Easy Sourdough Focaccia – Perfect for Beginners

By Lucy Parissi

4.96 from 21 votes

, Updated Jul 07, 2025

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This Sourdough Focaccia recipe is easy even for total beginners! The dough is very easy to work with and you don’t have to worry about shaping or scoring. A wonderfully chewy focaccia with an airy texture that’s easy to customise and totally delicious.

Sliced sourdough focaccia on a wooden board with rosemary, olive oil and balsamic vinegar, salt, and a white towel with red stripes—a perfect setup for anyone following an easy sourdough focaccia recipe.

Sourdough bread is definitely having a moment in 2020! Extra time at home allowed many to dabble and experiment with sourdough baking. 

And I hope that this baking trend is here to stay – there’s so much satisfaction and pride in making your own bread!

Table of Contents

Simple Sourdough Focaccia

Focaccia is a traditional yeasted Italian flatbread that can be served as an appetizer, made into sandwiches, or served with soup or dinner. 

Prepare to fall in love with this chewy, salty and delicious sourdough focaccia. My husband has declared this “the best bread EVER” and it always disappears within hours of coming out of the oven.

Making sourdough focaccia is perfect for beginners – the dough is very forgiving and easy to work with and you don’t have to worry about shaping or scoring!

This recipe needs a bit of time. You can either start making your focaccia early in the morning and bake it at dinnertime or make in the evening, let the dough rise overnight in the fridge and bake the following day.

Follow whichever method works best for you bearing in mind that the dough will rise more quickly in warm weather and take longer in winter.

Four slices of rustic sourdough bread on a wooden cutting board with rosemary, a bowl of salt, and olive oil invite you to try an easy sourdough focaccia recipe—the perfect start for beginners seeking delicious homemade bread.

Sourdough Focaccia Ingredients

Here’s what you will need to make this easy bread recipe. Bear in mind that this is quite a high hydration dough which won’t hold its shape but will spread out flat before baking.

  • Active sourdough starter – you can buy sourdough starter online, get some from a friend or a local bakery. 
  • Flour – for this simple sourdough focaccia I have used white bread flour.
  • Salt – ideally fine sea salt
  • A little honey (optional – leave out for a vegan focaccia)
  • Water – filtered, bottled or tap water that has been boiled and left to cool
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse salt (sea salt flakes)

USEFUL TOOLS

  • Digital scales are needed for accurate measuring
  • Large jar if you are making your own starter (I love these Weck Jars)
  • Spatula for mixing your starter
  • Dough whisk – highly recommended for mixing bread dough
  • A 9×13 pan (I use this one for all my sheet pan cakes)
  • Reusable liners (I have one cut to the shape of the pan to use again and again)
Five slices of rustic, airy sourdough focaccia rest on a wooden surface, surrounded by rosemary sprigs, a small bowl of salt, and a dish of olive oil and balsamic vinegar—perfect for anyone seeking an easy sourdough focaccia recipe.

How to Make Sourdough Focaccia Bread

Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!

START BY FEEDING YOUR STARTER

  1. Feed your starter then leave for 4 hours, or until doubled in size. To check it is ready to bake with, add a spoonful of active starter to a glass of water. If it floats to the top it is ready! Try to use your starter at its peak, before it starts to sink again and remember to always keep some of your starter in the fridge for further baking!
A glass jar filled with bubbly, active sourdough starter sits on a white surface. The jar is marked with a black elastic band to indicate the starter’s rise.

PREPARE THE DOUGH

  1. Measure 100g of bubbly starter in a large mixing bowl. Pour in the water and honey and mix well. Add the flour and salt. Mix until it is fully incorporated and you have a shaggy dough. Cover the bowl and rest for 30 minutes.
  2. Pull a section of the dough from the underside and stretch it upwards. Fold this over the rest of the dough. Rotate the bowl as you do this so you stretch the entire dough. 
Two side-by-side images show hands mixing dough in a large white bowl with an orange rim—a step in this easy sourdough focaccia recipe. The left shows mixing, while the right displays folding, perfect for sourdough focaccia for beginners.

