Sourdough Pizza Dough (Printable)

A flavorful dough using sourdough starter for chewy, crisp artisan-style pizza crusts.

# Components:

→ Dough

01 - 3⅓ cups bread flour
02 - 1⅓ cups plus 1 tablespoon water at room temperature
03 - ½ cup active sourdough starter
04 - 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil, optional for softer dough

# Directions:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine bread flour and water. Stir until just combined. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
02 - Add sourdough starter and salt to the dough, along with olive oil if desired. Mix by hand or with a stand mixer until a sticky dough forms.
03 - Knead the dough for 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic, or use the stretch-and-fold technique every 30 minutes for 2 hours, completing 4 folds total.
04 - Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 6–8 hours, or until doubled in size and noticeably bubbly.
05 - Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half for two large pizzas. Shape each piece into a tight ball.
06 - Place the dough balls on a tray and cover. Let rest for 1–2 hours at room temperature, or cold ferment in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours for enhanced flavor development.
07 - Preheat your oven to the highest temperature setting, ideally 475–500°F, with a pizza stone or steel positioned inside.
08 - Stretch each dough ball into a 12-inch round. Add your preferred toppings.
09 - Transfer to the hot stone or steel and bake for 10–15 minutes, or until the crust is puffed and golden with crisp, caramelized edges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Your kitchen will smell like an Italian bakery for hours while this rises—seriously intoxicating.
  • The slow fermentation means you can fit pizza-making into a real schedule instead of being a rushed dinner project.
  • Once you taste the tangy, complex flavor this creates, you'll understand why people get obsessed with sourdough.
02 -
  • The starter has to be active and bubbly when you use it—a sleepy starter means a dense, flat pizza that disappoints no matter how long you wait.
  • Don't skip the autolyse step; those 30 minutes of hydration time actually reduce the total kneading you need and make everything feel less stressful.
  • Cold fermentation in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours is not a workaround—it's an upgrade that develops flavors you can't rush at room temperature.
03 -
  • If you only have all-purpose flour, the pizza will still be delicious but slightly softer—add an extra teaspoon of salt to compensate for the lower protein content and give the crust more structure.
  • Transfer your shaped dough to the hot stone using a pizza peel dusted with cornmeal or rice flour, never wheat flour, because it can burn and create a bitter taste.
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