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There’s just something about the smell of roasted garlic and rosemary that means something delicious is coming yoru way soon. This Roasted Garlic Rosemary Sourdough Focaccia takes my go-to sourdough focaccia recipe and levels it up with savory garlic and fresh herbs. I served this at a gathering with friends a few months ago, and after seeing how quickly it disappeared, I knew it deserved a spot here on the blog.
Serve it warm, dipped in good quality olive oil, as sandwich bread, or simply on its own. Whether you’re hosting friends or enjoying a cozy weekend at home, this sourdough focaccia is one recipe you’ll come back to again and again.
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Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love Roasted Garlic Rosemary Sourdough Focaccia
- Important Ingredients
- Substitutions
- Sourdough Baker’s Timeline
- How to Make Roasted Garlic Rosemary Sourdough Focaccia
- How to Store Leftovers
- Amy’s Recipe Tip
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Sourdough Focaccia Recipes
- Roasted Garlic Rosemary Sourdough Focaccia Recipe
Why You’ll Love Roasted Garlic Rosemary Sourdough Focaccia
- Flavor – Just like my Roasted Garlic Rosemary Sourdough, this recipe pairs two flavors that truly belong together for a savory slice you’ll love.
- Easy – Sourdough focaccia might take a lot of hands-off rising time, but the steps outlined in this recipe make it incredibly easy to make. It’s also fully customizable, and you can easily modify or add your favorite flavors. If you haven’t already tried it, make sure you also make my viral Cheesy Garlic Sourdough Focaccia too!
- 100% Sourdough – This focaccia recipe uses sourdough levain instead of commercial yeast to make a chewy and delicious focaccia bread using completely natural sourdough to get the springy focaccia rise you love. And if you want a discard version, try this Sourdough Discard Focaccia Bread too!
- So Versatile – This sourdough focaccia is based on my go-to base recipe for endless variations. This recipe adapts well to both sweet and savory bakes. Some favorites? Jalapeño Cheddar Focaccia for a kick or Cinnamon Roll Sourdough Focaccia Recipe for something sweet.
New to Sourdough? If you are new to sourdough, learn how to make a sourdough starter from scratch and check out my Free Sourdough Beginner Guide. Using naturally fermented sourdough will take much longer, but you will love the fermentation benefits and the flavor!
Important Ingredients
- Sourdough Starter – Use an active/ripe sourdough starter (doubled in size/bubbly/mild sour aroma) to mix the levain.
- Olive Oil – Use an olive oil that you like the flavor of. If you want a savory olive flavor, choose extra virgin olive oil. If you prefer less olive flavor, choose a light-tasting oil.
- Roasted Garlic Cloves – This bread is filled with the flavor from 3 bulbs of garlic that are roasted with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of salt. The roasted garlic is then cooled and smashed before being added to the dough.
- Rosemary – I love the flavor of fresh rosemary in this focaccia bread. Use 1-2 sprigs of rosemary, taking off the leaves and chopping the leaves until fragrant and small. Add them to the dough with the roasted garlic and reserve some to top your focaccia as well.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
Substitutions
- Bread Flour: I typically use bread flour in this recipe, but you can substitute for high-gluten bread flour (14% protein content) if you want more height and a chewier crust.
- All-Purpose Flour: If you want to use all-purpose flour in this recipe, decrease the water to 350 grams OR use the recipe as written but substitute 25 grams vital wheat gluten and 475 grams all-purpose flour for the bread flour for better structure.
- Rosemary: I love using fresh rosemary in this recipe for the best flavor, but if you don’t have any on hand, dried rosemary works too. Substitute 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary in the dough and sprinkle a little extra on top before baking.
- Olive Oil: Any flavored olive oil can be substituted in this recipe. The focaccia takes on some of the flavor of the oil, so choose a flavor you really like. I often use a light-flavored olive oil, but extra-virgin olive oil also works well. For extra garlic flavor, you could try a garlic-infused olive oil.
- Variations: I love making sweet and savory focaccia variations. You can experiment with many different flavors. Add some cheese or switch up the herbs with some fresh basil or thyme. Any inclusions will work – or try some of my favorites like this Honey Butter Sourdough Focaccia and my favorite tomato basil savory Caprese Sourdough Focaccia.
