Bread Dough Pizza Recipe (The Best Way to Use Leftover Dough)
This bread dough pizza is a simple way to turn leftover bread dough into an easy homemade meal. I made it after preparing stock bread and having a large piece of yeast dough left over. Instead of throwing it away, I rolled it out on a baking tray, spread it with ricotta pesto sauce, added vegetables and mozzarella, and baked it until crisp.
The result is a crispy veggie pizza with a soft homemade base, melted cheese, and simple toppings. It is not a complicated pizza dough recipe. It is more of an easy idea for what to do with extra dough when you already have homemade bread dough at home.
If you already have leftover bread dough, you can skip the dough part and use this recipe as a topping and baking guide. If you do not have dough left over, I also included a simple yeast dough option below.
Why You’ll Love This Bread Dough Pizza
- It uses leftover bread dough instead of wasting it.
- It is easy to make with simple vegetables and mozzarella.
- The crust bakes up crisp on the edges and soft in the middle.
- You can use different toppings depending on what you have at home.
- It works as a quick homemade pizza for lunch, dinner, or sharing.
Ingredient Notes
Leftover bread dough: This recipe is made for leftover yeast dough or bread dough. I used dough that was originally made for stock bread. You can also use homemade pizza dough or another simple yeast dough.
Warm water: If you make the dough from scratch, use warm water, not hot water. It helps the yeast activate without killing it.
Yeast: Fresh yeast or dry yeast both work. Fresh yeast gives the dough a soft, classic bread dough texture.
Flour: I like using a mix of all purpose flour and whole wheat flour. The all purpose flour keeps the dough flexible, while the whole wheat flour adds a slightly hearty taste.
Salt: Salt gives the dough flavor. Do not skip it, especially if you are using the dough for pizza.
Ricotta pesto sauce: I used a ready made ricotta pesto pasta sauce. It makes the pizza creamy and flavorful without needing extra seasoning.
Bell pepper: Yellow bell pepper adds color and a mild sweetness. Red or green bell pepper also works.
Onion: Onion gives the pizza a simple savory flavor. Slice it thinly so it softens while baking.
Mozzarella: Mozzarella melts well and keeps the pizza simple. You can use grated mozzarella or a mozzarella ball cut into small pieces.
Herb salt: A little herb salt on top brings everything together. You can also use Italian herbs, oregano, basil, or garlic powder.
Variations
This bread dough pizza is easy to adjust. Use the toppings you already have at home and keep the base the same.
- Zucchini pizza: Add thin zucchini slices with mozzarella and herbs.
- Mushroom pizza: Use sliced mushrooms, onion, and a little extra cheese.
- Feta veggie pizza: Add bell pepper, onion, cherry tomatoes, and crumbled feta.
- Spinach ricotta pizza: Use spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, and a little garlic.
- Tomato mozzarella pizza: Use tomato sauce, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil.
Bread Dough Pizza Recipe
This recipe starts with leftover bread dough. If you already have dough ready, roll it out, top it, and bake it. If not, use the simple dough recipe in the recipe card below and save part of it for this pizza.
Bread Dough Pizza Recipe
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 2 1/8 cups warm water (500 ml)
- 1 cube fresh yeast or 1 packet dry yeast (42 g fresh yeast or 7 g dry yeast)
- 2 pinches sugar (2 g)
- 5 2/3 cups all purpose flour (700 g)
- 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (300 g)
- 3 tsp salt (18 g)
For the Pizza
- 1/2 batch prepared bread dough
- 1/2 cup ricotta pesto sauce (150 g)
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper (diced (75 g))
- 1 onion (thinly sliced (100 g))
- 7 oz mozzarella (grated or torn into pieces (200 g))
- 1 tsp herb salt (or to taste (4 g))
Method
- Add the warm water to a large mixing bowl. Crumble in the fresh yeast, add the sugar, and stir until the yeast has mostly dissolved.
- Add the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, and salt.
- Knead the dough for 5 to 10 minutes with a stand mixer, hand mixer with dough hooks, or by hand. The dough should be soft but not runny. If it feels too sticky, add a little more flour.
- Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours, until it has increased in size.
- Preheat the oven to 230°C / 445°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Use about half of the prepared dough for one tray of pizza. If you already have leftover bread dough, start here.
- Place the dough on the prepared baking sheet and roll or press it out into a thin rectangle.
- Spread the ricotta pesto sauce evenly over the dough.
