pan or an inverted baking sheet can still give you great results. Place the tray or flipped baking sheet in the oven while it preheats so the surface is hot when the dough lands, which helps set the bottom before the toppings release too much moisture.
Dial in the rack positions
Set the steel or stone on the top rack, as close to the broiler as your oven allows. Then place a second rack just underneath and slide a baking sheet on it. This setup reflects heat back up toward the pizza and helps the top and bottom bake more evenly.
Shape for an airy sourdough rim
When you are shaping sourdough pizza dough, start in the center and gently push the gas toward the edges, stopping about 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the rim. Try not to press the edge flat. Keeping that edge full of air is what gives you a nice and tall cornicione (puffy edge).
Use semolina to your advantage
Dust your countertop and peel with fine semolina before you shape and launch. Semolina does not soak up moisture as quickly as all-purpose flour, behaves like tiny ball bearings, and is less likely to burn, so your sourdough pizzas slide easily and the bottoms stay crisp.
Go easy on the sauce
Spread a thin, even layer and stop short of the rim. Too much sauce weighs the dough down and can make the center soggy, especially with longer bakes in home ovens.
Prep the mozzarella properly
Low-moisture mozzarella is the easiest option for clean melting. If you prefer fresh mozzarella, slice or tear it, then pat it dry with paper towels before shaping your pizza. Smaller pieces melt more evenly without flooding the surface.
Grate your own cheese
If you prefer shredded cheese, I recommend you buy a block and grate it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese usually contains anti-caking agents that can cause the cheese to brown too quickly instead of melting smoothly.
Freeze the grated cheese before topping
For even melting, place your grated cheese in an airtight container or bag and chill it in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before you top the pizza. The frozen cheese melts a bit more slowly, which gives the crust time to bake and color without the cheese getting too dark.
Key Steps To Making Sourdough Pizza Dough
Here's how to make sourdough pizza at home the easy way:
In a large bowl, mix the water, olive oil and sourdough starter until bubbly.
Add the flour and salt. Mix using a dough whisk until no dry spots remain.
The dough should feel shaggy at first.
Continue mixing using your hands until it becomes smooth.
Keep it in a warm spot, such as the oven off, with the light turned on, to maintain about 78°F (26°C).
Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel or bowl cover.
Stretch and Folds
Every 30 minutes, perform one set of stretch and folds. To do this, wet your hands and grab one edge of the dough, stretch it upward without tearing
And fold it back down over the center.
Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat on all four sides.
The pizza dough should feel less and less stretchy as you go around.
Perform a total of 3 sets over 1½ hours.
Cover with the damp towel after each set and keep the dough at 78°F (26°C).
Second Rise
After the third set, cover again with the damp towel and let the dough rest at 78°F (26°C) for 1½ hours.
Gently turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 4 pieces of about 264 grams each.
Shape each piece into a ball by bringing the edges toward the center,
pinching them together,
and then gently rounding the dough with your hands, being careful not to degas.
Lightly oil four 2-cup containers with olive oil.Lightly oil the dough balls and place one dough ball in each container.
Cover and refrigerate for 12-24 hours at 35-37°F (2-3°C).
The next day, bring them out of the fridge and let them sit out at room temperature for a couple of hours.
After your oven has fully preheated, and when the dough has nearly doubled in size, gently dump one dough ball from its container onto a plate with semolina and coat both sides with the semolina.
Shaping Your Sourdough Pizza
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured countertop. Using your fingertips, press gently from the center toward the edge, about half an inch from the rim.
Pick up the flattened disc by the edge with both hands and let the rest of the dough hang down, allowing gravity to begin stretching it naturally. As it hangs, work the perimeter by passing the edge from one hand to the other, rotating the dough in a slow, continuous circle. This motion, similar to turning a steering wheel, helps the dough stretch evenly.
Hold the dough up to the light occasionally. For a thin-crust pizza, it should appear slightly translucent.
Once the dough reaches the desired size, lay it on a floured pizza peel or on parchment paper. Make any final small adjustments to the shape, gently stretching or even out the edges until you have a 12-inch round ready to top.
