Few things are as satisfying as homemade bread, and this Simple Sourdough Focaccia Garlic Bread Recipe is no exception. With its light, airy texture, savoury garlic, rich butter, and a final sprinkle of sea salt, it’s a treat that’s perfect for sharing. Serve it alongside soups, salads, or pasta, or simply enjoy it warm from the oven as a snack. This recipe is straightforward, delicious, and sure to become a family favourite!
Growing up in England, garlic bread was one of my absolute favourite sides. I loved it with lasagne and spaghetti bolognese (yes, I know—carbs on carbs!), but honestly, I could have eaten it with anything.
Now, here’s something surprising: you can’t get garlic bread in France! I know—it’s hard to believe. While you can buy garlic butter (usually meant for serving with snails—yes, really!) and make your own with a baguette, the taste just isn’t the same.
For years, I went without garlic bread… until I came up with this recipe! This Simple Sourdough Focaccia Garlic Bread is so easy to make and captures all those mouth-watering flavours I’ve missed so much. It’s safe to say this recipe will be on repeat in our home from now on!
What Make Sourdough Focaccia so Different?
I love sourdough, that’s no secret! And I definitely believe that sourdough focaccia is a cut above the rest. Apart from being healthier with the gluten being fermented overnight, the sourdough adds a lot of tangy flavour which is just mouth watering. I love how this sourdough focaccia has a nice open crumb too – it is so light and delicious!
Ingredients needed to make Simple Sourdough Focaccia Garlic Bread Recipe
- 55g active and bubbly starter
- 370g filtered water
- 500g bread flour (T65)
- 10g salt
- 2-3 tsp olive oil
- 50g unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- a few sprigs of fresh parsley (optional)
Sourdough Starter
This recipe gets great results with a bubbly and active starter, it may be possible to make it with sourdough discard, but it would take a lot longer to ferment and rise.
If you don’t have a sourdough starter but you would like to make one, check out this article.
Flour
I use bread flour, or T65 flour here in France. I love the light texture that it gives the bread.
Butter
I like to use unsalted butter because I enjoy sprinkling sea salt on top of the foccacia. If you use salted butter, skip the sea salt.
Garlic
This is a central ingredient to this recipe, however, you can decide how much garlic you want to include. One clove of garlic will give a subtle flavour to your focaccia and two or more will increase that garlic kick. Just be aware that adding too much may overwhelm the overall flavour of the bread.
How to make Simple Sourdough Focaccia Garlic Bread Recipe
While this recipe isn’t difficult and doesn’t require a lot of hands-on time, it does require some thinking ahead. If you want to eat the focaccia on a Saturday, for example, you will need to be feeding your starter on Thursday evening.
The Night Before
Feed your starter. I like to feed mine at least with a 1:3:3 ratio (for example, 20g starter, 60g water, 60g flour).
Dough Day
Mix together the starter, water, flour and salt until just combined. Cover and leave to rest for 30 mins.
Perform one stretch and fold (check out my video here that will show you how to do stretch and folds). Cover and leave to rest for 30 mins.
Perform 2 sets of coil folds 30 mins apart (click here to see how to do a coil fold). Cover and leave to rest for 30 mins and then transfer to the fridge overnight or until you are ready to bake your focaccia.
Baking Day
Pour 2-3 tbsp of olive oil into a 23cmx33cm oven dish. Spread the oil so that it covers the bottom of the dish and some of the sides.
Transfer the dough from the fridge to the oiled pan and stretch it so that it covers most of the bottom of the pan. Don’t worry if it doesn’t cover all of it, it will spread out during the second rise.
Leave in a warm place until it has doubled in size and has large bubbles on the surface, probably 1-2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 220°C
Melt the butter and add the crushed garlic and chopped parsley.
Drizzle the garlic butter over the focaccia and dimple it by pressing your fingers down into the dough. This is so satisfying – my favourite part of making this bread!
Bake in the oven for 25-30 mins.
The focaccia is cooked when it is golden brown all over.
Serve as a side dish with lasagne for example, or a soup or salad. Alternatively, it would make a great appetizer or ‘apéro’ as we say over here in France!
We absolutely love this focaccia recipe and hope you do too!
How to Serve Simple Sourdough Focaccia Garlic Bread
There are so many ways to enjoy this Simple Sourdough Focaccia Garlic Bread. Here are some of my favourites:
- With a warming soup such as this Creamy White Bean Soup.
- With a delicious salad like this Tomato and Mozzarella Salad.
- As an accompaniment to a dish such as lasagne or Mediterranean Chicken Stew.
- As an appetizer or ‘apéro’ served with a nice glass of red wine.
- To go with a charcuterie board.
- To take to a potluck – just be sure to make two because it will go quickly!
What Variations Would Work for this Sourdough Focaccia Garlic Bread Recipe?
I love this recipe just as it is – it absolutely satisfies my craving for the garlic bread of my childhood.
If you wanted to make this focaccia more filling, you could top it with some cherry tomatoes and add some mozzarella for the last 10 minutes of baking. This would give you a pizza-style bread that would be amazing served with a fresh green salad.
You could also leave out the parsley and replace it with a few small sprigs of rosemary that you can stick into the dough before baking.
Did you add or change anything in this recipe? What did you serve it with? Let me know in the comments below!
We just love this versatile bread option and I am looking forward to making it a regular part of our meals.
If you made this recipe, don’t forget share a photo and tag me @candleinthekitchen on Instagram!
Pin it for later!
Are you looking for a gluten-free, grain-free garlic bread option? Take a look at this Low-Carb Savoury Bites with Almond Flour, Garlic and Herbs that are a perfect alternative!
Simple Sourdough Focaccia Garlic Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 55 g active and bubbly starter
- 370 g filtered water
- 500 g bread flour T65
- 10 g salt
- 2-3 tsp olive oil
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- a few sprigs of fresh parsley optional
Instructions
The Night Before
- Feed your starter. I like to feed mine at least with a 1:3:3 ratio (for example, 20g starter, 60g water, 60g flour).
Dough Day
- Mix together the starter, water, flour and salt until just combined. Cover and leave to rest for 30 mins.
- Perform one stretch and fold (check out my video here that will show you how to do stretch and folds). Cover and leave to rest for 30 mins.
- Perform 2 sets of coil folds 30 mins apart (click here to see how to do a coil fold). Cover and leave to rest for 30 mins and then transfer to the fridge overnight or until you are ready to bake your focaccia.
Baking Day
- Pour 2-3 tbsp of olive oil into a 23cmx33cm oven dish. Spread the oil so that it covers the bottom of the dish and some of the sides.
- Transfer the dough from the fridge to the oiled pan and stretch it so that it covers most of the bottom of the pan. Don’t worry if it doesn’t cover all of it, it will spread out during the second rise.
- Leave in a warm place until it has doubled in size and has large bubbles on the surface, probably 1-2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 220°C
- Melt the butter and add the crushed garlic and chopped parsley.
- Drizzle the garlic butter over the focaccia and dimple it by pressing your fingers down into the dough.
- Bake in the oven for 25-30 mins.
- The focaccia is cooked when it is golden brown all over.
- Serve as a side dish with lasagne for example, or a soup or salad. Alternatively, it would make a great appetizer or ‘apéro’ as we say over here in France!
Leave a Reply