Stovetop Sourdough Focaccia Bread Recipe (No Oven Needed!)
This stovetop sourdough focaccia bread is a fluffy, flavorful flatbread made without an oven—perfect for beginner bakers! It’s versatile enough to use as a sandwich base, a soup side, or even a quick homemade pizza crust. Plus, the natural fermentation makes it easier to digest and more nutritious than regular bread. Try this easy sourdough recipe today and elevate your home baking without needing an oven. Also, don't miss the video tutorial at the end of this post for extra guidance.
Equipment
- 2 mixing bowls
- 1 Wooden Spoon
- 1 Kitchen towel or plastic wrap (for covering dough)
- 1 Knife or dough scraper (for dividing)
- 2 2 heavy-bottomed 10-inch pans or skillets
- Measuring cups and spoons as needed
- Spatula (optional, for flipping)
- Stove or gas burner
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsps salt
- 1 tsp baking soda (Optional)
- 1 cup active sourdough starter
- 1 ⅓ cups water (May vary)
- 6 tbsps cooking oil
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary -Optional (Or filling of choice)
- 1 tbsp marge/ fat (to grease pans)
Instructions
1. Mix Your Dry Ingredients
- In a mixing bowl, combine your flour, salt, and bicarbonate of soda (if using).Set aside.
2. Combine Wet Ingredients
- In a separate large bowl, mix your active sourdough starter, 1 cup of water, and 2 tablespoons of cooking oil.
3. Mix the Dough
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. Add additional water gradually as needed to achieve a soft, sticky dough. Switch to using your hands once the mixture becomes too thick to stir easily.The dough should be soft and tacky but not dripping. Different flours hydrate differently, so adjust water as needed based on your flour brand and sourdough starter’s consistency.
4. Rest the Dough
- Let the dough rest, covered, for 30 minutes. This allows the flour to fully absorb the moisture.
5. Stretch and Fold
- After resting, wet your hands and begin a series of stretch-and-folds:Grab one side of the dough, stretch it upward, and fold it over the rest.Rotate the bowl and repeat on all four sides.Cover and let it rest for 20–30 minutes. Repeat this process 3 more times (a total of 4 rounds).
6. Bulk Ferment
- Cover the dough and let it bulk ferment for 7 hours in a warm, undisturbed place. This long fermentation builds flavor and structure in your stovetop sourdough focaccia bread.
7. Prepare Toppings and Pans
- While the dough ferments:Chop fresh rosemary.Grease two 10-inch-in-diameter pans generously and add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in each pan.
8. Divide and Shape the Dough
- After the 7-hour bulk ferment, gently deflate the dough and divide it into two equal parts. Place each piece in a prepared pan.Turn the dough in the pan ensuring the oil in the pan covers the dough.Spread the dough to the edges of each pan using your fingers.Form the signature dimples of focaccia using your finger tips. The oil helps make the spreading of the dough and forming of the focaccia dimples easier.
9. Final Proof (1 Hour)
- Cover the pans and let the dough rise for one more hour.
10. Add Toppings
- Sprinkle chopped rosemary over each dough surface and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil (1 tbsp per pan).
11. Bake on the Stovetop
- Place the pans on the widest gas burners. Heat on full flame for 30 seconds, then reduce to the lowest possible flame.(Don’t reduce to the lowest setting. The lowest setting for a wide burner is too high. It will burn the bread before it’s ready. Instead, reduce the flame as though you are switching off and reduce to a very, very low flame as shown below. If using the tiny burners, immediately reduce the flame to its lowest setting.)
- Cover and let bake for 1 hour. Then flip the bread in the pan and cook the other side for 20–30 minutes, uncovered slightly to allow steam to escape. This ensures both sides are browned and cooked through.
12. Cool and Serve
- Once cooked, allow the stovetop sourdough focaccia bread to cool completely before slicing.
