Easy Sourdough Sheet Pan Pizza | Weeknight Pizza Recipe

When the pizza cravings hit, this easy sourdough sheet pan pizza is one of my favourite things to make. It gives me all the comfort of takeout pizza, but without having to leave the house — and, even better, most of the work happens long before dinner.

This is the kind of recipe I love for a weeknight after work. The dough takes just a few minutes to mix together, then it gets to hang out and ferment while I get on with my day. Once it’s ready, all that’s left to do is stretch it onto a baking sheet, add your favourite toppings, and pop it in the oven.

And because it needs a good chunk of time to bake, I can use that time to get a workout in, tidy up the house, or just relax while dinner takes care of itself.

The result is a deliciously chewy sourdough crust with golden, crispy edges, plenty of melted mozzarella, and whatever toppings you’re craving.

Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Sheet Pan Pizza

• It satisfies the takeout pizza craving. Crispy edges, chewy sourdough crust, melty cheese — pizza night at home doesn’t have to feel like a compromise.
• It’s perfect for busy weeknights. There’s very little hands-on prep, making it easy to work into a busy schedule.
• The dough can be made ahead. After the initial fermentation, you can refrigerate the dough for up to 36 hours.
• You don’t need fancy pizza equipment. All you need is a baking sheet and your oven.
• It’s completely customizable. Keep it classic with mozzarella and pepperoni, or load it up with your favourite vegetables, meats, or herbs.

Ingredients

For the Sourdough Pizza Dough

• 100 g active sourdough starter, preferably 100% hydration
• 30 g olive oil, plus more for the pan and crust
• 10 g salt
• 325 g water
• 100 g whole wheat flour
• 400 g pizza flour, or all-purpose flour

For the Toppings

• Passata or your favourite pizza sauce
• Mozzarella cheese
• Your choice of pizza toppings

I usually keep things simple with plenty of mozzarella and whatever toppings I happen to have on hand. If I’m using passata, I like to sprinkle a little dried oregano, basil, and garlic powder over the sauce for some extra flavour.

How to Make Easy Sourdough Sheet Pan Pizza

1. Mix the dough

In a medium-sized bowl, thoroughly mix together the active sourdough starter, olive oil, and salt until well combined.

Add the water and mix again until everything is evenly incorporated.

Add the whole wheat flour and pizza flour and mix until no dry flour remains and a shaggy dough forms.

Cover the bowl and let the dough rest and ferment for 8–10 hours at room temperature.

If you have the time, you can also do one or two sets of stretch and folds during the first four hours of fermentation. This isn’t essential, but it can help develop a little more strength in the dough.

2. Refrigerate the dough if needed

Once the dough has finished its initial fermentation, you can use it right away or refrigerate it for up to 36 hours.

This is one of my favourite things about this recipe. You can do the prep ahead of time, then have pizza dough waiting for you when you need an easy dinner.

If the dough has been refrigerated, take it out about 1–2 hours before you plan to assemble the pizza so it can come closer to room temperature.

3. Stretch the dough onto a baking sheet

When you’re ready to make your pizza, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Coat a baking sheet with a thin layer of olive oil.

Lightly coat your hands with olive oil, then gently stretch the dough before placing it onto the baking sheet. I like to stretch the dough in the air until it’s roughly the size of my pan, then place it down and let it rest for about 10 minutes.

After the dough has relaxed, gently stretch it the rest of the way toward the edges of the pan.

Don’t worry if it springs back a little. Giving it those few minutes to rest makes stretching it much easier.

4. Add the sauce and toppings

Brush the exposed crust lightly with olive oil.

Spread your passata or pizza sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a little room around the edges for the crust.

If you’re using plain passata, this is where I like to add a generous sprinkle of dried oregano, basil, and garlic powder.

Add a layer of mozzarella, followed by your favourite pizza toppings.

This is where you can make the pizza your own — pepperoni, mushrooms, peppers, onions, olives, sausage, fresh basil… whatever sounds good.

5. Bake

Place the baking sheet on the lowest rack of your oven and bake for approximately 40–60 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Start checking around the 40-minute mark, as baking time can vary depending on your oven, baking sheet, and how thick you’ve stretched the dough.

If the cheese is browning too quickly before the crust is finished, loosely cover the pizza with aluminum foil for the remainder of the bake.

For an extra-golden, bubbly cheese topping, you can also finish the pizza under the broiler for a minute or two — just keep a close eye on it.

Let the pizza cool for a few minutes before slicing.

My Favourite Weeknight Pizza Shortcut

The real beauty of this sourdough pizza isn’t just how good it tastes — it’s how little you have to do when dinner time actually rolls around.

I love making the dough earlier in the day or even the day before, letting it ferment, and then putting it in the fridge until I need it.

When I’m ready for dinner, I just stretch it onto the pan, add sauce, cheese, and toppings, and put it in the oven.

Then I can walk away.

If I’m making this after work, I’ll often use those 40-ish minutes to get a workout in or do a quick tidy around the house. By the time I’m finished, the kitchen smells like homemade pizza and dinner is ready.

It’s basically the homemade version of ordering takeout — except the dough has been quietly doing most of the work for you.

Tips for the Best Sourdough Sheet Pan Pizza

Use an active starter. Your starter should be bubbly and active before mixing the dough. A sluggish starter can result in a longer fermentation time.

Don’t skip the resting period before stretching. If your dough keeps shrinking back, give it another 10–15 minutes to relax before trying again.

Oil the pan generously enough. A light coating of olive oil helps prevent sticking and also gives the bottom of the crust those delicious crispy edges.

Don’t overload the pizza. It’s tempting to pile on the toppings, but too many toppings can make the centre of the pizza soggy and increase the baking time.

Make it ahead. The refrigerated dough option is especially useful for busy schedules. Having pizza dough ready to go makes homemade pizza feel much more achievable on a weeknight.

FAQ

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of pizza flour?

Yes. Pizza flour works beautifully in this recipe, but all-purpose flour can absolutely be substituted if that’s what you have on hand.

Can I make sourdough pizza dough ahead of time?

Yes! After the initial 8–10 hour fermentation, the dough can be refrigerated for up to 36 hours. Let it sit at room temperature for about 1–2 hours before stretching it onto the baking sheet.

What temperature do you bake sourdough sheet pan pizza?

This recipe bakes at 400°F (200°C) on the lowest oven rack. The relatively long bake helps the thicker sheet-pan crust cook through while developing golden, crispy edges.

What toppings can I use?

Pretty much anything you enjoy on pizza! Mozzarella makes a great base, and you can add pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, peppers, onions, olives, fresh herbs, or any combination of your favourites.

The Easiest Homemade Pizza Night

If you’re looking for an easy sourdough pizza recipe for a weeknight, this one is worth adding to your rotation.

There’s something so satisfying about having a homemade pizza come out of the oven when you know you barely had to do anything at dinner time. The sourdough gives the crust plenty of flavour, the sheet-pan method keeps things simple, and the toppings can be changed depending on whatever you’re craving.

So the next time you’re tempted to order takeout, check whether you have some sourdough starter in the fridge first. You might already have everything you need for pizza night.