BULK FERMENTATION

  1. Drizzle a bowl or a pyrex dish with olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl and rub with more olive oil to coat. A straight edged dish will give you a better clue as to how much the dough has risen.
  2. Cover the bowl with clean towel and leave to rise at room temperature for 4 -18 hours or until the dough has doubled. The temperature of your kitchen and strength of your starter will play a big role in this!

SECOND RISE

  1. Line a 9×13 inch pan (I use a reusable liner) and drizzle with oil to coat. Gently release the dough from the bowl and place in the prepared pan. Use both hands to scoop up the dough in the middle of the tray, folding in half.
  2. Fold dough into thirds to form a rectangle (letter fold) and turn over seam-side down. 
A person with floral tattoos on their forearms is stretching dough in a parchment-lined tray, preparing an easy sourdough focaccia recipe.
  1. Cover with a large plastic bag and leave to rise at room temperature until nearly doubled and filling most of the pan (4-6 hours).
Round ball of dough for sourdough focaccia rising on a brown tray, covered with clear plastic wrap, on a white countertop.

BAKE YOUR FOCACCIA

  1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF / 220C. Dip your fingers in olive oil then press deeply into the dough to dimple it – this is my favourite part! 
  2. Sprinkle generously with salt and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top of the focaccia is golden. Lift the bread using the overhanging liner onto a cooling rack and leave for 30 minutes before slicing.
Two hands press dimples into uncooked sourdough focaccia dough in a parchment-lined baking pan. The persons left wrist shows a bracelet and a butterfly tattoo—perfect for anyone trying an easy sourdough focaccia recipe.

Storing Sourdough Focaccia

Cover the cooled focaccia in a clean tea towel and store at room temperature – it will keep for 2-3 days. I prefer to slice the entire loaf and then freeze it – that way you can toast slices directly from frozen whenever the fancy takes you.

Focaccia Variations

Once you master the basic recipe, you can customize it to your heart’s content! Here are some ideas for you, although these are barely scratching the surface…

  • Mediterranean Herb & Olive: Sprinkle a mix of fresh rosemary, thyme, and oregano over the dough before baking. Press in halved Kalamata or black olives and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
  • Cheesy Jalapeño & Cheddar: Add some zing by pressing sliced jalapeños and shredded cheddar into the dough. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly. If the cheese is browning too much, tent the focaccia with some foil.
  • Cherry Tomato & Basil – Caprese Style: Halve cherry tomatoes and nestle them into dimples along with small basil leaves. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with flaky salt such as Maldon.
  • Caramelised Onion & Goat Cheese: Spread caramelized onions over the dough, dot with crumbled goat cheese and a sprinkle of fresh thyme.
  • Za’atar & Sesame: For a Middle Eastern twist, sprinkle the dough with a blend of za’atar seasoning and sesame seeds before baking.
A golden-brown sourdough focaccia loaf topped with rosemary sits on a wooden board, surrounded by sliced pieces, a small bowl of salt, fresh rosemary, a bottle of olive oil, and a white kitchen towel on a rustic wood table.

New to Sourdough Baking?

Try my Overnight Sourdough Bread or make things easy for you with my Quick Sourdough Bread With Yeast. Got sourdough discard to use up? Try my Sourdough Cheese Scones or Sourdough Blueberry Crumb Cake or this Easy Sourdough Discard Focaccia With Yeast.

HAVE YOU MADE MY SOURDOUGH FOCACCIA RECIPE? Please leave a rating, post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #supergoldenbakes and make my day!

A golden-brown sourdough focaccia loaf topped with rosemary sits on a wooden board, surrounded by sliced pieces, a small bowl of salt, fresh rosemary, a bottle of olive oil, and a white kitchen towel on a rustic wood table.
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4.96 from 21 votes

Easy Sourdough Focaccia

By Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes
This Sourdough Focaccia recipe is easy even for total beginners! A wonderfully chewy simple focaccia that’s easy to customise and totally delicious. Allow yourself plenty of time for this recipe as it needs a lengthy rising time.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Bulk Fermentation + Rise: 12 hours
Total Time: 12 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 24 slices
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Video

Equipment

Ingredients

For your starter

  • 50 g (scant ¼ cup) mature starter room temperature
  • 50 g (scant ¼ cup) flour
  • 50 g (scant ¼ cup) tepid water (filtered, bottled or boiled and cooled tap water)

