Sourdough Discard Focaccia
This same-day sourdough discard focaccia bread recipe is full of flavor. It’s a no-fuss recipe for light and fluffy focaccia bread that uses up your sourdough discard.
The dimpled dough is soaked in olive oil and topped with sea salt, baked to crispy perfection with a light and fluffy inside!
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What is Sourdough Discard Focaccia
Focaccia bread is an Italian bread flavored with a good amount of quality olive oil, rosemary, and sea salt. Sourdough discard focaccia is made using sourdough starter discard (unfed and inactive) and a pinch of yeast to make it rise.
Equipment You’ll Need
Focaccia bread can be made using the most basic of kitchen essentials.
Baking vessel (see below) – focaccia bread can be made in a variety of baking vessels. See below for more details and my favorite.
Stand mixer (optional) – knead for double the suggested time if kneading by hand.
What to bake focaccia bread in?
You can bake focaccia bread in any pan that has a lip on it. My favorite is a cast iron skillet since the bottom becomes nice and crispy.
- 9×13 cake pan or casserole dish
- Cast iron skillet (preferred)
- Baking sheet
- any pan with a lip
Recipe Highlights
- Uses up sourdough discard
- Same-day recipe
- Variety of flavor options
- No-fuss recipe with little hands-on time
- Crispy exterior with light and fluffy inside
How to Make Sourdough Discard Focaccia
Oil-soaked crisy focaccia bread with a spongey and light interior. This focaccia bread is the perfect accompaniment to tons of meals.
Ingredients (and substitutes)
- Sourdough starter discard – this should be inactive and unfed. If using active starter, omit the yeast.
- Instant yeast – just a pinch will get you the rise you need. Omit if using an active starter.
- All-purpose flour – if using a different flour, be sure to adjust the hydration of this dough accordingly.
- Bread flour – you can use all-purpose in place of this, but you’ll need to adjust the hydration.
- Warm water
- Sea salt
- Extra virgin olive oil – this is for flavoring the top of the dough, you can also use melted butter.
- Flaky sea salt – this is optional but gives the focaccia a classic and delicious flavor.
- Toppings – toppings are optional, see below for ideas.
Step by Step Instructions (with photos)
- Mix the ingredients in a stand mixer fitted with dough hook until a smooth and elastic dough is formed. Dough should not be sticky.
- Cover the dough and allow it to rest for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.
- Spread the dough into a skillet and use olive oil-dipped fingers to dimple the top of the dough then pour a couple more tbs of olive oil overtop the dough.
- Let the dough rest another hour or so until puffy.
- Top with toppings if desired.
- Bake at 400F for 30-40 minutes until a golden brown crust forms on the top.
How to Store Sourdough Discard Focaccia
As with any homemade bread, this focaccia is best eaten say day, but can be stored and reheated for later. Store this focaccia at room temperature for up to three days. Reheat in a 325 degree oven until warmed through.
Sourdough Discard Focaccia Tips
Although this is a no-fuss sourdough discard focaccia recipe, there are a few tips for making it the best loaf possible.
- Measure in grams – using grams gives you the most accurate results.
- Read the dough – read the dough by examining how sticky, elastic and smooth it is, then add more flour as needed.
- Bake in cast iron – using a cast iron skillet gives the focaccia a crispy crust soaked in olive oil which is so good!
- Dimple the dough – this helps to prevent the focaccia from puffing up too much and losing its spongey texture.
How to Make Sourdough Discard Focaccia Healthier
Everyone has a different philosophy on what “healthy” looks like to them; these are the ways I would make this recipe healthier.
- Long-ferment – long fermenting the dough instead of using commercial yeast will yield a more digestible sourdough focaccia bread. See the timeline below for how you can do this using this recipe.
- Use butter – olive oil is a manufactured oil that is high in polyunsaturated fat which isn’t tolerated as well by some people as butter.
- Use an ancient grain – using wheat like einkorn flour which hasn’t been hybridized will make this focaccia healthier. Be sure to reduce the water content in the recipe by about 20% if making this swap.
Baker’s Timeline
Same-day focaccia
Noon – mix dough
12:15pm – let it rest
2:15pm – transfer dough to pan and let rise again
4:15pm – bake dough
5pm – let cool and serve
Overnight focaccia
If you’re using an active sourdough starter, you can long-ferment this dough.