Spread ⅓ cup tomato sauce over the dough, leaving a small border around the edge.
Top generously with shredded or roughly chopped low-moisture mozzarella.
Baking Your Sourdough Pizza
Slide the pizza onto the hot baking steel in the oven.
Switch the oven to broil mode and bake for 2 minutes.
Open the oven door and transfer the pizza from the baking steel to the baking sheet below.
Close the oven door and switch the oven back to bake mode at 550°F (290°C) or as hot as your oven allows.
Bake for 2 more minutes or until the crust is golden, blistered, and as dark as you like.
Storage For Your Sourdough Pizza
If you have leftover sourdough pizza (I don't know how that's possible, but lucky you!), let it cool slightly and then move it to the fridge within 2 hours. Store slices in an airtight container for 3-4 days. If you can, separate the pieces with a bit of parchment paper so the bottoms stay drier and the crust keeps some of its chew.
For longer storage, start by arranging the slices on a baking sheet in a single layer and cover them lightly with plastic wrap. Once they are firm, transfer the frozen slices to a freezer-safe bag or container. They will keep good flavor and texture for about 2 months.
Reheating Your Sourdough Pizza
To bring back that crisp-chewy sourdough crust from the fridge, preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) with a baking steel, stone, or inverted baking sheet inside. Once the oven and surface are hot, place the slices directly on the steel or on a piece of parchment on top and reheat for 2-3 minutes. If you like a little extra blistering on the cheese, finish under the broiler for 30-60 seconds, then let the slices rest on a rack for a minute so the bottom does not steam.
If your slices are coming from the freezer, preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with the steel, stone, or inverted baking sheet already in place. Reheat the frozen slices for 4-5 minutes, checking near the end for a crisp bottom and melted cheese. You can add a brief broil at the end if you want more color. Move the slices to a rack for a minute before serving so the crust stays sturdy and pleasant to bite into.
Make Ahead Instructions For Sourdough Pizza
One of my favorite things about sourdough pizza dough is how flexible it can be when you plan the timing depending on your schedule. Here are different options:
Same-day, mixed in the morning:
If you feed your starter the night before and mix the dough first thing in the morning, you can absolutely bake the pizzas the same day. I actually do this often!
After shaping the dough into balls, keep them on the counter at room temperature instead of placing them in the fridge. Let them rise until they're soft, puffy, and just about doubled.
Because you're skipping the cold ferment, the dough won't develop as much tang or depth, but the texture will still be lovely and workable.
Freeze the sourdough pizza balls (up to 3 months):
Let's say you want to get ahead or always keep dough ready for pizza night: freezing dough balls works surprisingly well. After shaping the dough into balls, coat them lightly in olive oil and place each one into a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Freeze right away while they're still fresh.
When you're ready to use them, transfer the dough to the fridge the night before. The next day, give the dough 2-3 hours at room temperature so it warms up and relaxes enough to stretch.
Par-bake now, top and bake later:
If you're hosting or want fast weeknight pizzas, par-baking the sourdough pizza crusts without sauce or toppings is a great option.
Shape the dough as usual, then launch it onto the hot steel and bake just until the surface sets and the crust is pale-about 2 minutes. Let the crust cool completely, then wrap tightly. Par-baked crusts keep 48 hours in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
When you're ready to finish, let the crust return to room temperature. Add your sauce and toppings, then bake at 500-550°F (260-290°C) until the cheese melts and the edges get color.
Freeze fully topped, fully baked sourdough pizzas:
And if you want true freezer pizzas-like the store-bought kind but 100% better-bake your sourdough pizzas completely, sauce, toppings and all, and then let them cool fully.
Freeze them uncovered on a baking sheet so the toppings firm up and the crust doesn't compress in the wrap. Once solid, wrap in plastic and then tightly in foil. They keep beautifully for up to 3 months.
To reheat, bake straight from frozen at 425°F (220°C) for 10-15 minutes until the crust is crisp again and the cheese is melted. A quick broil at the end brings everything back to life.
