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sourdough discard pizza dough recipe baked pizza

Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough

A soft, fluffy, no-yeast pizza crust made with sourdough discard and buttermilk - ready same day or even better after an overnight cold ferment.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients
  

  • 250 g (2 cups) all purpose flour (or bread flour)
  • 80 g (⅓ cup) sourdough starter
  • 60 g (¼ cup) buttermilk (or kefir / plain yogurt)
  • 110 g (½ cup) water (adjust as needed)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Pizza stone, cast iron pan, or inverted baking sheet
  • parchment paper

Method
 

  1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sourdough discard, buttermilk, olive oil, salt, and honey.
  2. Add water gradually, a little at a time, mixing as you go. Stop when the dough is soft and slightly tacky but not sticky. You may not need all the water. Water should not be hotter than 110°F (43°C).
  3. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  4. Shape into a smooth ball: pull edges to center, flip seam-down, cup hands around dough and rotate clockwise to build tension. Place in a lightly oiled, covered bowl.
  5. Same day: rest at room temperature 30-60 minutes.
    Overnight: rest 1-2 hours, then refrigerate in a covered container for up to 48 hours.
  6. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) with a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet inside for at least 30 minutes. If using cold-fermented dough, remove from fridge 20-30 minutes before shaping.
  7. Dust parchment paper with fine semolina. Press dough out from the center with your fingertips into a circle. Fold the outer edge over itself to create a raised crust border. Brush with olive oil.
  8. Spread sauce (about ½ cup), then cheese and toppings (don't overload). For buffalo mozzarella, pre-bake the sauced crust for 5 minutes first, then add cheese and return to oven.
  9. Slide parchment onto the hot stone. Bake 12-15 minutes until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbling.
  10. Rest one minute before slicing. Finish with pesto, extra Parmesan, or fresh basil. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Fresh shredded cheese melts far better than pre-shredded (which contains anti-caking agents). Buy a block if you can.
  • If the dough springs back while shaping, cover and rest 5-10 more minutes - the gluten needs to relax.
  • No pizza stone? Preheat a heavy inverted baking sheet or cast iron pan instead.
  • Top with cashew pesto.