Oh my goodness, if you think you know pizza, you haven’t tried these yet! There’s nothing quite like the flavor of real pizza, but sometimes you just don’t have time for a full dough process. That’s where my sourdough obsession comes in handy. By using your active starter, you get this incredible, slightly tangy crust that holds up perfectly to the filling. Seriously, these Sourdough Pizza Bombs are my new go-to for satisfying that craving fast. They’re perfectly poppable, bake up beautifully golden, and they use techniques I swear by when working with natural leavening. You’re going to love how easy these are!
Why This Sourdough Pizza Bombs Recipe Stands Out
When you use that active starter, you get a crust that is miles better than standard yeast dough—it has a little tang and a fantastic chew. These Sourdough Pizza Bombs are savory little pockets of deliciousness that are just begging to be dipped. Trust me, they disappear faster than you can make them!
- The sourdough flavor elevates the simple pizza filling immediately.
- They travel incredibly well, making them a genius lunchbox surprise.
- The baked texture is sturdy enough to dip without falling apart.
Quick Prep for Busy Days
I know sourdough can seem slow, but the active part of this recipe is super quick! You only spend about 20 minutes putting everything together before the dough rests. It’s the perfect way to bring that homemade flavor into a busy weeknight snack.
Perfectly Portion-Controlled Snacking
This recipe gives you eight perfect little parcels, which is just the right amount for an appetizer spread or for lunchboxes for the kids. Think of them as perfectly portioned little flavor bombs—no messy slicing required!
Gathering Ingredients for Sourdough Pizza Bombs
Getting ready to make these is almost as fun as eating them! Because this recipe relies on your sourdough starter for the lift, make sure it’s active and bubbly. If you only have discard, don’t panic! I always keep a tiny packet of instant yeast on hand just in case I need a little boost when making Sourdough Pizza Bombs with older starter.
Dough Base Components
You only need four simple things for the dough, which is just fantastic. Grab your active starter—about one cup—and mix it with one cup of all-purpose flour and half a teaspoon of salt. You’ll add warm water slowly, maybe a quarter cup total, until it looks shaggy. If you are using sourdough discard instead of active starter, remember that little addition of 1/4 teaspoon of instant yeast will save you! We want this dough robust enough to hold all that cheese.
Filling and Finishing Touches for Sourdough Pizza Bombs
For the filling, keep it classic! That half cup of pizza sauce is perfect, but feel free to use your favorite homemade sauce if that’s more your style. You’ll need a full cup of shredded mozzarella and some chopped pepperoni. For the finish, a light brush of olive oil and a sprinkle of dried oregano right before baking gives you that amazing aroma as they roast. Honestly, swap out the pepperoni for mushrooms or peppers—it works great every time!
Step-by-Step Instructions for Perfect Sourdough Pizza Bombs
Okay, this is where the magic happens! Don’t get intimidated by sourdough; this part is super straightforward, and the dough is lovely to work with after that short rest. We’re going to mix up the dough, let it gain a little character, and then stuff it full of cheesy goodness. Just follow my lead here, and you’ll have perfectly sealed Sourdough Pizza Bombs in no time. The resting period is essential, so don’t rush that step!
Mixing and Resting the Sourdough Pizza Bombs Dough
First things first, get that active sourdough starter, flour, and salt into a good-sized bowl. Start stirring and slowly drizzle in your warm water. You probably won’t use all the water, so just stop when you get a shaggy dough that holds together loosely. Now, turn it out onto a lightly floured counter and knead! You really only need about five minutes until it feels mostly smooth. It’s not going to be baby-soft like commercial yeast dough, and that’s okay! Cover the dough up and let it rest quietly for one whole hour. This gives the sourdough flavor a chance to develop while the gluten relaxes a tiny bit.
Assembling and Sealing Your Sourdough Pizza Bombs
While your dough is resting, go ahead and get that oven preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 200 Celsius. Don’t forget to grease up your baking sheet! Once the hour is up, punch that dough down gently and divide it into eight even pieces. Roll each piece into a small circle—about the size of your palm, roughly four inches wide. Now for the stuffing: put a small spoonful of sauce right in the middle, don’t push it to the edges! Sprinkle on some cheese and a few pieces of pepperoni. Now, this is crucial for flawless Sourdough Pizza Bombs: fold that dough completely over the filling into a half-moon shape. You must pinch those edges tight—really press them together! If you see any filling peeking out, pinch that spot extra hard. A loose seal means a cheesy explosion in your oven, and we don’t want that mess!
Baking the Sourdough Pizza Bombs to Golden Perfection
Once all eight are sealed and looking like little dough pockets, arrange them nicely on your prepared baking sheet. Take your olive oil and brush the tops very lightly—just enough to give them a nice color. Then, sprinkle over that little bit of dried oregano for that classic pizza smell. Pop them into your hot oven and bake them for about 15 to 18 minutes. You are looking for a beautiful, deep golden brown color. When they look like puffy little pillows of joy, they are done and ready to come out!
Tips for Making the Best Sourdough Pizza Bombs
Baking with sourdough always requires a little intuition, even with a great recipe in hand. I’ve learned a few tricks over the years dealing with the quirks of my starter, and these tips will help you get perfect results every time with your Sourdough Pizza Bombs.
