This sourdough discard focaccia bread recipe is just so delicious. A chewy crumb with a lightly crispy exterior all thanks to olive oil baked into the bread. It makes the best appetizer, side for dinner, or pizza crust.
This is such an easy recipe. Perfect for when you want a side of bread with dinner, but you don’t have a lot of time. Mix it up, let it rise, shape, rise again and bake.
Dry active yeast gives the dough rise while the sourdough starter adds a light tang. You can also slow ferment it in the fridge to give it more of that sourdough tanginess.
It is almost hard to describe just how yummy it is. The olive oil gives it the most delicious exterior. It’s a little crispy, but not really. So much olive oil, rosemary, and salty flavor.
This makes the yummiest sandwich bread. Slice it in half and add your favorite toppings.
Why you will love this recipe:
Delicious: This sourdough discard focaccia is super soft interior with a slightly crispy, salty, with a hint of yummy tangy sourdough. It’s hard to stop at one.
Easy: This is such a simple sourdough bread recipe. It is super easy to make and takes just a few hours from start to bake. Rather than relying on the wild yeast from the sourdough starter, this recipe relies on active dry yeast to
Feeds a crowd: This recipe is a great appetizer for a party. Serve on the side with soup, as part of a charcuterie board, or with a few tablespoons of olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping.
Tips:
- This makes a delicious pizza dough. Just shape the dough and add your toppings.
- Depending on the hydration of your starter may change the amount of flour needed for the dough. I suggest adding 1/2 cup of flour at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides.
- The dough can be quite sticky, so it may be helpful to dab your fingers in oil before spreading it on the cookie sheet.
- This recipe is great for those beginning their sourdough journey. It is a great way to use all that extra discard. Rather than toss it out, why not use it to make some tasty discard recipes.
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FAQ:
What is focaccia bread used for?
Focaccia is a thin Italian bread that can be used as an appetizer or side and dipped into olive oil and parmesan, used as a sandwich bread, or even as a pizza crust.
How do you store focaccia sourdough?
Store in an air-tight container at room temperature. Eat within 2-3 days for best results. This also freezes super well for about six months.
Why is my sourdough Focaccia dense?
Most likely, the water added to the yeast mixture could have been too hot and it killed the yeast.
Is focaccia the same as sourdough?
No. Focaccia can be made with sourdough, but typically it is made with commercial yeast.
Sourdough Discard Focaccia Ingredients:
- Sourdough discard. While this is a discard recipe, if you happen to have an active sourdough starter you could use that as well.
- Warm water
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Honey or sugar
- Sea salt. I like to use coarse sea salt for the top of the bread.
- All-purpose flour – Could also substitute with bread flour.
- Fresh rosemary
- Garlic powder
- Different toppings: sliced tomatoes, parsley, fresh basil, kalamata olives, parmesan cheese etc.
Tools you may need:
Stand mixer with dough hook
Parchment paper
Measuring cups and spoons
9×13 pan
How To Make Sourdough Focaccia
In a liquid measuring cup add warm water (should be warm to touch. If the water is too hot it will kill the yeast), honey, and active dry yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes. The yeasts should activate and get nice and bubbly.
In the bowl of a stand mixer bowl with a dough hook attachment, add the sourdough starter discard, 1/4 cup olive oil, water/yeast mixture, and salt.
Mix together on low speed (setting 2 for KitchenAid). Add the flour a half cup at a time until it starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl. If you do not have a stand mixer you can use a large bowl and do the stretch and fold method.
Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10-15 minutes or more with a stand mixer. It should pass the windowpane test. Grab a small piece of dough and stretch it into a square. If it can stretch thin enough to see through without breaking, the dough is ready.
First Rise – Bulk Fermentation
Place dough in an oiled bowl with a lid, damp towel, or cover with plastic wrap.
Let the dough rest for 1-2 hour in a warm spot.
Put 1/4 cup olive oil in the bottom of the pan lined with parchment paper.
Place dough onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Press the focaccia dough out to the edges. If the dough is really sticky, I just dip my fingers in a bit of olive oil and then spread out the dough.
Using your fingers, press the top of the dough down, creating dimples in the dough.
Cover and let the dough rise for 1-2 more hours.
Bake
Add a drizzle of olive oil to the top (1-2 tablespoons) and sprinkle with garlic powder and chopped rosemary.
Bake at 400 for 20 minutes until golden brown.
Allow to cool, and enjoy.
Storage:
Store in an airtight container for two to three days.
The Best Focaccia Toppings:
- Sliced tomatoes
- Kalamata olives
- Herbs
- Cheese
- Garlic
- Pepperoni or sausage
- Pesto
- Artichoke hearts
- Sun dried tomatoes
- Zucchini – thinly sliced
Find More Sourdough Discard Recipes:
- Sourdough Blueberry Muffins
- Lemon Pound Cake
- Sourdough Pizza Crust
- Easy Sourdough Crackers
- Sourdough Crepes
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you gave it 5 stars! Also, tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Sourdough Discard Focaccia
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 1 cup sourdough discard
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided (plus one tablespoon drizzling)
- 1 tablepsoon honey
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 4-5 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- In a liquid measuring cup add warm water (should be warm to touch. If the water is too hot it will kill the yeast), honey, and active dry yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes. The yeasts should activate and get nice and bubbly.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer bowl with a dough hook attachment, add the sourdough starter discard, 1/4 cup olive oil, water/yeast mixture and salt.
- Mix together on low speed (setting 2 for KitchenAid). Add the flour a half cup at a time until it starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl.
Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10-15 minutes or more with a stand mixer. It should pass the windowpane test. - Place dough in an oiled bowl with a lid, damp towel, or cover with plastic wrap.
- Let the dough rest for 1-2 hour in a warm spot. Should double in size.
- Put 1/4 cup olive oil in the bottom of the 9×13 pan lined with parchment paper.
- Place dough onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Press the focaccia dough out to the edges. If the dough is really sticky, dip fingers in a bit of olive oil and then spread out the dough.
- Using your fingers, press the top of the dough down, creating dimples in the dough.
- Cover and let the dough rise for 1-2 more hours.
- Add a drizzle of olive oil to the top (1-2 tablespoons) and sprinkle with garlic powder and chopped rosemary.
- Bake at 400 for 20 minutes until golden brown.
- Allow to cool, and enjoy.
Notes
- If you do not have a stand mixer you can use a large bowl and do the stretch and fold method.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Got this in the oven now. I winged it here and there – since I’m a newbie, I wasn’t sure during which rise I could put into the refrigerator for longer fermentation like the notes talk about, so did it after the first rise. Used a half sheet pan since both a baking sheet and 9×13 was talked about in the directions and it’s been in the oven for 20 minutes per the written directions but it wasn’t done so added another 10 and noticed the time in the recipe header specified 30 minutes. A few tweaks in the directions would be great for beginner’s but I’m thinking it’s going to be okay.
I love this recipe! I made it first to go along with soup and I made paninis with the leftovers. I’m already planning to make it again for meatball hoagies.
How would you go about long-fermenting this before baking?
I would leave it in the fridge for several days.
I really want to make this, but the directions in terms of the baking vessel and where the olive oil goes is so confusing. It sounds like AI is being used to answer comments with similar confusion. Can we just get a coherent answer from a human? Thanks.
I like to drizzle a bit in the bottom of the pan before putting the dough in, and then the rest goes on top of the dough to help dimple the dough.