If you've ever wanted to elevate your sourdough baking with something savoury, fragrant, and gloriously golden brown, these sourdough focaccia recipes are the perfect place to start. From herby classics to sweet, bakery-style twists, you'll find sourdough focaccia ideas for every mood and season.
Whether you're new to the sourdough journey or looking for sourdough focaccia toppings to inspire your next bake, this collection will help you get creative with your bubbly focaccia dough.
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Savoury Sourdough Focaccia Ideas
Savoury focaccia is all about flavour, texture, and simplicity - crispy crusts, soft interiors, and toppings that turn a simple dough into a meal. Below are some of the best sourdough focaccia bread recipes to try at home, using easy techniques and simple ingredients you probably already have on hand.
Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Focaccia
Tasty enough to eat on its own straight out of the tray (don't ask how I know!), but also superb as a side to soups, stews or even summer BBQ meats!
Get Recipe Here: Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Focaccia
Olive Sourdough Focaccia
A true Ligurian focaccia classic. Briny green or black olives, a drizzle of good quality olive oil, and a sprinkle of fine sea salt make this simple sourdough focaccia recipe a timeless favourite. Nestle the olives deeply into the top of the dough so they don't scorch as it bakes to golden perfection.
RECIPE: Olive Sourdough Focaccia
Turmeric Potato and Rosemary Sourdough Focaccia
Thinly sliced potatoes and fresh rosemary create a wonderfully rustic focaccia. The potato starch melts into the dough, giving it a creamy interior while the turmeric and rosemary perfumes the entire loaf. Perfect with soups or on its own with a drizzle of olive oil.
Cherry Tomato Sourdough Focaccia
Juicy cherry tomatoes burst as they bake, creating pockets of sweetness in every bite. Add a touch of sea salt and cracked pepper over the top of dough for contrast. It's a great addition to summer spreads or as a base for sandwiches.
RECIPE: Cherry Tomato Sourdough Focaccia
Lemon Feta Sourdough Focaccia
Feta, lemon, olive oil, sourdough. Exactly what you want to be eating with a fresh salad for al fresco lunch in summer!
Get Recipe Here: Sourdough Focaccia with Feta and Lemon
Pumpkin Sourdough Focaccia With Herbs de Provence
A true autumn favourite. Pumpkin purée adds tenderness and colour, while dried herbs de Provence lend fragrance and complexity. A hint of olive oil brushed on the top of the dough before baking gives a glossy, golden brown finish.
Hot Honey Sourdough Focaccia
Sweet heat meets tangy sourdough. Drizzle hot honey over your baked focaccia and watch it soak into the crevices. A few flakes of chilli or crushed red pepper make this one both bold and addictive.
RECIPE: Hot Honey Sourdough Focaccia
Fennel, Caper & Red Onion Sourdough Focaccia
A Mediterranean twist - caramelised red onion, sliced fennel, and salty capers create a deeply savoury, aromatic combination. It pairs beautifully with seafood or sharp cheeses.
French Onion Sourdough Focaccia
Few things smell more comforting than the cosy flavour of French onion soup - slow-cooked onions, melty cheese, and a whisper of herbs - now imagine that wrapped in the soft, pillowy crumb of an airy sourdough focaccia bread recipe.
Get Recipe Here: French Onion Sourdough Focaccia
Sourdough Za'atar Focaccia (Overnight Recipe)
Soft and airy, Italian sourdough focaccia base, with Middle Eastern topping! Fusion at its best! This za'atar focaccia was inspired by Manakeesh flatbreads.
Get Recipe Here: Sourdough Za'atar Focaccia (Overnight Recipe)
Sourdough Discard Focaccia
Yes, even your sourdough discard can become something special. This is the easiest sourdough recipe for using up leftovers - quick to mix, forgiving, and still deliciously crisp on the outside. It's proof that a good focaccia doesn't always need a long rise.
RECIPE: Sourdough Discard Focaccia
Plum and Gorgonzola Sourdough Focaccia
Plums work beautifully in this deeply savoury blue cheese sourdough focaccia. They caramelise and provide sweet and tart contrast to salty gorgonzola!
Get Recipe Here: Plum and Gorgonzola Sourdough Focaccia
Sweet Sourdough Focaccia Recipes
Sweet focaccia might sound unconventional, but it's an incredible way to use sourdough focaccia dough for brunches or desserts. Light, slightly chewy, and not overly sweet - these sweet sourdough focaccia ideas are a baker's playground.
