Pizza is a favorite in our house and usually always makes it into the weekly menu. Whole grain sourdough pizza crust is a great way to use your sourdough starter and using freshly milled whole grain makes it super nutritious too!
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Scroll down for detailed step-by-step instructions (with pictures) and a recipe card!
Pizza never gets boring! It always tastes so good and its even better when its homemade! I used to not make it very often because of thinking of it as a more complicated meal. It totally isn’t though! It is super easy and I am always surprised at how little dishes it leaves for me to do after dinner. I love when I find a meal that can be cleaned up quickly so I can spend time doing other things.
Not only is it easy but there are so many options for toppings! This is a meal that can easily make everyone happy. Have your toppings all ready and make each pizza with everyones likes and dislikes in mind.
Since there is just 3 in our family right now I sometimes like to experiment with more fun pizza combinations that would be harder to do for a large family or group. Things like stuffed crusts, barbeque, or even grilled when we get the chance, have all been fun to try.
I have loved using freshly milled flour for pizza crusts lately. The flavor is so much richer and the sourdough starter still makes it fluffy with a great texture!
Why you’ll love this recipe…
- It’s so fun! I never get tired of making pizza!
- Everyone loves it!
- It uses whole grain which has loads of health benefits!
- Easy clean up
- Little hands on time
- Children can help too!
When should I make the dough?…
Whenever I plan on making pizza for dinner I mix up the pizza dough that morning so it has time to rise through the day. If I forget and end up making it in the afternoon or I’m short on time, I will just put it in the oven with the light on. This helps immensely to speed up the rising process!
You can mix this whole grain sourdough pizza crust by hand or you can use a mixer. If using a mixer use the paddle attachment. The instructions remain the same regardless of if you use a bowl or mixer.
Why whole grain?…
I mentioned earlier that I’ve been using whole grain more lately. Not just regular whole grain flour though that you would buy at the grocery store. I buy organic whole wheat berries and mill them myself. I try to grind just enough for whatever it is I’m making without having any leftover. The reasoning behind this being that once the grain is cracked open the nutritional value starts decreasing. Within 24 hours much of the nutrients have been lost and by day 3 there is stills some left, but very little. However, if the freshly milled flour is added to sourdough starter the nutrients are locked in and only increase in value over time. Another reason to love sourdough!
If you do grind too much and are unable to use it all soon, store in an airtight bag in the freezer and it will keep the nutrients in place longer, or until you need to use it again.
While it isn’t feasible for everyone to own a grain mill I highly recommend trying to get your hands on one if at all possible! It will do your family loads of good and over time it does come out more affordable to mill fresh rather than buying flour already ground.
What to serve with pizza…
I like to serve pizza with a nice green salad on the side. It balances out the meal a bit and tastes nice and fresh too! Pizza tastes amazing dipped in ranch dressing! This has become a must for us whenever we have pizza. I like to homemade ranch whenever I can. Also dried chili peppers if you are a spice lover, and/or parmesan cheese sprinkled on top are super yummy!
Ingredients for whole grain sourdough pizza crust:
- Water (230 grams – 1 cup) – purified or well water is best.
- Cane sugar (7 grams – 2 tsp.) – I use unbleached organic cane-sugar. You can also substitute honey.
- Salt (10 grams – 1 1/2 tsp) – sea salt or pink himalayan salt.
- Oil (25 grams – 2 Tbs) – olive oil works best here. You can use extra virgin olive oil or a light olive oil for a more neutral flavor, whichever you prefer.
- Sourdough starter (150 grams – 1/2 cup) – feed 4-12 hours before using to make sure it is nice and active! I feed the night before I’m planning to do pizza night.
- Flour (350-450 grams – 4-5 cups) – Freshly milled if possible! You can also substitute organic all-purpose flour as well if you prefer that or that’s all you got.
Instructions for whole grain sourdough pizza crust:
Build your pizza…
Use a variety of topping or keep it simple! This is totally up to you! Here are some topping ideas:
- Sauce – red, white, pesto
- Cheese – mozzerela, parmesan white cheddar, feta
- Meat – pepperoni, sausage, chicken, bacon, ground beef
- Veggies- onion, bell peppers, jalapeños, tomato, olives, mushrooms, green onion
- Misc. – pineapple, fresh basil
Bake!
7. Bake at 400° for 20-30 minutes until crust has browed and cheese is bubbly. Move to a cutting board and slice with a pizza cutter or large knife into 8 pieces. Serve and enjoy!
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Whole Grain Sourdough Pizza Crust
Pizza is a favorite in our house and usually always makes it into the weekly menu. It is a great way to use your sourdough starter and using freshly milled whole grain makes it super nutritious too!
Ingredients
- 230 grams water - 1 cup
- 7 grams cane sugar - 2 tsp.
- 10 grams salt - 1 1/2 tsp.
- 25 grams olive oil - 2 Tbs.
- 150 grams active sourdough starter - 1/2 cup
- 350-450 grams flour - 4-5 cups
Instructions
1. In a large bowl whisk together water (230 grams - 1 cup), cane sugar (7grams - 2 tsp), salt (10 grams - 1 1/2 tsp), olive oil (25 grams - 2 Tbs), and active sourdough starter (150 grams - 1/2 cup)
2. Add some of the flour and stir. Continue adding flour until a ball of dough forms. You can use a wooden or plastic spoon to stir as the dough gets stiffer. Knead for 5-8 minutes until dough is smooth.
3. Lightly coat a bowl in oil and place ball of dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and allow to rise until doubled and poofy.
4. If your home is on the chilly side or you are needing your dough ready faster, place in the oven with the light on. This will speed up the process. Once dough has finished rising shape your pizza!
5. Divide dough in half. Lightly grease a pizza pan with cooking spray or olive oil and spread the dough to the edges of the pan. If you are making a stuffed crust stretch the dough over the edges of the pan so you have some to fold back over.
6. If you've stuffed, fold the edges back over to cover and press to hold the dough in place. Prick crust with a fork.
7. Build to your liking! Top with sauce, cheese, chopped veggies, pepperoni, sausage, fresh herbs, etc.
8. Bake at 400° for 20-30 minutes until crust has browed and cheese is bubbly. Move to a cutting board and slice with a pizza cutter or large knife into 8 pieces. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- You can substitute all-purpose flour for the whole grain if you'd prefer or if that's all you've got on hand.
- If you need to speed up the rising process cover the bowl of dough with a damp tea towel and place in the oven with the light on.
Pizza is a staple in our home. This recipe will be at least a monthly (if not weekly) bake over here. Yum!
This sounds so wonderful and easy! I love that you use sourdough and fresh milled flour. I will have to try your crust next time I make pizza!
Great recipe! I can’t wait to try it with fresh milled flour!