How to use the sourdough pizza dough calculator
- Pick a style to load typical settings, or enter your own.
- Set the number of pizzas and dough per pizza. The calculator makes exactly that much dough.
- Weigh and mix. Hydration and salt are true values – they include the flour and water in your starter.
Sourdough pizza styles at a glance
| Style | Dough ball | Hydration | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neapolitan | 230–280 g | 60–65% | Just flour, water, salt, starter |
| New York | 280–350 g (14″) | 60–65% | 1–3% oil, 1–2% sugar |
| Thin & crispy | 180–230 g | 55–60% | 2–4% oil |
| Pan / Detroit | 600–700 g (10×14″ pan) | 70–80% | 2–4% oil + oil in the pan |
For Neapolitan pizza, use Italian "00" flour. For New York and pan pizza, bread flour (12–13% protein) gives a chewier crust. Oil and sugar help pizzas brown in home ovens, which don't get as hot as a wood-fired oven.
Sourdough pizza method
- Mix flour, water and active starter. Rest 30 minutes, then add salt (and oil, if using) and knead until smooth – about 5–8 minutes.
- Bulk ferment 3–5 hours at room temperature, until the dough has grown about 30–50%.
- Divide and ball the dough, then put the balls in lightly oiled containers.
- Cold ferment 24–72 hours in the fridge for the best flavor and stretch.
- Warm up the balls for 2–3 hours at room temperature before stretching.
- Bake as hot as your oven goes – ideally 260–290 °C / 500–550 °F on a preheated pizza steel or stone for 6–10 minutes.
Making a thick, olive-oily focaccia instead? Try the focaccia calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much dough do I need per pizza?
For a 10–12 inch Neapolitan pizza, 230–280 g per ball. A 14 inch New York pie takes about 300–350 g. For pan pizza, figure roughly 0.75 g of dough per square centimeter of pan (about 5 g per square inch).
What hydration is best for sourdough pizza?
60–65% for home ovens and Neapolitan-style, 62–66% for New York style, and 70–80% for pan and Detroit-style pizza, where the pan supports the wetter dough.
How long should sourdough pizza dough ferment?
A good plan is 3–5 hours at room temperature, then 24–72 hours in the fridge. The long cold ferment builds flavor and makes the dough easier to stretch. Let balls warm up 2–3 hours before shaping.
Can I use sourdough discard for pizza?
Discard adds flavor but little rising power. Either give the dough a much longer ferment, or add a small amount of commercial yeast (about 0.2% of flour) alongside the discard.