Cinnamon Sourdough Focaccia
Think of it as a sourdough cinnamon roll in focaccia form. Softened butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar are spread across the dough before baking. Serve warm with coffee for the perfect morning treat.
RECIPE: Cinnamon Sourdough Focaccia
Apple Sourdough Focaccia
Thin slices of apple, brushed with butter and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, bake into the dough to create caramelised pockets of sweetness. It's beautiful served warm or at room temperature with a dollop of cream.
RECIPE: Apple Sourdough Focaccia
Cherry Almond Sourdough Focaccia
A classic flavour pairing: tart cherries and toasted almonds. Brush the top of the dough with melted butter before baking and dust with powdered sugar once cooled for an elegant finish.
RECIPE: Cherry Almond Sourdough Focaccia
Almond Croissant Sourdough Focaccia
All the richness of an almond croissant, none of the lamination. A buttery almond filling and sliced almonds are spread over your second rise focaccia before baking - utterly indulgent.
Baklava Sourdough Focaccia
Inspired by the Middle Eastern pastry, this focaccia is brushed with butter, topped with crushed pistachios and honey, and baked until golden. A drizzle of pure maple syrup or honey syrup after baking adds sticky sweetness.
RECIPE: Sourdough Baklava Focaccia
Sweet Pumpkin Pie Sourdough Focaccia
A dessert version of focaccia that celebrates autumn. Pumpkin purée, warm spices, and vanilla make this a perfect treat for the fall season - like pumpkin pie meets sourdough bread.
Sourdough Stollen Focaccia (Christmas Sourdough Focaccia)
When German Christmas Bread meets Italian Focaccia, you can have the best of two European Christmas classics! It's delicious!
Get Recipe Here: Sourdough Stollen Focaccia
Sweet Lemon Sourdough Focaccia
Inspired by lemon drizzle cake, this sourdough focaccia proves that bread can be a dessert!
Get Recipe Here: Sweet Lemon Sourdough Focaccia
Tips For The Best Sourdough Focaccia
Whether you're baking your first focaccia or refining your technique, these tried-and-tested tips will help you get the best results from your dough every time.
- Use an active sourdough starter. Make sure your active starter is bubbly, doubled in size, and low in acidity before mixing the dough - a sluggish starter leads to a dense crumb.
- Hydration matters. Focaccia loves a higher hydration dough, usually around 75-80%. Expect a sticky dough - that's normal and gives you those open, airy bubbles.
- Mixing and folding. Combine the dough in a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment on low speed until just combined.
- Add olive oil by hand. Squishing it in by hand before mixing again in the stand mixer bowl avoids the oil separating from the dough.
- Perform sets of stretch and folds or coil folds during the bulk fermentation to strengthen the gluten.
- Use wet hands. Keep your hands damp when handling the dough.
- Let the dough rise fully. A long, slow bulk rise at room temperature (and an overnight proof in the fridge) develops better flavour. Look for a visibly puffy dough before shaping.
- Use the right pan. A rectangular pan or high-rimmed baking dish is best - you want enough height to cover the dough easily for the second rise with a damp towel or plastic wrap.
- Oil generously. Coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil before adding the dough. It helps achieve that crisp, golden brown crust focaccia is famous for.
- Dimple deeply. When the dough is ready, use your fingertips to press dimples all over the top of dough. This traps air pockets and helps toppings stay in place.
- Nestle toppings well. Whether olives, tomatoes, or fruit, press your toppings into the dough slightly so they bake with the focaccia instead of burning on top.
- Bake at the right temperature. Bake focaccia in a well-heated oven until puffed and deeply golden - usually around 25-30 minutes.
- Cool properly. Let the focaccia rest on a wire rack before slicing. This keeps the crust crisp rather than steamy.
- Storage. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days, or freeze slices (uniced) for the future.
Focaccia is endlessly versatile - soft enough to enjoy warm with soup, yet robust enough to use as sandwich bread. Once you master one easy sourdough focaccia recipe, you'll find yourself experimenting with toppings and flours in no time.
Each of these sourdough focaccia ideas brings its own personality to the table, proving that the best focaccia doesn't require commercial yeast or complicated methods - just a ripe sourdough starter, patience, and a bit of trial and error.
So grab your large bowl, mix up a rough dough, and follow the recipe card - you might just find your new favourite way to bake sourdough. What's your favourite sourdough focaccia bread recipe? Share with us in the comments below.
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