Do you have a Friday night pizza tradition at your house? Be sure to try our No-Cook Homemade Pizza Sauce, Four Cheese Pizza with Tomato Basil Arugula Salad, or Easy Stromboli Recipe!
Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
We have been making this pizza dough recipe for years and it’s super easy to throw together in about 10 minutes. I especially love it topped with pesto sauce and plenty of veggies. I feel like the nutty, yeasty flavor of the whole wheat pizza dough is even better with those toppings than the classic kind, actually, which is why I have a separate post where I share our favorite veggie pizza made with this whole wheat pizza dough as the crust. While whole wheat pizza dough doesn’t have quite the same taste and texture as classic pizzeria-style pizza dough, it’s pretty darn wonderful in it’s own right and we make it almost as often as the other kind.
Ingredients in Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
Whole Wheat Flour: Obviously, whole wheat flour is used in this pizza dough. If you are worried about going all the way whole wheat, you can absolutely use half whole wheat and half all-purpose or bread flour when you are starting out. Active dry yeast: I almost always use active dry yeast because I buy it in bulk and keep it in my fridge. When using active dry yeast, you need to let it proof for 5 minutes in warm water until it gets foamy. If it doesn’t start to foam, it’s probably not good anymore and you should throw it out. You can use instant yeast, if you have some on hand, and skip the step where you let the yeast proof for 5 minutes. Sugar: It’s just 1 teaspoon but it helps “feed” the active dry yeast so it can proof. Honey: I love the subtle flavor honey adds to whole wheat bread dough and it does the same thing with this pizza dough recipe. The biggest complaint most people have about whole wheat pizza dough is that it tastes bland, and this little addition helps correct that. Olive oil: Using olive oil also helps with the flavor of this whole wheat pizza dough. You will use some in the dough itself, and use a little more to coat the bowl that the dough rises in so it doesn’t stick. If you want, you can even brush some around the crust of your pizza before baking for extra flavor! Salt: This is the last really important ingredient to make sure your pizza dough isn’t bland. Don’t forget it!
How to Make Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
- Start by proofing the yeast in the warm water mixed with a little sugar and the honey. Once the yeast is foamy (about 5 minutes), you’re ready to move on to the next step.
- Add the olive oil, salt, and flour, mixing until combined.
- Knead for 5 minutes, either by hand or using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment until smooth and elastic.
- Drizzle a little olive oil in a large bowl and add the pizza dough, turning it once to coat in the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for 60-90 minutes until doubled in size.
Tips For Making the Best Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
Professional pizzerias use really hot ovens, which gives their crusts the signature crispy texture that can be hard to achieve at home. I recommend preheating your oven for AT LEAST 30 minutes, even up to an hour, at 500 degrees F (or 475 if that’s as high as your oven will go).If you are have a pizza stone, put it in the oven before turning the heat on so it has plenty of time to get hot as well. It really helps get the crust crispier on the bottom. Alternatively, you can flip a baking sheet upside down and use that as a makeshift pizza stone.Sprinkle a little cornmeal under your whole wheat pizza dough for extra texture and flavor to your crust.
MAKE-AHEAD & FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS
Make-Ahead: You can make this whole wheat pizza dough up to 3 days in advance. Just skip the rising process and keep in in the fridge covered with plastic wrap until you are ready to make your pizzas. When you want to make your pizzas, just pull the dough out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter for two hours to come up to room temperature and rise before proceeding like normal. Freezing: You can freeze this whole wheat pizza dough to always have some one hand. Make the dough like normal and let it rise, then divide it into 2-3 balls. Rub a little extra olive oil around each ball of dough, then place the balls of dough into freezer-safe ziploc bags and freeze completely. You can keep the balls of frozen pizza dough in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge for at least 12 hours, then let it sit on the counter at room temperature for at least 1 hour before using.
More Healthy-ish Recipes to Inspire You
Vegetarian Swiss Chard and Pinto Bean BurritosSweet Molasses Brown BreadHow to Make OatmealRoasted Garlic & Rosemary No Knead Artisan BreadEasy Homemade Granola RecipeThe BEST Stuffed PeppersSkillet Lemon Chicken & RiceBaked Greek Feta Meatballs
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