Simple Sourdough Focaccia Bread Recipe

Sourdough Focaccia bread is a versatile, herb and olive oil-flavored bread that is delicious on its own or used as a sandwich bread.

On our property, we grow all sorts of herbs. I love having a variety of them on hand to utilize in the kitchen. Currently, we have a huge dill patch, and crazy amounts of lavender, oregano, and of course rosemary.

Sourdough focaccia bread is the perfect way for me to use our fresh rosemary. Creating a bread that is packed with flavor and beautiful to display.

If you are brand new to sourdough be sure to check out my sourdough recipes tab for lots of great recipes to try out including a tutorial for making a sourdough starter from scratch. If you don’t already have your own sourdough starter or if you ever need to make a new one. Yes, it happens to the best of us.  

No matter where you are at in your sourdough journey, everyone can use an easy sourdough focaccia recipe up their sleeve. The best part is that you can make it your own with whatever toppings you like most using this simple bread recipe.

Now if you have your starter fed and ready to go, then let me show you how to make this fragrant versatile bread that is fun to make!

Sourdough Focaccia Bread Is…

• Fragrant, versatile and a family favorite
• A simple sourdough focaccia recipe that works every time and is great for beginners
• Is great for cutting into squares for sandwich bread
• Impressive and great for gatherings
• The perfect sourdough bread alternative
• Delicious topped with rosemary, garlic, olives, and even cherry tomatoes

Ingredients

Flour- You can use all-purpose flour or bread flour to make focaccia bread. The bread flour will result in chewier bread while the all-purpose creates more of a crumbly bread. Either way, you go, it is delicious! However, if using bread flour you will need to use a little more liquid due to the protein in the bread flour. I suggest increasing the water to 1 3/4 cups for best results.

Starter- Be sure to use an active sourdough starter before mixing the dough. The starter should be nice and bubbly.

Salt- I like to use sea salt in my kitchen and even flaky sea salt to garnish the focaccia. Kosher salt is a nice alternative and even standard table salt will work.

Olive Oil- You can use pure olive oil or extra virgin olive oil for this. Use whichever one you have.

Water- I suggest using filtered water for sourdough baking to ensure nothing interrupts the live yeast in the sourdough starter.

Herbs/Additions- You can top focaccia bread with fresh rosemary, garlic, olives, and even cherry tomatoes. Try different variations to see which one you prefer. My favorite is cherry tomatoes from my garden and garlic!

What You Will Need To Make It

4 cups of all-purpose flour

1 cup of active sourdough starter

1 1/2 cup of filtered water

1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp of sea salt plus more to garnish bread

3 sprigs of chopped Rosemary

3-4 garlic cloves (optional)

Tools

Stand mixer with dough hook attachment (optional, you can opt to hand knead)

Baking Sheet

Directions

In a large bowl mix together the flour, water, 2 tbsp of olive oil, 1 1/2 tsp of salt, and active starter with a wooden spoon.

If using a mixer, use the dough hook attachment to knead for approximately 5 minutes on low speed. If kneading by hand, knead for about 7 minutes or until the dough has a soft supple feel.

Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with a tea towel for 8 hours or overnight for the first rise. When ready, punch the dough to release the air and place it on a floured surface.

Take a baking sheet pour 3 tbsp of olive oil, and evenly spread it on.

Roll the dough in the oil and flatten it with your hands across the baking sheet. Allow the dough to sit in a warm place for about 1-2 hours to do its final rise.

Preheat the oven to 425℉.

Finely chop the garlic and rosemary. Place them in a small bowl with the remaining tbsp of olive oil.

Press your fingers into the dough which will create small finger-sized divots in the dough. Sprinkle the garlic and rosemary mixture over. Garnish it with chunky sea salt.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the bread is slightly golden at the corners.

Baking Notes

• If you do not have a baking pan or sheet, you can use a large baking dish.
• Knead the dough with a dough hook for 5 full minutes on low if using a mixer. It takes me about 7 minutes if kneading by hand. The dough should feel almost elastic and supple to the touch when it has been kneaded enough.
• Make sure your starter is nice and bubbly before mixing this recipe. An inactive starter will result in a dough that won’t rise.
• If you find your dough hasn’t risen the next day, try allowing it to sit a bit longer. Sourdough rising times vary depending on room temperature and starters. Giving your dough more time to rise is most often the solution with sourdough.
• In cooler temperatures, you can turn the oven light on and place the sourdough in the oven to do the bulk rise or final rise as this creates a bit of warmth that will help it along.

Benefits Of Sourdough

Of course, we love the taste but sourdough is a healthier alternative to eating regular breads such as white or wheat loaves. The lower phytate levels in sourdough make for an easier-to-digest food and result in a better more nutritious bread.

It is a good alternative for those who are sensitive to gluten as sourdough is a fermented food that has a bacteria-to-yeast composition that works on breaking down the starches found in the grain before it’s even eaten. Sourdough is also known as a prebiotic food that simply put, will help keep your gut bacteria healthy.

How To Store

Store leftover sourdough focaccia bread in plastic wrap, an air-tight container, or even a large plastic bag works (Ziplock).

Stretch and Fold

For more advanced bakers, you may opt to do the stretch and fold method for this recipe which works great! I recommend doing 4 sets of stretch and folds at 30-minute intervals for this recipe. This is my preferred method for all sourdough bread baking as I find the stretching of the dough to be very therapeutic. It is also a much more effective and gentler way to build the gluten structure within the dough. 

More Sourdough Recipes to Try

• ​Best Pull-Apart Sourdough Monkey Bread
• ​Homemade Sourdough Pizza Crust 
• Sourdough Whole Wheat Bread with a Soft Crumb
• Easy Sourdough Flatbread (5 Ingredient)

FAQ

What is a “fed” starter?

A “fed” starter simply refers to the starter being active which involves removing it from the fridge and feeding it with equal parts water/flour. Then allow it to sit out on the countertop for a minimum of 4 hours so that it can become active. You will know your starter is ready for use when you see it nice and bubbly.

Can I make sourdough focaccia with bread flour?

You can, however, keep in mind that bread flour has a higher protein content which produces more gluten so you need to increase the liquid for this recipe. I suggest 1 3/4 cups of water. Using a bread dough will also result in a chewy crumb over a crumbly crumb as when using an all-purpose flour. 

Can I use sourdough discard for this?

You can. But what you will need to do is add a tsp of commercial yeast to the dough. To do this, dissolve the yeast into the water for 5 minutes. Then mix the dough together. You will also need to reduce the bulk fermentation times as 8 hours would no longer be needed since you are using commercial yeast to rise the dough. Yeast and sourdough differ quite drastically from one another but you can use them together.

Commercial yeast works a lot fast than sourdough. Reduce the first rise time to about 2 hours, then continue to punch the dough down, shape, and then continue on in the recipe for the second rise and final bake. 

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Baking Sheet Set of 2

Hobnail White Mixing Bowls Set of 4

Dough Scraper

Olive Oil Dispenser

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