Beginner’s Guide To Sourdough Focaccia Bread

Name: Beginner's Guide To Sourdough Focaccia Bread
Prep time: 15 h
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 15 h 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 50-75 g bubbly, active sourdough starter; 375 g water (see Notes below); 20 g honey (optional); 500 g bread flour or all purpose flour (see Notes below); 9 g fine sea salt; 2-3 tbsp olive oil, for coating the pan; Assorted Toppings (optional): rosemary, garlic cloves, flaky seat salt, tomatoes, olives etc.; Thoughts on Flour: You can use bread flour or all purpose flour to make sourdough focaccia. Comparatively speaking, bread flour yields a slightly chewier focaccia with a higher rise. All purpose flour creates a more tender focaccia. The choice is up to you. If you prefer to use all purpose flour, I do recommend King Arthur brand. Coming in at over 11.7% protein, this flour is stronger than most all purpose flours, which means it can handle a higher quantity of water without the dough becoming a gloppy mess. It’s actually stronger than most bread flours! If you cannot access this flour, make the following changes to ensure success: decrease the water to 325-350 g (start small and work your way up) OR use King Arthur bread flour with 375 g water instead.; Thoughts on Sourdough Starter (quantity): When the weather is cold, I’ll use a higher amount of starter to give the dough a boost when doing a long, overnight rise. I’ve given you a range so you can decide what suits you best.; For Baking: You will need a rimmed sheet pan or non-stick rectangular pan (9×13-inch or 10×14-inch)

Sourdough Bread Recipes

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By Emilie Raffa — Updated March 1, 2025 — This post may contain affiliate links.

Jump to Recipe

Let’s bake my easy sourdough focaccia recipe, step-by-step. No kneading, no shaping, no Dutch oven. Just golden crisp edges, a light airy crumb, and a simple overnight rise naturally leavened with active starter. Adapted from my bestselling book Artisan Sourdough Made Simple.

Sourdough focaccia with rosemary and garlic on a sheet pan

If you’re new to sourdough bread and want an easy, no-knead recipe to expand your repertoire, my sourdough focaccia is you next move. Crisp edges, soft center and perfect, tangy flavor.

Adapted from my book Artisan Sourdough Made Simple, I often recommend this recipe to beginners- there’s no kneading, no scoring, no Dutch oven. Just a handful of ingredients, a bread pan (or not) and some hands off time to let the dough rise. You can start right now.

At home, I make sourdough focaccia at least once a week to serve alongside cozy soups and sourdough pasta dishes. Leftovers become golden homemade croutons, fluffy breadcrumbs or sourdough pizza crust (more sourdough bread recipes here). That aside, poking soft, squishy focaccia dough is wildly therapeutic! Let’s make it together, step-by-step.

Sourdough focaccia squares with garlic and rosemary

How To Get A Sourdough Starter For this Recipe

A sourdough bread recipe of any kind cannot be made without a sourdough starter.

You have two options: make one from scratch (see my beginner sourdough starter recipe), buy one online or get some from a fellow baker. Even bakeries sell starters. If you already have one, and need assistance for ongoing care, read my companion articles, Feeding Sourdough: My Best Tips & Tricks and Troubleshooting Sourdough Starter.

My Sourdough Focaccia Tips

Tip #1: Plan ahead. Feed your starter a few days in advance prior to making the focaccia dough. This will ensure a vibrant starter that’s strong enough to make the dough rise.

Tip #2: Use regular olive oil (no extra virgin). It has a higher smoke point and is less likely to burn the top and bottom of your focaccia.

Tip #3: Pick the right pan. Sourdough focaccia can be baked on a regular rimmed sheet pan or a rectangular metal pan (e.g. brownie pan). If using the latter option, I suggest this non-stick pan by Lloyds which I’ve been using for years. It’s truly non-stick and makes the crispiest crust!

How to Make Sourdough Focaccia {Step-By-Step Recipe}

Step 1: Make The Dough

In the evening: whisk the sourdough starter, water and honey together in a large bowl (I use a fork for mixing). Add the flour and salt. Mix to combine and then finish by hand to form a rough dough. It will be wet and sticky.

