Discarded Sourdough Pizza Dough

5 stars (from 40 ratings)

By Traci York — Updated November 7, 2025 — 85 Comments / Jump to Recipe

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With a chewy texture and crispy crust, this Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough is made with inactive starter for flavor and instant yeast for leavening. It features whole wheat flour for an earthy flavor and bread flour for an easy-to-shape dough and chewy texture.

Make it same day or overnight (store up to three days in the fridge!). Bake it on the back of a sheet pan – no steel or stone is required!

Overhead shot of a baked sourdough discard pizza.

For Quicker Sourdough Pizza

You may keep discard on hand to make Sourdough Discard Recipes if you’re a sourdough bread baker. Sourdough discard delivers so much flavor and a tender crumb without waiting for the process of bulk fermentation and sometimes proofing, depending on the recipe.

This Recipe Is

made with sourdough discard, or unfed/inactive starter
chewy and crispy
finished in about 2 1/2 hours (same day sourdough pizza!)

If you’ve made my overnight Sourdough Pizza Crust Recipe, you’ll enjoy the quickness at which this Sourdough Discard Pizza recipe comes together without compromising flavor or texture.

“I have been making my own pizza dough for years. This is the best I have ever made. Thank you for sharing.”
Diane

About the Key Ingredients

Extra Virgin Olive Oil – we’re adding one tablespoon to the sourdough pizza dough to tenderize it and add just a hint of flavor. Use a high-quality extra virgin olive oil for delicious flavor.
100% Hydration Sourdough Discard – you’ll use your inactive (discard) sourdough starter straight from the fridge. My recipes use a 100% hydration sourdough starter (and discard).

Instant Yeast – also known as quick-rise yeast, this variety of yeast does not require blooming/proofing before use. You add it right to the mixture of ingredients. Since we’re not using a sourdough starter for leavening but for flavor rather, instant yeast does the job instead.

Sourdough discard pizza dough dry ingredients added to the bowl of a stand mixer. — 1. in a stand mixer, add the wet and dry ingredients.

Mixing sourdough discard pizza dough in a stand mixer. — 1. in a stand mixer, add the wet and dry ingredients.

Do the Windowpane Test

The windowpane test is a method bakers use to determine when gluten development is sufficient in a dough, enough so that mixing can be stopped. It’s easy to do:

Moisten your fingers, take a small piece of dough from the batch and gently stretch it. It should stretch easily and not rip or tear. You should be able to see light through the dough – like a windowpane.
If the dough easily rips or tears before it makes a windowpane, continue mixing for another minute, then test again.

A good way to get to know this test is to test before or at the beginning of mixing and then again after mixing, observing how the dough changes through the mixing process.

Shaping sourdough discard pizza dough. — 4. divide the dough.

Pizza on Your Schedule

After mixing and shaping the dough, there are two ways to proof the dough, depending on your schedule:

Same Day Pizza: If you’re ready to make pizza the same day, proof the dough at room temperature for about two and a half hours (this at a room temperature of 65-68F) right after shaping the dough until the dough doubles in size. The warmer the kitchen, the quicker the rise. Keep an eye on it.

Next Day Pizza or Up to Three Days: After shaping the dough, you can pop it in the fridge for up to three days. It will continue to rise in the refrigerator, just at a slower rate. You’ll need to pull the dough from the fridge about two to three hours before you’re ready to make pizza so it can finish rising.

Preparing the Oven

You don’t need a special pizza oven to make pizza! Home ovens can bake up a delicious and beautiful homemade pizza.

Preheat the Oven & Sheet Pan and/or Pizza Stone to between 500 – 550 Fahrenheit. Ovens vary in their maximum temperature setting. My new oven maxes out at 525 Fahrenheit, so that’s the temperature I bake pizza at. Preheat for at least 45 minutes.

The dough is ready to make pizza when it’s risen between over one and a half times or to just doubling in size, is puffy and springy to the touch (it’s pretty forgiving – just make sure it’s at room temp).

____________________________

Shaping Pizza Dough Step by Step

Dimple the pizza dough. — 1. after proofing, dimple the dough.

Gently shaping the sourdough discard pizza dough. — 1. after proofing, dimple the dough.

Use Plenty of Flour: This is a sticky dough. Flour the top, underneath and edges of the dough generously to prevent sticking, reapplying as needed.

overhead picture of a pizza before going into the oven. — sun dried tomato, bell pepper and olive pizza

Cross section of the sourdough discard pizza crust. — sun dried tomato, bell pepper and olive pizza

Add the Toppings

The delicious thing about pizza is that you can personalize it. Setting up a pizza bar is a delicious way to entertain and also let the family create their own masterpiece. Let your cravings guide you!

For the sauce, you can opt for a rich and thick red pizza sauce, or go for pesto. Try my spinach basil pesto, lemon basil pesto, or garlic scape pesto or a white sauce. A thin layer will bring out the best potential for the bottom to crisp up.

The Toppings: Less is more when it comes to pizza toppings, depending on how crisp/chewy you prefer the bottom crust to be. More veggies = softer crust.

