This crispy sourdough focaccia is golden and crackly on the outside, soft and airy on the inside, and full of rich, tangy flavor. You’ll start the dough the day before, but the extra time is worth the wait. It’s the kind of bread you’ll want to tear into alongside a bowl of pasta, a glass of red wine, and someone you love sharing dinner with.

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If this recipe speaks to your sourdough-loving heart, don’t miss my Easy Sourdough Breadsticks, or Extra Sour Sourdough Loaf. These are some of the most baked recipes on my blog, and they’re filled with the same helpful, step-by-step details to help you bake beautiful loaves everytime.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The overnight rise builds flavor and flexibility into your schedule.
It’s incredibly versatile. Top it with herbs and veggies of your choice.
The crispy edges and airy crumb make it the perfect bread to eat warm or reheat the next day.

How Long to Make This Sourdough Focaccia

This is a slow fermentation bread, meaning most of your time is inactive. From mixing to baking, this recipe spans two days. The secret is in the timing. An overnight rise in the refrigerator gives the dough time to build flavor, trap air bubbles, and develop that perfect chewy texture.

You don’t need to be an expert to make this. The dough is soft, stretchy, and very forgiving. If you can stir, fold, and wait, it’ll turn out great.

Day 1: mix, stretch and fold, first rise, and cold ferment. (about 3 hours, but most is easy 2 minute folds)
Day 2: pan the dough, second rise, bake, and devour.(about 2 hours start to finish)

Quick Timeline:

Hands-on time: 30 minutes
First rise: 2 hours
Cold ferment: 12 to 72 hours
Second rise: 2 to 4 hours
Bake time: 22 to 26 minutes

It’s worth every minute. This focaccia bread recipe is one of the easiest breads to make.

Let’s Talk About the Pan

You’ll be baking this in a quarter sheet pan, or a 9x13. I love using my Nordic Ware sheet pan with this plastic lid (affiliate links). The lid is perfect for sliding the pan into the fridge during the overnight rise or covering leftovers without drying them out. The smaller pan also helps create taller edges and a beautifully chewy interior.

Feed Your Starter Ahead of Time

To get the most rise and flavor, feed your sourdough starter about 8 to 12 hours before you plan to mix the dough. You want it bubbly and active. A dollop of starter should be able to float in water.

If your kitchen is cold, place your starter in a warm spot like inside a turned-off oven with the light on.Use warm water (around 75–80°F) when feeding your starter and mixing your dough. It helps everything come together more easily.

Tools and Ingredients You’ll Need

Before you begin, make sure you have:

Bread flour or King Arthur all-purpose flour for good gluten structure
Extra-virgin olive oil for both the dough and topping
Kosher salt or flaky sea salt for seasoning
Quarter sheet pan and this optional lid
Plastic wrap or a damp towel
Large bowl for mixing, or a medium bowl if you’re halving the recipe
Small saucepan if you're warming olive oil with herbs or garlic for the topping

Special equipment note: You don’t need a mixer for this recipe, but if you prefer one, use the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook on low speed for about 6 minutes until the dough pulls into a smooth ball.

The Full Process (Step-by-Step)

1. Mix the Dough in the Afternoon

In a large bowl, combine your active sourdough starter, warm water, and flour. Stir until a shaggy dough forms. Add salt and olive oil and continue mixing by hand. This is a high-hydration dough, so it will feel sticky.

Let the dough rest for 30 minutes. This dough rest period allows the flour to hydrate and makes the next steps easier. It should go from a rough ball to a softer, more workable dough.

2. Stretch and Fold

Using wet hands, perform 3 to 4 rounds of stretch and folds every 30 minutes over a 2-hour period. To do a stretch and fold:

Grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over.
Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat on all four sides.

You’ll start with a sticky, loose dough. By the last fold, you should notice the dough forming a dough ball that holds together better with visible air bubbles.

3.Bulk Ferment

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest on the counter for 3-4 hours. This bulk fermentation builds flavor and makes the dough easier to handle.

