Sourdough Discard Focaccia (Two Ways)

If you’re looking for a delicious and simple focaccia recipe, one that’s packed full of flavor and texture, look no further. This one is (literally) perfect! 

At a Glance: Sourdough Discard Focaccia

👩‍🍳 Skill Level: Intermediate
🥄 Flavor Profile: Slightly tangy with a crisp exterior and chewy, airy crumb
🧁 Options Could Include: Plain sea salt + rosemary or garlic butter + cheese
🎯 Best For: Appetizers, side dishes, charcuterie boards, or dipping in soups

What is Focaccia? 

Focaccia is a traditional Italian flatbread known for its soft, airy texture and crisp, golden crust. That crust is often seasoned with salt, cheese, herbs, (like rosemary, thyme, or garlic) and garnished with any number of other items like tomatoes, artichokes, red onion, and so on. 

Focaccia is made with simple ingredients like flour, water, yeast, olive oil, and salt, which makes it a go-to in any baker’s kitchen. This particular version uses sourdough starter (or discard, your choice). 

So, Do I Use Discard or Starter? 

I’ve actually used both and haven’t noticed any difference. The addition of instant yeast to this recipe gives the focaccia a lovely lift, but if you want it to be super airy, go ahead and add active starter. If you’re looking for a focaccia that’s chewier, go with discard. (More about this below.)

A Fun Twist

I’ve made this recipe two completely different ways, so let’s break it down. The first time, I baked it in a 9x13-inch pan with active starter, which made for a taller, softer loaf.

See the finished product below for demonstration of the bread's height. 

I’ve also made it with discard and baked it on a cookie sheet, which mades a thinner, more traditional focaccia (see picture below). This version is similar to a deep-dish pizza dough.

Whether you make the lighter, taller version or the more traditional one, you’re going to flip over the outcome. 

Let’s Talk Flavor. . .and Versatility

Thanks to the addition of olive oil and sea salt, focaccia has an absolutely delicious and rich flavor. And talk about versatile! Focaccia is enjoyed as a side dish, sandwich bread, or appetizer and pairs beautifully with soups, salads, and dips. I find it great for sliders!

I found this recipe online at Amy Bakes Bread, but made a few tweaks, as you will see. (I can't seem to help myself, sorry!) I'm so grateful to have stumbled across this delicious recipe!

Focaccia Ingredients

You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here’s a quick peek at what you’ll need to make this recipe. These are simple ingredients you probably have on hand. If you don’t happen to have starter, you’ll want to choose a different recipe. I’ll be adding my own starter recipe soon, so be looking for that. 

• 240 grams active sourdough starter (about a cup)
• 390 grams of warm water (1 ½ cups plus 2 tablespoons)
• 1 packet (2 ½ tsp) instant yeast
• 550 grams bread flour (about 4 cups)
• 1 ½ teaspoons table salt 
• 6 tablespoons of olive oil 
• ½ cup parmesan
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or sea salt)

Note: If you only have all purpose flour you can use it. There's more protein in bread flour, so you might notice a slight difference in the outcome, but probably not much.

How to Make Sourdough Discard Focaccia

I absolutely love this recipe, and I feel sure you will, too. (You can thank me later!)

Combine water, starter, and instant yeast in a large bowl. 

Use a bread whisk to mix until smooth. 

Allow to sit for five minutes until yeast begins to activate. (You will notice the mixture thicken slightly as it activates.) 

Add flour and salt and stir until combined, using care to get the lumps out. You will have a shaggy, loose dough. 

Cover and set aside in a warm spot for 30 minutes to proof. (This is the first rise.)

After the thirty minutes is up, do three rounds of stretch and folds with the dough, fifteen minutes apart. 

To do stretch and folds, wet hands, reach down into the bowl, pull up the dough as high as you can, and then fold it toward center. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat. Keep this up until you've stretched all of the dough. (You can wet your hands as often as you need but don't work too much water into the dough.)

After the third stretch and fold, prep a cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil on top of the parchment paper and spread with a pastry brush. 

Place the focaccia dough on the cookie sheet and pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil on top. (It’s good to grease your hands with a little, too.) 

Starting at the center, spread the dough to cover as much of the pan as possible. 

The dough will want to fight back (meaning it will pull away from the edges) but that’s okay. 

Cover with a kitchen towel making sure it doesn't touch the top of the dough. (I've used an upside-down baking sheet instead of a towel, just to be safe.) Set in a warm place for an hour for the second rise. 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil on top and “dimple” the dough with your fingertips. 

Sprinkle on sea salt and parmesan. 

Place cookie sheet in hot oven and bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown. Baking times may vary, depending on your oven and the rack you choose. 

Remove and place focaccia on wire rack to cool. 

If you like, you can brush the top of the bread with melted butter before serving. 

Cut with a pizza cutter into square pieces. 

Serve and enjoy! You can make a great dip for this bread out of fresh herbs, extra virgin olive oil, and balsamic vinegar.

Store leftovers (cooled to room temperature) in a bread bag or basket with a cloth top. Do not seal these up while warm or they will get gummy.

An airtight container is okay only after the bread isn't emitting any moisture. They should stay fresh for 2-3 days. You can refrigerate or freeze this focaccia if you want them to keep longer. 

What to Expect from This Easy Recipe

I’ll be honest: the first time I made this, I thought I had messed it up. I'm still pretty early in my sourdough journey at this point and haven't built my confidence just yet.

I didn’t realize that some focaccia recipes end up with a taller bread loaf. But the moment I took that first bite I was hooked. I simply couldn’t believe how easy and delicious this bread was.

I made up my mind right then and there that I would use this recipe for a variety of other projects. . .and I have. I made a loaf of sandwich bread with this recipe and I’ve also used this to make the most delicious hybrid sourdough dinner rolls (substituting warm milk for the water and adding a quarter cup of sugar). All that to say, this is a very versatile recipe, one I plan to keep at the top of my list. 

Variations to this Great Recipe

As I mentioned above, this one is super versatile. Here are my suggestions: 

Bake it in a loaf pan: This makes a great sandwich bread. Use activated sourdough starter instead of sourdough starter discard for this one for a light outcome. Sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top for added flavor.

Use it for pizza crust. You’ll end up with a thick Chicago-style crust, but it’s a delicious addition to any pizza recipe. 

Add pie filling on top. I used apples (from apple pie filling) along with cinnamon, sugar, and chopped pecans. The outcome was delicious! 

Turn it into yeast rolls by swapping out warm milk for the water. Add a quarter cup of sugar to the yeast mixture before the flour goes in. 

Other Breads from Out of the Box Baking

Here are some of my personal favorites: 

• Quick Sourdough Dinner Rolls: Y’all, I cannot tell a lie. It’s so hard for me to resist this recipe! 
• Easy Challah Bread from Scratch: This was the first loaf of bread I baked on my bread journey and remains a favorite!
• Tangzhong Milk Bread: This is a simple yeasted bread, so soft and fluffy!
• Rustic Artisan Bread with Ranch Dressing: This artisan loaf has a twist: powdered Ranch dressing! (Talk about flavor!)
• Dave’s Killer Bread (a copycat recipe): This one is chocked full of seeds, nuts, and lots of flavor!  

That’s it for this post, friends! I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe. 

If you make this recipe and love it, don’t forget to leave a review and a comment below. And while you're at it, go ahead and pin some photos to your Pinterest boards!

Loved this recipe? Get more like it straight to your inbox. Sign up for our newsletter now!

About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 165 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.