Closeup of baked pizza. — veggie sausage and olive pizza

Bake the Pizza

The pizza only takes about 7-10 minutes to bake, so keep an eye on it! Remove from the oven and allow the pizza to rest for about 5 minutes before slicing into it. This allows it to cool slightly.

If you like condiments for your pizza, you’ll love, Quick Pickled Jalapeno Peppers or Pickled Banana Peppers for added spice and Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing or Dairy Free Ranch Dressing for dipping.

Traci’s Tips

Note that parchment paper is generally rated for use under 500F. So at 550F, with overhang beyond the sourdough pizza dough, the paper will char and become brittle. Cooks Illustrated has more on this.
TIP: If you prefer not to use parchment paper, you can use cornmeal or semolina on the peel instead to transfer the pizza to the oven.
Crisper Crust? As written, this sourdough pizza dough recipe produces a soft, chewy crust with crispy edges. For a crisper crust, reduce the water just a bit. A few tablespoons makes a difference. Play with the hydration until you find your pizza bliss!

Save Recipe Print Recipe

Discarded Sourdough Pizza Dough (same day or overnight)

Prep Time:20

Cook Time:9

Proof:2 30

Total Time:2 59

Servings:2 11″ Pizza

Calories:637kcal

Author:Traci York

**Advance Prep Required – You'll Need a Sourdough Starter ** There is some planning involved in this recipe with both timing and equipment. Read the recipe all the way through prior to starting.

With a chewy texture and crispy edges, this Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough is made with inactive starter for flavor and instant yeast for leavening. It features whole wheat flour for an earthy flavor and bread flour for an easy-to-shape dough and chewy texture. Make it same day or overnight (store up to three days in the fridge!). This recipe is vegetarian and vegan.

Time above for proofing can vary depending on ambient and dough temperature. Use the time as a guide and not a determining factor for when the dough is ready. Prep time indicated does not include rest time.

This recipe yeilds two 10 1/2 – 11 inch pizzas, about 8 slices each.

Ingredients

For Two 11" Pizzas:

▢ 1/2 cup (130 grams) Sourdough Discard 100% hydration stirred down, from the fridge
▢ 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (180 grams) Water 105-110 Fahrenheit (41 Celsius) **See note on Hydration & *refrigerator proof
▢ 1 tablespoon (10 grams) Extra Virgin Olive Oil plus more for proofing vessels
▢ 3/4 teaspoon Instant Yeast aka Quick Rise Yeast
▢ 1 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
▢ 1 3/4 cups (250 grams) Unbleached Bread Flour
▢ 1/4 cup (40 grams) Whole Wheat Flour

Instructions

Mix the Dough:

In the bowl of a stand mixer add the sourdough discard, water, olive oil, instant yeast, salt, bread flour, and whole wheat flour.
Attach the dough hook, and mix at speed 4 for 12 – 13 minutes. Mix until the dough reaches 78-80 degrees Fahrenheit (25.5 Celsius) AND passes the windowpane test (see blog post). The dough will be soft and sticky, but supple. Tip: the dough should pull away from the bottom of the mixing bowl as the mixing progresses. If the dough continues to stick to the bottom, sprinkle in a few teaspoons of flour and continue mixing.
*Alternatively, you can mix and knead with your hands. This will take about 15 +/- minutes of active kneading.
This is a good time to prepare your proofing vessels. I use 4 cup (950mL) lidded glass bowls for this – one for each ball. It helps the dough hold it's shape, there's room to rise and they're reusable. Zip top or reusable bags may be used. Brush the interior of your vessel thoroughly with olive oil to prevent sticking.

Pre-Shape the Dough:

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and divide into two equal pieces.
Shape each piece into a rough round by folding each side to the middle, then the top and bottom. Flip the dough over shape the dough into dough balls. If the dough is sliding around, use your bench scraper to scrape away the flour and very lightly sprits the work surface with water. This helps the dough grip the surface. See how to shape video in blog post above or longer format video below for tutorial.
Make sure the skin/surface is taught, then transfer the dough to it's proofing vessel seam side down. Put a lid on the container or seal the bag.
See recipe note* below for retarding the dough in the refrigerator (up to three days!).
(optional) Freeze the Dough: If you opt to freeze your dough, this is the time to do it. Freeze in zip top bags or in their glass storage containers. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then carry on with proofing the following day. Note that the dough doesn't quite bake up as beautifully as fresh dough, but freezing is an option.

Proof the Dough :

Proof the dough at room temperature for about two to two and a half hours (this at a kitchen temperature of 68F). The warmer the kitchen, the quicker the rise. Keep an eye on it.
When is the Dough Ready? The dough is ready to make pizza when it's risen between over one and a half times to doubling in size, is puffy and springy to the touch (it's pretty forgiving – just make sure it's at room temp).
TIP: In a Hurry? If you want the proof to move along quicker, pop the dough balls in their proofing vessel, in the oven with the oven turned off and the light on. This will speed the process a bit.

