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This Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough is quick and easy, and bakes up perfectly crisp and chewy. It is just like my Sourdough Pizza Dough, but made with instant yeast and sourdough discard, so it rises in just 45 minutes. Enjoy pizza night without the wait!
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As much as I love naturally leavened recipes, sometimes I just need something super quick and last-minute, which is why hybrid recipes like my Quick Sourdough Discard Dinner Rolls that only need one, one-hour rise and soft and fluffy Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread are so great. This Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough gives you the delicious sourdough flavor from the sourdough discard while the yeast helps it rise fast, so you can have dinner on the table in no time!
If you love pizza, don’t miss my Pepperoni and Cheese Sourdough Bread and Margherita Pizza Sourdough Focaccia, which uses marinara sauce in place of water in the dough for delicious flavor.
Why you will love this recipe
- 45-minute rise – Like my Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites, this recipe uses instant yeast for a super quick rise time.
- Crisp and chewy – This Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough bakes up into the perfect texture, crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle, no soggy bottoms here.
- Easy dinner- This recipe makes four 12-inch pizzas in under an hour, which makes it great for family pizza night and allows you to try out different toppings. If you need more dinner ideas try my Sourdough Chicken Pot Pie.
Important Ingredients and Substitutions
- Sourdough discard – Use room temperature sourdough discard to help speed up the rise time. You can use cold discard, but it will take longer to rise.
- Instant yeast – Like my Sourdough Discard Burger Buns and Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls, this recipe uses instant yeast for a quick rise time. You can also use active dry yeast, but be sure to read the instructions on the yeast to ensure you activate the yeast properly before adding it to the dough.
- Bread flour – I use bread flour for this recipe, but you can also swap for pizza flour or all-purpose flour, you may just need to add extra flour.
- Honey – You can use the same amount of granulated sugar in place of honey in this recipe or remove it altogether.
- Olive oil – You can replace this with any type of oil.
- Cornmeal- You will use a little bit of cornmeal when shaping the dough. If you don’t have cornmeal, you can use more flour, although the cornmeal adds flavor and texture.
See all the ingredients and amounts in the recipe card below.
Instructions to make Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough
Step 1 – Mix dough
Add all of the ingredients to a bowl of a stand mixer and knead with the dough hook attachment for about 8 minutes. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl. If it is not add a little bit more flour. Alternatively, you can mix the dough by hand in a large mixing bowl and then knead for 8-10 minutes on a lightly floured surface until it is soft and forms a smooth ball.
Step 2 – Rise
Cover and let the dough rise for about 45 minutes at 80°F or until doubled in size.
Step 3 – Divide
After the dough has doubled, punch it down, sprinkle the counter with cornmeal or flour, and turn the dough out onto the counter. Divide the dough into 4 dough balls.
During that time, preheat the oven to 450°F with a baking steel, pizza stone, or heavy-duty baking pan.
If you are not ready to bake the pizza, you can wrap the dough balls and place them in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Step 4 – Shape
Begin by dimpling the outside of the dough in a circle, leaving about 1/2 inch for the crust. Then continue dimpling in a circle towards the center.
Step 5 – Shape
Put the dough over your knuckles and gently stretch it out. You want to get it thin as possible without tearing until it is about a 12 inch round. Make sure there is enough flour or cornmeal down that the dough does not stick to the counter. Place on a piece of parchment paper.
Step 6 – Add toppings
Add toppings and cheese of choice. Be sure only to add about 2-3 Tablespoons of pizza sauce to the top. Too much sauce will make it soggy. Using a pizza peel or non-edge pan transfer the parchment paper onto the hot baking steel.
Step 7 – Bake
Bake at 450°F for about 9-11 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven, slice and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Use a baking steel to help get an even bake and crispy crust on the pizza.
- Only use 2-3 Tablespoons of pizza sauce. If you use too much, you will make the pizza soggy.
- To have a 45-minute rise, keep your dough at 80°F. Place the dough in a draft-free warm spot like the oven, microwave, or near a vent. You can also use a temperature-regulated dough mat (use code country10 for 10% off) or proofing box to keep it warm.
- Warm your water to 120°F and use room temperature sourdough discard. Using cold ingredients will slow down the rise time.
Storage Instructions
The raw pizza dough balls can be placed in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Just keep in mind it will continue to grow the longer it sits, so store it in a container that will account for the size.
