Easy Sourdough Focaccia Bread

This sourdough focaccia recipe is the easiest bread you can make with your sourdough starter! There is no shaping involved just a few simple folds to the dough and patience needed to make this wonderfully flavorful bread. Top your focaccia with flaky sea salt, an extra drizzle of olive oil, and any other toppings that you’d like.

Overview

• Skill Level: Intermediate
• Component Used: Active Sourdough Starter
• Technique Used: Stretch and Folds

Focaccia bread is an incredibly flavorful bread that’s soft, fluffy, and crisp around the edges. But when you make it with sourdough starter it gets even better! It adds a depth of flavor that you can only achieve with sourdough.

This recipe is the easiest bread you can make with sourdough. The dough goes through a simple mixing process and then bakes in a pan. There is no shaping technique that needs practicing!

I usually top my focaccia with a simple mix of flaky sea salt and fresh chopped rosemary but sometimes I like to mix it up and add marinated olives, sliced peppers, and parmesan cheese. The flavor varieties are endless and can be customized however you’d like.

Ingredients

Classic sourdough focaccia bread is made with very few ingredients. The five ingredients include: flour, water, salt, sourdough starter, and olive oil. That’s it! 

This combination makes delicious, incredible bread. You can make it as is or add toppings to make different flavors. For this version, I’m using fresh chopped rosemary, coarse salt, and an Italian blend of olives and marinated peppers.

I recommend keeping it simple without a lot of toppings the first time you make it so you can really taste the flavor of the bread. 

If you are interested in making your own sourdough starter, start here! My sourdough for beginners guide will help you through the process of making a natural sourdough starter.

If you don’t already have an active starter, you can still make delicious focaccia by using dried yeast. Follow my recipe for making focaccia bread with dried yeast here.

How to Make Sourdough Focaccia

Like most all bread recipes there is not one singular way to approach focaccia. I have developed this method as my favorite way to make it to maximize flavor and minimize hands on time. 

I like to use a very high hydration dough, meaning there is a lot of water in this recipe. This allows the bread to get a more open hole structure and keeps the crumb very moist. 

Step 1: Mix the Dough

To start the process, we are going to mix the warm water, olive oil, and sourdough starter together without any of the other ingredients. Add the flour and salt over the water and stir with a spatula.

Mix with the spatula and then switch to using your hands to pinch the dough until the flour is fully hydrated. It will feel very sticky. Mix for at least 2 minutes to ensure all ingredients are well combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, a shower cap (my preference), or clean linen and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

This step is called autolyse. The time allows the flour to fully absorb the liquid ingredients.

Step 2: Stretch and Fold

After the dough rests, you will perform 4 rounds of stretch and folds with about 20-30 minutes in between each round. If you are unfamiliar with this technique, watch this video as it will help to see the process.

Dampen your hand with water and then grab underneath the dough pulling it up to stretch it as far as it will go without breaking, then fold it down over itself. Go all the way around the bowl until it tightens up into a ball. Cover it and let it rest again before the next round.

Step 3: Shape & Ferment

Pour extra olive oil into a baking pan and swirl it around. Transfer the dough to the pan, turning to coat it in the oil, and cover. At this point, it will not stretch to fill the pan so let it relax for about 30 minutes. Afterwards, press and stretch the dough to fit the size of the pan.

Cover and let rise at room temperature for about 3 more hours. 

Step 4: Add Toppings

When ready to bake, the dough should be puffy and full of air. Dimple the dough by taking your fingers and pressing in all over the top. This gives the bread that iconic focaccia look.

Sprinkle coarse salt and other toppings over the dough as desired. For this version, I drizzled about 1 more tablespoon of olive oil, fresh chopped rosemary, and a sprinkle of coarse salt.

Step 5: Bake

Bake in a preheated 425°F/218°C oven for 20-24 minutes until it’s a deep golden brown and the center has reached 200°F/93°C. Let cool for a few minutes in the pan and then remove with a spatula onto a cutting board or wire rack. Let cool before slicing.

Storage

Store uneaten baked sourdough focaccia at room temperature loosely covered by foil or plastic wrap for up to 48 hours. Then slice and freeze in an airtight container for up to a month.

Make-Ahead Sourdough Focaccia

After stretching the dough into the baking pan, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (or up to 3 days). Let it proof at room temperature for about 3 hours until puffy before dimpling and baking. This longer fermentation will give the dough even more flavor.

MORE RECIPES FROM BAKER BETTIE!

If you loved this recipe, you might like to try these other delicious sourdough bread recipes.

• No-Knead Sourdough Bread
• Sourdough Sandwich Bread
• Sourdough Bread Bowls