I’m thrilled to share this Crusty, Chewy, and Delicious: The Best Sourdough Pizza recipe with you!
After nearly 10 months of experimenting with my sourdough starter, I’ve finally perfected it. While the flavor was always spot on, I kept running into one persistent issue: the dough wouldn’t cook through. I tried everything—adjusting oven temperatures, moving racks, and even switching up dough recipes. The culprit? My oven just couldn’t get hot enough for that quick, perfect bake.
The game-changer? My Pampered Chef Pizza Stone (affiliate link).
When I first got it, I tested it with a regular pizza dough recipe, and the results were amazing. You can check out that recipe here:Perfectly Pizzalicious Homemade Pizza! ? Naturally, I had to put it to the ultimate test: my sourdough pizza dough. Spoiler alert—it passed with flying colors! The crust turned out perfectly crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and fully cooked every time.
“A pizza slice a day keeps sadness away.“
– Anonymous
For this recipe, you’ll need an active sourdough starter. Don’t have one yet? No problem! Check out my post, The Hungry Beast: My Sourdough Journey of Love, Learning, and Loaves, which provides tips on getting one!
Benefits of Using a Pizza Stone:
- Even Heat Distribution: Pizza stones are designed to absorb and distribute heat evenly, eliminating hot spots. This ensures your pizza crust cooks uniformly, resulting in a perfectly crispy base.
- Crust Perfection: The porous surface of a pizza stone absorbs moisture from the dough, preventing soggy centers and creating a crisp, golden crust.
- Consistent Results: Whether you’re baking homemade or frozen pizza, a pizza stone helps deliver consistent results every time.
- Versatility: Pizza stones aren’t just for pizza! Use them to bake bread, cookies, pastries, or even reheat leftovers like fries and flatbreads for that just-cooked texture.
- Improved Oven Performance: By retaining heat, the stone helps maintain a steady oven temperature, which can improve the overall efficiency of your cooking process.
- Reheats Like a Dream: Leftover pizza reheated on a stone tastes almost as good as freshly baked, with a crisp crust and perfectly warmed toppings.
- Durability: A well-cared-for pizza stone can last for years, making it a worthwhile investment for any home cook.
Tips for Perfecting Sourdough Pizza Dough
To have success with sourdough pizza crust, start with a well-developed, active, and bubbly starter. This ensures the dough rises properly and imparts great flavor. Sourdough dough benefits from a slow fermentation process, so allow it to rise in the fridge for at least 12-24 hours to develop the best flavor and texture. When mixing the dough, keep it hydrated, as sourdough pizza dough tends to be more hydrated than regular pizza dough. Add extra water gradually if needed to reach the right consistency.
When it comes time to shape the dough, avoid rolling it with a pin. Instead, stretch it gently by hand to preserve the airy, chewy texture and keep the bubbles intact. Patience is key—sourdough pizza dough requires time to develop its full potential, so if you’re in a hurry, it might not be the best option. Plan to preheat your oven for 30 minutes with the pizza stone on the bottom rack to ensure it reaches the ideal temperature for a perfectly crisp crust.
Use parchment paper as your work surface to prevent sticking and make it easier to transfer the pizza onto the stone. Finally, top your pizza lightly. Since sourdough pizza dough is thicker and denser, overloading it with toppings can prevent the crust from staying crisp. A light hand with sauce and toppings will ensure a perfectly baked crust every time.
Enjoy your Crusty, Chewy, and Delicious: The Best Sourdough Pizza!
Helpful Kitchen Tools
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(Affiliate link) Take your pizza night to a whole new level! Our pizza stones are pre-heat and oven-safe up to 550°F (287°C) so your pizza crust will be perfectly crispy every time. It has been designed with a raised lip on the back edge to make transferring that pizza on and off easier than ever (and keep it from falling off). Integrated handles make the stone easy to grasp and move about.
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(Affiliate Link) The Pizza & Crust Cutter is two great tools in one! A pizza wheel on one side and a crust cutter on the other means you can cut through every crust, every time, with just one tool—no matter what type of pan it’s in. It’s especially helpful for use in pans with high sides or rims. You can only find this clever tool through Pampered Chef!
