If you've ever tried making pizza at home, you'll know that getting a satisfying result can be surprisingly difficult. Good pizza, with a delicate crust and a spongey crumb requires specialty equipment, like an expensive pizza oven, to achieve the best results.
This sourdough discard focaccia pizza is a little different, but I think you'll find it just as satisfying. It bakes up with a light, fluffy crumb and a crisp bottom that's perfect for holding all of your favorite toppings without getting soggy. I'll show you how to use sourdough discard and commercial yeast to make a flavorful pizza crust in a single afternoon with no overnight rise required. The dough comes together easily by hand, and all you need to bake it is a metal baking pan, (you don't even need a pizza stone).
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Why Focaccia Makes the Best Homemade Pizza
If you already love my sourdough discard focaccia, I think you'll love this version even more. It's slightly thicker which allows it to hold all the sauce, cheese, and any toppings you want to pile on your pizza without getting soggy.
Instead of trying to mimic a traditional pizza crust, this recipe was designed to work with your home oven. Traditional pizza dough is meant to bake quickly at the extremely high temperatures of a pizza oven, something most home ovens can't achieve. That's why homemade pizza can sometimes turn out dense or rubbery instead of light and tender.
Because it's baked in a pan, there's no stretching, tossing, or complicated shaping required. Just press the dough into the pan, add your favorite sauce, cheese, and toppings, and bake. If you have the ingredients on hand, you can absolutely make this for a weeknight dinner. It's also a great recipe to bring to a game day gathering, party, or potluck since it's easy to slice into squares and serve a crowd.
The Benefits of Using a Poolish
Instead of adding the active dry yeast directly to the dough, as I do in most of my sourdough discard bread recipes, I make a poolish first. A poolish is a simple preferment made with flour, water, and a small amount of yeast. Many pizza restaurants ferment their doughs for 24 to 72 hours to develop a deeper flavor. By pre-fermenting a large portion of the flour in the poolish, this recipe develops much of that flavor in far less time, without requiring a long fermentation or risking overproofing.
I also add sourdough discard to the poolish. Since the discard is incorporated into the preferment, it has time to contribute even more flavor before the final dough is mixed. The commercial yeast provides most of the leavening, so you don't have to worry about the acidity of the discard weakening the gluten or slowing the rise.
Can I make this without yeast?
Yes, but not as written. This recipe relies on commercial yeast for a quick rise.
To make it without yeast, replace the sourdough discard with an active sourdough starter and adjust the fermentation times accordingly. As a starting point, allow about 4 hours for the poolish, 4 hours for the bulk fermentation, and 2 hours for the final rise.
The exact timing will depend on the strength of your starter and the temperature of your kitchen.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
Make a flavorful poolish using whole wheat: This recipe starts with a simple poolish made with sourdough discard, yeast, and a small amount of whole wheat flour. As the poolish ferments, the whole wheat flour develops a deeper, nuttier flavor than an all-white flour poolish, adding more complexity to the finished dough. If you don't have any whole wheat flour on hand, you can substitute all-purpose flour.
Use cherry tomatoes for a light but flavorful sauce: I like using a simple homemade cherry tomato sauce for my focaccia pizza because it's lighter and fresher than most store-bought or cooked tomato sauces. Cherry tomatoes have a more intense flavor than larger tomatoes, so they really shine in a simple, fresh sauce.
Get creative with your toppings: I topped my pizza with classic Detroit-style pizza toppings since this recipe has a similarly thick crust. The pepperoni adds savory flavor, while the pickled jalapeños provide a bright, tangy contrast that pairs perfectly with the melty cheese and flavorful crust. Of course, this dough works with just about any toppings, so don't be afraid to get creative.
Delicious Focaccia Pizza Topping Combinations
BBQ chicken: chicken, jalapenos, bbq sauce, red onions, pepper jack cheese and cilantro.
Mushroom and balsamic: mushrooms, garlic butter, mozzarella and balsamic glaze.
Corn cheese pizza: sweet corn, scallions, mayo, cheddar and mozzarella
Spicy calabrian and sausage: calabrian chili, sausage, burrata and fontina cheese.
Spicy Hawaiian: ham, bacon, tomato sauce, pineapples, pickled jalapenos and mozzarella.
Step-by-step Instructions (with photos)
Make the poolish
Whisk the poolish ingredients together in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Let the poolish ferment for at least 30 minutes, or until you see small bubbles throughout.
The poolish can be used for up to 3 hours at room temperature. You can also make it the night before, or even before work and let it ferment in the refrigerator until you're ready to bake.
Make the dough
Add the dry ingredients to the poolish and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Working in the bowl, knead the olive oil into the dough until completely absorbed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
Stretch the dough
This is a fairly wet dough, so instead of kneading, you'll strengthen the gluten by performing one set of stretch and folds. To do this, grab one edge of the dough and gently stretch it upward as far as it will go without tearing. Fold it over itself, rotate the bowl a quarter turn, and repeat three more times. The dough should feel tighter after the fourth fold.
Proof the dough
Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise untouched in a warm spot until doubled in volume, about 30 to 45 minutes.