For the sourdough focaccia

  • 100 g ( 3 ½ oz) active starter
  • 400 g (1 ½ cups + 3 tbsp) water (filtered, bottled or boiled and cooled tap water)
  • 3 tbsp runny honey optional
  • 12 g (2 scant teaspoons) sea salt
  • 500 g (4 cups) white bread flour
  • 3 tbsp virgin olive oil for the bowl
  • 3 tbsp virgin olive oil for the bread or as needed
  • coarse sea salt to sprinkle

Instructions 

Feed Your Sourdough Starter

  • Feed your mature starter. Leave for 4-6 hours, or until doubled in size, bubbly and floating in water (float test).
    50 g (scant ¼ cup) mature starter, 50 g (scant ¼ cup) flour, 50 g (scant ¼ cup) tepid water

Prepare The Dough

  • Measure 100g starter into a large bowl and save the rest (in the fridge). Add water and honey and mix well.
    100 g ( 3 ½ oz) active starter, 400 g (1 ½ cups + 3 tbsp) water, 3 tbsp runny honey
  • Add the flour and salt and mix well with the dough whisk or your hands. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and leave to rest for half an hour.
    500 g (4 cups) white bread flour, 12 g (2 scant teaspoons) sea salt

Stretch and Fold

  • Pull a section of the dough from the underside and stretch it upwards. Fold this over the rest of the dough. Rotate the bowl as you do this so you stretch the entire dough.

Bulk Fermentation

  • Drizzle a bowl or a pyrex dish with olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl and rub with more olive oil to coat.
    3 tbsp virgin olive oil
  • Cover the bowl and leave the dough to rise at room temperature for 4 -18 hours or until the dough has doubled. The temperature of your kitchen and strength of your starter will play a big role in this!

Second Rise

  • Line a 9×13-inch pan (I use a reusable liner) and drizzle with oil. Gently release the dough from the bowl and place in the prepared pan. Use your hands to gently scoop the dough from the middle and fold in half.
  • Fold dough into thirds (envelope/letter fold) to form a rectangle and turn over seam-side down. 
  • Cover the bowl with a large plastic bag and leave to rise at room temperature until nearly doubled – it will spread out and fill most of the pan (4-6 hours).

Ready to Bake

  • Preheat the oven to 425ºF / 220C. Dip your fingers in olive oil then press deeply into the dough to dimple it – this is my favourite part! Sprinkle generously with salt. 
    3 tbsp virgin olive oil , coarse sea salt
  • Bake for 25 minutes or until the top of the focaccia is golden. Lift the bread using the overhanging liner onto a cooling rack and leave for 30 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Ingredients and Tools
AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CHECK OUT MY DISCLOSURE
  • Mature sourdough starter –if you haven’t got your own you can buy sourdough starter online or from a local bakery. 
  • Bread flour – I have used white bread flour
  • Salt – ideally fine sea salt
  • Water – filtered, bottled or boiled tap water left to cool
  • Digital scales are needed for accurate measuring
  • Large jar if you are making your own starter (I love these Weck Jars)
  • Spatula for mixing your starter
  • Dough whisk for mixing bread dough
  • A 9×13 pan (I use this one for all my sheet pan cakes)
  • Reusable liners (I have one cut to the shape of the pan to use again and again)
 

Nutrition

Calories: 124kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 195mg | Potassium: 23mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.

Like this recipe? Leave a comment below!

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4.96 from 21 votes (12 ratings without comment)

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21 Comments

  1. Pam Clevinger says:

    5 stars
    I have made this multiple times and am never disappointed! It’s easy and the most used sourdough recipe in my kitchen. I actually have the dough sitting for its second rise now. Can’t wait to enjoy it tonight!

    Reply
    1. Lucy Parissi says:

      Hi Pam – so glad, thanks for your comment xx

      Reply
  2. Erica says:

    5 stars
    This recipe is fantastic! I found the 4-18 hour rise time a bit overwhelming to know what to expect but what I’ve done twice is mix the dough late afternoon/early evening and let sit on the counter till bedtime, then refrigerate overnight. Get out in the morning and let it proof in the pan in a fairly warm spot and bake mid day.

    Reply