You can also freeze the dough balls for up to 2 months. To freeze, wrap the dough balls in plastic wrap and add to a freezer-safe container. When you are ready to use them, let the dough balls thaw on the counter or fridge, and then shape the dough and bake as instructed.
Recipe FAQ
A baking steel or pizza stone retains a high heat and an even heat distribution, which ensures an even bake and a crisp crust. If you do not have one, you can use a heavy-duty pan instead, but the crust may not be as crispy.
Yes! To freeze, wrap the dough balls in plastic wrap and add them to a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
If you want to make sourdough pizza dough without yeast, I recommend following the instructions for my sourdough pizza dough with active sourdough starter.
Yes, although you may need to add a little extra flour to the dough if your dough is super sticky.
More sourdough dinner recipes
Sourdough Discard Recipes
Baked Sourdough Mac and Cheese (creamy & cheesy)
Sourdough Discard Recipes
Sourdough Chicken Pot Pie with Sourdough Biscuits
Same Day Sourdough Recipes
Buttery Garlic Sourdough Naan Bread
Soft Sourdough Bread Recipes
Sourdough Garlic Bread (Ready in 20 minutes!)
Tried this Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough or another recipe from the site? I’d love to hear about it! Drop a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments—can’t wait to see what you’re baking!
Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough
Equipment
Ingredients
- 350 grams water, heated to 120℉, 1½ cups
- 150 grams sourdough discard, room temperature, ⅔ cup
- 20 grams honey, 1 Tablespoon
- 30 grams olive oil, 2 Tablespoons
- 625 grams bread flour, 4½ cups + 1 tablespoon
- 10 grams salt, 1½ teaspoons
- 7 grams instant yeast, 1¾ teaspoons
Instructions
- Mix dough – Add all of the ingredients to a bowl of a stand mixer and knead with the dough hook attachment for about 8 minutes. 350 grams water, 150 grams sourdough discard, 20 grams honey, 30 grams olive oil, 625 grams bread flour, 10 grams salt, 7 grams instant yeastThe dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl. If it is not, add a little bit more flour. Alternatively, you can mix the dough by hand in a large mixing bowl and then knead for 8-10 minutes on a lightly floured surface until it is soft and forms a smooth ball.
- Rise – Let the dough rise for about 45 minutes at 80°F or until doubled in size.
- Divide – After the dough has doubled, punch it down and dump it onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 4 dough balls. During that time, preheat the oven to 450°F with a baking steel. If you are not ready to bake the pizza, you can add the dough balls to the fridge for 3-5 days.
- Shape –To shape the pizza dough, dust in cornmeal, or if you don’t have cornmeal, you can use more flour. Begin by dimpling the outside of the dough in a circle leaving about 1/2 inch for the crust. Then continue dimpling in a circle towards the center.
- Shape – Put the dough over your knuckles and gently stretch it out. You want to get it thin as possible without tearing until it is about a 12 inch round. Make sure there is enough flour or cornmeal down that the dough does not stick to the counter. Place on a piece of parchment paper.
- Add toppings – Add toppings and cheese of choice. Be sure only to add about 2-3 Tablespoons of pizza sauce to the top. Too much sauce will make it soggy. Using a no-edge sheet pan or pizza peel, place the parchment paper onto the hot baking steel.
- Bake – Bake at 450°F for about 9-11 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven, slice and enjoy!
Notes
- Use a baking steel to help get an even bake and crispy crust on the pizza.
- Only use 2-3 Tablespoons of pizza sauce. If you use too much, you will make the pizza soggy.
- To have a 45-minute rise, keep your dough at 80°F. Place the dough in a draft-free warm spot like the oven, microwave, or near a vent. You can also use a temperature-regulated dough mat (use code country10 for 10% off) or proofing box to keep it warm.
- Warm your water to 120°F and use room temperature sourdough discard. Using cold ingredients will slow down the rise time.
- The raw pizza dough balls can be placed in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Just keep in mind it will continue to grow the longer it sits, so store it in a container that will account for the size.
- You can also freeze the dough balls for up to 2 months. To freeze, wrap the dough balls in plastic wrap and add to a freezer-safe container. When you are ready to use them, let the dough balls thaw on the counter or fridge, and then shape the dough and bake as instructed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I can’t wait to try tonight! I do have a question, have you tried par-baking them and then freezing? Thanks so much!!
This recipe is so delicious! It’s great for a quick, last-minute dinner with pizzas ready in just over an hour