Sourdough Baker’s Timeline
A sample baking schedule helps me when baking with sourdough. Sourdough takes more time to rise than traditional bread. This schedule helps me plan my bake. This focaccia recipe follows a similar timeline to my sourdough bread recipe, so if you are familiar with the steps of making a sourdough loaf, this will be an easy recipe to make.
Note: This schedule assumes the dough temperature is 78-80 ºF throughout the process. Colder dough will take longer to rise. Warmer dough will rise faster.
| Day 1 | Mix Levain |
| 8:00 PM – 8:00 AM | Mix Levain – Let sit at 76-78ºF for about 10-12 hours until doubled/bubbly Note – Ripe, bubbly, active sourdough starter can be substituted for levain |
| 8:00 PM | Prepare Roasted Garlic (refrigerate for using the next day) |
| Day 2 | Mixing/Bulk Fermentation/Shaping/Cold Bulk Fermentation |
| 8:00 AM | Mix Dough (Bulk Fermentation Begins) |
| 8:30 AM | Coil Fold #1 |
| 9:00 AM | Coil Fold #2 – Add roasted garlic and rosemary |
| 9:30 AM | Coil Fold #3 |
| 10:00 AM | Coil Fold #4 |
| 10:00 AM- 12:30 PM | Short Rise (Bulk Fermentation Continues) |
| 12:30 PM | Place dough into oiled pan, cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 48 hours. Alternatively, you can proof and bake without the cold refrigeration if it fits your schedule better. |
| Day 3 | Proof and Bake |
| 8:00 AM -12:00 PM | Pull the dough out of the refrigerator. Let rest/rise in a warm 78-80ºF place until the dough is airy, light, and jiggly. |
| 12:00 PM | Top with more olive oil and remaining garlic and rosemary. Dimple and bake! |
How to Make Roasted Garlic Rosemary Sourdough Focaccia
Mix the Levain
Step 1: Mix Levain. Combine ripe sourdough starter with water and flour to prepare your levain (Image 1). Let rise until bubbly and active (Image 2).
Do you have to use a levain in this recipe? No. I prefer it, but if you have a well-maintained and frequently refreshed sourdough starter, you can substitute that in place of the levain in the recipe.
Roast the Garlic
Step 2: Roast the Garlic. Right after mixing the levain, prepare the roasted garlic. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Prepare 3 bulbs of garlic by peeling away the outer skin and slicing the tops of the garlic bulbs about 1/2 inch from the top (Images 3 & 4). Place the bulbs on top of a piece of tinfoil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a little bit of salt. Wrap the bulbs up and place in a baking dish. Bake for 30-40 minutes until fork-tender, soft, and caramelized.
Let the garlic cool completely, and then push the cloves of garlic out of the bulbs, starting at the bottom and pressing them out into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Note: You can either roast and cool the garlic on the morning you mix the dough, or you can prepare the garlic the same day you make the levain and refrigerate it until you are ready to mix it into the dough.
Mix the Dough
Step 3: Mix Dough. Combine ripe levain, water, salt, and bread flour in a large bowl (Image 5). Use a dough whisk to combine until a shaggy dough forms (Image 6). Cover with plastic wrap or a bowl cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
Bulk Fermentation: Coil Folds
Step 4: Coil Folds. The bulk fermentation takes place over 4–5 hours, during which you’ll strengthen the dough using a gentle method called coil folding.
How to Coil Fold:
Reach to the bottom of the bowl and gently lift the dough from the center, allowing it to stretch up and fall back down onto itself, tucking slightly underneath. This movement creates a gentle coil shape (Image 7).
Perform 4–6 coil folds in a single set, 4 times every 30 minutes. The dough will feel sticky and slack at first, but it will strengthen and become more elastic with each fold (Image 8). Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes between each set of coil folds.
Watch the video –> How to Coil Fold
Can I stretch and fold? You can, but this gentle method of coil folding works the best with a higher hydration dough like this focaccia. I think it’s easier to use coil folds, but if you prefer stretch and folds they work too!
Step 5: Add Garlic and Rosemary. Before performing your second set of coil folds (after the 30-minute resting period), add the cooled roasted garlic to the top of the dough (Images 9 & 10).
