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As a busy mom, I love recipes that are quick and simple. I find that the less prep time it takes, the more I am inclined to make it!
That is why sourdough starter pizza is a dish I make at least once a week. My husband frequently requests it, and I am happy to oblige.
Why you NEED to try this recipe
I don’t know about you but the art of breadmaking and homemade crust all sounds very intimidating.
There’s a lot of steps-proofing, rising, kneading, and repeating that cycle a few more times before finally baking. Sometimes I just don’t have that time, or the skills to do it properly.
And if I go to the supermarket to pick up a ready to bake pizza, it’s loaded with ingredients that I try my best to limit.
Luckily, this crust really only has a few ingredients-with the predominant one being sourdough starter.
The best part is that instead of throwing out perfectly good starter, you can now use it to make a healthy and filling dinner. That’s a win in my book!
What does sourdough starter pizza taste like?
Sourdough pizza tastes like regular pizza with just a slight tang aftertaste. If you like sourdough bread, you’ll be familiar with what I am referring to.
Ingredients and tools you will need
For this recipe, you will need to have a mature sourdough starter. I go over all of the health benefits of sourdough and how to make a sourdough starter in another blog post that you can find here.
You will also need a cast iron skillet, or some kind of pizza stone. The secret to a crispy crust is preheating the skillet, so a regular pan will not work. I linked my cast iron skillet below.
How to make sourdough starter pizza
The first step is to place your cast iron skillet into the oven and preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
Then, take your pan out of the oven, making sure that it is really hot. Drizzle your pan with avocado oil and add fed sourdough starter on top.
Your dough will start to cook once it hits the hot pan. That is perfectly ok!
Sprinkle some dried basil, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper onto your crust and top it with an additional drizzle of avocado oil.
Pop it back in the oven for an additional 10 minutes. Remove and add your toppings of choice.
I like to go the traditional way by adding marinara sauce (recipe can be found here) and mozzarella cheese.
Place the cast iron back in the oven and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly!
What spices can I add?
I love big and bold flavors, so I am not shy on the spices. However, you can feel free to customize this recipe however you’d like.
If you don’t like basil or oregano, simply omit it from the crust.
If you want to kick this recipe up a notch, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes is amazing!
Simple Sourdough Starter Pizza Recipe
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet
- Pizza Stone
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 2-3 ladles fed sourdough starter
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup marinara sauce
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Place your cast iron skillet inside the oven to preheat as well.
- Once your cast iron skillet has preheated, remove it from the oven. Coat the bottom with avocado oil.
- Scoop 2-3 ladles of sourdough starter into your cast iron skillet, making sure to spread the starter evenly on the pan. The starter may start to cook once you drop it onto the skillet-this is okay!
- Sprinkle basil, oregano, salt, pepper and garlic powder onto the top of your dough. Drizzle additional avocado oil and bake in the oven for ten minutes.
- Remove from oven and spread a layer of tomato sauce onto your pizza. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top and bake for an additional ten minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool before serving.
Variations
There are many different variations that you can do with this crust. Here are some of my family’s favorites!
White Pies
My husband is a big fan of white pies, and you can definitely top this crust with a white cream sauce instead of marinara sauce.
All you’ll need for a cream sauce is some cheese, heavy cream, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Pair it with some shredded chicken and I promise your family will love it!
Margherita Pies
One of the drawbacks to putting marinara sauce on the sourdough starter pizza is that it leaves the crust slightly soft. No matter how long you cook it, you’ll never be able to completely take out that moisture.
You can avoid this by making a margherita pie! Thinly slice some fresh tomatoes and spread it across your dough. Add some fresh mozzarella, basil and a drizzle of oil and you have a wonderful summer treat.
Leftover Pies
We do not like to waste food unnecessarily in this house, so sometimes I’ll chop up whatever veggies or meat I have on hand and cook them while my crust is baking.
Then, once it comes out of the oven, I’ll top it with sauce, cheese and the toppings and let it cook! I love this because it comes out different every time.
Can you freeze this crust?
Yes, this crust can be made ahead of time and frozen for up to three months. Whenever you’re ready to use it, take it out and let it thaw for a few hours before use.
Conclusion
I hope you give this sourdough starter pizza recipe a try and let me know what you think in the comments below!
NOW I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Have you tried making recipes using sourdough discard before? How did they come out?
Do you have any recipes you’d recommend? Let me know by leaving me a comment down below!
