Tools
How much yeast for pizza dough: the calculator
Enter the number and weight of your dough balls, your hydration, your salt and how the dough rests, at room temperature then in the fridge: the calculator gives the flour, water, salt and yeast to weigh. The dose depends mainly on how long the dough rests and how warm it is, including your fridge temperature.
A dose that depends on time and warmth
Yeast turns the sugars in flour into gas, alcohol and aromas. Its activity follows temperature: practically zero at 4 °C (39 °F) and below, it increases as the dough warms up. So the dose depends first on how much fermentation you want, and on the time and temperature the yeast has to get there.
The two rules to remember:
- the longer the rest, the less yeast you need;
- the warmer it is, the less yeast you need.
How I use this calculator
I start from what I want to take out of the oven: a number of dough balls and their weight. The calculation works out the flour, water, salt and yeast, taking into account salt (which slows yeast down), hydration, then the two resting stages: at room temperature, and in the fridge.
A yeast calculation only knows the numbers you give it: it cannot see the strength of your flour, the energy of your kneading or the vigour of your yeast. That is why I treat it as a starting point. Make your dough with the estimated dose, watch how it rises, then adjust on the next batch.
Fridge temperature changes everything
In the fridge, fermentation does not stop as long as the temperature stays above 4 °C, but it slows down sharply, and every degree counts. The ideal range for a rest in the fridge is 6 to 8 °C (43–46 °F).
For 6 dough balls of 250 g at 65 % hydration and 2.5 % salt, with 2 hours at 20 °C then 22 hours in the fridge:
| Fridge | Fresh yeast | Instant dry |
|---|---|---|
| 4 °C (39 °F) | 5.4 g | 2.2 g |
| 6 °C (43 °F) | 4.4 g | 1.7 g |
| 8 °C (46 °F) | 3.6 g | 1.4 g |
Before trusting your fridge’s setting, measure its real temperature with a thermometer.
Three yeasts, three doses
| Yeast | Form | Dose compared with fresh |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh | A block that crumbles | Reference |
| Instant dry | Small elongated granules | About 2.5 times less (3 g fresh = 1.2 g dry) |
| Active dry | Granules of dormant yeast | 2 times less, after 10–15 min in water at 30–43 °C |
My reference points in the protocols
| Protocol | Fresh yeast |
|---|---|
| Traditional Neapolitan, 24 h with the final proof in the fridge | 0.3 % |
| Contemporary Neapolitan, 48 h in the fridge | 0.2 % |
| Biga, in the preferment | 0.4 % |
| Biga, added at the final mix | 0.1 % |
More examples
Still for 6 dough balls of 250 g, about 895 g of flour, at 65 % hydration and 2.5 % salt, in a room at 20 °C:
- 24 hours at room temperature: about 0.5 g of fresh yeast;
- 8 hours at room temperature: about 1.7 g;
- 2 hours at room temperature then 46 hours in a fridge at 6 °C: about 2.7 g.
To convert between yeasts I use the yeast converter. And to get the dough off to the right temperature, I first work out the water temperature.
Frequently asked questions
How much yeast for 6 dough balls of 250 g and a 24-hour rest?
At 65 % hydration and 2.5 % salt, with no fridge and at 20 °C (68 °F), you need about 0.5 g of fresh yeast for 895 g of flour. If the dough spends 22 of those 24 hours in a fridge at 6 °C (43 °F), you need about 4.4 g.
Why does my fridge temperature matter so much?
Because yeast slows down enormously in the cold and barely works at 4 °C (39 °F). For the same 22-hour rest, a fridge at 4 °C needs about 1.5 times more yeast than one at 8 °C (46 °F). Measure your fridge’s real temperature and enter it.
What can I use instead of fresh yeast?
Instant dry yeast, dividing the fresh amount by about 2.5, or active dry yeast, dividing it by 2. Active dry yeast must first be reactivated for 10 to 15 minutes in water between 30 and 43 °C (86–109 °F).
Why must room temperature stay between 15 and 35 °C?
The calculation is built for that range (59–95 °F). Outside it, results are no longer reliable. Fridge cold is handled separately, through the fridge time and temperature.