Sprinkle the chopped or dried rosemary onto the dough. Perform your second set of coil folds in the same way as the first, allowing the garlic and rosemary to be worked into the dough (Images 11 & 12). Let the dough rest for 30 minutes and resume the third and fourth set of coil folds as normal. The garlic and rosemary will gradually become mixed into the dough as the dough becomes more cohesive (Images 13 & 14).
Do I have to use fresh rosemary? You don’t have to! Substitute about 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary for the fresh.
Finish Bulk Fermentation
Step 6: Finish Bulk Fermentation. Let the dough rest at a warm 78ºF until risen about 30-40% with scattered bubbles around the edges and the dough starting to dome toward the center (Image 15). This typically takes about 1.5-2 hours after the coil folds if the dough is kept at 78ºF.
Shape & Proof the Dough
Step 7: Put in Oiled Pan. Coat a metal pan (can be 12-inch round or 9 by 13-inch) with olive oil (Image 16) and transfer the dough to the pan (Image 17). Gently stretch to fit the pan. If it doesn’t fit all the way, that’s okay. It will fill out later as it proves. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight (Image 18).
Step 8: Room Temperature Rise. After the overnight rest, remove the dough from the fridge and let it proof for 3-5 hours at 78-80ºF to allow the dough to come to room temperature and double in size. It should feel jiggly and airy (Image 19).
Same Day Bake? Skip the cold ferment if you want to bake your focaccia the same day. Just leave your covered focaccia out until it has had a chance to proof for an additional 3-4 hours. You’ll know it is ready to bake when it has doubled in size (Image 19). Don’t bake if your dough hasn’t doubled!
Dimple & Bake
Step 9: Dimple & Top. Once the dough has puffed up and risen, preheat the oven to 450ºF. Drizzle more olive oil on top and gently dimple the dough with your fingers (Image 20). Top the dough with the remaining roasted garlic cloves and rosemary. Add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt if desired.
Step 10: Bake. Bake your roasted garlic rosemary sourdough focaccia at 450ºF for 25-30 minutes until bubbly, crispy, and light golden brown on top (Image 21). Let cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before removing to a wire rack and allowing the focaccia to cool completely before slicing (Image 22).
How to Store Leftovers
Leftover garlic and rosemary focaccia can sit at room temperature for up to 24 hours. After that, slice and put in an airtight container or bag. Freeze for up to a couple of months. To reheat, warm slices in a 300ºF oven for 5–8 minutes to restore crispiness or microwave for a quick snack (if you microwave, it won’t be as crispy as it would be if reheated in the oven).
Amy’s Recipe Tip
After making so many sourdough focaccia recipes, I’ve found that the key to those big dimples is keeping the dough temperature warm enough or allowing the focaccia rise long enough to at least double in size. This is one recipe that you really want to push the proofing on to get it the most dimpled and airy that you can. Don’t bake your focaccia if it hasn’t doubled in size yet – give it extra rising time if you aren’t seeing those big bubbles forming yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Make sure you’re use a good quality non-stick metal baking dish. I’ve been using the same USA pans for years and love them. If you need a quick fix, add some parchment paper to the bottom of your pan. Top the parchment with the olive oil, then put the focaccia dough on top of that. You can also try adding a little melted butter to the bottom of your pan WITH the oil to help keep the dough from sticking.
This can happen from uneven baking and not using the right pan. Make sure you use a metal, non-stick pan and increase the baking time a little.
Slice it up for sandwiches. Serve in place of dinner rolls or just dip it in some olive oil/balsamic vinegar and enjoy! We have no qualms about eating it plain and snacking on it throughout the day.
This recipe for sourdough focaccia bread uses a very high hydration dough – it uses a lot of water in the dough. Hydration is the percentage of flour to water in a recipe. This dough is right around 80% hydration. It can be a little tricky to work with wet dough, but the benefit is a very light and airy crumb.
If you are just starting out with sourdough, decreasing the amount of water in the dough a little bit can help as you get used to working with it. Keep a jug of water nearby to continuously dampen your hands when doing your folds. And just know, it will be wet, but don’t worry! You will see a beautiful change in the dough as you proceed with folding the dough over the period of a few hours, as it becomes easier to work with.
And if you’re brand new to high hydration doughs, try reducing the water by 25–50g the first time.
