This post is all about making the best homemade sourdough pizza crust.

Once you start making pizza dough from scratch, it’s hard to go back to store-bought crust.

This homemade sourdough pizza crust is one of my favorite ways to turn a few basic pantry ingredients into an easy dinner everyone loves.

The crust is chewy on the inside, slightly crisp around the edges, and has just enough sourdough flavor without being overpowering.

And one of my favorite parts?

You don’t need commercial yeast.

Your active sourdough starter does all the work.

Top it with homemade pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and whatever toppings you have on hand for a simple from-scratch pizza night.

If you’re looking for an easy sourdough pizza dough recipe, this is a great one to start with.

Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Pizza Crust

There are plenty of reasons homemade pizza has become one of my favorite easy dinners.

This sourdough crust is:

• Made without commercial yeast
• Made with simple pantry ingredients
• Naturally fermented
• Easy to prepare ahead of time
• Chewy with crisp edges
• Freezer-friendly
• Less expensive than ordering pizza
• Easy to customize with whatever toppings you have
• A great way to use your sourdough starter

It’s also one of those recipes that gets easier every time you make it.

Your pizza doesn’t need to be perfectly round.

Your crust doesn’t need to look like it came from a restaurant.

That’s part of what makes homemade pizza so good.

Ingredients for Sourdough Pizza Dough

You only need a handful of ingredients.

Active Sourdough Starter

You’ll want a starter that has recently been fed and is active and bubbly.

If your starter reliably rises after feeding, you’re ready to make pizza.

All-Purpose Flour

Regular unbleached all-purpose flour works perfectly well.

You can also experiment with bread flour if you prefer a slightly chewier crust.

Warm Water

Use warm—not hot—water.

Hot water can damage the wild yeast in your starter.

Olive Oil

Olive oil adds flavor and helps create a tender dough that’s easy to work with.

Salt

Don’t skip the salt.

It makes a huge difference in the flavor of your pizza crust.

Honey

Honey is optional, but I like adding a small amount for flavor.

Sourdough Pizza Crust Ingredients

1 cup active sourdough starter

2½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

½ cup warm water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon honey, optional

1 teaspoon salt

Because flour absorbs water differently and sourdough starters can vary in consistency, you may need to add a little more flour or water.

The finished dough should be soft and slightly tacky but manageable—not soupy or extremely sticky.

How to Make Homemade Sourdough Pizza Crust

Step 1: Mix the Dough

Add the active sourdough starter, warm water, olive oil, and honey to a large mixing bowl.

Stir everything together.

Add the flour and salt.

Mix until everything comes together into a rough, shaggy dough.

If the dough seems extremely wet, add a little more flour.

If it seems unusually dry, add a small amount of water.

Sourdough recipes aren’t always about getting an exact texture from an exact measurement. You’ll get better at recognizing what your dough should feel like the more you make it.

Step 2: Knead the Dough

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface.

Knead for about 5–7 minutes, or until the dough becomes smoother and more elastic.

You can also knead the dough in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.

You’re looking for a soft dough that holds together well and has developed some elasticity.

Step 3: Let the Dough Ferment

Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl.

Cover it and allow it to ferment at room temperature until it looks noticeably puffy and has increased substantially in volume.

Depending on the strength of your starter and temperature of your kitchen, this could take roughly 4–8 hours.

A warm kitchen will move faster.

A cool kitchen will take longer.

I prefer watching the dough rather than relying entirely on the clock.

Can I Make Sourdough Pizza Dough Overnight?

Yes!

This is actually one of my favorite ways to make homemade pizza easier.

After the dough has begun fermenting, you can cover it and place it in the refrigerator for a longer cold fermentation.

The refrigerator slows everything down and allows you to work pizza night around your schedule instead of the other way around.

Cold fermentation can also develop more flavor in your dough.

When you’re ready to make pizza, remove the dough from the refrigerator and give it some time to warm up before shaping.

