Easy Sourdough Focaccia: Crispy Outside, Soft and Airy Inside

Easy Sourdough Focaccia: Crispy Outside, Soft and Airy Inside

The crispy edges. The soft, airy center. The little pockets of olive oil and flaky sea salt tucked into every dimple.

And the best part?

Focaccia is one of the easiest sourdough breads you can make.

There is no complicated shaping, no scoring, and no special equipment required. If you have an active sourdough starter, a bowl, and a baking pan, you can make beautiful homemade focaccia.

This recipe is especially good for beginner sourdough bakers because the dough is very forgiving. You can keep it simple with olive oil and flaky sea salt or add herbs, cheese, vegetables, and other toppings to create your own version.

Why You'll Love This Sourdough Focaccia Recipe

This is one of those recipes you'll want to make again and again.

  • Beginner-friendly with no complicated shaping.
  • Naturally fermented with active sourdough starter.
  • Crispy, golden edges and a soft, airy center.
  • Easy to prepare ahead of time.
  • Can be cold-fermented for more sourdough flavor.
  • Perfect as a side dish, sandwich bread, appetizer, or snack.
  • Endless topping possibilities.

What Makes Good Sourdough Focaccia?

The secret to beautiful focaccia is moisture, fermentation, and olive oil.

Focaccia dough has a higher hydration than many traditional bread doughs. This extra water helps create the soft interior and irregular air pockets that make focaccia so delicious.

The dough should feel sticky.

Don't be tempted to keep adding flour until it feels like traditional bread dough.

The stretch-and-fold process will gradually strengthen the dough, while fermentation allows the sourdough starter to create flavor and those beautiful bubbles.

And don't be shy with the olive oil.

Olive oil helps create the crispy bottom and golden edges that make focaccia irresistible.


Sourdough Focaccia

Golden and crispy on the outside, soft and airy inside, and perfect for beginners.

Makes: 1 large 9Ă—13-inch focaccia
Prep time: About 20 minutes active time
Fermentation time: 8–24 hours
Bake time: 25–30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 100 g active, bubbly sourdough starter
  • 400 g warm water
  • 500 g bread flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 10 g salt
  • 25 g olive oil, plus more for the pan and topping
  • Flaky sea salt, for topping
  • Fresh rosemary, garlic, herbs, or other toppings of your choice

Instructions

  1. Mix the dough. In a large bowl, combine the active sourdough starter and warm water. Stir until the starter is mostly dissolved. Add the flour and salt and mix until no dry flour remains. The dough will be wet and sticky—this is normal.
  2. Rest the dough. Cover and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes.
  3. Strengthen the dough. Perform 3–4 sets of stretch-and-folds, spaced about 30 minutes apart. With wet hands, gently pull one side of the dough upward and fold it over itself. Turn the bowl and repeat on all four sides.
  4. Bulk ferment. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise in a warm place until noticeably puffy, bubbly, and increased in volume. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen, this may take 4–8 hours.
  5. Prepare the pan. Generously coat a 9×13-inch baking pan with olive oil. Transfer the dough to the pan and gently stretch it toward the edges. If the dough springs back, wait 15–20 minutes and gently stretch it again.
  6. Final proof. Cover and allow the dough to rest for 1–3 hours, until very puffy and bubbly. For more sour flavor, you can cover the pan and refrigerate the dough overnight before baking.
  7. Add the toppings. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Drizzle the dough generously with olive oil. Using oiled fingers, press deeply into the dough to create the classic focaccia dimples. Add flaky sea salt, rosemary, garlic, or your favorite toppings.
  8. Bake. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until deeply golden brown and crispy around the edges.
  9. Cool and enjoy. Allow the focaccia to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack. Slice and enjoy warm.

My Rustic Roots Tip: For an extra-crispy bottom, don't be shy with the olive oil in the pan. For a stronger sourdough flavor, cold-ferment the dough in the refrigerator overnight—or up to 3 days—before baking.

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