Same Day Pizza Dough (Proof in an Instant Pot!)

Name: Same Day Pizza Dough
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 cup warm water; 1 pack active dry yeast; 1 tsp sugar; 3 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra cup for kneading); 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning; 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

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This easy tutorial for proofing pizza dough is made in an Instant Pot pressure cooker and can be used the same day! It has a quick prep and rise time and is the perfect recipe for pizza night with a family.

pizza with slice missing on a marble background.

I've shared before that I love making cinnamon rough dough in an Instant Pot. It's kind of a one-stop-shop for doing everything you need to your dough. Scalding milk and letting dough rise in a warm (but not too warm) pot couldn't be easier. Plus, I love reducing the amount of dishes needed in the process.

Let me tell you - the Instant Pot is a game-changer for making dough!

As it turns out, the Instant Pot is great for proofing pizza dough as well. It might seem intimidating, but it really isn't all that difficult to make this absolutely amazing homemade pizza dough. Proofing pizza dough in the Instant Pot takes about as much effort as ordering takeout or baking a frozen pizza!

Now, you're going to see some fancy-schmancy pizza dough recipes out there. This isn't that. I wanted to make a recipe that was easy to whip up for a family. If you're looking for an ultra-authentic pizza dough recipe that requires special pizza flour and 8 hours of proofing, keep looking. If you're looking for an easy recipe for great, attainable pizza dough, you've found it!

Love Instant Pot basics? Check out my Instant Pot Mississippi Roast and Instant Pot Q&A posts!

Proofing Pizza Dough in an Instant Pot: Step-by-Step Tutorial

Step 1: Activate Yeast

Turn on the yogurt setting (normal heat) on your Instant Pot.

Pour 1 cup of warm water into your Instant Pot inner pot. Stir in ½ teaspoon sugar until dissolved. Sprinkle active dry yeast on top of water and let activate for about a minute.

Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients

Combine 3 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning.

Step 3: Mix in Flour Mixture

Once yeast activates (for a minute or two), mix in flour mixture until dough forms. Form a fairly stiff ball of dough (sprinkle in extra flour if needed).

mixing flour and water in an instant pot.

Step 4: Oil and Proof

oil poured over ball of dough in an instant pot.

Pour half of the olive oil over the top and rub over ball.

Allow dough to proof in Instant Pot for 30 minutes to an hour. Dough should rise to about double its original volume; poke down with a fork if needed.

Step 5: Knead

Once dough rises, remove from Instant Pot and gently kneed in extra oil. If dough is sticky, add a little extra flour to make the dough more firm.

Separate into 2-4 dough balls (if you're not using all of the dough at once) and proof in the Instant Pot for 15-20 more minutes.

Step 6: Make pizza

Spread into one very big pizza or 4 personal-sized pizzas and bake dough at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes.

If you have a pizza oven or even a pizza stone, that's great - use it. But I don't. A baking sheet and regular oven works just fine! You'll just want to really crank that heat for the last part of baking to get the edges of the pizza crust nice and crispy.

If you're using a baking sheet, I recommend either a silicone liner (what I use) or parchment paper under the dough.

Add toppings like pizza sauce and cheese and bake for an additional 12-15 minutes at 450 degrees. Crust and toppings should start to turn golden brown.

Tips and Tricks

Don't over-knead! Working it too much will give the gluten in the dough a super chewy texture. Just knead enough to make sure the dough is nice and smooth before the second proof.
To spread you pizza dough for baking, place the dough ball in the center of a pan and gently use your fingers (kind of like playing a piano) to spread from the center out. This helps make sure your pizza dough stays nice and airy.
When kneading your dough, you'll probably have to add in some flour, depending on your climate. You want to add in enough to make sure the dough isn't sticky to the touch but is still moldable and stretchy.
In a pinch, you can have this dough ready in under an hour. But, the longer it sits, the more those flavors will develop and groove with each other. You can store this in the fridge (poking down as needed) for 2-3 days. Just put dough in a glass bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow dough to get to room temperature before spreading and baking.
This recipe makes 2 larger pizzas or 4 personal size pizzas.

Recipe Video

FAQs

Absolutely! After proofing, split dough into 2-4 balls and place on a cookie sheet. Pop in the freezer for 3-4 hours and store in freezer bags until ready to use. When ready to use, thaw in the refrigerator and get dough to room temperature before spreading and baking.

With this recipe, yes! You can have pizza dough in under 2 hours and with very minimal effort. Even after mixing ingredients and allowing to proof twice, your dough shouldn't take over 2 hours to make.

Yes, this dough can be used just after the second proof; no cooling needed. If you don't use it right away, it can be refrigerated in a large bowl for 2-3 days (covered) or frozen in smaller dough balls.

Simply use the yogurt setting on normal heat to proof any kind of dough. This pizza dough will need to proof for 30 minutes to an hour, then another 15 minutes after kneading.

Enjoy, friends!

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