How to Make Sourdough Pizza

Step 1: Preheat Your Oven

Pizza loves heat.

Preheat your oven to 475–500°F, depending on what your oven and baking equipment can safely handle.

If you’re using a pizza stone or pizza steel, put it in the oven before preheating so it has plenty of time to get hot.

I like giving the oven at least 30–45 minutes to thoroughly preheat when I’m using a stone or steel.

That hot surface is what helps give homemade pizza a crisp bottom rather than a soft, doughy one.

Step 2: Divide the Dough

This recipe makes approximately two medium pizzas, depending on how thick you like your crust.

Divide the dough into two pieces.

Gently form each piece into a ball.

Let the dough relax for a few minutes if it keeps springing back while you’re trying to shape it.

Step 3: Shape the Pizza Crust

Place one dough ball on a lightly floured surface.

Use your hands to gently press the dough outward from the center.

I prefer using my hands rather than aggressively rolling it with a rolling pin because it helps preserve some of the air inside the dough.

Continue stretching until the crust reaches your desired size and thickness.

And don’t worry about making a perfect circle.

Rustic pizza tastes just as good.

Step 4: Add Your Pizza Sauce

Now for one of my favorite parts.

Spread a thin layer of pizza sauce over the crust, leaving a small border around the edge.

You can use your favorite homemade pizza sauce, or even better, pull a jar of homemade sauce straight from the pantry.

My home-canned marinara sauce works wonderfully as a simple pizza sauce and is one more reason I love keeping jars of it on the shelf.

It’s incredibly satisfying when dinner starts with sourdough starter on the counter and a jar you preserved yourself in the pantry.

Step 5: Add Your Toppings

Add shredded mozzarella and your favorite toppings.

Some of our favorites include:

• Pepperoni
• Italian sausage
• Mushrooms
• Bell peppers
• Onions
• Fresh basil
• Fresh mozzarella
• Parmesan
• Olives
• Jalapeños

This is also a great clean-out-the-refrigerator dinner.

A little leftover meat, a few vegetables, some cheese, and homemade sauce can turn into a really good pizza.

Just don’t overload the crust.

Too many wet toppings can make the center of your pizza soggy.

Step 6: Bake

Transfer the pizza to your hot stone, steel, or baking sheet.

Bake for approximately 8–12 minutes, depending on your oven and thickness of the crust.

You’ll know it’s ready when the cheese is bubbling and the crust is golden brown around the edges.

Keep an eye on it.

At 500°F, the difference between perfectly browned and overdone can happen quickly.

Step 7: Slice and Enjoy

Remove the pizza from the oven and let it sit for a minute or two.

Then slice and serve while it’s hot.

That’s it.

Homemade sourdough pizza night.

Do You Need a Pizza Stone?

No.

You can absolutely make sourdough pizza without one.

A regular baking sheet or cast iron skillet can work.

However, a pizza stone or pizza steel is one of those kitchen tools I think is worth buying if you make pizza regularly.

The intense heat underneath the dough helps create that crisp, browned bottom that’s harder to achieve on a regular baking sheet.

A pizza steel is particularly good at transferring heat quickly.

This would also be a natural place for an affiliate link if you have a pizza stone or steel you personally recommend.

How to Get a Crispy Sourdough Pizza Crust

There are a few simple things that make a big difference.

Get the Oven Really Hot

Don’t put your pizza into an oven that has barely reached temperature.

Give your oven—and especially your pizza stone or steel—time to heat thoroughly.

Don’t Use Too Much Sauce

More isn’t always better.

A thin layer is usually plenty.

Be Careful With Wet Toppings

Fresh mozzarella, mushrooms, vegetables, and some meats can release moisture while cooking.

Don’t pile too many wet ingredients onto your pizza.

Don’t Make the Center Too Thick

When shaping your dough, gently push some of the dough outward while leaving a slightly thicker edge.

