Quick Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough Recipe
Sourdough discard is one of those things people either waste constantly or hoard like it’s liquid gold.
I’m firmly in the “use it like crazy” camp, especially when it can turn into pizza dough that tastes better than most takeout. This recipe is fast, flexible, and doesn’t require you to act like a professional baker.
It gives you chewy edges, a crisp bottom, and that slight sourdough flavor that makes pizza instantly feel more homemade and legit. And yes, it works even if your discard has been sitting in the fridge for a while.
What Makes This Recipe Shine
This pizza dough works because it doesn’t pretend to be complicated. You’re not waiting 24 hours, you’re not babysitting a starter like it’s a newborn, and you’re not doing any weird “fold every 30 minutes” routine that makes pizza night feel like a part-time job. You mix, rest, shape, and bake. That’s the vibe.
The sourdough discard gives the dough a natural depth of flavor that regular quick yeast dough doesn’t have. It’s subtle, but it’s there, and once you taste it, you start noticing how flat most store-bought dough tastes. The discard also improves texture, making the crust chewier and slightly more tender without being bready.
I also love that this dough is forgiving. If you add a little too much flour, it still bakes up well. If you let it rest longer than planned, it doesn’t punish you for having a life. Some dough recipes act like if you blink wrong, your crust is ruined. This one doesn’t have that attitude.
Another reason it shines is versatility. You can make it thin and crispy, thick and chewy, or somewhere in between. It works for sheet pan pizza, round pizza, even mini personal pizzas if you want to portion it out. I’ve even used it for cheesy breadsticks when I didn’t feel like making an actual pizza.
And honestly, it just feels good using discard this way. Instead of tossing it out, you turn it into something that tastes like you put in way more effort than you actually did. That’s basically the dream recipe situation.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Sourdough discard (1 cup / 240g)
Use unfed discard straight from the fridge, but let it sit out 10 minutes if it’s ice-cold. - Warm water (1/2 cup / 120g)
Warm, not hot. If it feels like bath water, you’re good. - Instant yeast (2 teaspoons)
This makes it quick. You can use active dry yeast too, but give it a few extra minutes. - All-purpose flour (2 1/2 cups / 300g, plus extra for dusting)
Bread flour works too if you want extra chew. - Salt (1 1/2 teaspoons)
Don’t skip it unless you want bland pizza sadness. - Olive oil (2 tablespoons)
Helps with softness and gives that classic pizza flavor. - Sugar or honey (1 teaspoon)
Just a little boost for yeast and browning.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Mix the Wet Ingredients
Add your sourdough discard, warm water, olive oil, and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Stir it together until it looks smooth and creamy, like a slightly weird pancake batter. This helps the discard blend evenly so you don’t get random sour clumps later.
Sprinkle in the yeast and stir again. You don’t need to “proof” it like you’re making bread in 1995, but give it about a minute to wake up. You’ll usually see a few bubbles starting, and that’s a good sign.
Step 2: Add Flour and Salt
Add the flour and salt into the bowl, then stir with a spoon until it gets too thick to mix. At this stage, it will look shaggy and messy, and that’s exactly what you want. Pizza dough isn’t supposed to look pretty right away.
Once the spoon becomes useless, switch to using your hands. Press and fold the dough until it starts coming together into one rough ball. It might feel slightly sticky, but don’t panic and dump flour in too fast.
Step 3: Knead Until Smooth and Elastic
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 6 to 8 minutes. Push it away with the heel of your hand, fold it back, rotate, and repeat. You’ll feel it change from rough and sticky to smooth and stretchy.
If it sticks too much, sprinkle in a tiny bit of flour at a time. If it feels dry or stiff, wet your hands slightly instead of adding more water. That trick saves dough more often than people realize.
Step 4: Let the Dough Rise
Place the dough ball into a lightly oiled bowl and cover it with a towel or plastic wrap. Let it rise for about 60 to 90 minutes until it roughly doubles in size. If your kitchen is warm, it will rise faster, and if it’s cold, it will take longer.
This rise matters because it gives you airy structure and a better chew. The discard adds flavor, but yeast still needs time to build that pizza texture. When it’s ready, the dough should look puffy and soft, not dense and tight.
Step 5: Shape the Dough
Punch the dough down gently to release some air. Turn it onto a floured surface and start shaping it with your hands. Press from the center outward, leaving the edges slightly thicker if you want a crust rim.
If the dough keeps shrinking back, let it rest for 10 minutes and try again. That means the gluten is being stubborn, not that you did anything wrong. After resting, it stretches much easier and won’t fight you like an annoying rubber band.
Step 6: Prepare for Baking
Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C). If you have a pizza stone or steel, heat it in the oven while it preheats. If not, use a sheet pan and lightly oil it so the crust gets crispy.
