Quick and Easy Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough Recipe

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This simple sourdough discard pizza dough can be made in under one hour making it the perfect choice for when hunger strikes. With a delightfully tangy flavor and a nice chewy texture this will quickly become your favorite quick pizza crust recipe!

This sourdough pizza dough recipe is a “cheater” sourdough recipe using both yeast and sourdough discard for the perfect combination of the classic sourdough flavor and incredibly fast rise time. This pizza dough uses sourdough discard, so it’s a great way to use up extra sourdough starter!

This pizza recipe makes for a thicker crust that is absolutely delicious and one of our favorite ways to make homemade pizza on busy weeknights!

Why You Should Make Homemade Sourdough Pizza Crust: 

Pizza dough tastes so much better homemade but many don’t bother with making homemade pizza because they don’t have any special equipment such as a pizza peel or pizza oven and often are running low on time to let traditional dough rise.

This thick crust pizza recipe doesn’t require any special equipment, bakes in your home oven AND cuts the rise time down to only 30 minutes, meaning you can have pizza night with all of your favorite toppings any day of the week!

Why this Pizza Crust Uses Sourdough Discard:

What makes every single recipe better? Sourdough. The classic sweet and sour tang of sourdough improves the flavor of whatever it is used in.

Pizza crust is no exception. However, just like everything wonderful, there are downsides. Sourdough, while absolutely delicious, is a labor of love and patience.

The quintessential flavor of sourdough comes from the long fermentation it undergoes during the bulk fermenting process.

In today’s fast paced society, sourdough often gets shuffled to the side for quicker grab and go options. Friends, it does not have to be this way.

That is why I use both yeast and sourdough discard in this recipe. While it might aggravate sourdough purists, this “cheater” sourdough recipe is attainable for all people, no matter how busy your schedule is.

With this easy sourdough discard pizza crust you can make thick crust sourdough pizza in under 1 hour!

What is Sourdough?

If you do not have an active starter you may be wondering what sourdough is. Sourdough bread refers to a bread product (artisan loaf, crackers, tortillas etc.) that uses a sourdough starter to leaven the dough instead of commercial yeast.

A sourdough starter is a mixture of equal parts flour and water that has been fermented and includes wild yeast from the environment. 

I have several articles about sourdough on my blog, but to sum it up quickly- to begin a sourdough starter water and flour are mixed together and allowed to sit loosely covered on the counter so it can begin collecting wild yeast from the air and the wild yeast present in the flour.

After several days of feeding and discarding, wild yeast will colonize the flour and water mixture and begin to feed on the grain.

This process is called fermentation. The fermentation process makes the grain easier to digest for most people.

When sourdough starter is used to leaven a traditional loaf of bread the starter is mixed with flour, water, and salt and left to “bulk ferment” at room temperature for several hours or overnight. 

After this room temperature bulk ferment, some people choose to continue letting the dough ferment in the refrigerator for additional digestion benefits. Better digestion is the reason most people turn to baking with sourdough. 

Because this pizza recipe uses commercial yeast for a super quick rise time and only incorporates sourdough starter for the flavor, this recipe doesn’t have those same gut health benefits.

However you can long ferment this recipe without the commercial yeast if you are interested in making the grains more digestible! 

How to Long Ferment this Pizza Dough Recipe: 

If you want to reap those long fermentation health benefits, you can skip the commercial yeast all together in this recipe! Be sure to use active bubbly starter instead of unfed discard and mix up the dough as normal.

Allow the dough to sit on the counter all day (at least 8 hours) and then bake as normal or after the 8 hour rise time, pop the dough into the fridge for up to 3 days.

Allow the dough to come up to room temperature and then roll it out, add your pizza sauce and favorite toppings and bake like normal for delicious pizza that is also good for your gut! 

I love using all kinds of long fermented sourdough recipes in my kitchen for their digestion benefits. My recipes for sourdough tortillas, sourdough bagels and sourdough pie crust can all be long fermented to create delicious, homemade, healthier swaps for your favorite bread products!

How to Make Fast Sourdough Pizza: 

Dough Ingredients: 

• 2 1/4 tsp Instant Yeast
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 2-3 tsp honey
• 2 tbsp yellow cornmeal
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 3/4 cup bread flour
• 1 cup sourdough discard

INSTRUCTIONS:

First, bloom the yeast in warm water by lightly mixing the yeast into the warm water. The water should be warm to the touch but not hot. After a few minutes the yeast should look bubbly.

Next, mix in the sourdough discard, honey, salt, and oil. Mix until just combined. 

Then add in the rest of the dry ingredients. Add the flour and cornmeal to the mixer and mix until a shaggy dough forms. 

Then using a dough hook, knead the dough for 8-10 minutes in the stand mixer. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl and be smooth to the touch and feel firm when it is done kneading.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rise about 20-30 minutes.

