Types of Yeast: Which Is the Best Yeast for Pizza Dough?

Making pizza dough at home isn’t as hard as you think and once you taste the difference you won’t want to go back to store bought.  Part of the great flavor in pizza dough comes from the yeast and there are a few different types of yeast  for pizza dough.  Deciding what type of pizza you plan to make will help you decide the best yeast for your pizza dough whether it’s pizza dough with instant yeast or fresh yeast.. We’ll walk you through the various types of yeast for baking whether you’re looking for a sourdough pizza crust or more of a grandma style pie.

Does the Type of Yeast Matter?

Yeast helps kickstart the leavening process, or in more simple terms, it’s what gets your pizza dough to rise. Without it you’d have a pretty dense flavor. The fermentation process that yeast kick-starts gives the dough that complex flavor and air bubbles throughout. 

Different yeasts and fermentation methods can achieve different results. No matter the form it’s in, any yeast can work well for making pizza dough. It all depends on how much time you want to spend making it, and what kind of flavor you want. 

Cold ferment pizza dough, a process of overnight proofing with yeast, is put in the fridge 24-72 hours. This slows down the yeast development and results in a more complex pizza crust no matter which yeast you use. Instant yeast for pizza dough won’t work with this method, but you could certainly use active dry or fresh yeast.  Although it’s more time consuming than other rises, it also allows you to let the pizza dough rise overnight for baking the next day or day after.

Using a sourdough starter as your yeast will produce a much different-tasking crust than other yeast types. It’s also the most traditional of all the yeasts, but it requires effort to upkeep a sourdough starter.

Regardless of what yeast you use with your dough you will need to do one or two rises so plan your time accordingly.

Choosing the Right Yeast for Your Pizza Dough

What kind of yeast for pizza dough you choose will depend on a number of factors. The main types of yeast people use for pizza dough are active dry yeast, instant yeast, fresh (cake) yeast and a sourdough starter (wild yeast).

Yeast works with various bacteria to help pizza crust to rise. It also provides that flavor we love so much. Yeast also affects how the crust looks, as well as its tenderness and crispiness.

Active dry yeast is the dried, shelf-stable form of yeast. It needs to be placed in water to proof before adding it to bread flour or all purpose flour. This yeast type tends to be the most convenient and easy to use and find.

Instant yeast, also called rapid rise, is also in dried form. However, it doesn’t need to be dissolved in water or “proofed” (unless the recipe you’re using calls for it); instead, simply mix instant yeast in with the other ingredients in your pizza dough recipe.

Sourdough starter or wild yeast  can be made right at home. Just mix flour and water, and allow it to sit at room temperature, where the bacteria and yeast in the air can enter the mixture. You’ll need to wait for one or two weeks for your starter to be ready, being sure to discard a little and feed it more flour every few days. It’s more fickle to work as you have to continuously feed your starter but if you already have it on hand it can be fantastic to use in making pizza dough. 

Fresh yeast, sometimes called cake yeast can be found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. The shelf life is two weeks stored in an airtight container in the fridge, much less than the 4-6 months active dry yeast can last once opened. It is a great choice for complex bready flavors but makes the most sense if you are making a large number of pizzas and can move through it quickly.

Best Yeast for Different Types of Pizza

Picking your pizza dough yeast depends somewhat on the type of pizza you want to make. Here’s a breakdown of what to use for each style.

• Instant yeast for pizza dough → Best for reliability and shorter ferments
  

• Active dry yeast → Common choice for traditional styles
  

• Fresh yeast → Classic choice for authentic Italian doughs
  

• Sourdough starter → Complex flavor and natural fermentation

Best Yeast for Every Pizza Style

How to Store Yeast

Storing yeast properly is key to ensuring it lasts as long as possible. For active dry yeast or instant, you’ll want to store it in an air tight container in the fridge for up to four months. Dry yeast (instant or active) can also be stored in the freezer for up to six months.

Fresh yeast must be stored in the refrigerator, it can’t be frozen. You’ll want to store in an air-tight container for 2-3 weeks.

Sourdough starter should also be kept in the fridge as you actively use it. It requires you to feed it weekly.

The best way to check if yeast is still viable is to go through the blooming process, even for instant yeast that doesn’t usually require that to activate. If the yeast becomes bubbly in warm water after 5-10 minutes it’s still viable.

Common Mistakes to Avoid with Yeast

• Using water that is too hot or too cold when proofing: Water that’s too hot will kill the yeast and cold water will take too long to activate it. Aim for something that is lukewarm to touch, between 70-80 degrees.

• Not paying attention to expiration. If your yeast is expired it likely won’t work as well and many times it won’t work at all. If your yeast isn’t bubbling during the proof, don’t use it.

• Storing it improperly. Unopened packets of yeast can stay in the pantry but anything else you’ll want to store in the fridge. Just make sure it’s in an air-tight sealed container.

FAQs

Q: What kind of yeast do you use for pizza dough?

A: The kind of yeast you use for pizza dough depends on the type of pizza you want to make. Active dry yeast may be the most commonly used, but instant, wild and fresh all have their applications for various pizza types.

Q: Is instant yeast the same as active dry yeast?

A: Instant yeast for pizza dough and active dry yeast are not the same thing although they look similar and are often sold in similar packages. Instant yeast can be directly mixed in with other ingredients and is often valuable in shorter rise doughs where active dry yeast must be proofed in warm water before adding to the rest of the ingredients.

Q: How to activate yeast?

A: Yeast can be activated by sprinkling the yeast on top of lukewarm water - generally 70-80 degrees. Sometimes sugar is added. After 5-10 minutes the yeast should start to bubble and that’s how you can tell it’s activated.

Q: How much yeast do I need for pizza dough?

A: The amount of yeast you need for pizza dough varies per recipe and the amount of pizza dough you are making. For most recipes you’ll need 2 ¼ teaspoons, which is the size of the individual packets of active dry or instant yeast.

Q: Can I use sourdough starter instead of yeast for pizza dough?

A: Yes! You can absolutely use sourdough starter instead of yeast for pizza dough. Sourdough starter is a form of wild yeast and it makes great pizza dough.

Q: Does yeast type affect pizza crust flavor?

A: Yes, yeast type does affect pizza crust flavor and so does the type of fermentation. Some yeasts provide a more complex and nuanced flavor than others.

About Fontana Forni Pizza Ovens

Authentic home pizza experiences begin with Fontana Forni. Our top-quality pizza ovens combine old-world Italian craftsmanship and construction with modern technology for the highest convenience and refinement.

We invite you to browse our lines of indoor and outdoor pizza ovens at our website, where you’ll also find some of our favorite and delicious pizza dough recipes, laid out step by step just for you. We wish you buon appetito!