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.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
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.
We loved this Focaccia bread. Can I make it the day before and leave it in the frig. all night? I need it for Sunday lunch but don’t have time to make it in the morning.
Since it uses regular yeast I would be a little afraid of it over fermenting. You could bake it beforehand and then serve it a different day. It also freezes really well.
Hi, when do you add the yeast and honey mixture?? Before adding the flour to the starter mixture, or during…? Thanks!
Oops sorry about that. It is fixed the recipe card.
Lisa,
I heard that active dry yeast actually kills the sourdough starter. So I experimented with just discard and kept the rest of the recipe. I only had 5 hours to make it (mind you, North Carolina 91 degrees and high humidity). I put the dough out into the shade and it rose beautifully in 4 hours, left it to sit for 30 minutes after arranging it in the dish and it was lovely! At least, so our 5-year old kept repeating!
Oh My! This looks so tasty! I can’t wait to make this for the weekend.
Enjoy!
Have you tried making this in a cast iron skillet? I have a round one and was going to try that but not sure if it would change the cooking time or anything?
I have not. It would change the baking time depending on how big the cast iron skillet it. I would think you may need to add a bit more time if you are using a 12 inch skillet.
I’m still confused. You put olive oil in a 9 x 13 pan which I assume is like a lasagna pan but then you say spread the dough out on a baking sheet? I’m going to put mine in lasagna pan and see how it turns out. Thank you
Sorry this sheet pan was a 9×13 that I used. You could also use a thinner sheet pan, the timing may change a bit.
Are there really 1028 calories per serving?
That is what the calculator came up with. Not sure how accurate that is.. Seems like an awful lot.
I got more like 197 calories by cutting the bread into 15 pieces!
This looks delicious and I haven’t put it in the oven yet! I was a little confused by the “olive oil in 9×13 pan” then dough on sheet Pan. I found an older video where you popped it in a cast iron skillet. Done. Also, not certain when the water/honey/yeast went in but I put it in the kitchen aid with the rest and it looks fine. I also made your sourdough coffee cake, no knead sourdough, and some bagels today. Again, I need practice to figure this out(a la Julia Child)😂 . Thank you for showing this. It’s fun.
Sorry this sheet pan was a 9×13 that I used. You could also use a thinner sheet pan, the timing may change a bit. I’m impressed with all of your sourdough baking.
I too wondered when you put the water honey and salt into the mix as it wasn’t mentioned after the bubbly in the instructions. I just put it in the bowl with the discard etc., and hoped I got it right. 😁
How large is your baking pan? Also, have you ever halved this recipe? It’s just my husband and me at our house, and a whole cookie sheet of bread is too much for us…
9×13. Sorry about that. I have not halved it, but it should work. Another option is bake and freeze half for later.
Tried this for the first time today, and it is 100% amazing! Thank you for this easy-to-follow and yummy recipe.