Sourdough Discard Pizza Crust

Turn your sourdough discard into the perfect sourdough pizza crust recipe! Crispy edges, chewy crust—no commercial yeast needed. Ideal for family pizza night, leftovers, or a simple weekday dinner, this crust pairs beautifully with favorite toppings and your homemade sauce.

If you are looking for a neapolitan-style pizza but with a sourdough flavor, you are going to love this sourdough pizza recipe. It’s made with simple ingredients, and it’s quickly become our favorite way of making pizza. The best part is we get to use up our sourdough discard instead of throwing it out.  

Simple Sourdough Pizza Crust

The beauty in this simple recipe is you don’t have to let the dough rise for a long time. You’ll get a perfect pizza crust with very little hassle. You can even use unfed sourdough starter to make this recipe!

Also, you won’t need a rolling pin for this pizza dough! After the dough rise, you’ll simply stretch out the dough with your hands, add your favorite pizza toppings, and then bake in the oven. The sourdough crust comes out chewy and fluffy, just like restaurant style pizza!

Getting the Starter Discard ready for this Pizza Dough

We often take the jar of sourdough starter out of the fridge every few days, and in the morning, we’ll let it sit on the counter to thaw a bit. Then when we go to feed the starter, we are also measuring out the flour and water in a bowl for a pizza dough. We usually scoop out the discard right from the jar into the bowl for the sourdough pizza dough. 

​Sourdough Pizza Dough Recipe

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🧾 Basic Ingredients & Equipment

• 150 g purpose flour (you can use bread flour if you like)
• 75 g warm water
• +20 g more water (if needed)
• 35 g sourdough discard
• 20 g honey
• 4 g salt
• 1 tsp olive oil, plus extra for coating
• Our homemade tomato sauce
• Toppings: fresh mozzarella, fresh parmesan, onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, pineapple, fresh basil, etc.
• Tools Needed: kitchen scale, large bowl, parchment paper, round baking sheet, plastic wrap or tea towel during rises
• Other Tools to Make Pizza Making Better: bench scraper, pizza stone, baking steel, or cast iron pan), pizza peel

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Sourdough Pizza Crust Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Mix & First Autolyse

In a large bowl, combine flour and 75 g water. Add 35 g sourdough discard, and 20 g honey. Mix until a loose dough forms.

2. Form a Dough Ball

Pull and stretch the dough for about 2-5 minutes until a ball forms. Pick up the dough ball and add a drizzle of olive oil to the bowl. Place the dough into the ball and coat with oil, and then turn the oiled side up and cover the bowl with a towel. 

3. First Rise (Bulk Fermentation)

Place the covered bowl in your home oven warmed and turned off (ideal room temperature). Rest 20–30 min, then add salt and do the first stretch and fold with wet hands.

4. Stretch & Fold + Dough Ball

Rest 30 minutes more, perform a set of stretch folds, then shape into a tight dough ball. Cover and rest another 30 min. to an hour. This is considered the bulk rise, and we do not let it completely double for the rise. You don’t need a long fermentation time for this pizza recipe. 

Note: if you are not going to use the dough the same day, then place the dough back in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap and set in the fridge to use the next day. When you want to use it the next day, take it out an hour before using to allow to thaw (to make stretching the dough easier). 

5. Shape & Preheat

Prep a round baking sheet with parchment paper. Gently stretch the dough using the fists of your hands (some people prefer stretching it on a floured surface) into a 10–12″ round—leave a thicker edge on the dough. Set the dough right onto the parchment paper and round baking sheet. Brush with olive oil, sprinkle with garlic powder, oregano, and basil.

Note: If you are using a wood fired oven, you’ll place all the toppings onto the pizza and then scoop it onto a pizza peel prepped with corn meal.

6. Top It

Prepare our favorite sauce, homemade pizza sauce in a small bowl, then spread over crust. Add toppings: onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, pineapple, fresh basil, any meats you desire, mozzarella cheese, and parmesan cheese.

7. Bake

Preheat oven to 425°F and place the baking sheet topped with pizza inside. Bake for 7 min and then rotate and bake another 7 min. Rotate one more time and bake another 5 min or until bubbly and crust looks golden. 

