Perfect Pizza Sourdough Bread That Melts in Your Mouth Recipe
A savory sourdough bread loaded with classic pizza flavors like mozzarella, pepperoni, and thick pizza sauce, baked to perfection with a crispy crust and a soft, cheesy interior.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 13–19 hours (including rises and cold proof)
- Yield: 1 loaf (10-12 slices) 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Fusion
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
The sourdough base
- 1 cup active sourdough starter (fed and bubbly)
- 3 1/4 cups bread flour
- 1 cup lukewarm water (about 85°F)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
The pizza party mix-ins
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (low-moisture preferred)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (powdery kind)
- 1/3 cup mini pepperoni slices (plus extra for topping)
- 1/4 cup thick pizza sauce (not watery)
The flavor boosters
- 1 tsp dried oregano or Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Mixing and First Rise: In a large mixing bowl, combine the active sourdough starter, lukewarm water, and sugar. Whisk until frothy. Add bread flour all at once and mix with a wooden spoon until a shaggy, sticky dough forms. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let it rest for 30 minutes to allow autolyse.
- Folding and Flavor Incorporation: After the rest, sprinkle in salt and dried oregano. Wet your hands to prevent sticking and fold the dough over itself every 30 minutes for 2 hours, developing gluten strength. Then, gradually fold in half of the mozzarella, Parmesan, and pepperoni by gently pressing and folding them into the dough. Repeat with the remaining cheeses and pepperoni. Dollop spoonfuls of thick pizza sauce onto the dough without stirring excessively to avoid pink dough. Let the dough rise again for 2 hours until puffy.
- Shaping and Cold Proofing: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the edges towards the center to create a tight ball. Generously dust a banneton or a bowl lined with a towel with rice flour. Place the dough seam-side up into the banneton and cover with a shower cap or plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight to cold-proof and develop flavor.
- Baking: Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C) with a Dutch oven inside for at least one hour. Carefully transfer the dough onto parchment paper and gently flip it so the seam side is down. Score the top of the dough with a razor blade, making a deep X. Decorate the top with extra shredded mozzarella and pepperoni slices. Place the dough with parchment paper into the hot Dutch oven, cover it, and bake for 25 minutes. Then remove the lid and bake uncovered for another 20 minutes until deep golden brown and crusty.
- Cooling and Serving: Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. This resting period lets the crumb set for clean, cheesy slices. Serve warm with extra pizza sauce for dipping or use leftovers for delicious grilled cheese sandwiches.
Notes
- Use thick pizza sauce to prevent soggy dough; watery sauces release too much liquid.
- Cold proofing overnight improves flavor and dough handling.
- Let bread cool before slicing to avoid a gooey mess and to set the crumb.
- Freeze dough after final shaping (before cold proof) for up to 3 months; thaw overnight before baking.
- To avoid clumping, freeze shredded mozzarella for 10 minutes before mixing.
- Pat mini pepperoni with paper towels to reduce excess grease in dough.
- If dough is too sticky, wet your hands and fold gently; add up to 1–2 tbsp flour if truly unworkable but avoid over-flouring.
- Use a serrated knife and gentle sawing motion for slicing.
- If baking without a Dutch oven, use a baking stone or steel with a pan of water for steam and cover loaf with foil for first 20 minutes.
Keywords: pizza sourdough bread, sourdough pizza bread, cheesy sourdough, pepperoni bread, artisan bread recipe, pizza bread loaf, homemade pizza bread
