Pepperoni and Cheese Sourdough Bread

Round loaf of pepperoni and mozzarella sourdough bread on a round wooden board with pepperonis and shredded mozzarella next to it.

4.56 from 9 votes

This loaf is everything you love about pizza: cheesy, loaded with pepperonis, and full of flavor. It's crunchy on the outside and soft and flavorful on the inside. Delicious with a side of marinara sauce or by itself.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Proofing Times6

Total Time7

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Author: Emily Christensen

Equipment

Ingredients

Feed Sourdough Starter

50 grams active sourdough starter ¼ cup
50 grams all-purpose or bread flour ⅓ cup
50 grams warm water ¼ cup

Sourdough Bread

350 grams water 1½ cups
150 grams sourdough starter, doubled in size and bubbly ⅔ cup
4 grams red pepper flakes 2 teaspoons
10 grams salt ½ Tablespoon
500 grams bread flour 3½ cups
150 grams mozzarella cheese 1⅓ cup
160 grams pepperoni slices 75-85 slices

Instructions

Feed your sourdough starter: About 4 hours before making the loaf, build a levain or feed your sourdough starter at a 1:1:1 ratio (5o grams sourdough starter: 50 grams flour: 50 grams water). Cover and let it rest at 77–80°F until bubbly and doubled in size.
50 grams active sourdough starter, 50 grams all-purpose or bread flour, 50 grams warm water
If you don’t have extra starter, add an extra 5–10 grams to each portion (starter, flour, and water) so you have enough to bake with and still keep your starter going.
Skip this step if your starter is already activated and ready to bake with.
Note: If you want to start the loaf in the morning, you can feed your starter a 1:5:5 ratio (15 grams active sourdough starter, 75 grams flour, 75 grams water) the night before and leave it covered for about 10 hours at 70-72℉.
Mix the dough: With a danish dough whisk, hands, or large spoon mix together active starter, water, red pepper flakes and salt in a 2-quart container with straight sides or a medium clear bowl. If you prefer a more mild flavor use italian seasoning in place of red pepper flakes.
Add the flour and mix until the dough is shaggy and the flour is incorporated. Cover with a lid or dinner plate so the dough doesn't dry out and let sit for 30 minutes in a a warm spot.
For a similar timeline as the sample schedule, keep the dough temperature at 75℉.
350 grams water, 150 grams sourdough starter, doubled in size and bubbly, 4 grams red pepper flakes, 10 grams salt, 500 grams bread flour
Prep the mix-ins: Shred the mozzarella cheese and dice the pepperonis into quarters. If the pepperonis are greasy, pat them dry with a paper towel to remove excess grease.
150 grams mozzarella cheese, 160 grams pepperoni slices
Stretch and folds: Perform 3 sets of stretch and folds with a 30-minute rest in between each set. To stretch and fold the dough, grab one side with a damp hand and gently shimmy the dough up, and then fold it on top of itself. Repeat this 3 more times, rotating the bowl 90 degrees each time. Cover and keep the dough warm between each set.
During the second set, incorporate the pepperoni and mozzarella cheese.
First rise: After the stretch and folds, let the dough continue to rise until the dough is jiggly, domed on top, bubbly on the sides, and risen 50%. If it does not show these signs, continue to let the dough rise until it does.
At a dough temperature of 75ºF, my dough is ready in about 4 - 4.5 hours from the time it is mixed.
Shape: Turn the dough out onto an unfloured surface and gently stretch it into a thick rectangle. Begin shaping by folding the top edge down toward the center like an envelope, pulling gently to build tension. Next, lift the top two corners and fold them toward the center, slightly overlapping, then repeat with the bottom two corners. Starting from one side, roll the dough over itself to form a ball, keeping the smooth side on top. Cup your hands around the dough and gently rotate it counter-clockwise toward you to tighten the surface and create a smooth, round shape.
Second rise:
Option 1 same-day method: Let the dough rest on the counter for 1–2 hours covered at 75°F.
To check for readiness, perform the poke test: gently press the dough with a lightly floured finger. If the indentation slowly springs back, it’s properly proofed and ready to bake. If it bounces back right away, it needs more time. If the indentation doesn’t spring back at all, the dough is overproofed and should be baked right away.
Once the dough is ready, place it in the freezer for 20-30 minutes before baking.
Option 2 overnight method: Place the dough in the fridge covered overnight for 8-12 hours. Bake the dough directly from the fridge.
Preheat oven: Place the dutch oven in the oven and preheat at 450℉. To prevent the bottom of the loaf from burning, place a heavy-duty baking sheet on the rack below.
Score: Flip the bread onto a silicone bread sling or parchment paper. With a bread lame or sharp knife, score an “X” on the top of the dough about ¼ inch deep.
Bake: Transfer the dough to the hot Dutch oven. Bake covered for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 18-20 minutes. The bread is done when the internal temperature reaches 205°F.
Let the bread cool on a cooling rack. To ensure the loaf is fully baked through, wait at least 2 hours before cutting. Or if you don't mind if the texture is slightly gummy, I love cutting my bread warm after about 30 minutes.

Notes

For best results, use the gram measurements instead of cups, as it will be much more accurate.
See the sample baking schedules in the post.
Pepperoni grease: Depending on the brand, some pepperoni can be greasier than others. If your pepperoni looks oily, pat it dry with a paper towel before adding it to the dough to prevent excess grease in the loaf.
Watch the dough, not the clock: Temperature and starter activity can affect how quickly the dough ferments. Use the suggested timeline as a guide, but rely on visual cues from the dough rather than strictly following the clock.
Use a healthy starter: A strong, healthy starter is key to a successful loaf. Feeding your starter regularly with higher ratio feedings helps keep it active and healthy to leaven your dough.
Use damp hands: When working with the dough, lightly dampen your hands with water. This helps prevent sticking and makes stretching and folding the dough much easier.
When slicing the cooled loaf, you may notice some spots that look slightly gummy. This is often just cheese that has hardened as it cooled. Once the bread is warmed, those spots will turn back into melty cheese.

This recipe was updated on 3/12/26. Here are the changes that were made:

The base recipe was updated from my overnight sourdough bread recipe to my same-day sourdough bread recipe, so the loaf can now be baked in one day. If you prefer an overnight schedule, you can still follow that base recipe instead.
1 teaspoon pizza seasoning and 2 teaspoons pizza flavor were removed from the dough since many readers had difficulty finding those ingredients. The recipe now uses 2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes for a little heat.
The mozzarella cheese was increased from 118 grams to 150 grams for an extra cheesy loaf.
The pepperoni and mozzarella are now added during the stretch and folds instead of right before shaping, making the process easier and helping distribute the fillings more evenly throughout the dough.

Nutrition