- Add the diced bell pepper, sliced onion, and mozzarella.
- Sprinkle with herb salt.
- Bake for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are golden, the cheese has melted, and the crust is crisp.
- Let the pizza cool for a few minutes, then cut into 16 pieces and serve warm.
Equipment
Notes
- This recipe is mainly meant for leftover bread dough.
- If you already have dough, you do not need to make the dough from scratch.
- Bread dough can be softer than pizza dough.
- Add a little flour when rolling it out if it sticks.
- Roll the dough thin if you want a crispier pizza crust.
- Do not use too much sauce, or the center may stay soft.
- You can swap the vegetables for zucchini, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, spinach, or whatever you like.
- The baking time depends on how thinly you roll out the dough and how hot your oven gets.
Nutrition per piece (1/16):
Calories: 135 kcal
Carbohydrates: 22 g
Protein: 6
Fat: 3 g
Preparation Tips
This bread dough pizza is very forgiving, but a few simple tips make it even better.
If you are using leftover bread dough, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before rolling it out. Cold dough is firmer and tends to spring back, while slightly warmer dough is much easier to stretch.
Dust your work surface with a little flour. Bread dough is often softer than traditional pizza dough, especially if it has a higher water content. A light coating of flour prevents sticking without making the dough dry.
Roll the dough fairly thin. Since this recipe starts with bread dough instead of classic pizza dough, rolling it thinner helps create crisp edges while keeping the middle soft and fluffy.
Spread only a thin layer of ricotta pesto sauce. Too much sauce can make the center soft before the crust has time to crisp.
Cut the vegetables into small pieces. Thin onion slices and small diced peppers cook quickly and give every bite a balanced texture.
Bake in a fully preheated oven. High heat helps the crust become golden while the mozzarella melts perfectly.
Storage Tips
This bread dough pizza tastes best fresh from the oven when the crust is still crisp and the cheese is melted.
If you have leftovers, allow the pizza to cool completely before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
For the best texture, reheat the pizza in the oven or an air fryer for a few minutes. This helps bring back the crispy crust much better than using a microwave.
You can also refrigerate leftover bread dough before baking. Keep it tightly covered and use it within one day.
How to Use This Recipe
This recipe is perfect whenever you have leftover bread dough after baking bread or making stock bread. Instead of throwing the dough away, you can turn it into an easy homemade pizza with just a few simple ingredients.
It works well as an easy lunch, a quick family dinner, or a simple weekend recipe. Because the toppings are flexible, you can easily use vegetables you already have in your refrigerator.
If you enjoy easy homemade recipes and simple ways to reduce food waste, you may also like these:
- Leftover Pasta Recipe
- Simple Greek Salad Recipe
- Healthy Bean Feta Salad
- Best Vegetarian Lasagna
- How to Eat More Vegetables
- 14 Fun Recipes to Make with Friends
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use bread dough for pizza?
Yes. Bread dough works very well for homemade pizza. The crust is usually a little softer and fluffier than traditional pizza dough, but rolling it thin and baking it in a hot oven creates delicious crispy edges.
What can I do with leftover bread dough?
Leftover bread dough can be turned into homemade pizza, garlic bread, breadsticks, flatbread, dinner rolls, or small snack bites. This bread dough pizza is one of the easiest and most delicious ways to use it.
Can I use store bought bread dough?
Absolutely. Store bought bread dough or pizza dough both work well. Let the dough come closer to room temperature before rolling it out so it stretches more easily.
Which vegetables work best on this pizza?
Bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, zucchini, spinach, cherry tomatoes, olives, sweet corn, and broccoli are all great choices. Use whatever vegetables you already have at home.
Can I freeze bread dough pizza?
Yes. Let the baked pizza cool completely, then freeze individual slices in an airtight container for up to two months. Reheat directly from frozen in the oven until hot and crispy.
Final Thoughts
This bread dough pizza proves that leftovers can become something completely new. Instead of letting extra dough go to waste, you can transform it into a crispy homemade pizza with only a handful of ingredients.
The creamy ricotta pesto sauce, colorful vegetables, melted mozzarella, and homemade bread dough come together to create a simple meal that feels fresh, comforting, and satisfying. It is one of those recipes that often becomes a family favorite because it is easy, flexible, and perfect for using what you already have.
If you make this Bread Dough Pizza, I’d love to hear which toppings you used. Feel free to experiment with your favorite vegetables and enjoy giving leftover bread dough a delicious second life. Hope you enjoy 🙂
