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If you love burgers and focaccia, this Cheeseburger Sourdough Focaccia is for you. Made with pickle juice instead of water for extra flavor, it’s topped with seasoned ground beef, melty cheddar, tomatoes, onions, pickles, and finished with a drizzle of burger sauce.
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“This was so fun to make and tastes amazing! Made it this morning for my kids’ lunch! This will also be perfect for a Super Bowl” -Jaylene
This beginner-friendly recipe is adapted from my Same-Day Sourdough Focaccia, so you can start it in the morning and have it on the table in time for dinner. Serve it as a fun game day sourdough appetizer or enjoy it for dinner.
If you love cheeseburgers, make sure to also check out my Sourdough Hamburger Buns recipe as well!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Same-day recipe- Just like many of my same-day sourdough recipes, you can start the dough in the morning and have it in time for dinner!
- Made with pickle juice- Just like how I swapped water for marinara sauce in my Margherita Pizza Sourdough Focaccia, this recipe uses pickle juice in place of water for maximum flavor.
- Customizable– This cheeseburger sourdough focaccia is easy to customize with your favorite vegetables and toppings.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Pickles- When choosing pickle juice, avoid brands that contain sodium benzoate, as it can inhibit fermentation. Look for cleaner or organic pickle brands, which typically don’t include it, or use homemade pickle juice instead.
- Sourdough starter- In this recipe, you will use an active and bubbly sourdough starter to leaven the dough.
- Salt or garlic salt- I used garlic salt to infuse extra flavor into the dough but you can just use salt if preferred.
- Bread flour- In a pinch you can swap bread flour for all purpose flour but I recommend cutting the amount of liquid by 25-50 grams as all purpose flour does not absorb as much liquid.
- Toppings- Just like sourdough pizza dough, you can use whichever toppings you would like. Since this is parbaked, you will want to use cheese to bind the toppings to the focaccia.
See all ingredients in the recipe card.
Instructions to make Cheeseburger Sourdough Focaccia
Step 1: In a bowl or straight edge container, mix room-temperature pickle juice, active and bubbly sourdough starter, and garlic salt with a danish dough whisk, spoon or hands. Add the bread flour and mix until the flour is fully incorporated. The dough will be wet and sticky. Cover and let it sit at 75°F for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Perform 3 sets of stretch and folds with a 30-minute rest in between each set. To stretch and fold the dough, grab one side with a damp hand and gently shimmy the dough up, and then fold it on top of itself. Repeat this 3 more times, rotating the bowl 90 degrees each time. Cover and keep the dough warm between each set.
Step 3: Continue to let the dough rise for the remainder of bulk fermentation until it is risen 50% and is jiggly with bubbles forming around the sides of the bowl.
At 75°F, this will take about 5 hours.
Step 4: Grease a 9×13″ pan and add 2 Tablespoons of oil to the bottom of the pan. Dump the dough into the pan and flip it once to coat both sides in oil. Gently stretch the dough to fill the pan.
Step 5: Cover the pan and let it rise until it mostly fills the pan and is puffy.
At 75°F, this will take about 3 hours.
Step 6: Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the dough, then dimple it with your fingers, pressing all the way down to the bottom of the pan. Par-bake for 15 minutes at 425°F.
Step 7: Cook the meat and prep the toppings. Add to the top of the focaccia and return to the oven.
Step 8: Bake with the toppings for an additional 18-20 minutes.
Step 9: Mix together the homemade burger sauce and drizzle over the focaccia. Cut and serve warm.
Sample schedule
This is based on the dough temperature being at 75°F, although your timing may look different. Make sure to watch the dough, not the clock.
| Step | Time |
| Feed sourdough starter a 1:5:5 ratio (15 grams starter: 70 grams flour: 70 grams water) | 10 pm |
| Mix dough together | 8 am |
| Stretch & Folds | 8:30-9:30 am |
| Add dough to 9×13 pan | 1:00 pm |
| Bake | 4:00 pm |
Recipe Tips
- When choosing pickles, avoid brands that contain sodium benzoate, it inhibits fermentation. Look for cleaner or organic pickle brands, which typically don’t include it, or use homemade pickle juice instead.
