🍕 The Best Sourdough Pizza Dough Recipe (Slow, Simple & Seriously Good)
There’s something deeply comforting about making pizza dough from scratch — especially when it starts with sourdough. The process is slower, more intentional, and turns an everyday meal into a ritual worth savouring.
This sourdough pizza dough recipe is soft, elastic, and easy to work with, creating a beautifully crisp base with a tender centre. Perfect for relaxed weekends, family dinners, or when you simply want to enjoy the joy of handmade food.
🌿 Why Sourdough Pizza?
Sourdough pizza dough is all about patience and simplicity. Instead of rushing with commercial yeast, this method relies on a healthy sourdough starter and time — letting flavour develop naturally.
What you’ll love:
- A light, airy crust with gentle chew
- Crisp edges when baked hot
- Simple ingredients you likely already have
- A calm, rewarding process
🧺 Ingredients (Makes 2–3 Pizza Bases)
- 100g active sourdough starter (bubbly and ready)
- 350g warm water
- 500g plain or bread flour
- 10g sea salt
- 20g olive oil
🍞 Method: Step-by-Step
1. Mix the Dough
In a large bowl, whisk together the sourdough starter and water until cloudy. Add the flour and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Cover and rest for 30 minutes (this helps the dough hydrate).
2. Add Salt & Oil
Sprinkle in the salt and drizzle over the olive oil. Gently knead or fold the dough in the bowl until smooth and elastic — about 3–5 minutes.
3. Bulk Ferment
Cover the bowl and leave the dough at room temperature for 4–6 hours, folding once or twice if you like. The dough should rise slightly and feel airy.
(Alternatively, refrigerate overnight for an even slower ferment and deeper flavour.)
4. Divide & Rest
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 2 or 3 balls, depending on your preferred pizza size. Shape gently and rest for 30–60 minutes.
5. Shape
Using your fingertips, press each dough ball from the centre outward, leaving a slightly thicker edge for the crust. Avoid rolling pins if possible — this keeps the dough light.
🔥 Baking Your Pizza
- Preheat oven to 250–280°C (as hot as it will go)
- Use a pizza stone or preheated tray for best results
- Add toppings sparingly
- Bake for 7–10 minutes until blistered and golden
🍅 Topping Inspiration
Keep it simple and let the base shine:
- Tomato passata, mozzarella, fresh basil
- Olive oil, garlic, rosemary, sea salt
- Mushrooms, caramelised onions, parmesan
- Prosciutto added after baking
🤍 A Slow Living Tip
Pizza night doesn’t need to be rushed. Let the dough rest. Light a candle. Put on music. Invite hands into the process. These small moments turn cooking into connection — exactly what slow living is about.
✨ Final Thoughts
This sourdough pizza dough is forgiving, versatile, and endlessly satisfying. Once you try it, it becomes less about the recipe and more about the rhythm — mixing, waiting, shaping, sharing.
A simple ritual, made by hand.