Dock the focaccia dough
Line a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper and generously coat the bottom with olive oil. The oil helps the bottom of the dough crisp and brown as it bakes. Transfer the proofed dough to the pan and gently stretch it toward the edges. Cover and let it rest for 15 minutes to allow the gluten to relax. Drizzle the top of the dough generously with olive oil. Using your fingertips, press into the dough to create dimples across the surface.
Assemble the focaccia pizza
Combine the sauce ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Evenly sprinkle the mozzarella over the dough, then spoon the tomato sauce on top in dollops.
Top and bake your focaccia
Top the pizza with the toppings of your choice. Bake at 425 F for 25 to 30 minutes. Let the pizza cool in the pan for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Make Ahead Instructions
Refrigerate overnight: Assemble the pizza, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it overnight. When you're ready to bake, remove it from the refrigerator while the oven preheats, then bake as directed.
Freeze for later: Assemble the pizza and freeze it unbaked for up to 1 month. Bake directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time as needed.
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Sourdough Discard Focaccia Pizza
Equipment
- metal baking pan 9 by 13 inches
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Ingredients
Poolish
- 60 grams whole wheat flour
- 113 grams water
- 7 grams active-dry yeast
- 113 grams sourdough discard
- 25 grams sugar
Focaccia Dough
- 480 grams all-purpose flour
- 300 grams water
- 9 grams salt
- 42 grams extra-virgin olive oil plus more for coating the dough
Tomato Sauce
- 230 grams cherry tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 grams red wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Toppings
- 177 grams low-moisture mozzarella cheese shredded
- pepperoni
- pickled jalapeños
Click US Customary to view volume measurements
Instructions
- Make the poolish: Whisk the poolish ingredients together in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let the mixture ferment at room temperature until bubbly, about 30 minutes (see note).60 grams whole wheat flour, 113 grams water, 7 grams active-dry yeast, 113 grams sourdough discard, 25 grams sugar
- Make the dough: Add the dry ingredients and water into the poolish and mix with a stiff spatula or sturdy wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.480 grams all-purpose flour, 300 grams water, 9 grams salt
- Pour the olive oil into the dough and knead with your hands until absorbed.42 grams extra-virgin olive oil
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. This will allow the flour to fully hydrate, which will help feel the dough less sticky and easier to work with.
- Stretch the dough: Perform one set of stretch and folds. To do this, grab one edge of the dough and gently stretch it upward as far as it will go without tearing. Fold it over itself, rotate the bowl a quarter turn, and repeat three more times. The dough should feel tighter after the fourth fold.
- Proof the dough: Round the dough into a tight ball and transfer it to a clean lightly-greased bowl. This helps prevent dried-out bits from getting mixed into the dough.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise untouched in a warm spot until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Prep: Line a large metal baking pan (9 by 13 inches) with parchment paper and generously coat the bottom with olive oil. Preheat the oven to 425 F.
- Complete the second proof: Transfer the dough to the prepared baking pan. Lightly stretch the dough towards the corners of the pan. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
- Make the sauce: Combine the sauce ingredients into a food processor or blender. Process until smooth, about 1 minute. Set aside.230 grams cherry tomatoes, ½ tsp dried oregano, 1 clove garlic, ½ tsp salt, 6 grams red wine vinegar, ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- Assemble the pizza: Drizzle the top of the dough generously with olive oil. Using your fingertips, press into the dough to create dimples across the surface.
- Sprinkle the mozzarella over the dough, then spoon the tomato sauce on top in dollops. Adding the toppings in this order helps prevent the crust from becoming soggy.177 grams low-moisture mozzarella cheese
- Evenly distribute the remaining toppings on top of the sauce.pepperoni, pickled jalapeños
- Bake the focaccia pizza: Bake the pizza for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted, the sauce is bubbly and the edges are browned.
- Let the pizza cool in the pan and the toppings set for 10 minutes before transferring to a cutting board and slicing.
- Enjoy and store: Cut the focaccia pizza into a 4 by 3 grid, so you end up with 12 slices.
- This pizza is best enjoyed the day it's baked but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the airfryer at 325 F for 5 to 10 minutes.
Tips
These recipes were developed and tested using grams for precise measurements. To increase your chances of success, I recommend investing in a kitchen scale. I've included rough volume estimates (in tablespoons and cups), but they might not be totally accurate.
Remember all ovens are unique, these recipes were tested in my oven which runs cooler than others. You might need to lower the temperature if your bake appears to be browning too quickly. Monitor your bake closely and make adjustments if needed.
Notes
- To make this recipe without yeast, replace the sourdough discard with an active sourdough starter and adjust the fermentation times accordingly. As a starting point, allow about 4 hours for the poolish, 4 hours for the bulk fermentation, and 2 hours for the final rise.
- The poolish can be used for up to 3 hours at room temperature. You can also make it the night before and let it ferment overnight in the fridge.
- Allowing the poolish to ferment longer will deepen the flavor of the dough.
- If your dough feels too sticky, perform your stretch and folds with damp hands.
- For the best results, shred your own cheese instead of using pre-shredded cheese. Packaged shredded cheeses are coated with anti-caking agents that can prevent them from melting as smoothly.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist or dietitian, any nutrition information provided is an estimate.
Did you make this recipe? Do you have questions? Let me know below!