Bake this fluffy, golden sourdough focaccia recipe with olive oil and herbs. Crispy on the outside, airy inside, and full of sourdough flavor

🫒 Homemade Sourdough Focaccia

If you’ve ever wanted a bread that’s equal parts showstopper and weeknight-easy, this Sourdough focaccia recipe is your new best friend. It’s the kind of bread that makes salads swoon, turns soup into a meal, and disappears from the sheet pan before you can say “olive oil.” The interior is soft and cloud-like; the edges are crackly and caramelized, and the dimples become tiny pools of olive oil that taste like heaven.

The magic is in the timing: we do a relaxed bulk rise, tuck the dough into an oiled pan, and give it a chill overnight. That cold proof fits your schedule, boosts flavor, and builds those gorgeous bubbles you see in bakery focaccia.

Tomorrow, all you do is warm, dimple, and bake. Whether you serve it plain with flaky salt and rosemary, or stud it with tomatoes, or use it for sandwiches, this focaccia brings big flavor with very little fuss. 🥰

And it’s sooooo good! After you try this recipe, you’ll likely forget about ordering it at a restaurant again. I swear, they won’t be able to top it.

For this one in particular, I did sea salt and rosemary, which for me is perfect; it doesn’t need anything else (in my humble opinion). But of course, topping possibilities are endless. Below you will see a few good options. 

If you remember the sourdough bread for beginners recipe that I posted earlier, this is a continuation of our sourdough starter series. 

🛠 Equipment Needed for the Focaccia

• Large mixing bowl & rubber spatula
• 9×13″ baking pan (or two 8×8″)
• Digital scale ⚖️
• Plastic wrap, shower cap, or a damp towel

⏱ Timetable Living Sweet Moments

👀 Pro Tips & Visual Cues

• Well-fermented dough: jiggly, bubbly top, and ~70–100% volume gain.
• Oil = crisp: generous oil under and over the dough = golden edges.
• Stretch gently: let the dough relax; short rests help it fill the pan.
• Dimple with oiled fingers: press straight down without deflating completely.
• Doneness: deep golden top, sizzling edges, ~200°F/93°C internal.

🛠 Troubleshooting

• No rise? The starter wasn’t fully active; give it a strong feeding.
• Dense crumb? Under-proofed—wait until puffy and airy before baking.
• Too tangy? Shorten the cold proof to 8–10 hours or bake the same day.

🌟 Variations

• 🍅 Tomato & Basil: Cherry tomatoes + basil pressed into the dough.
• 🧅 Onion & Olive: Caramelized onions + black olives.
• 🍇 Sweet Focaccia: Grapes + pinch of sugar + rosemary.

💛 Why You’ll Love It

Minimal hands-on time, maximum flavor. It’s the easiest “wow” bread you can bake—perfect for parties, pasta night, or snacking straight from the pan. Plus, it’s fun to make, and it doesn’t require hours of cooling time. 

💡 Tips & Terms Explained

• Hydration: Refers to the ratio of water to flour in a dough. Higher hydration (like focaccia) creates an airy, open crumb and crisp crust.
• Autolyse: A simple rest after mixing flour and water. It hydrates the flour, improves gluten development, and makes dough easier to handle.
• Stretch & Folds: A gentle method of strengthening dough during bulk fermentation. Instead of kneading, you stretch the dough and fold it over itself to build structure without deflating.
• Bulk Fermentation: The first long rise after mixing. The dough should get bubbly, airy, and increase in volume.
• Dimpling: The signature step of focaccia! Oiled fingertips press deep dimples into the dough, creating olive oil “pockets” and helping it bake evenly.

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Sourdough Focaccia

Golden, bubbly focaccia that’s crisp at the edges and pillowy inside. The cold overnight proof fits your schedule and boosts flavor—perfect for dipping in olive oil, serving with soups, or slicing into sandwiches.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Proofing & Resting Time22 hours hrs

Total Time22 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, Bread

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: artisan bread, challah, stuffed challah, bread recipes, pistachio, italian bread, quick sourdough recipes, sourdough bread

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 176kcal

Author: Tiffany bendayan

Ingredients

• 500 grams bread flour
• 375 grams water room temperature
• 100 grams active sourdough starter
• 12 grams fine sea salt
• 25 grams olive oil
• topping ingredients: rosemary, olive oil, etc

Instructions

• Feed starter (night before): Feed so it’s at peak by morning
• Mix & autolyse (AM): Combine flour, starter and water until no dry bits remain. Rest 30–45 minutes
• Add salt and oil: Mix until cohesive (it will be sticky)
• Bulk ferment: 4–6 hours at ~75–78°F (24–26°C). Do 3–4 sets of stretch & folds during the first 2 hours. Bulk is done when dough is airy, jiggly, and ~70–100% larger
• Pan & cold proof: Generously oil the 9×13 pan. Gently transfer dough, letting it relax and stretch. Cover well and refrigerate 8–16 hours
• Warm, dimple, top: Take pan out and sit 1–2 hours until puffy with bubbles. Oil fingertips, dimple deeply. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle flaky salt + rosemary.
• Bake: 450°F (230°C) for 25–30 minutes until deep golden and crisp at the edges (≈200°F/93°C internal). Cool 10–15 minutes before cutting

Notes

Notes / Troubleshooting

• No rise? Starter wasn’t fully active give it a strong feeding next time.
• Dense crumb? Under-proofed. Wait for a very puffy, bubbly look before baking.
• Too tangy? Shorten the fridge proof to ~8–10 hours or bake the same day after a 2–4 hr room-temp proof.
• Pan sticking? Oil the pan generously, especially the corners.

Variations

• Tomato–Basil: Cherry tomatoes + basil leaves pressed into the dough.
• Onion–Olive: Caramelized onions + black olives.
• Everything Spice: Sprinkle everything bagel seasoning after dimpling.
• Sweet: Red grapes + sugar + rosemary.

Nutrition

Calories: 176kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 390mg | Potassium: 42mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.4mg

If you’re in a rush, here’s a quicker focaccia recipe that you may like.