Getting Ready to Bake:

Prepare the Oven: Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. If making a second pizza, set another rack two positions below the top one. You can easily bake two pizzas at a time. Place an upside down sheet pan and/or a pizza stone on a rack, one on each rack if baking two pizzas. If you proofed the dough in your turned off oven, remove the dough now.
Preheat the Oven & Pan/Stone: to between 500 – 550 Fahrenheit (260-287 Celcius). Ovens vary in their maximum temperature setting. My new oven maxes out at 525 Fahrenheit, so that's the temperature I bake pizza at (previous oven at 550F). Preheat for at least 45 minutes.
Have a sheet of parchment paper ready for each pizza you're making. Also, have a pizza peel or sheet pan standing by to slide the shaped and topped dough on for transferring the unbaked pizza to the oven and onto preheated pan and/or baking stone.
Prepare Toppings: Just before getting ready to shape the final dough, gather and prepare all your ingredients, chopping small or slicing thin.

Let's Make Pizza!

Shape the Pizza Dough (see VIDEO below):
Gently nudge the dough out of the proofing vessel and onto a floured surface trying to keep it in a round as best you can. Flour the top and edges of the dough generously. If it's sticking to anything, sprinkle a bit more flour.
a. Dimple the dough using your fingertips on both hands gently pressing down to the surface of the board (think focaccia) 4-5 times. Avoid the outer 1/4 inch – 1/2 inch (.63 cm – 1.27 cm) of the dough – this is your crust edge.
b. Using the tips of your fingers just inside of the edge work the dough all the way around the edge while the dough hangs gently, touching the work surface.
c. Using the palm of your hands, toss the dimpled dough between your hands, back and fourth a few times. The dough will continue stretching. Place the dough on the work surface and observe its shape, gently tugging edges that need it, to form a circle.
d. Pick the dough up and place it on the back of your fisted and floured hands, gently pulling and stretching the dough while moving your hands to transfer the points of contact with the dough. Shape into a disc shape, taking care not to rip the dough. Place back down on your floured surface. Is the shape how you like it? If not give it a few stretches again using the back of your hands until you're happy with the shape.
The dough should measure about 11 inches (28cm). Don't worry if it's not perfectly round – a rectangle or irregular shape works too!
If you feel the dough is tight, place it on the work surface and let it rest for about 5 minutes before you attempt shaping again. It will relax as it rests. If making two pizzas, shape them both, one after another.
Transfer each pizza round to a piece of parchment paper and if desired, trim the edges of the parchment flush with the pizza dough, leaving an overhang to act as a handle where needed.
Note that parchment paper is generally rated for use under 500 Fahrenheit. So at 550 Fahrenheit, with overhang, the paper will char and become brittle.
Add the Toppings – less is more. See blog post for topping suggestions and a crispier option in the notes**

Bake the Pizza:

Working quickly (you don’t want the raw dough with the toppings to hang out too long), transfer the pizza onto a pizza peel or the back of a sheet pan using the parchment as a handle if needed. Open the oven and pull out the rack with the preheated stone or pan. Slide the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone and/or pan using the parchment as a handle. Be careful as the oven is HOT! Repeat with the second pizza if making two.
Bake the assembled pizza(s) at 500 – 550 Fahrenheit for 7-10 minutes OR until the dough is golden brown with some charring, the cheese has melted and sauce is bubbly. The hotter the oven, the quicker the bake, so keep an eye on it!
Remove the pizza(s) from the oven and allow to rest for five minutes. Cut into 8 equal pieces each and enjoy!

Store Leftover Pizza:

Store pizza leftovers in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat at 350F for about 10 minutes.

Video

Notes

*Refrigerator Proof: If the shaped dough will be going in the fridge, there’s no need to warm the water before mixing. Simply use tap/room temperature water to mix the dough. After shaping the dough, you can pop it in the fridge for up to three days. Remember that it’s still rising as it sets in the fridge, but at a much slower rate. Set the dough in its lidded proofing vessel on the bottom shelf if you can.

Two to three hours before you’re ready to make pizza, pull the dough out of the refrigerator and set at room temperature so the dough can finish rising and/or warm up to room temperature (this at a kitchen temperature of 68F). The longer the dough has been in the refrigerator, the shorter the proof time at room temperature. Trying to shape pizza with cold dough is frustrating and results in a lackluster crust, so make sure you give it time to warm up to room temperature and finish rising.

**Hydration: Flour can vary slightly in moisture content from bag to bag and brand to brand. Local humidity also plays a role in flour moisture. If the dough feels too dry when mixing, add a few teaspoons of water (one tsp at a time). Too wet? Add a sprinkle of flour (a little goes a long way!). As written, this recipe produces a soft, chewy crust with crispy edges. For a crisper crust, you can reduce the water just a bit. A Tablespoon or two makes a difference. Play with the hydration until you find your pizza bliss!

In baking, weighing ingredients is important for an optimal outcome. If you feel you’ll be baking regularly, I recommend investing in a digital kitchen scale.

Estimated nutrition below is for crust only. Toppings are extra!

Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.

Made It? Leave a comment below! The most helpful comment may include recipe rating, feedback, any modifications and/or helping other commenters. On Instagram? Take a snap of your make and share, tagging @VanillaAndBean #VanillaAndBean!

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