The bottom crust shatters, the interior is riddled with irregular holes, and each bite carries a faint tang that yeast alone can’t give. This simple sourdough focaccia achieves that crackling crust and open crumb through a patient, flexible fermentation that adapts to your schedule.
The dough doesn’t care if you’re ready in four hours or eighteen, it just needs to double. That tolerance is what makes it approachable even for someone new to working with starter. The rest is generous olive oil, a long uncovered proof, and deep dimples that trap salt and fat.
The result is bread that looks like it came from a bakery, made in your own kitchen with a living ingredient that rewards attention.
The first time I made this, I skimped on olive oil in the pan because I thought it was too much. The bottom came out pale and stuck like glue.
Ferment by feel, not by the clock
Sourdough starter is a living thing, its activity shifts with temperature, feeding schedule, and the flour it was last fed. That’s why the bulk fermentation range here is 4 to 18 hours.
In a warm summer kitchen, the dough might double in 6 hours; in winter, it could take 18. You can’t set a timer and walk away. Instead, watch the dough.
When it has roughly doubled in volume, it’s ready. A straight-sided container makes that change obvious. This long, flexible ferment does two things: it builds the tangy sourdough flavor you’re after, and it develops the open, airy crumb that makes focaccia so satisfying to tear.
Don’t skimp on the olive oil
Two tablespoons of olive oil in the pan isn’t just for lubrication, it’s what gives the bottom crust that deep golden, almost fried crispness. A dry pan would leave you with a pale, sticky base.
And rubbing oil over the shaped dough before the second rise? That keeps the surface from drying out while it proofs, and it encourages even browning in the oven.
The oil also carries flavor; a grassy extra-virgin makes a difference you can taste. If you’re looking for foccacia bread recipes that deliver a crunchy exterior, this generous oil treatment is important.
Let the dough rise uncovered
After you transfer the dough to the oiled pan and do the envelope fold, don’t cover it. Leaving it exposed allows a thin skin to form on the surface. That skin contributes to a chewy, slightly crisp crust, the kind that shatters when you bite.
The second rise itself takes 4 to 6 hours at room temperature, until the dough is puffy and nearly doubled. This step is what gives you the light, airy interior with big bubbles.
Overnight foccacia bread recipes often rely on this uncovered proof to build structure; covering would trap moisture and soften the crust.
Dimple with oiled fingers
Before the focaccia goes into the oven, you dimple the dough with all ten fingers. Lightly oiled hands slide right in without sticking, and the pressure stretches the dough to fill the pan evenly. Those deep impressions aren’t just decorative, they create little wells that hold the olive oil and flaky salt during baking, so every bite carries that salty, oily pop.
Skipping this step leaves you with a flat, uneven top and no place for the seasoning to settle. For the best foccacia bread recipes, those dimples are a signature touch that makes the bread as good to look at as it is to eat.
Prep: 24 hr · Cook: 25 min · Total: 24 hr 25 min · Servings: 1
Ingredient notes for sourdough focaccia
Active starter: Use it at its peak, bubbly and at least doubled, for the best rise and tang.
Bread flour: Higher protein than all purpose gives the crumb structure and chew you want.
Extra-virgin olive oil: A fruity, grassy oil makes a real difference in flavor and crust color.
Flaky sea salt (like Maldon): Use large, crunchy flakes that stay on the surface rather than dissolving into the dough.
Build the dough, then let time do the work
Mix the dough
Stir starter, salt, and water together, no need to fully dissolve the starter. Then add flour and mix until no dry bits remain. A shaggy, sticky dough is right; if it feels stiff, add a splash more water.
Optional fold for strength
30 minutes after mixing, do one series of folds: reach in, pull dough up and over itself, rotate the bowl, repeat eight times. The dough will feel slack at first, then tighten slightly as you go.
Oil and rise
Drizzle a little olive oil over the dough, rub to coat, cover, and let rise at room temperature. Watch for the dough to double, this can take 4 hours in summer or 18 in winter. A straight-sided container makes the volume change obvious.
Transfer to the pan
Pour 2 tablespoons oil into a 9×13 pan. Deflate the dough gently, scoop it into the center, then fold envelope-style into a rough rectangle and flip seam-side down. The dough should feel soft and soft, not tight.
Uncovered second rise
Rub the top with oil and leave the pan uncovered. Let it proof 4 to 6 hours until puffy and nearly doubled. A thin skin will form on the surface, that’s good; it gives a chewy crust.
Dimple and bake
Preheat oven to 425°F. Oil your fingers, then press deep dimples all over the dough, stretching it to fill the pan. Sprinkle generously with flaky salt.
Bake 25 minutes until deep golden all over. Cool on a rack at least 20 minutes before cutting.
