Sourdough Pizza Crust and Bread Sticks

🍕🧄 Sourdough Discard Pizza Crust & Cheesy Garlic Sticks — Two Bakes, One Dough, All the Joy

Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and infused with that irresistible sourdough tang — this is the pizza night upgrade you didn’t know you needed.

This Sourdough Discard Pizza Crust & Cheesy Garlic Sticks recipe is the ultimate two‑for‑one deal. One simple dough transforms into the perfect pizza base and the kind of garlic sticks that make people hover in the kitchen until they’re cool enough to grab. It’s chewy, flavorful, and comes together quickly thanks to a little help from yeast — no all‑day fermenting required.

It’s:

Ridiculously versatile — pizza tonight, garlic sticks tomorrow (or both now, no judgment).
A sourdough win — puts that discard to delicious use.
Perfect for gatherings — everyone gets their favorite slice or stick.

💬 Reader prompt: Are you a “pizza first, garlic sticks second” person or do you go straight for the breadsticks before the pizza even hits the table?

📝 The Recipe

Dough Ingredients (Base for Both Pizza & Garlic Bread)

100g sourdough discard (unfed starter)
5g yeast (instant or active dry)
375g warm water
250g all‑purpose flour
10g salt
15g olive oil

Additional Ingredients for Cheesy Garlic Bread

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried parsley (or 1 tablespoon fresh, finely chopped)
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch of salt (optional, depending on cheese saltiness)

Directions

1. Make the Dough

In a large mixing bowl (or stand mixer), combine warm water, yeast, and sourdough discard. Stir until mostly dissolved.
Add flour and salt. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
Drizzle in olive oil and knead (by hand or with dough hook) for 8–10 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky.

2. First Rise

Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled — about 1–1.5 hours.

For Pizza Crust

Preheat oven to 475°F (or as hot as your oven safely goes).
Roll or stretch dough into desired pizza shape.
Top with sauce, cheese, and toppings.
Bake 8–12 minutes until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly.

For Cheesy Garlic Bread

Preheat oven to 450°F.
Roll dough into a rectangle or circle.
Spread softened butter evenly over the surface.
Sprinkle minced garlic, mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic powder, parsley, and a pinch of salt.
Bake 10–12 minutes until cheese is melted, bubbly, and just starting to turn golden.
Slice into sticks or wedges and serve with marinara or ranch.

🔢 Calorie Count (Per Serving — Based on 8 servings of dough)

Pizza crust only: ~210 calories
Garlic bread with cheese topping: ~280 calories

📊 Nutritional Facts (Per Serving — Garlic Bread Version)

Nutrient	Amount	% Daily Value*
Calories	280	14%
Total Fat	11g	14%
Saturated Fat	5g	25%
Cholesterol	20mg	7%
Sodium	420mg	18%
Total Carbs	34g	12%
Dietary Fiber	1g	4%
Sugars	0g	—
Protein	9g	18%

\*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

👩‍🍳 Cooking Tips for Dough Success

Weigh your ingredients — sourdough discard hydration can vary, so grams are your friend.
Hot oven = better crust — preheat fully for that pizzeria‑style crisp.
Don’t over‑top — too many toppings = soggy middle.
Olive oil magic — brushing the crust edges before baking gives a gorgeous golden finish.
Garlic stick pro tip — sprinkle a little Parmesan before baking for extra flavor.

💬 Reader prompt: Do you like your pizza crust thin and crispy or thick and chewy?

🎨 Recipe Variations

Herb Crust — add dried oregano or basil to the dough.
Cheesy Crust — fold shredded mozzarella into the edges before baking.
Spicy Kick — add red pepper flakes to the garlic stick topping.
Whole Wheat Boost — swap 25% of the flour for whole wheat.
Stuffed Sticks — wrap mozzarella sticks in dough for gooey centers.

🧒 Kid Tips

Let kids shape their own mini pizzas — they’ll eat more when they make it.
Keep garlic sticks mild for sensitive palates.
Offer a “decorate your breadstick” station with dips like ranch, marinara, or cheese sauce.
Use cookie cutters to make fun pizza shapes.

💬 Reader prompt: Parents — do your kids eat the crust first or save it for last?

🛒 Grocery Hacks

Sourdough discard — store in the fridge up to a week; freeze for longer.
Flour — buy in bulk and store in airtight containers.
Yeast — keep in the freezer to extend shelf life.
Olive oil — invest in a good one for flavor; use cheaper oil for greasing pans.
Cheese — shred your own for better melt and fewer additives.

📣 Reader’s Challenge: #DoughSquad

Here’s your mission:

Make this Sourdough Discard Pizza Crust & Garlic Sticks.
Put your own spin on it — maybe a wild topping combo, a stuffed crust, or a dessert pizza.
Snap a photo and post with #DoughSquad.
I’ll feature my favorites in an upcoming Friday Favorites post!

♻️ Leftover Remix

Pizza Panini — sandwich leftover pizza between bread and grill.
Croutons — cube garlic sticks, toast, and toss into salads.
Breakfast Pizza — top leftover crust with eggs, cheese, and bacon.
Breadstick Bruschetta — top with diced tomatoes, basil, and balsamic.
Freezer Hero — wrap slices and freeze for quick lunches.

💭 Final Thoughts

This dough is proof (pun intended) that sourdough discard is pure gold. It’s flavorful, versatile, and makes pizza night feel like a mini celebration. Plus, it’s the kind of recipe that invites creativity — you can keep it classic or go wild with toppings and shapes.

💬 Reader prompt: If you could only have one — pizza or garlic sticks — which would you choose?

Some recipes are just recipes. This Sourdough Discard Pizza Crust & Garlic Sticks? It’s a family tradition in the making. It’s the smell of yeast and olive oil filling the kitchen, the sight of golden crusts emerging from the oven, and the joy of that first bite when the chewy dough meets melty cheese or garlicky butter.

I love that it’s flexible — you can prep ahead, freeze, or make it all in one go. It’s forgiving, too; even if your shaping isn’t perfect or your toppings get a little wild, it will still taste like something you’d proudly serve to friends and family. And it’s the kind of recipe that makes people linger at the table, chatting and reaching for seconds.

So here’s my challenge: make it, share it, and tag your creations with #DoughSquad so we can all drool together, swap ideas, and maybe even inspire the next great pizza night tradition. I want to see your tallest cheese pulls, your boldest topping combos, your “we ate it all before I could take a picture” confessions.

Here’s to warm ovens, happy bellies, and recipes that bring people together. Here’s to you — because you’re about to bake something that will have everyone asking, “When are you making this again?” 🍕🧄💛