How to Make Perfect Sourdough Pizza Crust
Crispy thin-crust homemade pizza dough is one of the most versatile (and probably tastiest) uses for your sourdough starter discard. Here’s how to make an easy pizza dough that freezes well for pizza night any night of the week.
The gift that keeps on giving
My dad gradually became more of a pizza fanatic during my childhood, even fashioning me into a walking pizza slice for Halloween one year. He became an active sourdough bread baker and eventually married his two passions to develop the perfect sourdough pizza crust recipe.
This carefully crafted recipe is the result of frequent experimentation on willing subjects using various flours, baking temperatures and topping combinations. He delved deep into online pizza forums fueled by bakers who shared his dedication to the pie. And now it’s time to share his creation with all of you.
When my dad was diagnosed with Multiple Systems Atrophy, a rare neurodegenerative disease, my family developed the collective need to make as many of his favorite foods as possible. Sourdough pizza became a regular in our dinner rotation, met with zero complaints, of course. As my dad’s faculties like walking, talking and writing dwindled, my mom rushed to transcribe the fountain of knowledge stored in my father’s Phi Beta Kappa brain. Luckily for us all, this recipe was one of the first nuggets of knowledge she captured.
Since his death in 2018, my family continues celebrating his memory with regular pies topped with his favorites. Last year, I turned the handwritten recipe into a printed dishcloth for a Christmas present, a gift I highly recommend.
Define pizza
perfection
A bit of chew, crunch, and most importantly, a tangy sourdough flavor that compliments, without overwhelming the toppings.
How to make homemade sourdough pizza crust
Once you have a healthy and thriving sourdough starter, making this crust is quite easy. In fact, because I’m so confident that you’ll fall in love with this homemade pizza dough, the recipe as written makes three (freezable) pizza doughs.
If you’re in the market for a sourdough starter, ask a friend or your local bakery for a hand getting started. Starters are always growing, so they can package a bit into a sealable container or bag for you to bring home.
To start your own sourdough starter from scratch, I recommend following King Arthur’s guide. And know that managing a sourdough starter doesn’t have to be a big, time-consuming project. If you’re using it regularly, you’ll need to feed it frequently. However, you can easily pop the starter if you’re traveling or just taking a baking break.
When you have a sourdough feeding schedule going, you’ll have a lot of discards to manage. Instead of washing all of that perfectly healthy starter down the drain, transform it into the base of your favorite pie.
To make this crust, I recommend a stand mixer, but you can certainly do it by hand if you don’t have a machine. Simply add all of the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix away. In a stand mixer, 6 minutes at medium speed should result in a smooth, shiny dough. It will be quite sticky.
If you’re mixing by hand, you will need a few more minutes of stirring and some elbow grease.
Then, put your dough baby down for a one hour nap to let it ferment. It should about double in volume. For best results, look for a warm-ish place in your kitchen. If it’s a chilly day, stick it in your oven (turned off).
When you have a puffy bowl of dough all risen, divide the dough into 3 equal portions. If you follow the recipe, each portion should weigh about 25 ounces. Pour some olive oil into three sealable bags or containers and be sure to coat the sides in oil. Then store the dough in these air-tight containers.
If you’re not having a 3-pizza night immediately, the dough freezes like a champ. To defrost the pizza dough, simply let it come to room temperature on your counter. When it’s fully defrosted, move it to the refrigerator to prevent it from rising much more.
How to top your pizza fabulously
This crust offers the ideal pillowy, golden backdrop to any of your favorite pizza toppings. Some combos we love at my house include:
Caramelized onions, Italian sausage, and fresh ricotta
Basil pesto, shrimp and mushrooms
Roasted eggplant, mushroom and a cheese blend of asiago, mozzarella, and parmesan
Classic Margarita: mozzarella, tomato sauce, and basil
If you’re loading your pizza up with vegetables, pre-cooking them will yield the best results. Water-dense veggies like mushrooms, bell peppers, onions and eggplant especially will weigh down your crust.
To add fresh herbs or greens to your pizza, wait until the pie comes out of the oven. Sprinkle the raw greens over your crust as soon as it comes out, while it’s still hot. this will nicely wilt the greens without turning them into mush.
Homemade Sourdough Pizza Dough Recipe
Ingredients
42 ounces all-purpose flour (about 8 1/2 cups)
30 ounces water (3 3/4 cups)
1/4 cup sourdough starter
4 teaspoons instant yeast
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Pizza toppings of choice (note: it’s best to pre-cook vegetables that contain a lot of water, such as mushrooms, onions, eggplant, and peppers, to avoid a soggy crust)
Instructions
Add all of the ingredients to a large mixing bowl, preferably for a stand mixer. Stir with a rubber spatula to moisten.
Mix on medium speed for about 6 minutes, until the dough is shiny and smooth. The dough will be very wet and sticky.
Cover the mixing bowl with a dish towel and ferment for 1-2 hours, until doubled in volume.
Coat three air-tight containers or sealable bags in olive oil. Divide the dough into 3 equal portions (about 25 ounces each) between the containers, or use right away. If not using immediately, store the dough in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before using.
To make the pizza, preheat the oven to 500°F with a pizza stone if you have one an hour before you’ll make the pizza. On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll out the dough into as large a rectangle as will fit inside your oven, allowing it to rest as you go if it’s very stretchy. Top the crust with sauce, leaving a 1/2 inch border on all edges. Scatter with your favorite toppings and cheese. Roast for 12-15 minutes, until the cheese is melty and gooey and the crust is golden brown.
It’s important to bake the crust at the highest temperature your oven can handle. If you have the option, always choose convection over bake for pizza. And a pizza stone will result in an even crispier crust.