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I have made focaccia with instant yeast before, but it wasn’t until I started using my sourdough starter that focaccia has become a staple around our house. This Sourdough Focaccia Recipe is perfection. Simple and easy to make, sourdough focaccia is airy and chewy, filled with craggy holes and a crisp, crunchy bottom—it’s ideal for sandwiches, topping with cherry tomatoes or to just to eat plain.
We love this easy sourdough focaccia recipe so much that I’ve even created recipes based on it like my viral Cheesy Garlic Sourdough Focaccia and our dinnertime favorite Sourdough Focaccia Pizza. Every time I make this recipe, the bread disappears within a day – my family can’t get enough and I don’t blame them. It’s one of my favorite sourdough recipes to bake too!
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Why You’ll Love Sourdough Focaccia Bread
- So Easy –Think sourdough focaccia is hard to make? It’s actually one of the easiest sourdough recipes. If you’ve made a Classic Sourdough Loaf before, this will be a breeze—and if not, don’t worry. Simple ingredients, a few folds, and plenty of rise time. You’ve got this!
- Incredible Texture– This focaccia has the best of both worlds—crispy, golden edges and a soft, tender center. The airy holes and pillowy crumb make it a family favorite. The dough is also super flexible—it works beautifully with mix-ins and toppings, like this Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Focaccia.
- So Versatile– Sourdough focaccia is my go-to base recipe for endless variations. It’s flavorful on its own with fresh herbs, a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, and that signature olive oil crust—but it also 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.
- Made with 100% Sourdough– This dough is naturally leavened with sourdough starter—no commercial yeast. The result? A bubbly, flavorful loaf that’s packed with all the sourdough benefits I love feeding my family. Want a faster version? Check out my Easy Sourdough Focaccia Recipe with sourdough discard.
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.
- Bread flour – 12.5% or higher protein content
- Herbs – My favorite is some dried oregano, but any favorite dried or fresh herbs will work, sprinkled on top.
- 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 oil flavor, choose a light-tasting oil.
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.
- 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.
- Variations: I love making sweet and savory focaccia variations. You can experiment with many different flavors, like olives, thyme, fresh rosemary or raosted garlic – just add them right to the top of the dough. Some of my favorites are this Honey Butter Sourdough Focaccia and this savory Caprese Sourdough Focaccia. Find my whole list here.
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 78 degrees F for about 10-12 hours until doubled/bubbly and ripe. Note – Ripe, bubbly, active sourdough starter can be substituted for levain |
| 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 |
| 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, salt and desired toppings. Dimple and bake! |
How to Make Sourdough Focaccia Bread
Mixing 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).
Note: If you have ripe, bubbly, active sourdough starter on hand, substitute 100 grams for the levain in this recipe.
Mixing the Dough
Step 2: Mix Dough. Combine ripe levain, water, salt, and bread flour in a large mixing bowl (Image 3). Use a dough whisk to combine until a shaggy dough forms (Image 4). Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
Can I use a stand mixer?: I used to mix this dough in a stand mixer for a few minutes before transferring to a tub to wait for the coil folds. You can make it in a mixer if you want to, but over the years I now prefer mixing it up by hand and have changed the recipe to reflect that.
Bulk Fermentation and Coil Folds
Step 3: 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 5).
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 (Images 6 & 7). 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 really well 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!
Shaping and Refrigerating the Dough
Step 4: 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 9). This typically takes about 1.5-2 hours if the dough is kept at 78ºF.
Step 5: Put in Oiled Pan. Coat a metal pan with olive oil and transfer the dough to the pan. 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.
Proofing The Dough
Step 6: Refrigerate. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for 24-48 hours for more flavor. This step can be skipped if you don’t want a long cold ferementation.
Step 7: 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 10). Once the dough has puffed up and risen, drizzle more olive oil on top and gently dimple the dough with your fingers (Image 11). Top the dough with flaky sea salt and dried herbs if desired.
Topping Focaccia: At this point, you can top the focaccia with anything you want – good quality, light-tasting olive oil, flaky sea salt, some fresh herbs and a little freshly grated parmesan cheese are my go-tos.
Bake the Focaccia
Step 8: Bake. Bake at 450ºF for 25-30 minutes until bubbly, crispy, and light golden brown on top (Image 12). Let cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before removing to a wire rack and allowing the bread to cool completely before slicing.