I don’t recommend adding fresh garlic early in this recipe. Garlic has natural antimicrobial properties that can interfere with fermentation and slow it down significantly. For best results, wait until the end of bulk fermentation, after the dough has already risen, before adding in any fresh garlic.
Sourdough Focaccia Recipes
If you tried this Roasted Garlic Rosemary Sourdough Focaccia or any other recipe on my website leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Happy Baking!
Roasted Garlic Rosemary Sourdough Focaccia
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Equipment
- dough whisk optional
Ingredients
Levain (1:10:10, overnight or about 10-12 hours)
- 5 grams ripe sourdough starter, about 1 teaspoon
- 55 grams room temperature water, about 1/4 cup
- 55 grams all-purpose or bread flour, scant 1/2 cup
Roasted Garlic
- 3 bulbs garlic, about 120 grams of mashed, roasted garlic
- olive oil to drizzle
- sprinkle of flaky sea salt, optional
Roasted Garlic Rosemary Focaccia Dough
- 100 grams levain, ripe, bubbly, active, scant 1/2 cup
- 400 grams water, room temperature, about 1 2/3 cups
- 500 grams bread flour, see recipe notes for substitutions, about 3 2/3 cups
- 13 grams salt, about 2 teaspoons
- 2 of the roasted garlic bulbs, cooled to room temperature
- 1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped, about 3-4 grams
Focaccia Topping
- 70 grams olive oil, divided, see recipe notes, about 5 Tablespoons
- 5-10 grams flaky sea salt, see recipe notes, about 2 teaspoons
- 1 bulb roasted garlic
- 1 spring fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- sprinkle of flaky sea salt, optional
Instructions
Mix the Levain (1:10:10, overnight about 10-12 hours at 78ºF)
- Mix together 5 grams ripe sourdough starter with 55 grams water and 55 grams flour. Cover and let sit overnight at 76-78ºF until doubled in size, bubbly and active. Alternatively, if you have a ripe, bubbly, active sourdough starter, you can substitute 100 grams of bubbly starter for the levain in this recipe.
Roast the Garlic
- The day before or a few hours before mixing your dough, prepare the roasted garlic. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Prepare 3 garlic bulbs by peeling any excess outer skin. Slice the tops of the garlic bulbs about 1/2 inch from the top of the cloves, cutting away the skin until the garlic cloves are exposed. Place garlic bulbs in the middle of a large sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil and a little salt. Wrap garlic bulbs in the foil completely. Place in a baking dish and bake for 30-40 minutes until the cloves are very soft and caramelized.
- Remove roasted garlic from the oven and let cool completely. Squeeze garlic cloves from the bottom of the bulb, pushing the cloves out of the bulb and into a container. This step can also be done a day or two before making this recipe – refrigerate the garlic until ready to use.
Roasted Garlic Rosemary Sourdough Focaccia Dough
- Mix the Dough: To a bowl, add 100 grams levain, 400 grams water, 10 grams salt, and 500 grams of bread flour. Mix together with a dough whisk or spoon until a sticky dough forms. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Coil Fold 1: After 30 minutes, remove the cover and perform 4-6 coil folds. The dough will be very sticky for this first set of coil folds but will strengthen over time.To coil fold: Wet your hands with water. Place your hands under the middle of the dough and pull up. The dough will stretch up (but should not tear) and release from the bottom of the bowl. Once the dough releases, let the dough fall back under itself. Repeat the process for both sides of the dough. Then turn the container and repeat the coil fold. I find it very helpful to watch this process before attempting it. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Coil Fold 2: After 30 minutes, spread 2 of the whole roasted garlic bulbs on top of the dough. Sprinkle the chopped rosemary on top of the dough. Lightly wet your hands. Repeat the coil fold 4-6 times. The garlic and rosemary will begin to spread throughout the dough. You will notice the dough is stronger than your first set of coil folds. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- Coil Fold 3: After 30 more minutes, lightly wet your hands. Repeat the coil fold 4-6 times. Notice the dough is getting stronger, the coil folds are easier to perform, and the garlic and rosemary are dispersing throughout the dough. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- Coil Fold 4: After 30 more minutes, repeat the coil fold 4-6 times. The dough should feel fairly strong and cohesive.
