Name: Fluffy Focaccia Recipe with Cherry Tomatoes and Rosemary
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 420 min
Ingredients: 30 g sourdough starter; 30 g water (- lukewarm); 60 g flour; 100 g leaven (- refresh the remaining leaven with flour and water and store it in the fridge for the next use.); 340 g water (- lukewarm); 360 g bread flour; 40 g whole wheat flour; 10 g salt; 25 g olive oil; 2 tbsp olive oil; 180 g cherry tomatoes (- cut in half); 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (- finely chopped); flaky sea salt to taste

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This fluffy focaccia recipe is naturally leavened with sourdough and has a perfect balance of textures – crispy on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside. Topped with juicy cherry tomatoes, fragrant rosemary and aromatic olive oil, this focaccia bread is packed with Mediterranean flavors and aromas. It’s delicious as a snack on it’s own or great for making sandwiches.

close up of the bubbly and golden brown top of homemade sourdough focaccia.

Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need

Sourdough starter – this focaccia is naturally leavened with sourdough and doesn’t require the use of commercial yeast.
Flour – strong bread flour and a small amount of whole wheat flour for a deeper flavor.
Water – lukewarm at around 30° C.
Olive oil – high quality extra virgin olive oil for the dough and the topping. This results in a crispy golden crust full of flavor.
Sea salt – fine salt for the dough and flaky or coarse salt to sprinkle over the focaccia before baking.
Cherry tomatoes – they release their sweet juices, infusing the bread with a delicious flavor and moisture.
Fresh rosemary – rosemary has a pleasant fragrant aroma that elevates the flavor of the focaccia.
Dough whisk – to mix the ingredients into a shaggy dough.
Baking dish – a glass or ceramic baking dish or a round spring form works well.
Parchment paper – to line the baking dish and prevent the dough from sticking to the bottom.

A wooden board with the toppings for homemade focaccia: olive oil, flakey sea salt, fresh rosemary and cherry tomatoes.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1

The evening before, make the stiff leaven: Dissolve the sourdough starter in the water and add the flour. Mix well to combine. The leaven will have a stiff, dough-like consistency. You can briefly knead it on the counter to make sure there aren’t any dry bits of flour left. Let it rise in a glass jar overnight at room temperature. The next morning, it should look bubbly, active, and doubled or tripled in size.

Step 2

The next morning, make the main dough: In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the active leaven in the water and add both flours. Using a dough whisk, mix everything together until the flour is fully incorporated. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Step 3

Add the salt and olive oil. Knead the salt and oil in with wet fingers until everything comes together into a shaggy dough. Slap & fold the dough on the counter for a few minutes to develop dough strength. This takes about 3 – 5 minutes. Afterwards, the dough should feel smooth and elastic. Transfer it to a lightly oiled bowl and let it rise in a warm spot ( 25° – 28° C) for the bulk fermentation.

Step 4

During the bulk fermentation, you will perform 4 sets of coil folds in 30 minute intervals. You will begin with the first set 30 minutes after you placed the dough into the bowl for the bulk fermentation. Then, keep repeating the coil folds every 30 minutes. After the last fold, let the dough rise for 2 more hours, until it looks bubbly and increased in size (about 50% – 75% increase).

Step 5

At the end of the bulk fermentation, line a baking dish with parchment paper and spread a thin layer of olive oil all over it. Transfer the dough from the proofing bowl to the baking dish and gently spread it out with your fingers, so it reaches the corners and edges of the dish. Cover it with plastic wrap and proof it in a warm spot for another 1.5 hours. Pre-heat the oven to 230° C during the last 30 minutes of the proofing time. The dough is fully proofed, when it looks pillowy and jiggles when you shake the baking dish. You should see lots of air bubbles below the surface of the dough. If it still looks a bit dense, let it proof longer.

Step 6

Once the dough is fully proofed, pour the olive oil over the dough and spread it out evenly. Dimple the dough with your fingertips to create the characteristic indentations. Add the chopped rosemary and lightly press the cherry tomatoes into the dough.

Step 7

Bake the focaccia with steam for the first 10 minutes at 230° C. Then, release the steam and finish baking for another 20 – 25 minutes until the crust looks crispy and golden brown. If it browns too quickly, you can loosely cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. The focaccia is done baking, when it’s golden brown and reaches an internal temperature of at least 93° C.

Remove it from the oven and let it rest and cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting it. Focaccia tastes best on the day it’s baked and when it’s still slightly warm.

Four pieces of focaccia with cherry tomatoes and rosemary.

Sample Baking Schedule

Day 1

8 PM: Make the leaven and let it rise overnight.

Day 2

8:30 AM: Mix leaven, water, and flour.
9 AM: Add salt and oil. Knead until smooth and elastic.
9:30 AM: Coil fold #1
10:00 AM: Coil fold #2
10:30 AM: Coil fold #3
11:00 AM: Coil fold #4
1 PM: Transfer the dough to a baking dish and proof.
2 PM: Pre-heat the oven to 230° C.
2:30 PM: Dimple the dough and add toppings.
2:35 PM: Bake until golden brown and crispy.

Common Questions About Focaccia

Yes, homemade focaccia freezes well. Allow it to cool completely at room temperature before freezing. Then, wrap it in plastic wrap and aluminum foil or put it in a freezer bag. You can store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw at room temperature for a few hours or overnight. You can then reheat it in the oven at 180° C for 5 – 10minutes, until warmed through. This helps to bring back the crispy texture and freshness.