Day 1: Noon – mix dough
12:15pm – let it rest
Day 2:15pm – transfer dough to pan and let rise again
4:15pm – bake dough
5pm – let cool and serve
Serving Suggestions
There are tons of fun and out-of-the-box ways you can eat focaccia bread. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Make it into a pizza
- Dip in olive oil
- Dip in marinara sauce
- Chocolate sauce dip
Sourdough Discard Focaccia Flavors
Part of the fun of focaccia bread is topping it with a delicious variety of flavors. Whether you like a simple sea salt and olive oil focaccia or something more, here are some ideas for how to flavor your sourdough discard focaccia bread.
- Pesto
- Sundried tomato
- Olives
- Caramelized onions
- Sea salt
- Garlic butter
- Herbs (rosemary is a classic for focaccia)
- Pepperoni
- Cheese
- Grapes
- Cinnamon sugar
- Everything bagel seasoning
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More Sourdough Discard Recipes
Banana Bread Using Sourdough Discard
Flatbread using Sourdough Discard
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Sourdough Discard Focaccia
Ingredients
Method
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine sourdough discard, yeast, water, and flours together on low speed. Once the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium and knead until an elastic dough is formed.
- Add the salt to the dough and knead again until the dough is smooth and elastic. The dough should not be sticky. Add more flour if the dough is too sticky and wet.
- Cover the dough and allow it to rest for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.
- Drizzle a couple of tbs of olive oil into your skillet and spread the dough in the skillet so it covers the surface (don't spread thinner than 1 1/2 inches thick).
- Dip your fingers in olive oil and dimple the top of the dough.
- Drizzle another 1-2 tbs of olive oil and cover the dough again and let it rest for another 1-2 hours.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Top your focaccia with the flaky sea salt and any other toppings of choice (see below for ideas).
- Bake for 30-40 minutes until a golden brown crust forms on the top.
- Allow the focaccia to cool before slicing and serving.
Video
Notes
How to Store Sourdough Discard Focaccia
As with any homemade bread, this focaccia is best eaten say day, but can be stored and reheated for later. Store this focaccia at room temperature for up to three days. Reheat in a 325 degree oven until warmed through.Sourdough Discard Focaccia Tips
Although this is a no-fuss sourdough discard focaccia recipe, there are a few tips for making it the best loaf possible.- Measure in grams – using grams gives you the most accurate results.
- Read the dough – read the dough by examining how sticky, elastic and smooth it is, then add more flour as needed.
- Bake in cast iron – using a cast iron skillet gives the focaccia a crispy crust soaked in olive oil which is so good!
- Dimple the dough – this helps to prevent the focaccia from puffing up too much and losing its spongey texture.
Baker’s Timeline
Same-day focaccia
Noon – mix dough 12:15pm – let it rest 2:15pm – transfer dough to pan and let rise again 4:15pm – bake dough 5pm – let cool and serveOvernight focaccia
If you’re using an active sourdough starter, you can long-ferment this dough. Day 1: Noon – mix dough 12:15pm – let it rest Day 2:15pm – transfer dough to pan and let rise again 4:15pm – bake dough 5pm – let cool and serveSourdough Discard Focaccia Flavors
Part of the fun of focaccia bread is topping it with a delicious variety of flavors. Whether you like a simple sea salt and olive oil focaccia or something more, here are some ideas for how to flavor your sourdough discard focaccia bread.- Pesto
- Sundried tomato
- Olives
- Caramelized onions
- Sea salt
- Garlic butter
- Herbs (rosemary is a classic for focaccia)
- Pepperoni
- Cheese
- Grapes
- Cinnamon sugar
- Everything bagel seasoning
About Me
Thanks for trying out this sourdough discard bread recipe! Let me know what you think below.
I’ve done this recipe twice now and every time it comes out amazing! I do have to add an additional 1/3 cup of flour to the mixer due to stickiness (as it states in the directions), but again it’s a wonderfully delicious recipe!
Yessss! Thank you for your comment! And THANK YOU for reading your dough properly 🙂 Everybody is going to have dough that reacts differently to their own environment – that’s kind of the fun of homemade bread.
Making this for a second time! I put roasted tomatoes and onions on top the first time! So easy and delicious!
Oh, YUM! That sounds amazing – especially if you drizzle a balsamic glaze on top *drool*
If letting the dough rest overnight- is it to sit on the counter or in the fridge?
either work fine.
This turned out great! But I did have to add a lot of flour in the mix. It was really wet in the mixer and only firmed up after several tablespoons of flour added. Otherwise it’s great!
Flour measurements will always differ based on various environmental factors.