How to Store Leftovers
Leftover 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 (won’t be as crispy).
Amy’s Recipe Tip
After making this recipe many, many times I’ve found that the key to those big dimples is keeping the 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.
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.
I make a 1.5 times this recipe and put it in a large half sheet baking pan covered with olive oil. This helps the oil to not bubble over quite as much. I also like to stick a foil-lined baking sheet on the rack under this pan to catch any drips of oil and keep the oil from splattering and burning in my oven. If you double the recipe for a thicker focaccia, the focaccia (and oil) will rise up and over the top of the sheet pan which can cause a mess and quite a bit of smoke in your oven. I know from personal experience. The sheet pan size focaccia makes about 48 slices of bread or 20-24 sandwich-sized pieces, which is great for a larger crowd.
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 a little more than 85% 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 wet 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.
Other Favorite Sourdough Recipes
If you tried this Sourdough Focaccia Bread or any other recipe on my website leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Happy Baking!
Easy Sourdough Focaccia Recipe
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Equipment
- 12-inch round metal baking pan or 9 by 13-inch metal baking pan (see recipe notes for glass pan)
- 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
Sourdough Focaccia Dough
- 100 grams ripe, bubbly levain, scant 1/2 cup
- 425 grams room temperature water, about 1 3/4 cups
- 500 grams bread flour, see recipe notes for substitutions, about 3 1/2 cups
- 13 grams salt, about 2 teaspoons
Olive Oil and Toppings
- 70 grams olive oil, divided, see recipe notes, about 5 Tablespoons
- 5-10 grams flaky sea salt, see recipe notes, about 2 teaspoons
- fresh or dried herbs , for sprinkling, optional
Instructions
Day 1: 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 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.
Day 2: Mix and Develop Dough- 78ºF
- Mix the Dough: To a bowl add 100 grams levain, 425 grams water, 13 grams salt and 500 grams 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. You can watch a video of the coil fold here. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Coil Fold 2: After 30 minutes, lightly wet your hands. Repeat the coil fold 4-6 times. 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 and the coil folds are easier to perform. 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. The 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 long bulk rest, pour 40 grams (3 Tablespoons) olive oil into a 12-inch round or 9 by 13 metal baking pan. Tip the pan around to cover the entire bottom of the baking pan – add a little more oil if needed. If your pan has issues with dough sticking, put some parchment paper down first. Add the oil on top of the parchment paper and the dough on top of that.
- Prepare Focaccia: 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 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
Day 3: Proof and Bake Focaccia
- Proof: Take the pan of dough out of the fridge and set 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 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 dough with flaky sea salt and dried herbs if desired.Note: This focaccia is the perfect base for any toppings – cherry tomatoes, olives, roasted garlic, etc… Feel free to top your focaccia with any of your favorite flavors.
- 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!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
There is a difference of water in your cinnamon roll sourdough focaccia and your easy sourdough focaccia recipes.
My question is if I want to double and make one cinnamon and one regular. How much water would I use or should I just make 2 separate recipes?
The difference in water is to account for the cinnamon sugar filling in the cinnamon focaccia recipe. If I didn’t want to make two separate recipes, I would probably use the higher water amount, as focaccia is already a high hydration dough that can be somewhat forgiving when it comes time to shape it.
My go to focaccia recipe! It’s so easy and delicious. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the review – so glad this recipe was a hit.
Hi Amy
Went back to review recipe found my answer
thank you
Hi Amy
Love your recipes thank you for sharing everything you do. I’ve I’ve started making focaccia and I’m using your recipe. I am wondering, how long can it stay in the refrigerator if not ready to use it the next day?
I’d recommend keeping it in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours.
I love this recipe! How much does the dough weigh for a single bake? I’m doing a bulk bake and need to know how many grams I should put in each pan!
Many thanks!
Kelli
It’s right around 1000 grams of dough. So glad you are enjoying this recipe!
I have made this recipe 3 times this week and have book marked it as my favorite sourdough focaccia recipe. My teens like it topped with sauce and pepperoni for a pan style pizza (I use a bar pan for a thinner crust).
I’m glad your family is loving it – thanks for the review!