Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough

4.82 from 33 votes

This Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough requires no yeast and is ready the same day! It’s made with just 4 ingredients and uses nearly 2 cups of unfed starter for a tangy, flavorful pizza crust.

Course Bread

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 4 50

Cook Time 10

Total Time 5

Servings large pizza doughs

Calories 1264kcal

Author Ashley Petrie, RDN, LDN

Equipment

Ingredients

4 ⅛ cups (500 grams) bread flour
1 ¾ cups (400 grams) sourdough starter discard preferably "fresh" discard (less than 7-10 days old) or use active starter
1 ¼ cups (300 grams) warm water 80-90°F
3 ½ teaspoons (10 grams) Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt if using Morton's brand or table salt, reduce volume by half or measure by weight

Instructions

Mix Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour, warm water, sourdough starter discard, and kosher salt. Mix everything together until no dry flour remains and a cohesive dough forms. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
4 ⅛ cups (500 grams) bread flour, 1 ¾ cups (400 grams) sourdough starter discard, 1 ¼ cups (300 grams) warm water, 3 ½ teaspoons (10 grams) Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
Stretch & Folds: After 20 minutes, lightly wet your hands with water. Gently stretch one edge of the dough up and fold it over onto itself. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat, stretching and folding the dough a total of four times. After the fourth fold, flip the dough over so that the seam side is facing down. Cover the bowl again and let the dough rest for 15 minutes. Repeat the stretching and folding process for a total of 4-6 sets or until the dough appears smooth and feels elastic.
Bulk Fermentation: Cover the dough and allow it to rise in a warm environment (70-75°F) for about 2-4 hours. Note that it may take more or less time to rise depending on factors such as the warmth of your kitchen and the age of your discard. The dough should double in size and have noticeable gas bubbles forming on the surface. If your kitchen is cooler, consider placing the covered bowl inside an off oven with just the light on to provide gentle warmth.
Divide & Shape: Carefully turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Using a bench scraper, divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Shape each piece by gently pulling the dough into a rough rectangle. Then, fold the top edge of the rectangle down towards the center, pressing lightly to seal. Repeat this process with the bottom edge, folding it up towards the center and pressing lightly to seal. Next, fold the left and right sides of the rectangle towards the center, overlapping slightly, and press lightly to seal. Finally, flip the dough over so that the seam side is facing down, and use your hands to gently shape it into a smooth, round ball.
Proof: Place the dough balls on a lightly floured surface or parchment paper and cover them with plastic wrap. Let them rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before using them for pizza. Alternatively, transfer it to the refrigerator for up to 4 days for a more tangy flavor or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Stretch: To stretch the dough, take one of the proofed dough balls and place it on a floured surface or a piece of parchment paper. Dust your hands and the dough lightly with flour as needed to prevent sticking while you work. Gently press down about an inch from the edge of the dough with your fingertips to create a crust, working your way around the dough, to start stretching it into a round shape. Continue to stretch the dough by gently pressing and pulling the edges outward, rotating the dough as needed, until you've reached your desired size and thickness for the pizza crust. If the dough starts to resist stretching or springs back, let it rest for a few minutes and then continue stretching.
Top and bake: Add your favorite sauce, cheese, and toppings, then bake the pizza using your preferred method. See the notes below for suggested cooking methods.

Video

Notes

Measure ingredients by weight. For the most accurate and consistent results, measure your ingredients by weight using a food scale. If using measuring cups for flour, spoon it into the cup rather than scooping it from the container.
Flour for stretching. Lightly dust your hands, the dough, and your surface with flour as needed while shaping to avoid sticking. This helps keep the dough easy to work with and prevents tearing.
Storage: Store dough in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer.
Make Ahead: The dough develops more flavor the longer it sits in the refrigerator and can be made up to 4 days ahead.
Suggested Cooking Methods:
- Pizza Stone in the Oven- Preheat the oven with a pizza stone inside to 550°F. Build the pizza on a pizza peel and transfer it directly onto the hot pizza stone. Cook pizza for approximately 8-10 minutes.
- Sheet Pan in the Oven- Preheat oven to 500°F. Build pizza on the sheet pan, then transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven. Bake pizza for 15 minutes.
- Cast Iron Skillet (Oven)- Preheat the skillet to 450°F. Add butter, place the dough in the skillet, top it, and bake for 45 minutes until crispy. Check out my full sourdough pizza in a cast iron skillet recipe for more detailed instructions!
- Grill Pan on the Grill- Preheat grill to 500°F. Build pizza on a grill pan, then transfer the grill pan to the preheated grill. Turn down the middle burner to medium-low to prevent the bottom of the pizza from burning. Close the grill lid and cook for 8-10 minutes.
- Directly on the Grill

Nutrition

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