My sourdough discard pizza dough has no yeast, it’s so easy to make, and you end up with a chewy crispy yet lightly fluffy crumb. I bake sourdough bread at least once a week, but keep the pizza 🍕🍕🍕 for the weekend and bake it even during weeknights.
It’s kind of messy, not going to lie, but so worth the mess! If you have kids, they will love getting stuck in, flour and all! Strong bread flour or a mix with “00” pasta flour will work wonders, thanks to the higher protein content.
Why you will love this recipe
- No waste! – This sourdough discard pizza dough (no yeast) recipe makes good use of any sourdough starter discard in your fridge.
- Depth of Flavor: Naturally fermented sourdough adds a flavorful tangy character.
- Beginner-Friendly: Straightforward method with minimal ingredients, perfect for novice bakers.
- Individual toppings – This homemade sourdough pizza 🍕🍕🍕 makes everyone happy because everyone can have their favorite toppings added.
- Cram with veggies and protein: I love a variety of toppings, the more vegetables the better, some of my favorite ones are mushrooms, shallots and ham. But be creative with your toppings when you make pizza at home.
- Minimum effort: Stretch and fold make the pizza smoother and more luxurious, but if messy dough is not your thing, just letting it be totally works too.
For sourdough discard pizza toppings the fridge is often my inspiration: diced pancetta, rocket (arugula) leaves, any leftover shredded roast chicken, will make luxurious additions. Dave’s (hubby) favorite toppings are the controversial Hawaiian ham and pineapple. I could hear the tut-tut’s now 😜!
In my childhood, mum used to make a deep tray pizza which was crammed full of sauce, sliced peppers, onions, tomatoes, and covered with feta cheese. That is because we could not find mozzarella readily available. It was delicious, but so different from my sourdough pizza, with its chewy crispy yet lightly fluffy crumb.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Sourdough discard (or active starter)
- White bread flour (or pizza flour). I also used a mix of “00” and strong white bread flour. It worked great!
- Olive oil
- Water
- Salt
- Your favorite sauce and toppings
Watch how to stretch and fold pizza dough
How to make sourdough discard pizza dough (step-by-step)
Time needed: 7 hours and 15 minutes
This sourdough discard pizza dough has no yeast, it’s so easy to make, and you end up with a chewy crispy yet lightly fluffy crumb. It doesn’t even need kneading, just mix everything up with a spoon and let it rise.
- Prepare the dough
On a scale, place a medium to large bowl. Weigh up the water. With a spoon, add and combine your starter with the water, stir the flour, olive oil and the salt in. Cover the bowl and allow to prove.
- Stretch and fold
Every 30 minutes or so perform a series of stretch and fold. Try a minimum of 3 but up to 4 stretch and folds. If you can’t because you are not around, try at least one in the first 2 hours of proving, so you can get a smoother dough.
- Bulk proof
After the last stretch and fold let the dough rise until nearly doubled. This should take around 4 hours, but if your kitchen is cool, it might take longer.
- Shaping
Turn the dough on to a lightly floured surface and divide the dough in two. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it relax for 10-20 minutes. Then shape each piece into a ball and either place them into 2 separate containers to stretch and bake later or allow them to sit at room temperature covered for around an hour.
- Prepare the toppings
Make the sauce by sauteing passata in a little olive oil, adding oregano salt and pepper. Whilst the sauce it’s cooling, prepare your toppings, slicing veggies thinly and tearing herbs. Grate or tear mozzarella (make sure you drain if using fresh, so you don’t get a soggy pizza 🍕). Preheat the oven.
- Stretch and bake
Stretch each ball of dough just before you are ready to top and bake. Gently stretch with your fingers until you get the desired size. Slide the pizza carefully onto a piece of baking paper then onto your pizza tray. Brush lightly the edges with a little olive oil. Ladle a little sauce to cover the base up to the brushed edge. Arrange your toppings with enough space around them. Bake until golden brown and the cheese is nicely melted.
- Enjoy!
Once out of the oven, slide onto a wooden board and slice in even slices, I normally get 6 slices from each pizza. If you are making an arugula pizza this is the time to add it. Or trickle a little more olive oil and tear fresh basil to add if you fancy! 🍕🍕🍕 Wait a few minutes before you get stuck in: it will be HOT!!!
Pro Tips
- Precision: As with all sourdough recipes and generally with baking, I recommend using scales and measuring in grams for best results. Even for measuring water.
- Stretch and fold: Watch the video for the easiest technique ever to stretch and fold (coil style) a small amount of dough. If you double this recipe up, you can always use a different method where you grab one side and gently pull it up then fold it over the rest of the dough, turn the bowl and pull another side, usually you will have done 4 of these in total to even out the dough.
- Rest Easy: Letting the risen dough rest for 10-20 minutes before shaping makes it easier to stretch without tearing.