Handling Sourdough Starter Variations
I always preach using active starter because it’s fed and hungry; that means better rise and that lovely gentle tang in the crust. But life happens, right? If you absolutely must use discard that hasn’t been fed recently, you might find your bombs a little flat. That’s why I keep that tiny bit of instant yeast handy—it just gives you a little insurance policy for lift when the discard isn’t at its peak strength.
Sealing Technique for Sourdough Pizza Bombs
We talked about pinching those edges, but let’s get serious about sealing! Once you fold the dough over into that half-moon shape, take a fork and press firmly all along that crimped edge. That fork serration creates a double seal. You’re creating little indentations that lock that cheese in place. Trust me, this simple extra press is the best defense against ingredient blowouts!
Serving Suggestions for Your Sourdough Pizza Bombs
These little guys are best enjoyed when they are still piping hot, fresh from the oven. The cheese is melty, and that sourdough crust is perfectly crisp on the outside. My absolute must-do serving suggestion for these Sourdough Pizza Bombs is to have a tiny bowl of extra pizza sauce warming up on the side for dipping. It just doubles down on that classic pizza flavor!
But don’t stop there! If you want something seriously punchy for a party, you could use a side of a creamy dipping sauce instead of just tomato sauce. They are fantastic served right alongside a light garden salad to cut through the richness. Seriously, they are great any way you serve them!
Storage and Reheating Sourdough Pizza Bombs
So, if you somehow don’t devour all eight, keeping leftovers is a breeze! Once they are fully cooled, store your Sourdough Pizza Bombs in an airtight container. They’ll stay good in the fridge for about three days, though they are best the day you make them.
To reheat them, skip the microwave if you can! I really think the best way is to pop them back into a 350°F oven for about five to seven minutes until they crisp up again nicely. That brings back that perfect golden crust texture.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sourdough Pizza Bombs
I always get so many questions when people see how perfectly these turn out! It’s amazing how flexible the sourdough base is, but trying new things means people always wonder about freezing or ingredient swaps. Here are the things I hear most often about making these Sourdough Pizza Bombs.
Can I freeze unbaked Sourdough Pizza Bombs?
Yes, absolutely you can! I think this is one of the best make-ahead secrets. After you seal the bombs but before you brush them with oil, just place them on a parchment-lined tray in the freezer. Once they are frozen solid, you can transfer them to a freezer bag. When you’re ready to bake, just pull them out, let them sit on the counter for about 20 minutes to warm up slightly, brush on the oil and oregano, and bake them a little longer—maybe 20 to 22 minutes at 400°F.
Can I make these Sourdough Pizza Bombs vegetarian?
Of course! We listed pepperoni mainly because my husband insists, but these are so easily adapted. You can use finely chopped mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, or even some black olives. Just make sure whatever veggies you use aren’t dripping wet, or they could make the dough soggy. Swap out the meat for veggies, and you have a wonderful vegetarian snack!
What if my sourdough is just discard and not active?
If you’re just using discard, you might notice your bombs don’t puff up quite as much, and that’s why I mentioned adding just a tiny bit (1/4 teaspoon) of instant yeast along with your flour. The discard still gives you that lovely sourdough tang, but the yeast gives those little bubbles a little extra needed push during the bake time.
Estimated Nutrition Facts for Sourdough Pizza Bombs
Now, I always tell people that homemade food is inherently hard to put an exact number on, especially when you might swap out your pepperoni for olives! But based on the ingredients listed here, each of these delicious Sourdough Pizza Bombs comes out to roughly 180 calories.
That breaks down to about 8 grams of fat, 2 grams of sugar, and a solid 8 grams of protein. Think of this as a really satisfying appetizer or snack that keeps you going without overloading on the heavy stuff. These numbers are just educated guesses, mind you, based on my standard mozzarella and pepperoni!
Share Your Sourdough Pizza Bombs Creations
I truly hope you enjoyed making these easy Sourdough Pizza Bombs as much as I love eating them! If you tried this recipe, I’d be so happy if you left a star rating below or popped over to the contact page to tell me how yours turned out. Happy baking!
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Sourdough Pizza Bombs
- Total Time: 38 min
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Small, baked pockets filled with pizza ingredients using sourdough dough.
Ingredients
- 1 cup active sourdough starter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup warm water (approximate)
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup pepperoni, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Mix the sourdough starter, flour, and salt in a bowl. Add warm water slowly until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes until smooth. Cover and let rest for 1 hour.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a small circle, about 4 inches wide.
- Place a spoonful of pizza sauce, a sprinkle of cheese, and a few pieces of pepperoni in the center of each dough circle.
- Fold the dough over the filling to form a half-moon shape. Pinch the edges tightly to seal.
- Place the sealed bombs on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with oregano.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown.
Notes
- Use leftover sourdough discard if you do not have an active starter, but you may need to add 1/4 teaspoon of instant yeast for better rise.
- You can substitute your favorite pizza toppings.
- Serve warm with extra pizza sauce for dipping.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 18 min
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bomb
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Unsaturated Fat: 4
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 19
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 8
- Cholesterol: 15
Keywords: sourdough, pizza bombs, baked dough, appetizer, quick snack