If using an outdoor pizza oven or wood fired oven, heat to 500°F with pizza stone or baking steel inside, or use a cast iron pan or baking sheet. Transfer pizza using the peel. Bake 5 min, rotate, bake another 5 min, rotate, and check to see if it needs 5 min more—about 10-15 min total in a hot oven, until crust is crispy and cheese is melted. The hotter the oven, the less time you will need. Reduce the time considerably if your oven runs over 500°F.

8. Cool & Serve

Let rest a few minutes to firm the crust. Slice and serve warm.

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💡 Tips for Best Results with Sourdough Pizza Crust

• Use a pizza peel and stone/steel for a crispy crust—baking sheet works in a pinch
• Resting and stretching sets build a chewy, thin crust
• Honey in the dough promotes browning
• Cold ferment overnight for a more sour tang
• Room temperature dough rises best between 70–75°F
• Half-size mini pizzas are perfect for picky eaters
• Stand mixer with dough hook helps for larger batches
• Store leftover dough in a plastic bag in the fridge (next day bake or cold ferment)
• Always preheat your pizza steel or stone for best results

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FAQs for Sourdough Pizza Crust

Can I use bread flour instead of purpose flour?

Yes—substitute fully or partially for a chewier crust.

What about using 00 Pizza flour?

Yes, the 00 Pizza flour will give you a more stretchy texture to the dough, close to restaurant style pizza! This flour produces a delicious crust!

Do I need a pizza stone?

No, we actually make this pizza regularly in our convection oven using a round baking sheet. A pizza stone is a great alternative as you become more experienced making pizza. A baking steel or cast iron pan works as well. If using a baking sheet, preheat it in the oven for a crisper bottom.

​What about cooking this in a wood fired pizza oven or outdoor pizza oven?

This is a great recipe for wood fired oven or outdoor pizza oven enthusiasts. Simply reduce the bake time considerably, as wood fired ovens tend to run much hotter. You might only need to cook the pizza a few minutes. 

​Do I have to use active sourdough starter in the recipe?

No you don’t have to use active starter, you can use discard for this recipe. However, we do tend to find better results and a more fluffy crust when you can use active starter discard (meaning the discard is still active and has bubbles). 

What if I don’t have a sourdough starter?

You can use instant yeast in this recipe instead of starter. You may need to add a little extra warm water to the recipe (as you won’t have the same amount of moisture from the starter). 

How do I avoid soggy crust?

Don’t add too much water to the recipe. If the dough seems too sticky, add a little flour until it pulls away from the bowl easily. This will ensure that it will bake up easily and create a crisper crust. Also make sure to bake it long enough. The crust will turn golden but will still be soft inside. You can also preheat the base of the baking sheet or stone, use a hot oven, and allow to cool slightly on the baking sheet or stone before cutting.

Can I freeze the dough?

Yes—freeze shaped dough ball tightly wrapped, thaw in fridge next day, then bake.

I want to have a pizza party and make many pizza doughs ahead of time. Can I do that with this recipe?

Yes, simply multiply out how many pizzas you need to make and then increase the ingredients accordingly. So if you need to make 4 pizzas, multiply the ingredients times 4. Mix all the ingredients together to make one dough, and allow the dough to rest and rise. Then cut the dough into equal pieces and shape them into rounds. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge overnight. Take the dough out an hour before baking. 

I’d love a thicker dough for the sourdough pizza crust. How can I thicken this recipe?

For a thicker pizza crust, simply add a little more flour and water to the recipe, and instead of stretching the dough thin, simply stretch it out leaving a thicker middle. You will need to increase the cooking time to get the crust to bake all the way through. 

Other Sourdough Recipes You Might Like:

​Easy Sourdough Bread

Easy Sourdough Starter

Fluffy Sourdough Pancakes

​Best Sourdough Pizza Crust

This sourdough discard pizza crust is a great way to elevate weekly dinners and reduce waste. With a thin, chewy, crispy crust and flavorful toppings, it’s the perfect recipe to tie into your growing sourdough content. It’s easy, family-friendly, and delicious—what’s not to love?

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Here’s the Recipe Card for the Sourdough Pizza Crust: