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We eat pizza every Sunday night. I make a large batch of artisanal sourdough pizza dough with kamut and 00 flour every two weeks. I freeze half of the dough. This rhythm has been a part of my meal prep for years. So much so that I have the recipe below almost memorized. We love our weekly pizza night!

I have used this dough on our outdoor Big Green Egg grill. I have also used it in our indoor gas oven. I always use a baking stone. The crust bakes to a perfect Neapolitan-style pizza—crisp and puffy with a chewy interior. The sourdough and kamut give the pizza immense flavor and structure. I wouldn’t make pizza dough any other way now.

In fact, my children are very fond of this style of sourdough pizza dough (with kamut). They love it more than take-out. I swear! And I agree. There is nothing better than the perfect pizza crust. And this is it. I promise!

I choose to add kamut to this sourdough pizza crust recipe to boost flavor and nutrition. Kamut (Khorasan wheat) has a naturally buttery, nutty, slightly sweet flavor. The flavor of this ancient grain adds depth to pizza crust without needing added sugar or fat. It makes the dough taste more “artisan” and complex. Compared to modern wheat, Kamut is richer in protein, selenium, magnesium, and zinc.

While kamut has gluten, it’s weaker and less elastic than modern bread wheat. That means doughs with a higher percentage of Kamut can feel more delicate and tear more easily when stretched. That’s why I needed to add a higher concentration of 00 and bread flours to this recipe. The dough stays strong and workable thanks to the 00 and bread flour.

It is essential to make a strong levain for this crust. Ensure your sourdough starter is nice and active before making your pizza crust levain. Using 00 flour in your levain will acclimate your starter to the dough it is about to proof. As the levain will be for sourdough pizza dough with kamut, you can add some kamut to your starter. The whole grain addition will invigorate the levain. But a 00 levain has proved sturdy enough for me in the past.

Honestly, half the time I do not autolyse my dough because I forget or am in a hurry. So if this happens to you, don’t worry. You will still achieve phenomenal pizza dough. However, when you autolyse the dough, you’ll help create a dough that is easier to handle and more extensible.

The autolyse is a short rest after mixing the flour and water (before adding salt and levain). It does a few important things for your pizza dough:

1. Hydration – allows the flour to fully absorb water, so the dough feels smoother and easier to handle.
2. Gluten development – enzymes in the flour (especially protease) gently start breaking down proteins. This process helps the gluten network form with less kneading/folding later.
3. Extensibility – makes the dough more stretchable and less prone to tearing, which is exactly what you want for pizza. Because Kamut tends to make dough less extensible, autolyse offsets that by making the whole dough more workable and stretchy.
4. Flavor boost – enzymes also begin breaking down starch into simple sugars. The sugars give yeast more food to work with and improve crust color and flavor during baking.

So in short: autolyse = better texture, better handling, better flavor. And specifically in terms of the Kamut flour–the autolyse smooths out the rough edges of weaker gluten and maximizes flavor.

For pizza dough, autolyse gives you a balance between strength (holds bubbles and structure). And also extensibility (easy to stretch thin without snapping back).

Stretch and folds gently build strength in the dough without heavy kneading. Each fold organizes the gluten strands, and the dough can hold on to air bubbles. Stretch and folds allow for a light, open crust. Minimal folding keeps the sourdough pizza dough supple enough to stretch thin without tearing. This recipe needs 1-2 folds—any more, and the dough will tighten up and fight back when you shape your pizzas.

Stretch-and-folds are a gentle way to develop gluten without heavy kneading. Instead of kneading, stretching, and folding the pizza dough will align gluten proteins and strengthen the dough gradually.

For pizza dough with Kamut:

💡 Tip: Kamut has weaker gluten than 00 or bread flour, so fewer folds prevent the dough from tightening. Fewer folds help you get a perfect artisan-style crust.

💡 Tip: Double cold proofing kamut pizza dough ensures a chewy, flavorful artisan crust, perfect for sourdough pizza.

Cold proofing slows down fermentation, allowing the dough to develop deeper flavor and a more complex aroma. The yeast works more slowly in the fridge. During this time, the natural enzymes in the flour break down starches into sugars. This process contributes to a slightly sweeter, more nuanced crust. It also results in better browning during baking. The slower fermentation also strengthens the gluten network, making the dough more elastic and easier to stretch without tearing.

In this recipe, I use two cold proofs for maximum flavor and texture. The first cold proof occurs before dividing the dough. This gives the bulk dough time to mature. It also develops subtle sourdough notes. After dividing into balls, the second cold proof lets each portion relax. It gains even more structure while extensibility is maintained. Longer fermentation also enhances Maillard reactions during baking, giving a beautifully blistered and caramelized crust.

This two-step approach helps produce a crust that’s airy, chewy, and flavorful — perfect for artisan-style pizzas.

Feel free to divide the pizza dough into sizes you like. This recipe creates around 6 smaller Neapolitan sourdough pizza dough balls or 4 medium-sized crusts. Portion your dough and then freeze the dough balls you won’t bake the next day.

I freeze half the dough, and we make pizza weekly. Every week, I make a traditional cheese and pepperoni pizza. Then, I make the second pizza with whatever ingredients I can scrounge.

My sourdough pizza dough with kamut recipe creates a crust that can stand up to a variety of toppings. Here are some of my pizza topping ideas based on past creations:

Shredded chicken, smoky BBQ sauce, pickled red onions, mozzarella and smoked Gouda, and pickled jalapenos

Basil pesto, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and optional grilled chicken

San Marzano tomato sauce, Zucchini, pickled bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, mozzarella and feta, and fresh basil.

San Marzano tomato sauce, sautéed mushrooms, sliced grilled/baked chicken (or pan sautéed Italian sausage), green onions, mozzarella, and optional olives.

Roasted butternut squash, caramelized onions, kale, Gruyère and Chèvre cheese, and a drizzle of sage-infused olive oil (or chiffonade sage leaves)

Sautéed mixed wild mushrooms, garlic, ricotta, mozzarella, and fresh thyme

Spinach, kale, roasted garlic, mozzarella/ricotta, and a sprinkle of Parmesan or Pecorino Romano

Olive oil, leftover roasted cabbage, pan sautéed Italian sausage, mozzarella, fontina, and shaved Pecorino Romano

Asparagus, peas, radishes, fresh herbs, ricotta, and a drizzle of lemony olive oil (or lemon zest and olive oil)

I’d love to know how you use this sourdough pizza dough with kamut recipe. Drop me a line in the comments below!