- Add dough to a straight edge container so you can easily see when the dough has risen 50%.
- Make sure to let the dough get puffy and rise in the pan. Baking it too early will result in a denser focaccia.
- To speed up the process, find a warmer spot for the dough to rise and use warm ingredients. If room temperature is not warm enough, use a temperature-regulated dough mat (use code country10 for 10% off) or proofing box to keep it warm. Learn more tips to keep your dough warm here.
- If you want to bake the next day, you have two options. After the first rise, you can place the dough in the fridge and then transfer it to the pan for the second rise the next day. Or you can complete most of the second rise before covering and refrigerating for up to 12 hours. Then let the dough come to room temperature before dimpling and baking.
How to store Cheeseburger Sourdough Focaccia
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. To reheat, you can warm it in the microwave, or to get a crispy crust again by adding it to an airfyer or hot oven for a couple minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
If your focaccia baked up dense, it likely needed a longer rise. Try placing the dough in a warmer spot or allowing more time for it to rise.
If the dough deflated when you dimpled it, it likely overproofed and rose for too long. In that case, shorten the rise time slightly next time.
Be sure to check the ingredients on your pickle juice. You’ll want to use one without sodium benzoate, as it can severely impact or even stop fermentation.
Focaccia dough is a wet and sticky dough. Through the stretch and folds, the dough will become stronger and smoother.
If your dough is extremely sticky throughout, it could be an issue with your sourdough starter. An acidic starter can cause the dough to be extra sticky and unmanageable.
More sourdough focaccia recipes
Sourdough Bread Recipes
Hawaiian Roll Sourdough Focaccia
Sourdough Bread Recipes
Salsa Sourdough Focaccia
Sourdough Bread Recipes
Cheddar Bacon Ranch Sourdough Focaccia
Sourdough Bread Recipes
Margherita Pizza Sourdough Focaccia
Tried this Sourdough Cheeseburger Focaccia or another recipe from the site? I’d love to hear about it! Drop a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments—can’t wait to see what you’re baking!
Cheeseburger Sourdough Focaccia
Equipment
Ingredients
Sourdough Starter or Levain
- 15 grams active sourdough starter, 1 Tablespoon
- 70 grams all-purpose or bread flour , ½ cup
- 70 grams water, ⅓ cup
Sourdough Focaccia
- 375 grams pickle juice (48oz jar of pickles) , don't use one with sodium benzoate (see note below), 1½ cups
- 8 grams garlic salt, 1 teaspoon
- 175 grams active sourdough starter, ¾ cup
- 500 grams bread flour, 3⅔ cups
Toppings
- 55 grams olive oil, divided, 1/4 cup
- 110 grams onion, thinly sliced, 1/2 cup
- 340 grams ground beef, cooked, 2 cups
- 75 grams cherry tomatoes, 1/2 cup
- 35 grams pickles, chopped, 1/4 cup
- 200 grams cheddar cheese, freshly shredded , 2 cups
Burger Sauce
- 80 grams mayonnaise, 1/3 cup
- 30 grams ketchup, 2 Tablespoons
- 5 grams white vinegar, 1 teaspoon
- 5 grams pickle relish, 1 teaspoon
Instructions
Feed starter the night before
- The night before, about 10 hours before making the dough, make a levain or feed your sourdough starter and leave it covered at around 72℉ to double in size. Skip this step if your starter is already activated and ready to bake with.15 grams active sourdough starter, 70 grams all-purpose or bread flour , 70 grams water
Prep Focaccia
- Drain juice: Drain the pickle juice from the jar. If your pickles are stored in the refrigerator, warm the pickle juice until it reaches room temperature or is just slightly warm. If you don’t have enough pickle juice, add water to make up the difference.Make sure to use pickles without sodium benzoate. 375 grams pickle juice (48oz jar of pickles)
- Mix ingredients: In a bowl or straight-edge container, mix pickle juice, active and bubbly sourdough starter, and garlic salt with a danish dough whisk, spoon, or hands. Add the bread flour and mix until the flour is fully incorporated. The dough will be wet and sticky. Cover and let it sit at 75°F for 30 minutes.375 grams pickle juice (48oz jar of pickles) 175 grams active sourdough starter, 8 grams garlic salt, 500 grams bread flour
- Stretch and folds: Perform 3 sets of stretch and folds with a 30-minute rest in between each set. To stretch and fold the dough, grab one side with a damp hand and gently shimmy the dough up, and then fold it on top of itself. Repeat this 3 more times, rotating the bowl 90 degrees each time. Cover and keep the dough warm between each set.