- Crispy crust: follow the instructions for baking this pizza 🍕🍕🍕 by making sure to preheat your oven hot and then bake for 10 minutes at 220℃ or 428℉ (with the fan on) and 5 minutes at 220℃ or 428℉ without the fan. You get the best of both worlds: crispy crust with a pillowy interior. YUM 😋!
- Deliciously golden brown edges: brush a little olive oil on the edges of the pizza base before you spread the sauce, it makes the pizza look luscious, golden brown and adds to the savory flavors.
Variations or substitutions
My take on the homemade sourdough pizza affair is that anything goes… within reason.
If you would rather keep it VEGETARIAN with vegetables and herbs , basil and mozzarella make a classic Margherita.
Go bananas with pulled pork and smoky barbecue sauce. Or reenact a chili con carne with shredded beef, jalapeños and splodges of sour cream.
If you want more ideas for using up your sourdough discard, I have a soft and buttery sourdough sandwich bread recipe that is a total keeper 🌝!
Love sourdough bread but hate wasting discard? This recipe for sourdough discard pizza dough is your answer, my lovelies! It’s a fantastic way to use up leftover starter, creating a delicious fail-safe pizza crust 🍕🍕🍕that’s packed with flavor. Plus, it’s incredibly beginner-friendly, requiring minimal ingredients and kneading.
- If you make my recipe, take a snapshot for your Instagram
- Post and tag me @candyflosie😉🤗!
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recipe FAQ
If you double this recipe and have any dough left, part bake them (for about 5 minutes or so), let them cool down and then freeze them. It’s such a delight to have a pizza or two in the freezer ready for when you are short of time.
Up to 3 days in the refrigerator! Allow the chilled dough to come back to room temperature before stretching and baking.
I do this often, it will prove faster, but that’s a good thing 😊
Sourdough ferments at a slower pace than yeast dough. Be patient and allow the dough ample time to rise. If your kitchen is cool, consider placing the bowl in a warm spot, like near a preheated oven (turned off) to encourage fermentation.
Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough (No Yeast)
Equipment
- 1 kitchen scale
- 1 medium to large bowl
- 1 Pizza tray
- 2 storage containers (optional, if you store the pizza dough balls in the fridge)
Ingredients
For the dough
- 150 g water
- 50 g sourdough discard or active starter
- 225 g flour white bread flour
- 5 g salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the sauce
- 200 ml passata
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp Black pepper, freshly cracked
- ½ tsp salt
For toppings
- 120 g grated or fresh mozzarella
- half bell pepper, thinly sliced (optional)
- half red onion or shallots, thinly sliced (optional)
- 50 g mushrooms, thinly sliced (optional)
- 4 slices your favourite ham (optional)
- a handful spinach or basil (optional)
Instructions
Prepare your dough
- Weigh up the water in a medium to large bowl. Use a spoon to combine your starter with the water, stir the flour, olive oil and the salt in. It will be quite sticky.
- Once all fully combined, cover and leave to rise.
- Times are not exact with sourdough, if you have made sourdough before, you know that it is forgiving.
Stretch and folds
- Stretch and fold a few times roughly at around 30 minute intervals. I recommend a minimum of 3 stretch and folds, but 4 are enough.
Bulk proof
- Cover and let it bulk proof (this means let it rise).
- It could take around 4 hours or longer after the last stretch and fold until the dough has doubled or just about doubled.
Shape the dough balls
- Lightly dust a surface with flour and turn the dough from the bowl onto your surface.
- With a dough cutter divide the dough in 2 equal-ish portions. Cover them with a clean tea towel and allow to rest for 10-20 minutes at room temperature.
- Take each portion and gently bring the corners in the middle to form a ball. Roll them gently.
- Each portion will make a medium pizza.
- Prepare your dough balls and lay them seam down in oiled containers with lids.
- You can also pop the dough balls in the fridge for up to 2-3 days until ready to bake.
Prepare your sauce
- In a saucepan, on medium heat, add the olive oil and oregano. Once the oil is slightly sizzling, add the passata and let simmer on low heat for 3-4 minutes.
- Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Take off the heat and let it cool down.
Prepare your toppings
- Slice your vegetables if adding and shred the mozzarella and ham. Set aside.
Stretch the pizza dough
- After one hour your dough should be ready to stretch.
- Stretch each ball pushing gently with your fingers, without stretching the edges. Then gently rotate the dough on the fist of your hand to stretch a little more.
- Use a piece of baking paper or a little flour to line your pizza tray. Add the stretched pizza base and brush the edges with a little olive oil.
Assemble and bake
- Preheat up your oven for 5 minutes to 220 °C
- With a tablespoon or small ladle, spread sauce to cover the pizza without drowning it.
- Add your desired toppings. I always add mozzarella last.
- Bake for 10 minutes at 220℃ or 428℉ (with the fan on) and 5 minutes at 220℃ or 428℉ without the fan.
- The cheese will be melted and slightly golden and base well baked. Soft in some places and crunchy in some.
Serve and enjoy!
- Give it a few minutes to cool down, then slide on a chopping board and slice with a pizza cutter. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
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