Use a Preheated Surface

A hot pizza stone, pizza steel, or cast iron skillet helps the bottom begin cooking immediately.

Can You Make Sourdough Pizza Dough Ahead of Time?

Yes, and this is one of the reasons I love this recipe.

You can prepare the dough ahead of time and keep it covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready for pizza night.

The longer fermentation also gives the sourdough time to develop more flavor.

For the best results, I would generally use refrigerated dough within a few days.

Can You Freeze Sourdough Pizza Dough?

Yes.

This is a great recipe to double while you’re already making it.

After the dough has fermented, divide it into individual pizza portions.

Lightly coat each dough ball with olive oil and place it in a freezer-safe container or bag.

Freeze until you’re ready to use it.

Move the dough to the refrigerator the day before you plan to make pizza.

Then let it come closer to room temperature before shaping.

Having sourdough pizza dough in the freezer makes homemade pizza night almost as convenient as ordering takeout.

What Is the Best Flour for Sourdough Pizza?

I usually keep things simple and use unbleached all-purpose flour.

Bread flour is another great choice.

Because bread flour generally contains more protein, it can give you a chewier crust with a little more structure.

You can experiment with both and see which texture you prefer.

Active Starter vs. Sourdough Discard

This recipe is written for active sourdough starter.

That means starter that has been fed and is active enough to provide the leavening for your pizza dough.

There are plenty of great sourdough discard pizza recipes, but they often rely on another leavening method or are designed differently.

For this recipe, use active starter.

Why Make Pizza From Scratch?

I don’t make everything from scratch because I think every convenience food is terrible.

I do it because I’ve found that so many everyday foods are surprisingly simple to make at home.

Pizza is a perfect example.

Flour.

Water.

Sourdough starter.

Salt.

Olive oil.

A jar of homemade sauce.

Cheese.

A few toppings.

That’s really all you need.

And when you start combining skills—keeping a sourdough starter, preserving tomato sauce, growing a few herbs or vegetables—you realize how many meals you can make from ingredients you already have at home.

That’s the kind of from-scratch cooking I love most.

Not complicated.

Just useful.

Make It a Family Pizza Night

Homemade pizza is also one of the easiest meals to get everyone involved with.

Divide the dough into smaller portions and let everyone make their own pizza.

Set out little bowls of cheese and toppings.

Nobody cares if the pizzas are perfectly round.

In fact, that’s half the fun.

And it’s a pretty easy way to turn dinner into something everyone looks forward to.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why isn’t my sourdough pizza dough rising?

The most likely culprit is your starter.

Make sure your starter is active and reliably rising after feedings before using it to make the dough.

Temperature also matters. Fermentation takes considerably longer in a cool kitchen.

How long should sourdough pizza dough ferment?

It depends on your starter and room temperature.

At room temperature, expect approximately 4–8 hours, but watch the dough rather than the clock.

Can sourdough pizza dough ferment overnight?

Yes.

Refrigerating the dough is an easy way to extend fermentation and develop more flavor.

Why does my pizza dough keep shrinking when I stretch it?

The gluten probably needs to relax.

Stop stretching and let the dough rest for about 10–15 minutes before trying again.

Can I make this without a pizza stone?

Absolutely.

Use a baking sheet or cast iron skillet instead.

Can I freeze leftover pizza?

Yes.

Let the cooked pizza cool completely, then freeze individual slices.

It’s great for an easy lunch later.

A Simple From-Scratch Dinner Worth Learning

There is something really satisfying about making pizza completely from scratch.

Especially when the sourdough starter came from your own kitchen and the tomato sauce came from jars you preserved during tomato season.

It’s not complicated food.

It’s just homemade food.

And once you’ve made this sourdough pizza crust a few times, it becomes one of those recipes you don’t really have to think about anymore.

Start the dough.

Let it ferment.

Stretch it out.

Grab a jar of sauce.

Add whatever toppings you have.

And dinner is done.

Sometimes those are the recipes worth knowing best.