Simple Sourdough Focaccia
Ingredients
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup active starter 50-100 g
- 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt 10 g
- 1 3/4 cups to 1 3/4 cups + 2 tbsp water, room temperature 430-440 g
- 4 cups bread flour 512 g
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
- Nice, flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
Instructions
Mix starter and flour:
Combine the starter, salt, and water in a large bowl using a spatula; uniform mixing is not required. Add the flour and stir until fully incorporated.Perform optional fold:
Optionally, perform a single fold 30 minutes after mixing: reach into the bowl, pull the dough upward and toward the center, rotate the bowl a quarter turn, and repeat 8 to 10 times.Bulk ferment dough:
Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the dough and rub to coat. Cover with a tea towel or bowl cover and let rise at room temperature (70°F (20°C)/21°C) for 4 to 18 hours. Rise time depends on season, starter strength, and kitchen temperature—e.g., in summer it may double in 6 hours, in winter in 18 hours. Do not use an oven with the light on as it will be too warm. Judge doneness by volume doubling rather than time; a straight-sided container helps monitor this.Oil the baking pan:
Once the dough has doubled, pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a 9×13-inch pan. (A USA Pan works well without sticking; for glass pans, buttering first is recommended to prevent sticking.)Shape dough in pan:
Drizzle the dough with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Gently deflate the dough with your hand, releasing it from the bowl sides. Scoop the dough into the center of the oil in the pan. Fold envelope-style from top to bottom and side to side to form a rough rectangle, then flip seam-side down.Second rise until puffy:
Rub the top of the dough with oil. Leave uncovered for 4 to 6 hours until puffy and nearly doubled in size.Dimple, salt, and bake:
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Lightly oil your hands, then use all ten fingers to press dimples into the dough, stretching it to nearly fill the pan. Sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt. Bake for about 25 minutes until golden all over. Transfer the bread to a cooling rack and cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
Storage and Serving
Serve the focaccia within a few hours of baking for the best contrast between the crisp crust and soft interior. Once fully cooled, store it cut side down on a cutting board at room temperature, wrapped loosely in a tea towel. It stays at its best for about 2 days.
After that, the crust softens and the crumb dries out. To revive a stale piece, reheat it in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes directly on the rack; this restores some of the original crispness. Avoid the microwave, which makes it rubbery.
Focaccia freezes well. Wrap individual pieces tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw at room temperature, then reheat as above. Do not refrigerate the baked bread; the cold accelerates staling.
Three swaps that work, one that won’t
Bread flour: All-purpose flour, same weight. The crumb will be slightly less chewy and a bit more tender. Bread flour’s higher protein gives focaccia structure; all-purpose still works, but expect a softer bite.
Don’t swap in whole wheat, it soaks up more water and makes the dough dense and less airy.
Extra-virgin olive oil: Mild olive oil or another neutral oil (like avocado). The crust won’t brown as deeply and the flavor will be less fruity. The oil is critical for the crisp bottom and the golden color; a mild oil still works but loses the grassy notes.
Avoid bold olive oils, they can turn bitter during the long rise and bake.
Active sourdough starter: No direct substitution, this is a sourdough-only recipe. The starter provides both leavening and tang. You can’t replace it with commercial yeast without changing the method entirely.
For a same-day focaccia using yeast, look for a different recipe; this one relies on the starter’s fermentation schedule.
Kosher salt: Fine sea salt, use 2/3 the volume (since fine salt packs denser). The dough will taste just as salty, but fine salt dissolves faster.
That’s not an issue here since the dough rises long enough. Flaky sea salt on top is not a substitute for the kosher salt inside, don’t skip either.
Tips
- Use a digital scale to measure flour by weight for consistent hydration across different brands and humidity levels.
- If the dough feels too sticky to handle during the envelope fold, lightly oil your hands rather than adding more flour to the dough.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I speed up the bulk fermentation if my kitchen is cold?
Not really, this recipe is built around a long, flexible ferment that can take up to 18 hours in winter. Instead of speeding it up by using the oven with the light on (which gets too warm), place the bowl in the warmest spot in your kitchen, like near the stove after cooking. If the dough still hasn’t doubled in 18 hours, it’s likely your starter needs to be stronger; feed it a few days in a row until it’s reliably bubbly and doubling in 4 to 6 hours.
My focaccia didn’t get airy holes; what went wrong?
The most likely culprit is under-proofing during the bulk rise. The dough needs to roughly double in volume, if it only rose 50%, the gluten hasn’t relaxed enough to trap large gas bubbles. Use a straight-sided container to see the rise clearly.
Another cause is deflating the dough too aggressively when transferring it to the pan; handle it gently with oiled hands to preserve the air pockets.
Can I make the dough the night before and bake in the morning?
Yes, but only if your kitchen is cool (around 65°F/18°C). Mix the dough in the evening, let it bulk ferment overnight, 12 to 14 hours, and check first thing in the morning. If it has doubled, proceed with the pan and second rise.
If your kitchen is warmer, the dough will overproof before morning, leading to a flat, sour-smelling focaccia. In that case, it’s safer to start early in the day and bake by evening.
How is this sourdough focaccia different from a yeast-based focaccia?
The biggest difference is the flavor: sourdough gives a tangy, complex taste that yeast alone can’t match. The time commitment is also longer, this dough needs 4 to 18 hours for the first rise, while a yeast version can be ready in 2 to 3 hours.
The texture leans slightly chewier and more open, thanks to the acid in the starter relaxing the gluten. If you want a same-day focaccia, a yeast recipe is better; if you want that signature sourdough character, this is worth the wait.
