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Stuffing Sourdough Focaccia

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This Stuffing Sourdough Focaccia is so delicious stuffed with herbs, cranberries, onions, celery, and topped with parmesan cheese. Reminiscent of the classic Thanksgiving side dish stuffing, this focaccia is packed full of herbs like rosemary, sage, and thyme for a flavorful and savory focaccia.

slices of sourdough focaccia with cranberries, celery and onion with rosemary and cranberries on a wood board

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • Packed with herby, savory flavor this sourdough focaccia is chock-full of veggies, herbs and cranberries for a slight sweetness.
  • This recipe uses chicken broth in place of water in the focaccia dough for extra flavor.
  • Quick and easy, this recipe comes together in just one day and uses active sourdough starter to leaven instead of yeast.
  • Light, fluffy and chewy this sourdough focaccia has delicious flavor with a crispy golden brown crust.
stuffing sourdough focaccia close up with parmesan, rosemary, and cranberries

What is focaccia?

Focaccia is an airy flatbread with a thin crispy crust and a fluffy, chewy interior. The bread is made in a pan, usually something like a 9×13 dish or round cast iron pan. It has signature dimples in the dough and has a drizzle of olive oil, or in this case butter, to help create the crispy, golden brown crust. You can make focaccia with sweet toppings such as Sourdough Caramel Apple Sourdough Focaccia, or savory toppings like my Margherita Pizza Sourdough Focaccia recipe

I love making focaccia because it can be made in one day so you can start it in the morning and have delicious bread by dinner time. This recipe is really simple and beginner-friendly and doesn’t require any kneading.  

Thanksgiving-inspired sourdough focaccia

This Stuffing Sourdough Focaccia would be the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving table or any holiday gathering! If you’re looking for other sourdough focaccia recipes to impress your family try the Sweet Potato Sourdough FocacciaCranberry Orange Sourdough Focaccia, Sticky Pecan Sourdough Focaccia, or Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Focaccia. Or if you want to keep it simple check out my classic sourdough focaccia recipe

Tips for success when making Stuffing Sourdough Focaccia 

  • Make sure to 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. Using warm ingredients in the dough will help with this as well. If it is rising too slowly at room temperature, you can use a bread mat (use code country10 for 10%) or bread proofing box to keep the dough warm. 
  • If you want to bake the next day, place the dough in the fridge after the first rise. Remove the dough from the fridge in the morning. Place in an oiled 9×13″ pan and let rise until puffy and doubled in size. Alternatively you can finish the second rise and then place it in the fridge and bake immediately the next day.
  • Add dough to a straight edge container so you can easily see when the dough has risen 50%. 

Helpful tools to make sourdough focaccia

9×13 pan – The focaccia is baked in a rectangle shape in a 9×13 pan. Alternatively you can use a 12″ round cast iron pan.

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

Cooling Rack – Removing the bread from the pan helps the bottom from getting soggy.

2 quart proofing container– This is the easiest way to tell when the dough has risen 50% for the first rise.

stuffing sourdough focaccia with parmesan crusted tops

Ingredients for Stuffing Sourdough Focaccia

  • Chicken Broth – You can use water instead of chicken broth but I find the broth gives extra flavor to the loaf. You can also use vegetable broth, bone broth, or beef broth. 
  • Sourdough Starter – Use active starter that is at it’s peak and is bubbly and has doubled in size. If you do not have a sourdough starter, you can make one with this Easy Sourdough Starter recipe
  • Bread Flour –I prefer bread flour, but in a pinch, you can swap bread flour for all-purpose flour. However since this is a high hydration dough I recommend cutting the amount of liquid by 25-50 grams if using all purpose flour as it does not absorb as much water.
  • Salt – Any type of salt will work. 
  • Butter – This is what you will use to sauté your onions and celery. 
  • Onions and Celery – Sauté minced onions and celery to add delicious flavor to this focaccia. 
  • Garlic –  Mince 3-4 cloves of garlic and add with the onions and celery. 
  • Cranberries –  You can use dried cranberries or fresh in this recipe.
  • Rosemary, thyme, and sage –  You can use fresh or dried herbs for this. 
  • Parmesan Cheese –  This is optional but I love adding shredded parmesan cheese to the top. 

How to make stuffing sourdough focaccia

Warm the chicken broth in the microwave until it is warm to the touch. Pour the chicken broth into a large mixing bowl or straight edge container and add the active sourdough starter. Whisk together until the starter dissolves into the broth. 

Add the seasonings, salt and flour to the bowl and mix until no dry bits of flour remain. Let the dough sit in a warm place covered for about 30 minutes. 

stuffing sourdough focaccia dough before and after rising

Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter in a pan. Mince one small onion and 2 stalks of celery and add to the pan. Saute until soft. Add in 1 Tablespoon of minced garlic and cook for another minute or two until fragrant. Set aside to cool.

celery and onions diced

Perform a set of stretch and folds by grabbing 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. Cover and continue to let rise in a warm spot. 

About 30 minutes later add the cooked and cooled celery and onions to the dough along with the dried cranberries. Perform a second set of stretch and folds on the dough. Let the dough sit for another 30 minutes and then perform one more set of stretch and folds. 

Continue to let the covered dough rise for bulk fermentation until it has risen 50% and is jiggly with bubbles forming around the sides of the bowl. With dough in the mid 70’s F, the first rise will take about 4-5 hours total, including the stretch and folds.

