This sourdough focaccia is crispy, airy, and soft. One of the tastiest ways to use your sourdough starter and is perfect with salads, soups, and pasta!
This simple sourdough focaccia recipe is about to become one our your favorite ways to put your sourdough starter to use. If you don’t already have a starter, you can purchase one on Amazon that’s already active and ready to use. For additional tips, read this guide on how to feed and maintain your starter. Get ready for the chewy goodness that’s headed your way!
Love focaccia bread recipes? While you’re at it try our easy focaccia bread recipe or our turkey focaccia bread sandwich.
How to Make Sourdough Focaccia Bread
Preparing this super simple sourdough focaccia from scratch requires some patience for the resting times and some fun stretching by hand. Best of all, there’s no need to bust out your stand mixer or dough hook attachment!
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the sourdough starter with water and honey.
- Add in the Dry Ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour and salt into the large mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
- Allow the Dough to Rest: Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 12 hours at room temperature.
- Coat the Dough in Oil: The next day, drizzle oil on a large (9in.x13in.) baking pan. Transfer the dough to the baking pan and stretch it to coat it in the oil.
- Stretch the Focaccia Dough: Cover and let the dough rest for an hour. Gently stretch the dough with your fingers across the baking tray and create those signature dimples with your fingertips.
- Bake the Focaccia: Bake at 425°F for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Allow it to cool slightly on a wire rack. Serve warm and enjoy!
Hot Tip: Line the baking dish with some parchment paper to prevent the bread from sticking to the pan.
3 Tips for the Tastiest Sourdough Focaccia
If this is your first time making homemade sourdough focaccia, follow these 3 tips to help you along the way.
- Make sure your sourdough starter is active. For this recipe, you need to make sure that your starter is active. This means that you need to feed the starter about 10 hours before using it.
- Mind the resting time. While no kneading is required for this recipe, the resting time is crucial and what creates those signature bubbles. Don’t rush the process and you’ll be golden!
- Use high-quality olive oil. High-quality olive oil is a must in this recipe. Not only does it add to the flavor, but it also creates an extra crispy crust and crumb. Go for 100% extra-virgin olive oil and stay away from any watered-down blends. See our oil guide for more tips on the most common cooking oils.
Different Toppings for Sourdough Focaccia
While this sourdough focaccia is delicious plain, there are several different ways you can up-level it with fun topping combinations. Here are a few ideas to inspire you.
- Italian Herb & Salt: Before baking, sprinkle on fresh rosemary and coarse sea salt.
- Pesto & Cheese: Spoon on my homemade pesto in several spots across the dough and add on some slices of fresh mozzarella. You can also add on some cherry tomatoes and this will taste just like a pizza!
- Margherita-Style: Add on thick slices of heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil leaves.
- Garlic Lovers: Add whole cloves of roasted garlic. Optionally, add on some caramelized onion too.
- Olive Overload: Add on slices of your favorite olives. Use one kind or a couple for a pretty and colorful effect!
Serving Suggestions
Consider this sourdough focaccia the perfect base for any and all of your fancy focaccia creations. Use it to make a sandwich or serve it alongside your favorite soups, salads, and entrees. We love to pair it with a caesar salad and a piping hot bowl of minestrone. If you’re serving it for dinner, pair it with spatchcock chicken and creamy mashed potatoes.
Storing Best Practices
Whether you want to keep your focaccia on the counter or freeze some for a rainy day, here’s all you need to know.
- Room Temperature: To keep the focaccia on hand for up to a week or more, store it in an airtight container on the counter at room temperature. You’ll know the bread is past its prime when it gets hard and starts to dry out. Avoid storing the bread in the fridge, as the cold air will dry it out quicker.
- Freezer: This focaccia bread freezes well, so it’s a great idea to double or even triple the recipe. To freeze it for up to 3 months, allow it first to cool down completely. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and pop it in a freezer-safe bag.
Reheating Tip: This focaccia bread has the best flavor when it’s served warm, so it’s always a good idea to warm it up before serving. To do so, place the focaccia on a baking sheet and throw it in the oven at 350°F for 5 minutes or until warmed through.
FAQ
How is sourdough focaccia different from focaccia bread?
Sourdough focaccia is different from typical focaccia bread because it’s made with an active sourdough starter. This gives the bread a slight tang and a depth of flavor that’s slightly different than typical focaccia bread.
Why is your sourdough focaccia dense?
There are two main reasons that your sourdough focaccia turned out dense. The first is that you didn’t add enough water to the dough, causing it to be dense and dry. The next reason is that it hasn’t been proofed long enough.
How do you make sourdough focaccia airier?
You can make sourdough focaccia even airier by mixing baking soda into the dough during the shaping stage and right after the bulk fermentation. Because baking soda is an alkaline it reacts with the acidity of the sourdough starter and makes for a lighter, airier texture overall.
When does sourdough starter go bad?
If you feed and take care of your sourdough starter properly, you’ll never have to throw it away. It continues to grow and develop better flavors with time. Some starters are even up to 100 years old when they are fed regularly!
More Tasty Sourdough Recipes to Try
- Overnight Sourdough Bagels – Fluffy, boiled starter bagels
- (Almost) Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread – White & wheat flour sourdough
- Crazy Easy Sourdough Pancakes – Fluffy starter pancakes
- Sourdough Bread Recipe – Ultimate guide to sourdough bread
- Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls – You can’t beat this fluffy roll with a classic cream cheese icing.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup sourdough starter
- 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp olive oil for baking
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk the sourdough starter with water and honey.
- Add in the all-purpose flour and salt. Stir to combine.
- Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap. Let it sit for at least 12 hours at room temperature.
- The next morning, oil a large (9in.x13in.) baking pan. Move the dough to the baking pan. Lightly stretch it over the oiled pan to coat all the sides with oil.
- Cover and let the dough rest for an hour. Gently stretch the dough with your fingers.
- Bake at 425°F for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately.
This recipe is easy and delicious. I’ve made it a few times now, my family loves this recipe a lot!
That is so great to hear, Natasha! Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback. Have a great day!
So yummy served with a bowl of hot soup! We love garlic, so I spread some olive oil and minced garlic on top before baking. Delish!
So glad to hear you loved it, Kara! Enjoy!
This is amazing... the sourdough flavors, all in the texture of the focaccia! I think it may be my new fave. Thank you!
So glad you loved it, Jessica! Thank you for your feedback. Have a great day!