4. Pan the Dough

Grease your quarter sheet pan with 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Don’t skimp! Spread the dough onto the prepared pan, flipping it to coat all sides. Make sure oil touches the bottom of the pan and the edges of the dough. Cover loosely and refrigerate overnight or up to 48 hours. This is your second rise.

5. Dimple and Top

Remove dough from the refrigerator 2-3 hours before you are ready to bake. Drizzle with more olive oil and use oiled fingers to dimple the surface of the dough.

Sprinkle with coarse or flaky sea salt, and top with fresh rosemary, cherry tomatoes, parmesan cheese, or a pinch of Italian seasoning if you'd like.

6. Bake

Preheat oven to 450°F with a rack in the middle of the oven. Bake for 22 to 26 minutes, rotating halfway through, until golden on top and crispy on the bottom of the pan.

Cool slightly on a wire rack, then slice and serve. Your finished bread should be crisp on the outside and soft inside.

How to Serve Focaccia

This focaccia is best eaten warm, but it holds up well for leftovers. Here’s how to make the most of it:

Serving suggestions: Pair with soup, slice for sandwiches, or dip into olive oil and balsamic.
Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container or under the Nordic Ware plastic lid at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Selling Focaccia? Here’s What to Know

If you're selling focaccia, you can use a disposable aluminum pan to make it easy to transport. Or bake a full batch, cut it into quarters, and use these micro-perforated bread bags for packaging.

Want to plan your bake schedule? You can mix the dough up to 3 days in advance. Bake the day of or one day before delivery for best results.

Crispy Sourdough Focaccia

Crispy, bubbly, and golden brown sourdough focaccia made in a quarter sheet pan. This easy recipe uses a cold fermentation for deep flavor and a perfect chewy-soft center.

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Ingredients

▢ 100 g active sourdough starter 100% hydration
▢ 257 g warm water 75–80°F
▢ 368 g bread flour or a mix of bread and all-purpose
▢ 12 g kosher salt or 9g fine sea salt
▢ 25 g extra-virgin olive oil
▢ Additional olive oil for pan and topping
▢ Toppings: fresh rosemary cherry tomatoes, parmesan, flaky sea salt, Italian seasoning (optional)

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine active sourdough starter, warm water, salt, olive oil, and bread flour. Stir until a shaggy dough forms. Continue mixing by hand until the ingredients are fully incorporated. The dough will feel sticky and loose, this is normal for a high-hydration dough. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes so the flour can fully hydrate.
With wet hands, perform a stretch and fold by lifting one side of the dough, stretching it upward, and folding it toward the center. Rotate the bowl and repeat on all four sides. Continue with 3 more rounds of stretch and folds, spaced 30 minutes apart. By the final round, the dough should feel more elastic, hold its shape better, and show small bubbles starting to form.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it bulk ferment at room temperature for 3–4 hours. It’s ready for the next step when it has risen by about 50%, there are small bubbles visible on the surface, and the dough jiggles slightly when moved. In cooler kitchens, this stage may take closer to 4–5 hours.
Generously coat a quarter sheet pan with 2–3 tablespoons of olive oil. Turn the dough out onto the pan, flip it once so all sides are coated in oil, and gently stretch it toward the edges without forcing it. Cover loosely and refrigerate overnight or up to 48 hours for a slow, cold rise that develops flavor and texture.
When ready to bake, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit covered at room temperature for 2–3 hours. It’s ready when it has relaxed to fill the pan (or nearly so), large bubbles cover the surface, and a gentle press with an oiled fingertip leaves an indentation that doesn’t spring back right away. Drizzle with more olive oil, then use oiled fingers to press deep dimples across the entire surface. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and add toppings like fresh rosemary, cherry tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, or Italian seasoning, if desired.
Preheat the oven to 450°F with the rack in the center. Bake for 22–26 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the top is deep golden brown and the bottom crust is crisp. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing. The finished focaccia should have a crispy exterior, airy interior, and rich olive oil flavor.

Other Sourdough Recipes You’ll Love

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