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(Affiliate Link) A pizza peel is a tool every pizza lover needs. It helps you get a pizza on and off a preheated pizza stone safely and with less mess.
This peel is made of durable acacia wood and has a tapered edge to help it slide easily under food. The hole at the end of the handle lets you hang it up for easy storage.
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Crusty, Chewy, and Delicious: The Best Sourdough Pizza
Crusty, chewy, and downright delicious-this is the best sourdough pizza recipe you’ll ever try! ? The crust boasts a perfect balance of crispiness and chewiness, with a subtle tang from the sourdough starter. Top it with your favorite sauce, melty mozzarella, and savory pepperoni for a pizza that’s sure to impress. Perfect for pizza night or any time you’re craving a homemade slice of heaven!
- Total Time: 24 – 48 Hours
- Yield: 14” to 16″ Pizza 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240g) active sourdough starter
- 3/4 cup (180ml) warm water
- 2 1/2 cups (300g) all-purpose or pizza flour
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp honey (optional, helps with browning)
- Rao’s Pizza Sauce
- Pesto & Alfredo Sauce (mix together for a yummy pizza sauce)
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese
- Pizza Toppings (pepperoni, chicken, red onion, basil, parmesan)
Instructions
- Activate the Starter: Make sure your sourdough starter is active and bubbly. If it’s been sitting in the fridge, feed it 4-6 hours before using it, overnight if possible.
- Mix the Dough: In a large bowl, combine the sourdough starter, warm water, olive oil, salt and honey. Stir well until the ingredients are mostly combined.
- Add the Flour: Gradually add the flour, a little at a time, until the dough starts to come together. You may need to use your hands towards the end.
- Knead the Dough: Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour, but be careful not to overdo it.
- Bulk Fermentation: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise for 4-6 hours at room temperature. If you have time, you can also refrigerate it for 24-48 ours to develop more flavor. If your dough refrigerated take it out 1 to 2 hours prior to baking and bring to room temperature.
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 500°F or as high as it will go. If using a pizza stone or steel, place it in the oven while preheating to ensure it gets thoroughly hot. Aim for at least a 30-minute preheat time to achieve a crisp, evenly baked crust.
- Shape the Dough: After the dough has doubled in size, gently punch it down to release any air bubbles. Turn it onto a floured surface and divide it into two equal portions for smaller pizzas, or leave it whole for one large pizza. Hand toss or stretch each portion of dough, then transfer it onto a piece of parchment paper. Use your fingers to stretch the dough further, shaping it to your desired size. Aim for a thin base with a slightly thicker edge for the crust.
- Assemble the Pizza: Once the dough is shaped (and on parchment paper), brush your pizza with olive oil (optional for browning), spread a thin layer of pizza sauce, and add your cheese & desired toppings. Don’t overload your pizza with toppings as it can make your dough soggy.
- Bake the Pizza: Transfer your pizza to the oven using a pizza peel, or slide it directly onto the preheated pizza stone. If you don’t have a stone, a baking pan works fine too. Bake the pizza for 12-14 minutes, checking it after 12 minutes. You want the crust to be golden and toasty on the bottom, and the cheese should be bubbling and slightly browned.
- Finishing Touches: Once the pizza is out of the oven, you can garnish with fresh basil, a drizzle of olive oil, or a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
- Slice and enjoy!
Notes
- Fermentation: The longer you let the dough ferment, the more flavor it will develop. If you’re short on time, you can speed up the process with a little yeast, but for more tang, a longer rise is ideal.
- Crust: For a crispier crust, bake the pizza on a preheated pizza stone or steel.
- Storage: You can store leftover dough in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze it for later use.
Savory Savage is a reader-supported site, and we may earn commissions on any affiliate links used. Your support helps us continue creating great content and sharing delicious recipes with you!
- Prep Time: 24-48 hours with fermentation
- Cook Time: 20-30 Minutes
- Category: Pizza
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
One response to “Crusty, Chewy, and Delicious: The Best Sourdough Pizza”
Crust was absolutely perfect. I’ve had a lot of home made pizza and have made a few myself, and while they were all good, this was a wow.