Sourdough pizza: natural leavening
Leaven pizza with a natural starter for complexity, digestibility, and a blistered crust.
What is sourdough pizza?
Instead of commercial yeast, sourdough pizza is raised by a levain — a culture of wild yeast and lactic-acid bacteria living in a mix of flour and water. The bacteria produce acids that flavor and strengthen the dough, while the wild yeast provides the rise. It's the oldest leavening method there is.
Levain percentage and hydration
Recipes are usually written as a levain percentage of the total flour — commonly 10–30%. A higher percentage and warmer temperature ferment faster; a lower percentage and a cold proof go slower and taste more sour.
Most pizza levains are kept at 100% hydration (equal flour and water), which the calculator accounts for when it splits the levain's flour and water out of the totals.
How it ferments
Build or refresh your starter until it's active and bubbly, then mix it into the dough. Bulk-ferment at room temperature until risen and jiggly, ball, and cold-proof in the fridge for 1–3 days.
The cold proof both fits your schedule and deepens flavor.
Flavor and digestibility
Long fermentation breaks down some starches and gluten and lowers the dough's pH, which many people find easier to digest. It also produces a more complex, faintly tangy flavor and a crust that blisters and chars beautifully in a hot oven.
Tips for beginners
Keep your starter healthy with regular feeds, use it near its peak, and don't rush the bulk — sourdough is slower and more temperature-sensitive than yeasted dough. If you're new, start with ~15–20% levain and a 24-hour cold proof.
Build a sourdough recipe in the calculator →
FAQ
Can I convert a yeast recipe to sourdough?
Yes — drop the commercial yeast and add 10–30% levain (as a percentage of flour), then extend the fermentation time. The calculator's Sourdough mode does the flour/water bookkeeping for you.
Why is my sourdough pizza too sour?
Long, warm fermentation and an over-ripe or under-fed starter push acidity up. Use a younger starter, a cooler proof, or less time.