- First rise: Continue to let the dough rise for the remainder of bulk fermentation until it has risen 50% and is jiggly with bubbles forming around the sides of the bowl. At 75°F, this will take about 5 hours.
- Prep pan: Grease a 9×13″ pan and add 2 Tablespoons of oil to the bottom of the pan. Dump the dough into the pan and flip it once to coat both sides in oil. Gently stretch the dough to fill the pan.55 grams olive oil, divided
- Second rise: Cover the pan and let it rise until it mostly fills the pan and is puffy.At 75°F, this will take about 3 hours.
- Preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 425℉.
- Prep fillings: Prep the fillings by sautéing the onions for a few minutes, then add the ground meat. Add seasonings and salt, and cook until browned. Dice the tomatoes and pickles, and shred the cheese.340 grams ground beef, cooked, 75 grams cherry tomatoes, 110 grams onion, thinly sliced, 35 grams pickles, chopped, 200 grams cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the dough, then dimple it with your fingers, pressing all the way down to the bottom of the pan. Par-bake for 15 minutes.
- Add the toppings to the top of the focaccia and return to the oven for an additional 18-20 minutes.
- Mix together the burger sauce in a small bowl. Add it to a small baggie and cut the corner. Drizzle over the cooked focaccia. 80 grams mayonnaise, 30 grams ketchup, 5 grams white vinegar, 5 grams pickle relish
- Let it cool on a cooling rack and serve warm!
Notes
- When choosing pickles, avoid brands that contain sodium benzoate, it can inhibit fermentation. Look for cleaner or organic pickle brands, which typically don’t include it, or use homemade pickle juice instead. You will need a 48-oz pickle jar to get enough liquid.
- Make sure to let the dough get puffy and rise in the pan. Baking it too early will result in a denser focaccia.
- To speed up the process, find a warmer spot for the dough to rise and use warm ingredients. Learn more tips to keep your dough warm here.
- If you want to bake the next day, you have two options. After the first rise, you can place the dough in the fridge and then transfer it to the pan for the second rise the next day. Or you can complete most of the second rise before covering and refrigerating for up to 12 hours. Then let the dough come to room temperature before dimpling and baking.
- This recipe was updated on 1/27/26 to adjust the liquid from 400 grams to 375 grams and increase the starter from 150 grams to 175 grams. The salt was reduced from 10 grams to 8 grams. The focaccia is now parbaked before adding the toppings, which helps prevent excess grease from soaking into the bread and causing a gummy texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So I tried this recipe but instead of sour dough starter I used a scant T of yeast. However, it is not rising. I have not baked it yet. It will not double in size. I refrigerated overnight. I think it has a tiny bit of activity, but not much. So just a note to those like myself who are tempted to make this with yeast, it may not work – the vinegar acidity is retarding the yeast quite a bit. I will bake it anyway and expect it not to rise much.
This one was perplexing to me. After reading other comments about the dough being shaggy and never coming together I had the same problem! I’ve made so many of your focaccia recipes and they’ve always turned out splendid this one just didn’t rise and stayed super wet and sticky. I almost wonder if there is something in some pickle juices (preservative or something) that can affect the dough (I know temp, flour, starter etc. weren’t the problem) especially with so many other people having the same issue. Just dumped it in the pan and I’m going to bake it up and see what happens anyway! I may try again with a different pickle juice in the future to see if that makes a difference.
I don’t get it either! I think that must be it. I’m going to do a test with a few different pickle brands and see what happens! Thanks for letting me know.
I still baked it up (didn’t put the ground beef on top since the dough structurally couldn’t handle it), but added all the toppings. It was a bit flat but super delicious. I made a romaine salad on the side with the ground beef and burger sauce for dressing, so it worked out for dinner. Definitely want to figure out how to get it to rise though because it was a huge hit with the fam despite the issues with the dough!
