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If the thought of baking with sourdough stresses you out, then let me show you how to make an easy Sourdough Focaccia Bread that can set your mind at ease.

For this recipe, you don't need the normal sourdough tools like a kitchen scale, parchment paper, or dough hook attachment that you would use for making a Sourdough Artisan loaf. All you need is an active sourdough starter and a few other simple ingredients to get the best and most amazing Focaccia bread you have ever made. It has a chewy crumb with a crisp exterior.

This bread is so delicious. It's soft and airy and the top of the dough has fresh rosemary and flaky sea salt on top. The little drizzle of olive oil sets it over the top.

The bread is a no-knead bread, which makes it very forgiving.

If you are looking for a bread dough that is low carb, check out this Fathead Dough Recipe. You can make bread while on your KETO diet!

Why Sourdough is My New Favorite Way to Bake

If you have been around here for any length of time, you know that I am obsessed with baking with sourdough. One of the first things I ever made was my Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls and Sourdough Discard Dinner Rolls.

My sourdough journey has been great but it has also been frustrating. When I first started, I couldn't get my starter to rise at all. I discovered that my house was too cold, so I used my microwave to create a hot box by adding a bottle of hot water to the inside of the microwave right next to my jar of starter. Once I figured out the problem, my starter started doubling and since then, the journey has been nothing but fun!

If you are baking sourdough and your starter is struggling, the temperature of your kitchen matters.

What is Sourdough?

Sourdough is an ancient way of baking bread. It doesn't use commercial yeast, but it uses the wild yeast that the dough itself produces. Simply combining flour and water, creates a live fermented culture. The more you feed the active starter by adding fresh flour and water to it, the stronger the yeast gets and it multiplies.

Since then, sourdough baking has become like therapy for me. I have been baking with sourdough non-stop, and all of my bakery customers agree — everything tastes delicious!

Is Sourdough Bread Better for You?

Yes, sourdough bread is so much better for you than regular bread. The long fermentation process is what makes this bread better than conventional bread on the grocery store shelves.

Store-bought bread has so many chemicals and ingredients in it. Most sourdough bread is just simply water and flour and a few other natural ingredients.

The fermentation process is also good for your gut. Gut health is important and it is also like a probiotic for your body.

How to Make a Simple Sourdough Focaccia Recipe

For this recipe, you need the following ingredients —

• Active Sourdough Starter
• Flour — you can use all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, or bread flour
• warm Water
• Honey
• Salt — I use Kosher salt for the inside and flaky sea salt for the top
• Extra virgin Olive Oil
• Rosemary

Since this is a no-knead bread, you only need to mix the ingredients in a large bowl and then forget it.

So, in the large mixing bowl, combine the starter, water, and honey. Mix well and then add in the flour and salt. Use a scraper to scrape the sides of the bowl to incorporate all the flour into the dough.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cloth. For best results, let the focaccia dough rise overnight at room temperature, about 12-18 hours. This will be the bulk fermentation or bulk rise time.

The next day, grab a 9×13 pan and add in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Dump the dough out into the pan. With wet hands turn the dough over to coat all sides with the olive oil. Use wet hands because that will keep the dough from sticking to you.

Now, cover the pan back up and let the dough rest on the counter for a couple of hours. This is the second rise. You won't stretch it at this point. Just let the dough do its thing during this time.

Once the two-hour rest period is over, gently stretch the dough to reach the corners of the pan. Now, use your fingertips to dimple the dough.

Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the surface of the dough and then sprinkle on 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped rosemary and flaky sea salt. You could even add a little Parmesan cheese and cherry tomatoes to the top if you wanted.

Bake the focaccia bread in a preheated 425 F degree oven for 15-20 minutes until crispy and golden brown.

Place the bread on a cooling rack and allow it to cool to room temperature before slicing it into wedges to enjoy. Of course, you can also serve warm if you want.

I like to serve this bread with a dipping oil made of fresh herbs, good quality olive oil, and balsamic vinegar.

Store the remaining leftover focaccia bread in an airtight container.

For More Sourdough Bread Recipes, Check These Out

• Sourdough Chocolate Christmas Star Bread
• Cracker Barrel Sourdough French Toast
• Sourdough Italian Bread