This whole wheat sourdough focaccia is a fantastic fusion of two beloved breads: the fluffy focaccia and the deeply flavorful sourdough. It’s perfect for those who want to bring a little more whole-grain goodness into their lives while still enjoying the delicious, chewy texture and olive oil-infused goodness of classic focaccia. This is hands down the BEST whole wheat focaccia bread you will ever try.

whole wheat sourdough focaccia on a cutting board with rosemary

I pack my husband’s lunch every day and more often than not, this is the delicious bread I use for his sandwiches. This might surprise you because focaccia is typically served with soup or Italian dishes but my goodness is it perfect for sandwiches! It has such a robust flavor and holds up well when sliced in half. Not only that, it is so so easy to make and it is ready the same day. No overnight fridge ferment!

Why use Freshly Milled Flour?

There are so many advantages of freshly milled flour. I know it can seem like just one more “healthy thing to do” but I think it is so much more than that. The health benefits, richer flavor, and superior texture blow all purpose or bread flour out of the water.

Flour that’s been sitting on the shelf for months (or even years) isn’t just stale—it’s lacking in essential oils, vitamins, and minerals that make fresh, whole grains so special. When you mill flour yourself, you retain all of these vital nutrients, and you capture the freshest possible flavor. The difference is night and day.

I go into way more detail in this post if you are curious!

four pictures of wheat berries describing fresh milled grains

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It is so versitle! It’s amazing with soup, Italian dishes, and makes the perfect sandwiches.
You can bake it the same day!
It’s almost impossible to over proof this homemade bread. The longer it sits the better.
You can customize this easy focaccia recipe with a number of toppings! Think fresh veggies, kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan cheese, or whatever you choose to add additional flavor.

List of Ingredients for this Whole Wheat Focaccia Bread

Active Sourdough Starter – it should be bubbly and doubled in size. To achieve this, make sure you feed it 8-12 hours beforehand. To speed it up, you can feed it warm water and it will probably be ready in 4 hours.

Hard White Wheat Berries – this will give you the whole wheat flour.

Water – ideally you would use filtered water. Depending on your tap water, the chlorine can do funky things to sourdough.

Salt – The only salt I use is Redmond’s Real Salt. Just don’t use table salt.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil – gives the Focaccia it’s robust flavor

A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

How to Make This Whole Wheat Sourdough Focaccia

1. Feed your Sourdough Starter

Your starter is the heart of your sourdough. To ensure your starter is at its peak, make sure you’ve fed it 8-12 hours ago. A healthy, bubbly starter is key to achieving that characteristic tang in your bread. Your bread won’t rise without it. I feed mine the night before if I plan to make bread the next morning.

If you haven’t started a starter yet, it’s simple—combine equal parts flour and water, and over the course of 5 to 7 days, feed it with fresh flour and water until it’s bubbling with life. To be honest with you, I recommend looking on Facebook marketplace for a starter. I got mine for $5 years ago and it was already super active and ready to go. Here’s a great post about creating one if you don’t want to/can’t find one on marketplace.

2. Combine the Water and Starter

Place a large mixing bowl on your food scale and zero it out (press the tare button.) Pour in 350 grams of water. *If your kitchen is warm then room temperature water is fine. You don’t want the water to be more than 90 degrees. I typically heat mine in the microwave for 30 seconds (I know, I know, microwaves are controversial.) Use a food thermometer is you’re unsure.

Add in your starter and mix with your hands or a dough hook until it is mixed into the water. The water will look milky.

3. Mill the Flour

If you don’t have a grain mill at home yet, you’ll need to invest in one. I recommend an electric mill, especially if you plan on milling flour regularly, as it’s quick and efficient. You can choose from a variety of grains, but for this focaccia, I recommend using a hard wheat variety. My family prefers this recipe with hard white wheat, but for a stronger flavor you can use hard red wheat. Or use a combo! These grains will give your bread that hearty, rustic flavor.

Place your bowl with the combination of water and starter underneath the grain mill. Measure out 500 grams of hard red wheat and mill it directly into the bowl.

4. Mix the Dough

Add in 25 grams of olive oil and 12 grams of salt. Using your hands or a dough whisk, mix together until fully combined. You will have a shaggy dough. If you are used to using all-purpose or bread flour then the dough will feel very wet and you will be tempted to add more flour. Don’t do it! The fresh milled flour takes longer to absorb the liquid but I promise it will come together. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel, plate, or plastic shower cap and let it sit for an hour.

a woman's hand pouring olive oil into whole wheat sourdough focaccia dough

5. Bulk Fermentation and Stretch & Folds

Now it is time to perform sets of stretch and folds every 30 minutes to an hour for a total of 4 – 6 times. This helps build structure and allows the dough to develop flavor as the wild yeast in your starter works its magic. I think the stretch and fold method is the best way but you could also try putting it in the stand mixer for around twenty minutes.

