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Margherita Pizza Sourdough Focaccia

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If you are a pizza lover or focaccia lover, you have got to try this Margherita Pizza Sourdough Focaccia. It is packed with flavor and reminiscent of a margherita pizza with its toppings: garlic oil, marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil. A fresh and easy summer dinner that the whole family will love.

close up of the sourdough focaccia topped with basil and cheese

Did you know you could replace the water in your dough with other liquids? I recently started a new series on my Instagram where I try different liquids in focaccia. It all started with my viral Salsa Sourdough Focaccia, which, by the way, is a must-try! But so many of you asked to do marinara sauce next that I just had to try it, and all I can say is wow! The marinara adds so much flavor to the sourdough focaccia, making for a delicious tomato based bread.

Replacing water with marinara sauce

Now you may be wondering how replacing water with marinara sauce impacts the focaccia. Marinara sauce is highly acidic due to the tomatoes. Acidity weakens the gluten structure of the dough, which means this focaccia will not rise as well as a typical sourdough focaccia. However, the flavor is so good that it’s worth losing a little bit of height. And honestly, it still has a really nice texture even though it is not as big and fluffy. But you can always replace the marinara sauce with water in this recipe if you prefer a fluffier focaccia and make my Easy Sourdough Focaccia recipe.

close up of mozzarella cheese and basil on margherita pizza sourdough focaccia

What is focaccia bread?

Focaccia can be described as a type of Italian flatbread and it is made similar to how pizza dough is made. The bread is made in a flat pan, usually something like a 9×13 dish or round cast iron pan. The bread is fluffy and chewy with a thin crispy crust. It has signature dimples in the dough and has a drizzle of olive oil to help create the crispy, golden brown crust. Focaccia can either be made plain or with different toppings like cheese, herbs, and vegetables.

If you love this recipe, be sure to checkout my other sourdough focaccia flavors and try recipes such as Pesto Sourdough Focaccia, Cheesy Sourdough Focaccia, Sticky Pecan Sourdough Focaccia or Hot Chocolate Sourdough Focaccia.

Tools for this sourdough focaccia recipe

9×13 pan or 12″ cast iron skillet– A 9×13 pan will result in a thinner pan whereas a cast-iron skillet will result in a thicker focaccia.

Kitchen Scale– When making sourdough bread, I always recommend weighing your ingredients on a kitchen scale for more accurate measurements. 

bubbly sourdough starter with a jar of flour and dehydrated starter in the background

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Tips for making Margherita Pizza Sourdough Focaccia 

  • Let the dough get puffy and rise fully. Baking it too early will result in a denser focaccia. 
  • To speed up the process, find a warmer spot for the dough to rise.
  • If you want to bake the next day, after the dough is placed in the pan cover it and place it in the fridge. Let it come to room temperature and get puffy before baking.
slices of margherita pizza sourdough focaccia with mozzarella and basil

Ingredients for Margherita Pizza Sourdough Focaccia 

  • Marinara sauce– Any type of marinara sauce will work so just use your favorite brand.
  • Garlic salt – I use garlic salt instead of regular salt to add extra flavor but you can always use plain salt instead.
  • Sourdough starter – Use an active starter that is bubbly and doubled in size. 
  • Bread flour – I prefer using bread flour when baking any type of sourdough bread as it is stronger and can absorb more liquid.
  • Garlic Oil – This will infuse more of the garlic flavor into the bread and give it a crispy golden brown crust. You can always replace this with olive oil.
  • Top with mozzarella cheese and fresh basil.

Instructions to make Margherita Pizza Sourdough Focaccia 

To make the dough, mix the marinara sauce, garlic salt, sourdough starter, and bread flour together in a large bowl until combined in a shaggy dough.

Let the dough sit covered at room temperature for about an hour. 