Transfer your shaped dough onto parchment paper or your pan. Add sauce, cheese, and toppings, but don’t overload it like you’re building a pizza mountain. Too many toppings trap moisture and make the center soggy.
Step 7: Bake Until Golden and Bubbly
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the crust looks golden and the cheese is bubbling aggressively. If you want a darker crust, leave it in an extra 2 minutes. I personally like the bottom a little crisp and the edges slightly blistered.
Let the pizza rest for about 3 minutes before slicing. That short wait keeps the cheese from sliding off and gives the crust a chance to set. Then slice it up and pretend you didn’t just make restaurant-level pizza at home.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
One of the biggest mistakes is adding too much flour too early. People feel a sticky dough and instantly panic, then dump flour until it turns into a dry brick. This dough should feel slightly tacky before rising, and that’s normal.
Another common issue is rushing the rise time. Yes, it’s a “quick” dough, but quick doesn’t mean zero patience. If you bake it before it has puffed up properly, you’ll end up with a crust that tastes fine but feels dense and tough.
A lot of people also roll the dough too aggressively with a rolling pin. You can use one, but if you press out all the air, the crust loses that light chew and turns into more of a cracker base. Hand-stretching keeps more air pockets, and those bubbles are basically the best part.
Temperature mistakes happen constantly too. If your oven isn’t hot enough, your dough dries out before it crisps. Pizza needs heat, and a lukewarm oven just gives you sad, pale crust. Preheat fully and don’t skip that step, even if you’re hungry.
Finally, don’t overload toppings. I know it’s tempting, because more toppings sounds better in theory. In reality, too much sauce and too much cheese makes the dough struggle to cook through, and you end up with a soggy middle and burnt edges.
Alternatives & Substitutions
If you want a chewier crust, swap half the all-purpose flour with bread flour. Bread flour gives a stronger bite, which is great if you like that classic pizzeria texture. I do this when I’m making a simple pepperoni pizza because it feels more “real.”
You can also skip the sugar if you want, but I wouldn’t. It’s not there to make the dough sweet, it’s there to help the yeast work faster and brown the crust better. If you’re out of sugar, honey works perfectly and adds a slight richness.
If you don’t want to use yeast, you technically can make a discard-only dough, but it won’t be quick. You’ll need several hours of fermentation, and the texture comes out different. For a weeknight pizza situation, yeast is your best friend.
For olive oil, you can substitute avocado oil or even melted butter. Olive oil gives the best pizza flavor, though, so I’d only switch if you’re in a pinch. Butter makes it slightly softer and more bread-like, which can actually be really good for pan pizza.
If you want to make it dairy-free, just use your favorite dairy-free cheese. The dough itself is naturally dairy-free, which is honestly convenient. I’ve made this with vegan mozzarella before, and it still came out satisfying, especially with roasted veggies.
You can also turn this dough into garlic knots. Just cut it into strips, tie little knots, bake them, and brush with garlic butter. That move makes you look way more skilled than you actually are, which is always a win.
FAQ
Can I use discard straight from the fridge?
Yes, and I do it all the time. Cold discard works fine as long as your water is warm enough to balance it out. If your discard is extremely cold, just let it sit on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes so it mixes easier.
What if my discard is very sour?
That’s not a problem, but it will affect the flavor. A very sour discard makes the crust taste tangier, which some people love and some people don’t. If yours smells aggressively sharp, balance it by adding a tiny bit more sugar.
Can I make this dough ahead of time?
Absolutely, and it actually gets better. After kneading, you can refrigerate the dough for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 to 45 minutes before shaping.
How do I make the crust extra crispy?
Bake it on a preheated pizza stone or steel if you can. If you don’t have one, use a metal sheet pan and preheat the pan in the oven first. Also keep the toppings light, because moisture is the enemy of crisp crust.
Can I freeze sourdough discard pizza dough?
Yes, and it freezes really well. After the first rise, punch it down, coat lightly in oil, and freeze it in a sealed bag. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then let it sit at room temp before shaping.
Why does my dough keep shrinking when I stretch it?
That means the gluten is tight and needs to relax. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes, then try again. It will stretch way easier after that little break.
Can I use this dough for thick pan pizza?
Yes, and it’s honestly one of my favorite ways to use it. Oil a cast iron skillet or sheet pan, press the dough in, and let it rest for 15 minutes before baking. You’ll get a thicker, fluffy crust with crispy edges that feels like a pizza shop style.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This sourdough discard pizza dough is the kind of recipe that makes you feel like you’re cheating the system. You’re using leftovers, you’re not waiting forever, and the crust still tastes like something you’d happily pay for.
Once you make this a couple times, you’ll stop seeing discard as “waste” and start seeing it as pizza fuel. And honestly, that’s the correct mindset.