- Bulk Fermentation Continued: Cover and rest for 1.5-2 hours until the dough has scattered bubbles around the edges, has risen about 30-40% and is jiggly. This timeframe is based on a dough temperature of 78ºF. Colder dough will take longer and warmer dough will move faster.
- Prepare the Pan: After the bulk rest, pour 40 grams (3 Tablespoons) olive oil into a 12-inch round or 9 by 13-inch metal baking pan. Tip the pan around to cover the entire bottom of the baking pan – add a little more oil if needed.If you are not using a non-stick metal pan, cover the pan in parchment paper before adding the oil to prevent the dough from sticking.
- Prepare Focaccia and Cold Ferment: Turn the dough out into the pan and stretch slowly to fill the edges of the pan. Pull up gently on the underside of the dough to stretch it into place. If it doesn't want to stretch, let the dough rest for a minute and then try again. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and stick in the refrigerator to rest/cold ferment overnight.If you prefer to skip the cold fermentation, let the dough rise until bubbly and doubled in size (about 3-4 hours at 78-80ºF) and bake according to recipe directions.
Proof and Bake Focaccia
- Proof: Take the pan of dough out of the fridge and set it on the counter. Let it come to room temperature and rise until doubled (3-5 hours at 78-80ºF). The focaccia dough will begin to bubble up as it rises on the counter and the dough will fill the pan and feel light, airy, and jiggly.The key to a bubbly, airy focaccia is to give it time to rise and almost over-proof. If your dough is not doubling in size or rising, find a warmer place to proof the dough before you bake it and give it more time.
- Preheat the Oven: Once the dough has doubled in size and is ready to bake, preheat oven to 450ºF.
- Dimple and Top: Drizzle more olive oil (about 30 grams/2 Tablespoons) over the top of the risen dough. Spread it out with your hands so it evenly covers the dough. Take the reserved 1 bulb of roasted garlic. Break up the cloves into smaller pieces and spread over the top of the dough. Sprinkle fresh chopped rosemary on top. Take your fingers and gently dimple the dough. Start at the top and work your way down the dough until the entire focaccia is dimpled and bubbly. Sprinkle the top of the dough with flaky sea salt if desired.
- Bake: Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbly, crispy and light golden brown on top. Let cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool. Cool to room temperature before slicing. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Super clear instructions and photos, thanks, Amy. Recipe turned out great and perfect amount of garlic.
Thank you! I love the garlic too!
Holy focaccia! This is where it’s at! First time making focaccia and I’m sold! I’ve only used your recipes in my new sourdough journey but I’ve loved everyone of them. This one may be my favorite. I ended up making turkey sandwiches with cranberry jalapeño jam a friend gave me. *chef’s kiss* I can’t wait to try all the focaccia recipes!
Focaccia is the best! I’m glad you loved it. Thanks for the review!
Can I use a Dutch oven? And how would this change the process?
I haven’t tried it. Focaccia is meant to be light and airy, which is partially accomplished by spreading it out and dimpling the dough. This recipe is meant to be in a 9×13 pan, so most Dutch ovens would be too small for that size. I’m sure it is possible to bake it in a Dutch oven, but I don’t think it will turn out quite the same.
I’ve made this recipe before and it was fantastic! Last time I didn’t cold ferment, this time I’m going to try it. What’s the max amount of time you could cold ferment it in the fridge? Thanks in advance!
I would be worried about overproofing if left longer than 24-48 hours. Enjoy!
This was a great flavor option. The base recipe is easy to work from.
Thanks for your review! I’m glad you love the recipe!
My hubby and I love this recipe. I added rosemary, sun-dried tomatoes, and black garlic, so delicious! I can’t wait to try the berry or pumpkin version. 💜
I’m glad you loved the recipe – thanks for your review!
This was my second bake of a garlic focaccia, and it was perfection! It was light and airy and so flavorful. Aside from following the recipe precisely, I made sure the water was room temperature, the bulk fermentation portion was in a room that wasn’t too air conditioned, and the weight measurements were exact. This will be my go to focaccia recipe. Thank you!
So glad you loved this recipe! Thank you so much for sharing your review.
We love the roasted garlic and rosemary flavor of this focaccia. So good!
It’s so good!