Sourdough Recipes · Recipe

Easy Sourdough Focaccia Recipe for Beginners

A forgiving, olive-oil-rich focaccia with a soft crumb and crisp edges. It is an ideal first sourdough bake because the pan supports the dough.

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By Lifetipme•10 min read•Updated October 2026
Golden sourdough focaccia with rosemary and cherry tomatoes
Golden sourdough focaccia with rosemary and cherry tomatoes · Lifetipme editorial image
Quick answer

Mix a high-hydration dough, build strength with a few folds, let it ferment until puffy, then stretch it into an oiled pan and bake until deeply golden.

Why focaccia is a great first sourdough bake

Focaccia is forgiving because the pan supports the dough. You do not need to create a perfect boule or score a tight surface. The olive oil protects the base, while the dimples make room for herbs, tomatoes, or flaky salt.

If your starter is ready but you are not confident shaping a loaf, The Original Sourdough Bread Recipe is still useful for learning the wider process; this focaccia simply gives you a relaxed way to practise fermentation and timing.

Recipe overview

Active prep25 min
Bulk fermentationAbout 8–14 hr
Final proofAbout 1–3 hr
Bake25–30 min
TotalAbout 10–18 hr, plus cooling
Yield1 pan (23 × 33 cm)

The fermentation times are estimates. A lively starter and a warm dough may move faster; a cooler dough or less active starter may need longer. Start checking the dough by how it looks and feels, not the clock alone.

Ingredients

  • 500 g strong bread flour
  • 375 g water, divided: 350 g + 25 g
  • 100 g active sourdough starter
  • 10 g fine sea salt
  • 30 g olive oil, divided: 15 g for the dough and 15 g for the topping, plus more to oil the pan
  • Flaky salt, optional
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, optional
  • 100 g cherry tomatoes, halved, optional

Step-by-step method

  1. 01
    Mix the flour and 350 g water until no dry flour remains. Rest for 30 minutes.
  2. 02
    Add the starter, salt, and remaining 25 g water. Mix until cohesive, then mix in 15 g olive oil for the dough.
  3. 03
    Complete three gentle folds over the first 90 minutes, spacing them 30 minutes apart.
  4. 04
    Cover and bulk ferment until the dough looks inflated, feels lighter, and shows bubbles at the edges. This often takes about 8–14 hours after adding the starter, but starter activity and dough temperature can make it shorter or longer.
  5. 05
    Oil a 23 × 33 cm metal pan generously. Transfer the dough and gently stretch it toward the corners. If it resists, rest it for 20 minutes before stretching again.
  6. 06
    Cover and final-proof in the pan until puffy and aerated, usually 1–3 hours at room temperature. This proof happens after bulk fermentation.
  7. 07
    Just before baking, drizzle the remaining 15 g olive oil over the dough. Dimple it with oiled fingers, then add flaky salt, rosemary, and the optional cherry tomatoes, pressing the tomatoes in gently.
  8. 08
    Bake in a fully preheated 220°C oven on the center or lower-third rack until golden, with crisp edges, about 25–30 minutes. Cool before slicing.

What to look for

During bulk, the dough should become smoother and lighter. In the pan, it should relax outward and become visibly puffy. If it resists stretching, wait 20 minutes and try again instead of forcing it.

Troubleshooting

Focaccia is denseWhy: The dough may be under-fermented, or the starter may not have been active enough.Try: Use a lively starter and continue bulk fermentation until the dough looks inflated and has bubbles at the edges.
Top browns too fastWhy: The top may be too close to the heating element, or your oven may run hot.Try: Bake on the center rack and loosely tent with foil if the top is darkening before the center is baked.
Bottom is paleWhy: The oven may not be fully heated, the pan may be a poor heat conductor, or the loaf may need more bake time.Try: Fully preheat the oven to 220°C, use a metal pan, place it on the center or lower-third rack, and bake until the bottom and edges are golden. Do not preheat the pan separately; the dough proofs in it.

Storage

Keep focaccia covered at room temperature for up to two days. Rewarm slices in a hot oven for a crisp edge. You can freeze cooled pieces in a sealed bag and reheat them from frozen.

Recipe card

Easy Sourdough Focaccia Recipe

Easy
Prep25 min active
Fermentation9–17 hr (8–14 hr bulk + 1–3 hr proof)
Bake25–30 min
TotalAbout 10–18 hr, plus cooling
Yield1 pan (23 × 33 cm)

The 8–14 hour bulk and 1–3 hour final proof are planning ranges, not deadlines. Starter activity and dough temperature change the pace, so use the dough cues as your guide.

Ingredients

  • 500 g strong bread flour
  • 375 g water, divided: 350 g + 25 g
  • 100 g active sourdough starter
  • 10 g fine sea salt
  • 30 g olive oil, divided: 15 g for the dough and 15 g for the topping, plus more to oil the pan
  • Flaky salt, optional
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, optional
  • 100 g cherry tomatoes, halved, optional

Instructions

  1. 01
    Mix the flour and 350 g of the water until no dry flour remains. Rest for 30 minutes.
  2. 02
    Add the starter, salt, and remaining 25 g water. Mix until cohesive, then mix in 15 g olive oil for the dough.
  3. 03
    Over the first 90 minutes, complete three sets of gentle stretch-and-folds, 30 minutes apart.
  4. 04
    Cover and bulk ferment until the dough looks inflated, feels lighter, and shows bubbles at the edges. This often takes about 8–14 hours after adding the starter, but starter activity and dough temperature can make it shorter or longer.
  5. 05
    Coat a 23 × 33 cm metal pan generously with olive oil. Transfer the dough and gently stretch it toward the corners. If it resists, rest it for 20 minutes before stretching again.
  6. 06
    Cover and proof in the pan until puffy and aerated, usually 1–3 hours at room temperature. This final proof comes after bulk fermentation.
  7. 07
    Just before baking, drizzle the remaining 15 g olive oil over the dough. Dimple it with oiled fingers, then add flaky salt, rosemary, and the optional cherry tomatoes, pressing the tomatoes in gently.
  8. 08
    Bake in a fully preheated 220°C oven on the center or lower-third rack until golden, with crisp edges, about 25–30 minutes. Cool before slicing.
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