Spray a 9×13”pan with non-stick spray and then add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Dump the dough into the pan and flip it once to coat both sides in oil. Cover and let it rise two to three more hours covered in a warm spot until it has risen well and is puffy. 

focaccia dough in a 9x13 inch pan before and after dimpling the dough

Once puffy, add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil to the top of the dough. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, rosemary, and flaky sea salt. Dimple the dough by placing your fingers down directly into the dough. Do that multiple times around the pan. 

Bake at 400F for 25-30 minutes.

Remove the focaccia from the pan and place on a cooling rack to cool.

stuffing sourdough focaccia with parmesan crusted tops

Sample Schedule

This is based on the dough temperature being in the mid 70s. There are many factors that can impact how slowly or quickly dough rises so use this as a guideline but look for the visual cues the dough is ready to move on.

StepTime
Feed sourdough starter a 1:5:5 ratio (15 grams starter: 70 grams flour: 70 grams water)10 pm
Mix dough together8 am
Stretch & Folds
Add mix-ins
8:30-9:30 am
Add dough to 9×13 pan1:00 pm
Bake3:30 pm

How to store sourdough focaccia

Store the focaccia in an airtight container on the counter for 5-7 days. To reheat, you can warm it in the microwave, or  add it back to a 400-degree oven or air fryer for a few minutes until warmed through.

More sourdough focaccia recipes

Slices of Stuffing Sourdough Focaccia next to fresh rosemary on a wooden cutting board.

Stuffing Sourdough Focaccia

Emily Christensen
This Stuffing Sourdough Focaccia is so delicious stuffed with herbs, cranberries, onions, celery, and parmesan cheese. Reminiscent of the classic Thanksgiving side dish stuffing, this focaccia is packed full of herbs like rosemary, sage, and thyme.
4.58 from 7 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Rise Time 7 hours
Total Time 7 hours 45 minutes
Course Bread
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings
Calories 299 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 400 grams chicken broth 1 ⅔ cup
  • 150 grams active sourdough starter ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons
  • 500 grams bread flour 3 ⅔ cups
  • 10 grams salt 1 ½ teaspoon
  • 100 grams dried cranberries ¾ cup
  • 28 grams butter 2 Tablespoons
  • 100 grams celery, finely chopped (2 large stalks) 1 cup
  • 115 grams onion, finely chopped (1 small onion) 1 cup
  • 15 grams garlic, minced 1 Tablespoon
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 Tablespoon fresh
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage or 1 Tablespoon fresh
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary or 1 Tablespoon fresh
  • 4 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 100 grams parmesan cheese, shredded 1 cup

Instructions
 

  • Warm the chicken broth in the microwave until it is warm to the touch. Pour the chicken broth into a large mixing bowl or straight edge container and add the active sourdough starter. Whisk together until the starter dissolves into the broth.
    400 grams chicken broth, 150 grams active sourdough starter
  • Add the seasonings, salt and flour to the bowl and mix until no dry bits of flour remain.
    10 grams salt, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried sage, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, 500 grams bread flour
  • Let the dough sit in a warm place covered for about 30 minutes.
  • Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter in a pan. Mince one small onion and 2 stalks of celery and add to the pan. Saute until soft. Add in 1 Tablespoon of minced garlic and cook for another minute or two until fragrant. Set aside to cool.
    28 grams butter, 100 grams celery, finely chopped (2 large stalks), 115 grams onion, finely chopped (1 small onion), 15 grams garlic, minced
  • Perform a set of stretch and folds by grabbing 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. Cover and continue to let rise in a warm spot.
  • About 30 minutes later add the cooked celery and onions to the dough along with the dried cranberries. Perform a second set of stretch and folds on the dough. Let the dough sit for another 30 minutes and then perform one more set of stretch and folds.
    100 grams dried cranberries
  • Continue to let the covered dough rise for bulk fermentation until it has risen 50% and is jiggly with bubbles forming around the sides of the bowl. With dough in the mid 70’s F, the first rise will take about 4-5 hours total, including the stretch and folds.
  • Spray a 9×13”pan with non-stick spray and then add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Dump the dough into the pan and flip it once to coat both sides in oil. Cover and let it rise two to three more hours covered in a warm spot until it has risen well and is puffy. 
    4 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • Once puffy, add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil to the top of the dough. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, rosemary, and flaky sea salt. Dimple the dough by placing your fingers down directly into the dough. Do that multiple times around the pan.
    100 grams parmesan cheese, shredded
  • Bake at 400℉ for 25-30 minutes.
  • Remove the focaccia from the pan and place on a cooling rack to cool.

Notes

  • 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, and be sure to use warm water when mixing the dough. 
  • If you want to bake the next day, after the first rise place the dough in the fridge. Then, let it come to room temperature in a greased 9×13" pan and let it get puffy before baking as directed.
  • Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 299kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 9gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 621mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7g
    Keyword chicken broth, cranberry, herbs, naturally leavened, sourdough starter
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More sourdough recipes

    3 Comments

    1. This is an excellent recipe for two reasons: (1) it tastes exactly like stuffing, and (2) it works just the way it ought to as written. Genuinely impressed by both. Next time I make it, I would be tempted to swap the cranberries for italian sausage, and sneak some parsley in there (but that just comes down to personal preference). Bravo!

    2. 5 stars
      You must make this!! Absolutely fantastic. I made a practice batch for thanksgiving and it disappeared in a matter of hours! Making a triple batch for thanksgiving.

    4.58 from 7 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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