Up your pizza night game with this delicious no yeast Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough. This recipe creates the fluffiest, softest, pizza crust with lots of bubbles and with a very mild sourdough flavor.
Being from Chicago, I know pizza. And I also love pizza. We have all different kinds here, from deep dish pizza, to super thin and crispy, to a super fluffy base.
All are delicious. This sourdough pizza crust falls under the "fluffy" category, but it can definitely be made crispy with a hot enough oven. It also makes an incredible deep dish pizza dough that bakes perfectly in a cast iron skillet. I mean down right better than take out.
Best way to use sourdough discard
Whether you are a seasoned sourdough creator or have just started in the past few months, you will know that in order to keep your sourdough starter going you need to feed it regularly. Feeding sourdough starter involves removing, or "discarding" a portion of the starter and then adding in fresh water and flour to feed it and help the wild yeast to continue growing.
Because this has to happen regularly, it's great to have different recipes that use up sourdough starter discard as opposed to being wasteful or making more loaves of bread then you know what to do with. Some other uses I love are Sourdough Discard Donuts and Sourdough Garlic Butter Breadsticks.
Making pizza dough with sourdough discard is super simple, it does not take much kneading or folding, and it uses up a good amount of sourdough starter. It has truly become my favorite way to use my starter.
Why you'll love this recipe
- It uses no commercial yeast. This sourdough pizza dough uses no yeast packets. The only way it is leavened is through the starter itself. This takes a little extra time to rise, but it makes a wonderfully fluffy dough with just a hint of tang. Plus, a strong starter is a superb leavening agent and I prefer to let it do all the work.
- It is so fluffy and soft. Truly, so soft. This dough has a little less flour added to it than some other pizza dough recipes you may have seen. This creates a dough that is a little more on the wet side, but as it rises and relaxes, it blossoms and becomes stretchy and full of bubbles both big and small.
- It isn't too sour. This sourdough crust isn't too sour. Honestly, if you didn't know that it was sourdough crust, you may not even be able to tell the difference from traditional yeast pizza dough.
Ingredients for Sourdough Pizza Crust
- all purpose flour
- water
- sourdough starter (100% hydration)
- olive oil
- sugar
- salt
How to make Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough (No Yeast)
In the bowl of your stand mixer combine water, olive oil, and sourdough starter. Whisk together until completely combined.
Add in flour, sugar, and salt. Using the dough hook attachment, knead dough for 5 minutes until it comes together and is elastic. The dough with be soft and sticky.
NOTE: This recipe can be made without a stand mixer in a regular large mixing bowl, it just takes a little bit of elbow grease. The dough is very wet and shaggy, so it isn't too strenuous to knead by hand.
Cover dough with a damp towel and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Perform a "stretch and fold" by lifting up dough with hand and folding it back over onto itself. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat the "stretch and fold." Do this 8 times and then replace the towel on top of the bowl.
Repeat every 30 minutes, 4 times total.
Allow dough to perform a rise at room temperature for 8 hours.
Place into the fridge covered for 8-12 hours.
Once the second rise has occurred, dump dough on to a well floured surface. Separate the pizza dough into pieces (2 pieces for standard size pizzas, 4 pieces for individual pizzas). If not using right away, wrap in plastic or in an airtight container and keep in the fridge until ready to use. It will keep for up to 3 days.
Once ready to use, gently pull and stretch and place on a greased baking sheet or pizza stone. Top with your favorite toppings and bake at 450 for 20-25 minutes (depending on the toppings). The crust should be golden brown.
How to Avoid Pizza Dough Sticking to Pan
Be sure to grease your pizza baking surface or use something that is nonstick to avoid any frustration when your pizza is done cooking. Olive oil spread out on the baking surface using your fingers works great.
Pizza Dough Storage
If you aren't using the pizza dough right away, it can be separated into dough balls and wrapped with plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container and kept in the fridge for a few days! It will stay fresh and may actually fluff up a bit from a little more fermentation. I love making this pizza dough to share and give away to friends and family for their own pizza night!
Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough (No Yeast)
Ingredients
- 550 g all purpose flour
- 350 g water
- 225 g sourdough starter
- 40 g olive oil
- 15 g sugar
- 9 g salt
Instructions
- In the bowl of your stand mixer combine water, olive oil, and sourdough starter. Whisk together until completely combined.
- Add in flour, sugar, and salt. Using the dough hook attachment, knead dough for 5 minutes until it comes together and is elastic. The dough with be soft and sticky.
- NOTE: This recipe can be made without a stand mixer in a regular large mixing bowl, it just takes a little bit of elbow grease. The dough is very wet and shaggy, so it isn't too strenuous to knead by hand.
- Cover dough with a damp towel and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Perform a "stretch and fold" by lifting up dough with hand and folding it back over onto itself. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat the "stretch and fold." Do this 8 times and then replace the towel on top of the bowl.
- Repeat every 30 minutes, 4 times total.
- Allow dough to perform a rise at room temperature for 8 hours.
- Place into the fridge covered for 8-12 hours.
- Once the second rise has occurred, dump dough on to a well floured surface. Separate the pizza dough into pieces (2 pieces for standard size pizzas, 4 pieces for individual pizzas). If not using right away, wrap in plastic or in an airtight container and keep in the fridge until ready to use. It will keep for up to 3 days.
- Once ready to use, gently pull and stretch and place on a greased baking sheet or pizza stone. Top with your favorite toppings and bake at 450 for 20-25 minutes (depending on the toppings). The crust should be golden brown.
Stephanie says
I’m confused…this is called a discard recipe, but the recipe itself calls for starter. Can I use discard?
Sarah says
Yes! I have used both active bubbly starter and discard and they both work here.
-Sarah
Helen Andersen says
I’m confused on the second rise. How long after taking from the fridge?
Sarah Baumeister says
The second rise is the rise in the fridge. I apologize for the confusing language.
-Sarah