Substitutions
Gluten-free flour
I have not tried making this recipe using gluten-free flours, when I do I will report back.
Different flours
This recipe is written for all-purpose or 00 flour. You can swap up to 20-30% of the flour for bread flour, whole wheat, or spelt for more chew and flavor. Just know that higher-protein or whole-grain flours absorb more water, so the dough may feel firmer; you can add a teaspoon or two of extra water at a time if it feels too tight.
Starter variations
The recipe uses a 100% hydration white sourdough starter. If yours is mostly whole wheat or rye, it will still work, but the dough may ferment a little faster and taste slightly tangier. If your starter is kept stiffer than 100% hydration, feed a small portion to 100% hydration (equal parts flour and water by weight) before using it in this recipe so the texture stays predictable.
Other yeast types
I use sourdough in this recipe, but you can swap:
- Active dry yeast: Use about 25% more by weight. For example: 4 g instant → 5 g active dry. Bloom in warm water (100-110°F / 38-43°C), plus the honey and oil, for about 10 minutes or until creamy before adding the flour and salt.
- Instant Yeast: Use my homemade pizza dough recipe for timing and ratios.
Different oils, or no oil
Olive oil brings tenderness, easier stretching, and a hint of flavor. You can swap it 1:1 with avocado oil or a neutral oil if that is what you have. If you leave the oil out, the crust will bake up a bit crisper and less soft. In that case, you can add a splash more water to help the dough stay easy to work with.
Adding sweeteners
I love adding a little honey to yeasted pizza dough to enhance flavor, but I just feel like sourdough pizza dough doesn't need it. It's totally up to you!
If you chose to add some, keep it around 7 grams and you can swap it 1:1 by weight with sugar, maple, or agave syrups.
Other sauces
This sourdough pizza dough is a great base for more than tomato sauce. You can try pesto, white garlic sauce, olive oil with garlic and herbs, vodka sauce, barbecue sauce, buffalo sauce, or even a light brush of olive oil with thinly sliced tomatoes.
Other cheeses
Mozzarella is classic, but you can try other cheeses or even mix and match! Provolone, fontina, Gruyère, mild cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a little Parmesan on top all work well. Just avoid big piles of very soft, high-moisture cheese without draining, or the center can get soggy while the crust bakes.
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Sourdough Pizza Dough Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients To Feed Your Sourdough Starter (1:6:6 Ratio)
- 9 grams (2 teaspoons) sourdough starter
- 54 milliliters (about 3 ½ tablespoons) filtered water room temperature
- 54 grams (about ½ cup) all-purpose flour
Ingredients For The Sourdough Pizza Dough
- 370 milliliters (1½ cups + 2 teaspoons) filtered water room temperature
- 112 grams (½ cup) active sourdough starter 100% hydration, at peak
- 15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) olive oil extra virgin + more for oiling the containers
- 560 grams (about 4 ½ cups + 3 tablespoons) all-purpose flour protein under 12% or use OO flour
- 14 grams (2¼ teaspoons) sea salt
- semolina flour for dusting the counter and pizza peel
Ingredients for Topping
- 240-320 grams (1-1⅓ cups) tomato sauce or any other sauce you would like
- 340-460 grams (12-16 ounces) low-moisture mozzarella or any other cheese you would like If using fresh mozzarella, pat dry 30 minutes before assembling
- any other toppings you might like
Instructions
10-12 Hours Before Mixing, Feed Your Sourdough Starter
- 10-12 hours before mixing, feed a portion of your starter at a 1:6:6 ratio: 9 grams starter, 54 milliliters (about 3 ½ tablespoons) water, and 54 grams (about ½ cup) flour. Leave at room temperature, and use it after it has reached peak activity.
Mixing and First Rise
- In a large bowl, use a dough whisk or fork to mix the water, sourdough starter at peak, and olive oil until bubbly. Add the flour and salt. Mix using a dough whisk and then your hands until no dry spots remain. The dough should feel shaggy at first. Continue mixing using your hands until it becomes smooth and have a temperature of around 78°F (26°C). Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and keep it in a warm spot, such as the oven off, with the light turned on, to maintain about 78°F (26°C).
- Every 30 minutes, perform one set of stretch and folds. To do this, wet your hands and grab one edge of the dough, stretch it upward, and fold it back over the center. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat on all four sides. Cover with the damp towel after each set and keep the dough at 78°F (26°C). Perform a total of 3 sets over 1½ hours.
- After the third set, cover again with the damp towel and let the dough rest at 78°F (26°C) for 1½ hours.
- Gently turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 4 pieces of about 267 grams each. Shape each piece into a ball by bringing the edges toward the center, pinching them together, and then gently rounding the dough with your hands, being careful not to degas.
Second Rise
- Lightly oil four 2-cup containers with olive oil. Lightly oil the dough balls and place one dough ball in each container. Cover and refrigerate for 12–24 hours at 35–37°F (2–3°C).
- Remove the dough from the fridge about 3 hours before baking and let it come to room temperature, nearly doubling in size.
One hour before baking, prepare the oven:
- Move an oven rack to the highest position and place a baking steel (or stone) on it. Then set the next rack just below and place a baking sheet on that rack.Preheat the oven to 550°F (290°C) or as hot as your oven allows for the full hour before baking. Switch to broil for the last 10 minutes of preheat.
Have your toppings ready:
- If you are using fresh mozzarella, slice or tear it, then lay it on a plate lined with paper towels so it can drain while the oven heats.Have your sauce and any other toppings prepped and within reach.Prepare a plate with a layer of fine semolina so you can coat each dough ball before shaping, and can lightly flour the counter and pizza peel.
Shape The Pizza
- When ready to bake your pizza, gently dump one dough ball from its container onto the plate with semolina and coat both sides with it. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured countertop. Using your fingertips, press gently from the center toward the edge, about half an inch from the rim, to flatten the center into a small disc and create a defined crust.
- Pick up the flattened disc by the edge with both hands and let the rest of the dough hang down, allowing gravity to begin stretching it naturally. As it hangs, work the perimeter by passing the edge from one hand to the other, rotating the dough in a slow, continuous circle. This motion, similar to turning a steering wheel, helps the dough stretch evenly.
- Hold the dough up to the light occasionally. For a thin-crust pizza, it should appear slightly translucent. Focus your stretching on areas that still look thicker, using your fingertips to gently pinch or pull as needed. Handle the dough delicately to avoid tearing, especially around the center.
- Once the dough reaches the desired size, lay it on a floured pizza peel or on a floured parchment paper resting on the back of a baking sheet. Make any final small adjustments to the shape, gently stretching or evening out the edges until you have a 12-inch round ready to top.
To Bake Using The Full Bake Method
- Spread about ⅓ cup tomato sauce in a thin, even layer, leaving the rim bare. Top with roughly chopped low-moisture mozzarella.
- Launch the pizza onto the hot steel. Bake for 2 minutes, until the rim is spotty brown.
- Remove the pizza from the baking steel and place it on the baking sheet underneath. Switch oven mode back to regular bake at 550°F (290°C) or as hot as your oven allows.Bake 2-3 minutes more.
- Remove from oven and cool on a rack 1 to 2 minutes so steam escapes. Slice with pizza scissors or a wheel.
- Repeat with remaining dough balls.Switch oven back to the broil setting for at least 10 minutes before launching a new pizza.
To Bake Using The Par Bake Method
- Spread about ⅓ cup tomato sauce in a thin, even layer, leaving the rim bare.
- Launch the pizza onto the hot steel. Bake for 2 minutes, until the rim is spotty brown.
- Remove from oven and top with roughly chopped low-moisture mozzarella.
- Place the pizza back in the oven, on the baking sheet underneath the baking steel. Switch oven mode back to regular bake at 550°F (290°C) or as hot as your oven allows.Bake 2-3 minutes more.
- Remove from oven and cool on a rack 1 to 2 minutes so steam escapes. Slice with pizza scissors or a wheel.
- Repeat with remaining dough balls.Switch oven back to the broil setting for at least 10 minutes before launching a new pizza.
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