Focaccia is one of the most fool proof breads that you can make. It’s a perfect starter for the beginner sourdough baker who doesn’t want to fuss with a shaping and baking with a Dutch oven but still wants to enjoy the long fermentation and flavor of sourdough. This is a light and airy dough, but with a pleasant crisp on top and pairs beautifully with any dish!
❤️ Why You’ll Love Sourdough Focaccia
I have made a ton of focaccia, and the best part about this recipe is it is such a great base recipe! Top with, literally, anything and you can bring bread to any occasion for any season. You can also split this dough into 2 for 2 little recipes.
🍲 Ingredients
Sourdough Starter – Bubbly, active sourdough starter that has been previously fed and used when it has doubled in size and at its peak.
Water – Filtered water is always best for sourdough recipes.
Olive oil – Since sourdough focaccia has just 5 ingredients’, it makes a difference when they are good quality ingredients. Olive oil makes focaccia light and crispy, but also gives the dough an extra depth of flavor.
Flour – Unbleached organic all-purpose flour. Organic isn’t always necessary, but I highly recommend always using unbleached flour.
Salt – I like Pink Himalayan salt but use whatever you have on hand!
Toppings – you can top focaccia with just about anything! The pictures I have in this post are of mini wheels of brie cheese with oil and salt.
👩🍳 How to Make Sourdough Focaccia
- In the morning, feed your sourdough starter
- In the afternoon, when your starter is active and bubbly, assemble your dough.
Dough Assembly
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together your starter, olive oil, and water together until the starter has dissolved and turned into a milky liquid.
- Add your flour and salt to the bowl and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Cover with a tea towel or bowl cover and let rest for one hour.
- After resting, pull one side of the dough up and towards the middle, rotating the bowl each time until a semi smooth ball forms.
- Cover the dough with a damp tea towel or bowl cover and let rest on the counter overnight for 12 hours.
In the morning
- In the morning, drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil into your baking dish. Transfer your dough directly into the pan.
- . 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.
- When your dough is ready to bake, preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
- Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil over the top. Use your fingertips to make dimples all over the surface of the dough.
- Bake at 450 degrees for 25 – 30 minutes until the dough is done and the top of nice and crispy.
- Let cool slightly before serving!
🪄 Tips and Tricks
- Optional Toppings:
- Olive oil (for drizzling)
- Sea salt
- Fresh herbs (like rosemary, thyme, or oregano)
- Optional toppings (cherry tomatoes, olives, onions, etc.)
- Active Starter: Ensure your sourdough starter is active and bubbly for the best rise and flavor.
- Hydration Level: Focaccia is typically a wetter dough, which contributes to its texture, so don’t be afraid of stickiness.
- Flavor Variations: Experiment with different toppings like caramelized onions, sautéed garlic, cheese, or seasonal vegetables.
🗒 Variations
There are so many things you can do with focaccia dough, I have a ton of recipes that you can try! But here are my most popular for you –
- Maple Bacon Focaccia – Acts Of Sourdough
- Focaccia Sandwich Bread – Acts Of Sourdough
- French Onion Focaccia – Acts Of Sourdough
- Sourdough Focaccia Pizza – Acts Of Sourdough
🗒 Substitutions
Bread Flour: You can usually substitute all-purpose flour for bread flour during the initial mixing, but the texture may be slightly less chewy.
Whole Wheat Flour: Substitute half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for a nuttier flavor and more nutrition. Add a little extra water to compensate for the whole wheat’s higher absorbency.
Olive Oil: While olive oil is traditional, you can use other types of oil like avocado oil or vegetable oil. For an alternative flavor, try using infused oils (like garlic or herb oil).
Butter: Melted butter can be used instead of oil if you prefer a richer taste, but be mindful that this will change the texture slightly.
Sweet Focaccia: For a dessert version, add sugar or honey to the dough and top with fruits like figs, peaches, or berries, along with a sprinkle of sugar on the topping.
🗒 Best served
- Cut into squares or rectangles and serve warm or at room temperature. It’s delicious on its own or with dips like olive oil, balsamic vinegar, or as part of a sandwich.
👝 How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover focaccia wrapped in plastic or in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of days or in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat in the oven for the best texture.
🤔 Common Questions
Focaccia is a wetter dough, so stickiness is fairly normal. But if you want to build gluten strength you can perform stretch and folds to make the dough stronger, or you can add more flavor. But a sticky dough is nothing to be alarmed over!
Sourdough Focaccia
Equipment
- 9×13 baking dish
- bread knife
Ingredients
- 200 grams bubbly, active sourdough starter
- 380 grams water
- 50 grams olive oil
- 600 grams all-purpose flour
- 10 grams salt
Instructions
- In the morning, feed your sourdough starter
- In the afternoon, when your starter is active and bubbly, assemble your dough.
Dough Assembly
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together your starter, olive oil, and water together until the starter has dissolved and turned into a milky liquid.
- Add your flour and salt to the bowl and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Cover with a tea towel or bowl cover and let rest for one hour.
- After resting, pull one side of the dough up and towards the middle, rotating the bowl each time until a semi smooth ball forms.
- Cover the dough with a damp tea towel or bowl cover and let rest on the counter overnight for 12 hours.
In the morning
- In the morning, drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil into your baking dish. Transfer your dough directly into the pan.
- . 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.
- When your dough is ready to bake, preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
- Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil over the top. Use your fingertips to make dimples all over the surface of the dough.
- Bake at 450 degrees for 20-25 minutes until the dough is done and the top of nice and crispy.
- Let cool slightly before serving!
Notes
- Olive oil (for drizzling)
- Sea salt
- Fresh herbs (like rosemary, thyme, or oregano)
- Optional toppings (cherry tomatoes, olives, onions, etc.)
- Active Starter: Ensure your sourdough starter is active and bubbly for the best rise and flavor.
- Hydration Level: Focaccia is typically a wetter dough, which contributes to its texture, so don’t be afraid of stickiness.
- Flavor Variations: Experiment with different toppings like caramelized onions, sautéed garlic, cheese, or seasonal vegetables.
Nutrition
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