Perform a set of stretch and folds. To stretch and fold the dough, grab one side of the dough with a damp hand and gently shimmy the dough up and then fold it on itself. Repeat this 3 more times rotating the bowl 90 degrees each time.

focaccia dough in a glass bowl after rising

After you finished the stretch and folds, let the dough rise in a warm spot until the dough is doubled in size and puffy for bulk fermentation. This typically takes about 6 hours from when the dough is mixed. 

focaccia dough before rising

Spray a 9×13 pan with non-stick spray and add 2 Tbsp of garlic oil or olive oil. Dump the focaccia dough into the pan. For the second proof, let the dough rise for another hour or two until it is puffy and mostly fills the pan. 

focaccia dough after rising but before baking in a 9x13 pan

Add ¼ cup olive oil, ¼ cup marinara sauce, and chunks of mozzarella cheese to the top of the dough. Then using the tips of your fingers press down into the dough stretching it to fill the pan and dimpling it, creating craters in the dough.

marinara sauce and cheese on dough before baking in a 9x13 pan

Bake in a 425F degree oven for about 25-30 minutes until golden brown and baked through. 

Remove the bread from the pan and let cool on a cooling rack. Slice & enjoy!

How to store focaccia bread

Store the bread in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days. When you are ready to eat it again, you can warm it up in the microwave or for a crisp crust place it in the oven or air fryer for a few minutes at 400F. 

You can also freeze the focaccia by wrapping it in foil or adding it to a freezer-safe bag. It will stay good for up to two months. To enjoy it again, let it defrost and then you can add it to a 400-degree oven for a few minutes until it gets warm and the outside is crispy. 

Slices of Margherita Pizza Sourdough Focaccia with fresh basil on top.

Margherita Pizza Sourdough Focaccia

Emily Christensen
This recipe replaces water with marinara sauce for a rich and flavorful focaccia bread. Inspired by margherita pizza this focaccia is topped with more marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese and fresh basil.
4.50 from 6 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Proofing Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 40 minutes
Course Bread
Cuisine Italian
Servings 12 slices
Calories 249 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 400 grams marinara sauce 1 ¾ cups
  • 10 grams garlic salt 1 ½ teaspoon
  • 150 grams sourdough starter, active and bubbly ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons
  • 500 grams bread flour 3 ⅔ cups

For topping:

Instructions
 

  • Mix together 400 grams of marinara sauce, sourdough starter, and garlic salt, creating a milky consistency.
    400 grams marinara sauce, 150 grams sourdough starter, active and bubbly, 10 grams garlic salt
  • Add in bread flour and mix with a dough whisk or by hand until a shaggy dough is formed and the flour is incorporated. Cover the dough and let it sit at room temperature, ideally in the 77-85F range.
    500 grams bread flour
  • About an hour later, perform a set of stretch and folds by lifting the dough up and then bring the dough on top of itself. Repeat this motion 3 more times rotating the bowl 90 degrees each time. This is one set.
  • Let the dough rise until it has doubled in size. Typically from the time it is made to when it is ready it takes about 6 hours.
  • Spray a 9×13" pan with non-stick spray and then add 2 Tablespoons of garlic oil or olive oil to the pan. Dump the dough into the pan and cover. Let the dough rise for another hour or two until puffy and mostly fills the pan. 
  • Add the additional 2 Tablespoons of olive or garlic oil to the top of the dough. Then add 1/4 cup marinara sauce and 115 grams of mozzarella cheese in chunks. You can always add more or less depending on your preferences. Using the tips of your finger press down into the dough stretching it to fill the pan and dimpling it, creating craters in the dough.
    60 grams marinara sauce, 115 grams mozzarella cheese
  • Bake at 425F for about 25-30 minutes until golden brown and baked through. 
  • Remove from the pan and let cool on a cooling rack. Top with fresh basil.
    Fresh basil leaves

Notes

  • If you can't bake right away, once the dough is in the pan place it in the fridge covered for no more than 18 hours. Remove the pan from the fridge and let the dough rise on the counter until puffy. Dimple the dough and add the toppings.
  • If you use a cast iron pan the dough will be thicker and will need to bake longer. Expect it to take about 40 minutes instead.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 249kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 8gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 464mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2g
Keyword basil, marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, naturally leavened, sourdough starter
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4.50 from 6 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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