Cover and let rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Timing is flexible here. Then work the dough into a ball. Again, it will be sticky!

When finished, transfer the dough to a lightly oiled dough container or just keep it in the same mixing bowl. It’s up to you. The next step is to let the dough rise.

Sourdough focaccia dough in a high sided dough tub

Step 2: Bulk Rise (Overnight)

Rest the dough at room temperature and let rise overnight on your countertop. For focaccia, the dough should double or triple in size. This will take approximately 12+ hrs @ 68 F (20C).

Note: the warmer the temperature, the faster the dough will rise. So for example, if your current room temperature is 80 F (27 C), the 12+ rise time mentioned above would not apply to your specific environment. Not even close. The rise time would be shorter, say 3-4 hrs. Watch the dough, not the clock!

Diving Deeper: Why Won’t My Sourdough Bread Rise?

Sourdough focaccia dough resting on an oiled sheetpan

Step 3: Second Rise (In The Pan)

In the morning: oil a rimmed sheet pan. I use my hands to evenly coat the bottom and sides. Then place the dough onto the pan and flip it over to coat both sides. You do not need to pull or stretch the dough to fit the pan. The dough needs to relax first, which happens naturally in the next step.

Cover the dough (I use an inverted sheet pan instead of wrap. It doesn’t touch the dough). Let rest for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until puffy. Preheat your oven to 425 F (220 C).

Note: I like to rest my dough in a warm spot, usually on top of the oven while it preheats. The dough becomes more soft and bubbly.

Tip: Instead of a sheet pan, you can bake sourdough focaccia in a non-stick rectangular pan instead (9 x 13- inch or 10 x 14-inch).

Dimpled sourdough focaccia dough on an oiled sheet pan

Sourdough focaccia dough with rosemary and garlic

Step 4: Assemble The Focaccia

Right before baking, gently dimple the dough with oiled fingertips. As you dimple, the dough will naturally begin to stretch outward. Continue (gently!) until you’ve created a rustic rectangular or oval shape. The dough won’t go all the way to the corners and sides of the sheet pan, which is fine.

If using toppings, press them into the dough. As the dough rises it will puff up, so the toppings need to be well anchored. Press down deeper than you’d think. Otherwise they will pop out!

Step 5: Bake The Focaccia

In the oven, set the dough on the center rack. Bake the focaccia for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and cool on a wire rack so the underside does not steam for at least 30 minutes. Cut into wedges or squares, and serve warm with dipping oil, if preferred. Delicious!

How to Par-Bake Sourdough Focaccia

Want to prep ahead and bake later? Par-baking is a game changer for serving fresh, warm bread at dinnertime. And it’s perfect for stress free entertaining. Here’s how:

Bake for 15-18 minutes at 425 F (220 C). The crust should be set but pale, with a golden bottom.
Cool completely on a wire rack to prevent the underside from steaming.
Wrap and store at room temperature for up to 6 hours.
Finish baking in the pan for 12-15 minutes, until golden and crisp.

Sample Sourdough Baking Schedules

The key to sourdough is timing. Here are 2 sample baking schedules to follow and adapt according to season. In my experience, the overnight method is best in cooler temperatures (the dough can survive a long rise without becoming over proofed in the morning). The daytime method is best in warmer temperatures when the dough rises faster. As a rule of thumb, temperature controls time and ultimately: your baking schedule.

Fall/Winter (overnight method)

4-6:00 PM: Feed starter
8:00 PM: Make the dough
8:30 PM: Let rise overnight (bulk rise)
8:30 AM (the next day): Inspect the dough. Does it need more time to rise? If so, give it more time, otherwise continue on.
9:00-11 AM: Second Rise
11:30 AM: Par-bake or Bake.

Spring/Summer (daytime method)

8 AM: Feed starter
10 AM: Make the dough
10:30 AM: Let rise during the day (bulk rise)
3:00 PM (onwards): Second rise
5:00 PM: Par-bake or Bake

What To Bake Next?

If you haven’t tried it yet, have a go at my beginner sourdough bread recipe for a golden, crackly loaf with a plush interior crumb, my glossy, NY-style sourdough bagels and the highly popular: soft and gooey sourdough cinnamon rolls that you’ll need a hundred napkins for.

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