While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 550 degrees with a pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven. It’s imperative the pizza stone be piping hot when we place the crust on it so that the pizza crust bakes evenly on the bottom.

For smaller pizzas, divide the dough into two dough balls. If you want one large pizza, skip this step.

Roll out the crusts to your desired shape and thickness using a rolling pin or your hands.

Remember that the dough will continue to rise while it bakes, so don’t make your crust too thick. I like a thicker crust so I roll mine out to around 1-1.5 inches. 

Prepare a piece of parchment paper by sprinkling a tablespoon of cornmeal on it.

Place the rolled out dough on to a piece of parchment paper.

Add pizza sauce, any favorite pizza toppings and cheeses. Mozzarella cheese melts beautifully for a really cheesy pizza.

Take out the preheated pizza stone carefully with oven mitts.

Very carefully slide the parchment paper onto the hot pizza stone and bake for 8-12 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and cooked through.

Printable Recipe:

​​How to Get Perfect Homemade Pizza Without a Pizza Oven:

To get the perfect crispy crust bottom and pillowy soft inside, you don’t need to have a fancy wood-fired outdoor pizza oven. You can bake delicious, restaurant quality pizza right in your oven at home! 

There are two keys to getting the best results when baking pizza at home: Baking at HIGH HEAT (550 degrees for this sourdough discard pizza crust recipe) AND pre-heating your pizza stone! These two steps can NOT be skipped if you want the perfect pizza crust for homemade pizza night! 

Preheating the pizza stone (or sheet pan) before placing the pizza dough on top makes sure the bottom of the crust crisps up beautifully while baking the pizza at a high heat lets the inside of the crust remain soft and pillowy. 

This combo of high heat and a preheated stone gives your homemade pizza the perfect texture! Your family will swear you ordered take out if you serve up this delicious recipe baked to perfection! 

Best Homemade Sourdough Pizza Toppings: 

Savory Toppings:

• Fresh Basil
  This fragrant, aromatic herb that adds a fresh burst of flavor to any pizza. Its slight pepperiness and sweet notes perfectly complement the tangy sourdough base.
• Fresh Mozzarella
  This soft, creamy cheese is a pizza essential, offering a mild, milky flavor that melts beautifully into the crust, creating a rich and smooth texture.
• Sausage
  Whether it’s spicy Italian sausage or mild breakfast sausage, crumbled sausage adds a hearty, savory element with a slight kick, enhancing the flavor of your pizza.
• Caramelized Onions
  Sweet and savory, caramelized onions add depth and richness to your pizza, balancing out the tang of the sourdough and the sharpness of the mozzarella.

Breakfast Pizza Toppings:

• Sausage
  A classic breakfast topping, crumbled or sliced sausage brings a hearty, savory punch that pairs wonderfully with the other breakfast ingredients.
• Eggs
  Crack an egg or two directly onto your pizza before baking for a rich, creamy texture. The yolk adds a delicious runny element that’s perfect with savory toppings.
• Gravy
  A creamy sausage or country gravy spread as the base sauce adds a comforting, rich layer of flavor, turning your pizza into a breakfast delight.
• Cheddar Cheese
  Sharp and tangy, cheddar cheese adds a bold flavor and smooth melt that complements both the eggs and sausage, creating a balanced taste.

Dessert Pizza Toppings:

• Cinnamon Sugar Apples
  Sliced apples coated in cinnamon and sugar bring a warm, spiced sweetness to your dessert pizza, adding a comforting flavor that’s perfect with a sourdough crust.
• Cream Cheese
  A rich and tangy cream cheese drizzle or spread provides a luscious base, adding creaminess and balancing the sweetness of other toppings.
• Chocolate Chips
  Melty pockets of chocolate throughout the pizza create bursts of sweetness, making every bite indulgent and satisfying. Combine with marshmallows to make a S’mores dessert pizza.
• Toffee Sauce
  Drizzling sweet, buttery toffee sauce over your dessert pizza adds a rich caramelized flavor that enhances the sweetness of the fruits and chocolate.

Other Ways to Use Pizza Dough:

Besides breakfast pizza and dessert pizza, you can use this perfect recipe to make several more delights!   

• Calzones: Roll out the pizza dough into 4 equal circles and stuff the calzones with your choice of favorite pizza toppings such as: pizza sauce, cheese, herbs, pepperoni or sausage, and your favorite vegetables! Fold over the dough and seal the edges. Bake and enjoy! 
• Soft Breadsticks: Divide the dough into 8-12 sections and roll into long ropes. Melt butter, garlic, and italian herbs in a small bowl. Brush the breadsticks with half of the butter mixture and bake. When done, brush on remaining garlic butter and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve warm with marinara sauce.

Step by Step Video Tutorial: 

In this video I show how to can your own pizza sauce as well as how I make sourdough pizza. Use the chapters in the video description to skip to the pizza tutorial.