Sourdough Discard Pizza Crust Recipe with Active Dry Yeast

Pizza made on this sourdough discard crust has become a weekly dinner for our family, and I’m finally sharing photos and the recipe. This crust creates a bubbly, chewy pizza with crisp edges and great flavor. It’s simple to prepare and a wonderful way to use sourdough discard. Our favorite topping combination is mozzarella, pepperoni, bacon, and deli ham, but you can customize it however you like. Once you try this crust, you might skip takeout — it’s tastier, healthier, and cheaper when made at home.

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Sourdough Discard Pizza Crust with active dry yeast

Best Sourdough Discard Pizza Crust

This quick and easy sourdough discard pizza dough yields a bubbly crust with crisp edges and a satisfyingly chewy texture. It’s a reliable way to use up discard and makes an excellent homemade pizza crust.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Resting time 2 hours 10 minutes

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 16 slices

Equipment

Round pizza pans or baking sheet
Stand mixer (optional)
Measuring cups (prefer stainless steel)

Ingredients

3/4 cup warm water 105–110°F
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup sourdough discard about 150 g
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/4 cups bread flour may need slightly more or less

Garlic Butter Topping (optional):

1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 475°F

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the yeast into the warm water and let rest 10 minutes to activate. Stir in olive oil, sourdough discard, salt, and whole wheat flour.
Attach the bowl to the mixer and add 1 cup of bread flour. Mix on medium-low, adding more flour until the dough forms a soft, non-sticky ball—you may need more or less than 2 1/4 cups total. If necessary, knead by hand 5–10 minutes until smooth and pliable. Divide into two balls and place on lightly greased pizza pans or a baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm spot about 2 hours, until doubled.
During the last 15 minutes of rising, preheat the oven to 475°F. Transfer each dough ball to separate pans with the domed side down. Gently stretch the dough into rounds, leaving slightly ridged edges—use your hands rather than a rolling pin to preserve the gluten structure. Brush edges with garlic butter (reserve some) and add sauce and desired toppings.
Bake 15–20 minutes, rotating halfway, until toppings are bubbly and the bottoms are golden. If using a preheated pizza stone, bake 10–12 minutes and watch closely as the stone cooks the bottom faster. Remove from oven and brush remaining garlic butter on the crust edges. Let cool slightly, slice, and serve.

Notes

All-purpose flour can be used instead of bread flour, but the crust will be softer rather than chewy; you may need to adjust flour amounts. Add flour only until the dough stops sticking to the mixer bowl or your hands. Avoid over-flouring and overbaking to keep the crust tender and chewy.

See step-by-step photos in the post for guidance on shaping and baking.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it went!

Equipment needed for this sourdough discard pizza crust with active dry yeast:

Pizza pans or a rectangular baking sheet. A preheated pizza stone works too; see notes below about differences in results.
Stand mixer (optional). Mixing and kneading are easier with a mixer, but you can work the dough by hand.
Measuring cups (stainless steel preferred) for measuring discard, water, and flour.

Ingredients you will need for this sourdough discard pizza crust:

Warm water, active dry yeast, sourdough discard, olive oil, salt, whole wheat flour, and bread flour. Optional: butter and garlic powder for brushing the crust.

Toppings and sauce ideas:

Our go-to pizza: pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella, pepperoni, cubed deli ham, and crumbled bacon. Other ideas: Alfredo sauce with mozzarella and parmesan for a white pizza; ranch, shredded mozzarella, rotisserie chicken, and bacon for a chicken bacon ranch; ham and pineapple for Hawaiian; or a classic Margherita with sauce, fresh mozzarella, olive oil, salt, and basil.

Step 1–2:

Whisk yeast into warm water in the mixer bowl and let sit 10 minutes. Stir in olive oil, sourdough discard, salt, and whole wheat flour.
Add 1 cup bread flour and mix on medium-low, adding more until the dough forms a soft, non-sticky ball. Knead by hand 5–10 minutes if needed. Shape into two balls, place on greased pans, cover, and let rise about 2 hours until doubled.

Step 3: Preheat the oven during the last 15 minutes of rise time. Transfer dough to pizza pans with domed side down and gently shape into circles with slightly ridged edges. Brush with garlic butter (reserve some) and top with sauce and toppings.

Using a pizza stone vs. a baking sheet:

A heated pizza stone gives more rise and larger bubbles, but it cooks the bottom faster and can make the base crunchier. Baking on a pan or sheet produces a more evenly baked, slightly flatter crust. Try both to see which you prefer.

Step 4: Bake 15–20 minutes (10–12 minutes on a preheated stone), rotating halfway. When toppings are bubbly and the bottoms are golden, remove and brush remaining garlic butter on the edges. Let cool slightly, slice, and enjoy.

Storage:

This recipe makes two pizzas, perfect for two meals. Store leftovers in an airtight container and reheat in a skillet with a little butter for crisp, delicious slices. You can also freeze leftovers or freeze the extra dough for a quick meal later.

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