Just like everyone else, mine did not rise at all during the bulk fermentation window (6 hours). I measured the temp (mid to upper 70s), used bread flour, have a very healthy starter….so I’m bummed! I’ll try and bake it anyway, but definitely disappointed.
Hi Jamie! Sorry to hear that. Do you mind sharing what brand of pickles you used? I’m wondering if there are some brands that have a certain ingredient that are causing it not to rise. Thanks!
Can I leave it in the fridge longer after the first rise? Or does it have to come out first thing in the morning?
Thanks in advance.
You could put it in the fridge after the first rise
I want to make this recipe successfully so badly but unfortunately mine also turned out like some of the other commenters. I struggled through the stretch & folds & left it for over 12 hours with no rise. I actually didn’t throw out the dough for almost 24 hours out of curiosity & it got a little bubbly but didn’t do anything at all. I used pickle juice from my homemade canned pickles, a ripe healthy starter & the same flour I use for all my other sourdough recipes successfully, including your cheesy foccacia. Suggestions?
Morgan I’m so sorry it didn’t turn out. I’m sure that was a disappointment. I’m surprised even after 24 hours it didn’t rise. I have used homemade pickle juice as well and it rose just fine so I’m trying to think what could have gone wrong.
Here are a couple things that come to mind:
1. If your pickle juice is in the fridge warm it up before adding to the dough as that can slow down fermentation.
2. Find a warm spot for the dough (around 75 degrees F)
3. I know you mentioned you have an healthy starter but if by chance it was past peak (falling back down) that could have been part of the issue.
4. The only other thing I can think is if your homemade pickles are made with a high concentration of salt that could be the reason. Too much salt has a negative impact on fermentation so you could try cutting back the amount of salt you add to the dough.
Another option would be to try with just a little bit of yeast added to the dough to help it rise (like a teaspoon or so) just to give it a boost.
What pickle juice and garlic salt brand did you use? I used majestic pickles and lawry’s garlic salt. I just got a sticky dough that never came together or got bubbly
I’m sorry it didn’t go well. The type of pickle juice and garlic salt shouldn’t impact it much. Are you using bread flour? The dough is stickier because of the higher hydration but through stretch and folds should get stronger. As far as it not rising this could be a temperature issue or a starter issue. If you have a meat thermometer you can temp your dough to see where it is at. The same schedule is based on the dough being at least 75 degrees Fahrenheit. If it is cooler than that it is going to take longer to rise. Also if your starter isn’t strong that can impact the dough and cause it not to rise. You want to make sure your starter is consistently doubling with each feeding
Mine is so far turning out the same way. Active, bubbly, happy starter quality bread flour. It’s just a soupy mess even after all my stretch and folds. 🙁
Are you using cups or grams? Also make sure your bread flour has 4 grams of protein per 1/4 cup. Some bread flours are not as high in protein.
This was so fun to make and tastes amazing! Made it this morning for my kids lunch! This will also be perfect for a Super Bowl
My dough is mixed now. I’ve done 3 stretch and folds and it still seems very shaggy. What should I do?
Sorry I am just seeing this. It should have smoothed out as it rose. Did it end up working out?
I made this and it’s delicious! I am trying to figure out what the best way to store and reheat the leftovers is though? Thanks!
Since it has meat I keep it in the fridge and either heat it up in the microwave or if I want to crisp it up I will heat it in an air fryer.
This looks so good! I tried it and my day was so sticky. I thought I had messed up. Is that normal for it to be sticky? I’m wondering if I use my regular boule Measurements and substitute Pickle juice and let it over proof it might work better for me? Just curious on your thoughts. I’ve been playing around with all of this for a couple of years, not successfully.😂
Did you use bread flour? The dough is a little sticky but after some stretch and folds it should be a little more manageable. You can reduce the liquid by 25 grams or so to help.
Flavor explosion in every bite! This dish was an absolute hit and will be in our regular dinner rotation from now on. Everyone loved it, even my hungry teenage boys who are in the middle of their cross-country season it was filling enough to satisfy them! This is an absolute MUST MAKE trust me, you won’t regret it!
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