This Sourdough Focaccia Bread is extra soft and bubbly with a crackly exterior! Made with sourdough starter and a high-hydration dough, it develops a beautifully light and airy crumb. Perfect as an appetizer or base of a sandwich!
Looking for more sourdough recipes? Try my Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls or Sourdough Pizza Crust next!
About This Recipe
Sourdough makes everything better. I've made a ton of sourdough recipes on this blog, and from my experience, the sourdough counterpart is always lighter, fluffier, and more complex in flavor. This sourdough focaccia is no exception!
My gripe with many focaccia recipes is that they come out way too dense and "bready". And by bready, I mean the crumb is tight and dry. Focaccia should be light, airy, and filled with air bubbles. That comes from a long, slow fermentation and a high-hydration dough. I aim for a hydration level of around 75-80%, which is what you will see in the recipe below.
I like using a stand mixer to mix the dough at the start as opposed to doing folds over the course of a few hours. By mixing earlier, we develop the gluten sooner, so more air bubbles will be trapped, and the dough will be extra-bubbly.
In terms of toppings, I love the classic combination of rosemary and flaky salt. It works beautifully in regular focaccia, but is even more delicious in sourdough focaccia because the earthy flavor of the rosemary pairs incredibly well with the tang.
Key Ingredients
Sourdough starter: You'll need half a cup of sourdough starter. Ideally, the sourdough starter is bubbly and active. This will speed up the fermentation. If your starter is looking more like discard, you'll need to add 4-6 more hours to the initial fermentation time.
Warm water: I start my dough with warm water to speed up the fermentation. But be careful not to use hot water, as you don't want to kill the yeast.
Salt & sugar: For flavoring the dough.
Flour: Ideally, measure this flour using a scale. If not, make sure to fluff the flour beforehand. Then use a spoon to scoop the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife. This will prevent overmeasuring.
Olive oil: For flavor and to make the outside crispy as it bakes.
Instructions
STEP 1: In a stand mixer bowl, whisk the starter, water, sugar, and salt.
STEP 2: Add the flour and knead with a dough hook for 5-6 minutes until a very wet dough forms.
STEP 3: Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 6-10 hours, or until doubled in size.
STEP 4: Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
STEP 5: Oil your hands with some olive oil, then stretch the dough to the edges.
STEP 6: Cover and let rise until puffy and jiggly, about 2-4 hours.
STEP 7: Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the dough and oil your fingers. Press your fingers into the dough all over to make dimples. Sprinkle with toppings, if desired.
STEP 8: Preheat oven to 425ยฐF. Bake for 24 to 28 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Let cool slightly before cutting.
๐ Recipe
Sourdough Focaccia Bread
Ingredients
- ยฝ cup sourdough starter
- 1 ยพ cups warm water (375g)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled; 500g)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- assorted toppings (flaky sea salt, rosemary, garlic cloves, etc.)
Instructions
- In a stand mixer bowl, whisk the starter, water, salt, and sugar. Add the flour and knead with a dough hook for 5-6 minutes until a very wet dough forms.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 6-8 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Gently scrape the dough into the pan. Oil your hands with some olive oil, then stretch the dough to the edges. Cover and let rise until puffy and jiggly, about 2-3 hours.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over the dough and oil your fingers. Press your fingers into the dough all over to make dimples. Sprinkle with toppings, if desired.
- Preheat oven to 425ยฐF. Bake for 24 to 28 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Let cool slightly before cutting.
Teri Tuter
Can you let this rise is the fridge overnight?
Grump
Refrigerating is going to slow down the fermentation almost completely, so you want it to rise at room temperature first. After the seocnd rise, you can place it in the fridge for up to two days before baking.