This crispy, fluffy focaccia has all the flavors of a delicious French onion soup, but in the form of sourdough bread. Long fermented, incredibly tasty, and something the whole family will love.
❤️ Why You’ll Love French Onion Focaccia
Who doesn’t love a warm form of French onion soup? Well, this is everything great about French onion, but in a sharable, snacking form. Sweet, caramelized onions, melty cheesy, light and airy bread. Plus, it’s long fermented and easier to digest which is always a plus!
🍲 Ingredients
Sourdough Starter – Previously fed, active and bubbly sourdough starter.
Water – Filtered water is best.
Olive oil – Good quality olive oil goes a long way in focaccia recipes because it uses so much of it.
Flour – Unbleached organic all-purpose flour. Organic isn’t always necessary, but I highly recommend always using unbleached flour.
Onions – 2 -3 onions, 2 large or 3 medium sized. It may seem like a low of onions at first, but they cook down!
Cheese – Shred your own blend of gouda and mozzarella cheese for the most melty goodness. Pre- shredded cheese is coated with an “anti-sticking” agent which prevents it from melting to their fullest potential.
Herbs – Dried thyme and oregano, and whatever other dried herbs you like with your French onion soup will work.
Salt – I like Pink Himalayan salt but use whatever you have on hand!
Breadcrumbs – I like the texture of homemade breadcrumbs best but use whatever breadcrumbs you have on hand!
👩🍳 How to Make French Onion Focaccia
- In the morning, feed your sourdough starter.
- In the afternoon, when your sourdough starter has doubled in size, assemble your dough.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together your starter, water, and olive oil. Add in the flour and salt and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for one hour.
- After resting, perform your first set of stretch and folds by pulling one side of the dough up and towards the middle, repeating and rotating the bowl each time until a semi – smooth dough forms.
- Cover and let rest for one hour.
- After resting, perform one more set of stretch and folds to strengthen the dough. Pulling the sides up and towards the middle, rotating the bowl each time. Cover with a damp towel and let rest overnight for 12 hours.
- The next morning, drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil into your baking dish. Transfer your dough directly from the bowl into the dish. Fold the top of the dough up and in the middle, repeat the same with the bottom. Flip the dough seam side down so the dough is covered in olive oil.
- Cover and let rest for 1 – 2 hours until the dough has doubled in size and puffy.
- While your dough is resting, cut your onions thin slices.
- Melt butter into a pan over low heat. Cook your onions over medium low heat, periodically stirring and covering with a lid, for one hour. Until they are completely cooked down and caramelized. Add more olive oil or butter to the pan as needed.
- When your dough has doubled in size and is puffy, drizzle with more olive oi and carefully sprinkle the onions all over the surface of the dough. Top the onions with the shredded cheese. Oil your fingers and dimple the entire surface, working the onions and cheese into the dough.
- Sprinkle the thyme, oregano and breadcrumbs over the top.
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Bake the focaccia for 27 – 30 minutes until the top is golden and crispy and the cheese has melted.
- Serve warm and enjoy with a side of bone broth for extra French onion flavor!
🪄 Tips and Tricks
- Cooking your onions low and slow makes them the most tender and sweet onions to work with, it’s better to take your time with this rather than rush and have them crispy on top your bread.
- Instead of using pre shredded cheese, it is better to shred the cheese yourself. It ensures it is the most melty and flavorful after baking!
- If you want it extra cheesy, top with some extra cheese halfway through baking.
🗒 Variations
The focaccia variations are endless, even though I’m trying to make all of them because it is so simple and delicious! Here are a few of your favorite recipes that I have made so far.
🗒 Substitutions
Because this is heavily inspired by French onion soup, I am not naive to the fact that everyone makes their favorite soup their favorite way. So, if you want to add Worcestershire, or special herbs than I encourage you do that!
🗒 Best served with
- A side or warm broth for sipping and dipping for the full French Onion flavor!
- Before dinner appetizer
👝 How to Store Leftovers
Store your leftover focaccia in a Ziplock bag or airtight container and leave on the counter for 3 – 4 days. When you want to enjoy again, place the focaccia on a baking sheet and heat in a 350-degree oven until heated through.
🤔 Common Questions
Focaccia is “over proofed” dough. Don’t be afraid to leave it on the counter to bulk ferment for 12-14 hours.
Yes! Just start the dough assembly in the morning. Feed your starter at night, assemble your dough in the morning when your starter is at peak, perform your stretch and folds, let rest for 4-6 hours and then place in the fridge overnight.
French Onion Focaccia
Equipment
- food scale
- Tea towel/ bowl cover
- 9×13 baking dish
Ingredients
- 150 grams bubbly, active sourdough starter
- 360 grams filtered water
- 575 grams all purpose flour
- 50 grams olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 10 grams salt
- 2 tbs butter melted
- 2 – 3 onions, sliced and caramelized
- 1 ½ cup gouda cheese, shredded
- ⅓ cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
Instructions
- In the morning, feed your sourdough starter.
- In the afternoon, when your sourdough starter has doubled in size, assemble your dough.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together your starter, water, and olive oil. Add in the flour and salt and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for one hour.
- After resting, perform your first set of stretch and folds by pulling one side of the dough up and towards the middle, repeating and rotating the bowl each time until a semi – smooth dough forms.
- Cover and let rest for one hour.
- After resting, perform one more set of stretch and folds to strengthen the dough. Pulling the sides up and towards the middle, rotating the bowl each time. Cover with a damp towel and let rest overnight for 12 hours.
- The next morning, drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil into your baking dish. Transfer your dough directly from the bowl into the dish. Fold the top of the dough up and in the middle, repeat the same with the bottom. Flip the dough seam side down so the dough is covered in olive oil.
- Cover and let rest for 1 – 2 hours until the dough has doubled in size and puffy.
- While your dough is resting, cut your onions thin slices.
- Melt butter into a pan over low heat. Cook your onions over medium low heat, periodically stirring and covering with a lid, for one hour. Until they are completely cooked down and caramelized. Add more olive oil or butter to the pan as needed.
- When your dough has doubled in size and is puffy, drizzle with more olive oi and carefully sprinkle the onions all over the surface of the dough. Top the onions with the shredded cheese. Oil your fingers and dimple the entire surface, working the onions and cheese into the dough.
- Sprinkle the thyme, oregano and breadcrumbs over the top.
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Bake the focaccia for 27 – 30 minutes until the top is golden and crispy and the cheese has melted.
- Serve warm and enjoy with a side of bone broth for extra French onion flavor!