When I first started making sourdough, this stressed me out. I would set a timer on my phone and I would take my sourdough with me if I had to run errands. After many years and many loafs made, I will tell you that I can’t tell a difference as long as throughout the day as it’s fermenting it gets 4-6 stretch and folds.

To properly do a stretch and fold, imagine your loaf is a square. you will take one side, stretch it as high as it will go, and fold it over to the opposite side. You will rotate the bowl a quarter turn, and repeat this process until all four sides have been stretched and folded. The first few stretches won’t stretch much but as the gluten develops it will get stretchier.

The time it takes to ferment will vary greatly depending on the temperature of your house. I will also tell you that I have found freshly milled flour to ferment much faster than all-purpose flour. I know my dough is ready when the dough ball doesn’t stick to the side of the bowl, has air bubbles, and has risen almost double. In my house, during most of the year this takes around 8 hours.

second step of stretch and fold kneading

6. Time to bake

Preheat your oven to 420 degrees and line a 9 x 13 pan with parchment paper. Pour some olive oil on the parchment paper (approximately 2 tablespoons) and using your fingers, stretch the focaccia to all four edges. It might not stretch very much and that’s okay. Do it as much as you can without tearing and let it sit uncovered for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, stretch the focaccia again and you will find it will go to all four edges. Pour more olive oil on top (approximately 2 tablespoons). Then, using your fingers, make little dimples on the surface of the dough. Sprinkle the dough with 1/2 tablespoon of Italian seasoning and 1 tsp of flakey sea salt.

Bake for 30 minutes.

a woman's hand making dimples in focaccia dough

7. Enjoy your Whole Wheat Sourdough Focaccia!

Let your bread cool for at least an hour before slicing into it. Really, you should let it cool completely before slicing, but who can resist warm bread?! If you slice into it before it’s cooled at least slightly then you will find it slightly gummy. Happy baking!

whole wheat sourdough focaccia cooling a cutting board

Tips for Making Whole Wheat Sourdough Focaccia

This is not going to perform or be as fluffy as store bought bread or a loaf using all purpose flour. It’s amazing and delicious, but different.
You can substitute all purpose or bread flour gram for gram.
Make sure your starter is active. If it’s not, the bread won’t rise.
If your house is cold then put this in a warm place to ferment. In the winter, I put it a few feet away from the fire.
Customize this! It’s amazing with fresh herbs, cherry tomatoes, fresh rosemary, kalamata olives, sun-dreid tomatoes, or whatever different toppings you desire! Just add them to the focaccia dough right before you bake it.

How to store

I store my sourdough in a vintage glass cake stand with a lid. It keeps it fresh for several days and I love being able to see my hard work on the counter. Plus, I feel like it’s just inviting to anyone we have over. You can also store it in the dutch oven you bake it in, a plastic bag, or wrapped in a tea towel if it will be eaten within a day.

I also LOVE freezing this bread. You can slice it into individual portions and put into a freezer safe baggie and place in the freezer. Then, let it thaw at room temperature or warm it up in the oven. Here’s a great article for how to store it if you want more detail.

Tools you may need to make the Whole Wheat Sourdough Focaccia with Freshly Milled Flour:

A 9 x 13 baking pan
Grain Mill
Hard Wheat Berries
Dough Whisk (optional)

Questions

If your focaccia turns out flat, it might be due to:

Overworking the dough: Too much kneading or handling can deflate the dough. Handle it gently, especially during shaping.
Under-risen dough: Make sure the dough has had enough time to rise during both the bulk fermentation and the second rise before baking.
Too much oil: While olive oil is essential for flavor and texture, using too much can cause the dough to spread too thin.

Yes, focaccia freezes well. Once it’s completely cool, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place it in a freezer-safe bag. You can freeze focaccia for up to 3 months. To reheat, bake it from frozen in a 350°F (175°C) oven for about 10 minutes to bring back that crispy texture.

The dimples are created by gently pressing your fingers into the dough just before baking. This not only gives focaccia its signature texture but also helps the olive oil and toppings settle into the dough. Be sure to press deep enough, but not so deep that you deflate the dough completely.

Find More Whole Wheat Sourdough Recipes