The Easiest Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough (That Never Fails)

If you’re new to the sourdough world and don’t know what to do with it, or you’ve been at it for awhile and need new inspiration, this sourdough discard pizza dough recipe is just the ticket! Now, I know what you are thinking, “this is going to be too much work, why not just order pizza?” That is a valid question and statement. However, I’m here to tell you this is quick and painless. Whether it’s for health reasons or you just want to be fancy for a night, this sourdough discard pizza dough recipe truly never fails and is super easy!

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What is Sourdough Discard?

Sourdough discard is just your starter that you haven’t fed in awhile. Often times people have too much in their jar before they want to feed it and will “discard” it or throw it away. (Hence the name) There are a million and one ways to use discard if you look it up on pinterest, but they all honestly seem really time consuming. Homemade pizza dough is by far my favorite way to use discard without just dumping it in the trash.

If you’re new to sourdough or want more recipes you check them out HERE!

Will the Sourdough Pizza Dough Still Rise if it Hasn’t Been Fed?

A lot of people ask me if the dough will still rise and have a nice crust if the starter hasn’t been fed prior to making the dough. Yes, it will! It turns out so so good. Crisp edges and soft chewy middle.

Why Make Homemade Pizza Crust?

Before I had made my own pizza crust I always thought it would be a lot of work and never tried it. We were having friends over (who were excellent cooks) and I wanted to whip something out that would maybe impress them and be good enough that all our kids would eat.

I decided to try homemade pizza crust with my sourdough discard and never looked back. It was so easy and so fun. I let everyone make their own pizzas (which the kids loved) and it not only impressed them it gave us an activity to do while everyone hung out and chatted. This has now become one my favorite go-tos when having friends over, especially with kids!

Making your own dough is also one of the healthier ways of eating pizza. After I learned everything that normal goes into normal pizza crust (and it a lot) it made me want find a better alternative for my family without sacrificing eating pizza. Sourdough has so many cool properties to including it being lower glycemic, higher in protein, and great for people with gluten sensitivity.

Freshly baked pizzas with melted cheese on a kitchen counter, ideal for foodies.

Ingredients for Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough

1 cup of sourdough discard
2 cups of unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup of warm water
1 tsp of salt
1 Tbsp of olive oil

Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl. I prefer to use a mixer but you do it by hand. Knead 2-3 minutes until fully mixed together, but don’t over mix. Place in a bowl you’ve lined with olive oil and let rise 2-12 hours.

I’ve done this many ways and it truly turns out great either way. If you have time to let it rise for a long time, do that, if not place it in a warm spot for 2 hours and call it a day!

Top view of dough in a mixer bowl ready for baking preparation.

Cooking and Topping the Sourdough Pizza Dough

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and roll your dough out. If I am doing personal size I typically do a ball about the size of my fist or a little smaller. Roll it thinner than you think, it’ll puff up! I personally par-bake mine about 8 min to get them cooked up a bit and then add my pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings. You can add directly to the dough before baking, but I think it makes it a little more soggy.

After you bake for 8-10 minutes pull it out and put all the topping on. Pop it back in and bake for another 10-15 minutes depending on how crispy you like your crust and the cheese is fully melted. Pull it out, cut it, and enjoy! I hope your family loves this recipe as much as ours has!

Homemade Pizza Topping Ideas

Classic
Mozzarella
Pizza sauce
Pepperoni
Supreme
Sausage
Peppers
Onions
Mushrooms
Simple
Mozzarella
Parmesan
Fresh basil
Kid-Friendly
Cheese
Pepperoni
Ham and pineapple