Focaccia has the best texture and consistency when slightly warm. To reheat it, put it in the oven at 180° C. You can lightly spritz it with water or wrap it in aluminum foil to prevent it from drying out. Re-heat it for about 5 – 10 minutes until it’s warmed through, and the crust becomes slightly crispy again. You can also fry some pieces in a pan with olive oil over medium heat until crispy and golden brown.

To keep the focaccia fresh for as long as possible, let it cool completely and wrap it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. You can also put it in an airtight container. Store it at room temperature in a cool, dry place. Don’t put it in the fridge. It’s best to consume it within 3 days of baking. Remember, the fresher it is, the better.

Focaccia is delicious on its own. You can serve it cut into individual portions as a snack. Focaccia is also great for making sandwiches or as a side dish.

More Sourdough Recipes You May Like:

Squares of fluffy homemade focaccia on a wooden board with a bottle of olive oil in the background.

A sliced loaf of garlic sourdough bread on a wooden board with a bread knife next to it.

Freshly baked rosemary sourdough bread with a small jug of olive oil and fresh twigs of rosemary next to it.

Three baguettes on a white tile backdrop with a blue pattern.

Sourdough ciabatta rolls with a bread knife next to them.

Flatlay of sliced sourdough olive bread.

Neapolitan style sourdough pizza with fresh tomato sacue, mozzarella and basil.

Sourdough focaccia with rosemary and cherry tomatoes on a piece of parchment paper.

Fluffy Focaccia Recipe with Cherry Tomatoes and Rosemary

published by: Julia

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep 30

Cook 30

Rest Time 6

Total 7

Course Appetizer, Bread, Sandwiches, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Italian

Servings Focaccia

Calories 2028 kcal

Equipment

Mixing bowl
Dough whisk
Baking dish
Parchment paper

Ingredients

For the leaven:

30 g sourdough starter
30 g water – lukewarm
60 g flour

For the main dough:

100 g leaven – refresh the remaining leaven with flour and water and store it in the fridge for the next use.
340 g water – lukewarm
360 g bread flour
40 g whole wheat flour
10 g salt
25 g olive oil

For the topping:

2 tbsp olive oil
180 g cherry tomatoes – cut in half
2 sprigs fresh rosemary – finely chopped
flaky sea salt to taste

Instructions

To make the leaven:

The evening before, make the stiff leaven: Dissolve the sourdough starter in the water and add the flour. Mix well to combine. The leaven will have a siff, dough-like consistency. You can briefly knead it on the counter to make sure there aren’t any dry bits of flour left. Let it rise in a glass jar overnight at room temperature. The next morning, it should look bubbly, active, and doubled or tripled in size.

To make the main dough:

The next morning, make the main dough: In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the active leaven in the water and add both flours. Using a dough whisk, mix everything together until the flour is fully incorporated. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Add the salt and olive oil. Knead the salt and oil in with wet fingers until everything comes together into a shaggy dough. Slap & fold the dough on the counter for a few minutes to develop dough strength. This takes about 3 – 5 minutes. Afterwards, the dough should feel smooth and elastic. Transfer it to a lightly oiled bowl and let it rise in a warm spot (25° – 28° C) for the bulk fermentation.
During the bulk fermentation, you will perform 4 sets of coil folds in 30 minute intervals. You will begin with the first set 30 minutes after you placed the dough into the bowl for the bulk fermentation. Then, keep repeating the coil folds every 30 minutes. After the last fold, let the dough rise for 2 more hours, until it looks bubbly and increased in size (about 50% – 75% increase).
At the end of the bulk fermentation, line a baking dish with parchment paper and spread a thin layer of olive oil all over it. Transfer the dough from the proofing bowl to the baking dish and gently spread it out with your fingers, so it reaches the corners and edges of the dish. Cover it with plastic wrap and proof it in a warm spot for another 1.5 hours. Pre-heat the oven to 230° C during the last 30 minutes of the proofing time. The dough is fully proofed, when it looks pillowy and jiggles when you shake the baking dish. You should see lots of air bubbles below the surface of the dough. If it still looks dense, let it proof longer.
Once the dough is fully proofed, pour the olive oil over the dough and spread it out evenly. Dimple the dough with your fingertips to create the characteristic indentations. Add the chopped rosemary and lightly press the cherry tomatoes into the dough.
Bake the focaccia with steam for the first 10 minutes at 230° C. Then, release the steam and finish baking for another 20 – 25 minutes until the crust looks crispy and golden brown. If it browns too quickly, you can loosely cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. The focaccia is done baking when it’s golden brown and reaches an internal temperature of at least 93° C.
Remove it from the oven and let it rest and cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting it. Focaccia tastes best on the day it’s baked and when it’s still slightly warm.

Video

@notjustfood_blog Fluffy sourdough focaccia with juicy cherry tomatoes and fresh rosemary ✨❤️ #focaccia #sourdoughbaking #breadbaking #fyp ♬ Hey Lover – The Daughters Of Eve

Nutrition

Calories: 2028kcalCarbohydrates: 316gProtein: 53gFat: 60gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 39gSodium: 3923mgPotassium: 900mgFiber: 15gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 897IUVitamin C: 41mgCalcium: 101mgIron: 6mg

Keywords Artisan Bread, bread baking, fluffy focaccia recipe, Focaccia, Italian Flatbread, no yeast focaccia, Sourdough bread, Sourdough Recipe