Poolish Pizza Dough
If there’s one thing I love, it’s making poolish pizza dough. The deep flavor, airy texture, and crisp-yet-chewy bite make every homemade pizza unforgettable. I’ve perfected this method over the years, and trust me, once you try a poolish starter, you’ll never go back! Plus, my recipe is naturally dairy-free and easily made vegan.
Servings: 4
Calories: 480kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
For The Poolish
- 1½ cup “00” flour, or all-purpose flour
- ⅛ tsp dried yeast
- 1 cup water room temperature
- 1 tsp honey
Instructions
For The Poolish
- Whisk together the flour and yeast.
- Stir the honey into the warm water until melted.
- Pour the water mixture into the flour and mix until well combined.
- Cover with plastic wrap and sit at room temperature for 12 hours to ferment.
Poolish Pizza Dough
- Whisk the water into the poolish to dissolve it.
- Add the flour and salt and mix to form a dough.
- Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured bench and knead for 5 minutes. The dough will be sticky so sprinkle lightly with flour when it becomes too sticky to knead, continue kneading until smooth.
- Form a ball with the dough and place into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and sit at room temperature for 2 hours and then place in the fridge for 12 hours.
- Remove from the fridge and allow the dough to come to room temperature for 2 hours.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured bench and divide into 4 equal amounts for 8” pizza bases or cut into 2 for 10”-12” bases.
- Gently roll each piece of dough into a smooth ball. Place the ball, seam side down, into a lightly oiled dish or dough box. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F / 200 C.
- Shape the dough and top with your favorite toppings.
- Cook in a hot oven for 8-10 minutes or until cooked through.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for making the best poolish pizza dough is to be patient with the fermentation. Seriously, don’t rush it! I know waiting 8-12 hours might feel like forever, but trust me, this is where the magic happens. When I first started making poolish dough, I was so tempted to use it early, but once I saw how those air bubbles transform the dough, I knew patience was the key. Now, I always let it do its thing, and the result? A crust that’s light, airy, and full of incredible flavor, totally worth the wait.
- I always go for “00” flour when I can. It gives the dough a light, airy texture, but if I don’t have it, all-purpose flour does the job too.
- I don’t stress about sticky dough. A little extra flour on my hands and work surface helps, and using a bench scraper makes kneading so much easier.
- I let my poolish do its thing. It needs a good 8-12 hours to ferment, and I know it’s ready when it’s full of bubbles and smells amazing.
- I’m careful with my water temperature. Warm water keeps the yeast happy, but hot water can kill it and ruin the rise, so I always keep it just right.
Nutrition
Serving: 2slices | Calories: 480kcal | Carbohydrates: 101g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 590mg | Potassium: 141mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g