No Knead Sourdough Focaccia in Cast Iron

An easy and satisyfing bake that doesn’t compromise on flavor.

When I’m not in the mood to make a full-blown sourdough loaf, focaccia is my go-to. Without the need to develop structure or shape with adequate tension, making focaccia is a relatively stress-free endeavor. For this version, I don’t even bother with kneading. I just mix the ingredients the night before I plan to bake and let time do the rest. When it come to shaping, all it takes is dumping the dough in an oiled skillet and stretching it to the edges. 

There is also little concern for overproofing—in fact a proofier dough is quite desirable for a focaccia with a light, airy structure. I use a mix of all-purpose and bread flour for an extra open crumb, with an ideal balance of tender and chewy textures. 

Adding toppings is also a breeze: just shove them right into the dough. Toppings can be a convenient way to use up surplus ingredients lurking in your pantry or fridge. Pesto, cured meats, seeds, herbs, cheeses, and roasted veggies all make delightful additions. Your imagination is the only limit, so feel free to get creative. 

More like this No Knead Sourdough Focaccia:

I started my sourdough journey with no knead breads and I come back to them frequently for the ease, convenience, and quality results they provide. This no knead sourdough focaccia is my latest one, but I’ve already got recipes for 50% whole wheat no knead sourdough, no knead sourdough dark rye, and no knead sourdough skillet pizza.

Don’t mind kneading? I’ve got plenty of those in my sourdough bread recipe collection too. And if you’ve got discard to use, so do I, and I’ve got a bunch of recipes for that too.

5 from 13 votes

No Knead Sourdough Focaccia in Cast Iron

For a bit of stress-free baking, this loaf requires no kneading, bakes in a skillet with minimal shaping, and is nearly impossible to overproof. Despite this, it does not comprise on flavor, with a crisp golden crust, a sourdough tang, plenty of olive oil, and whatever toppings you like.

Servings 10 slices

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Proofing Time 12 hours hrs

Total Time 12 hours hrs 55 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 213 grams (1½ cups) all-purpose flour
• 213 grams (1½ cups) bread flour or substitute all-purpose
• 8 grams (1⅓ tsp) fine salt
• 360 grams (1½ cups) water
• 30 grams (2 tbsp) active sourdough starter see note
• 50 grams (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil plus more for pan and topping
• Toppings as desired: roasted vegetables, cured meats, herbs, seeds, grated cheese, and/or pesto

Instructions

• In a large bowl, whisk together all purpose flour, bread flour, and salt.
• In a medium bowl whisk together water, sourdough starter, and olive oil until starter has dissolved.
• Add wet ingredient mixture to dry ingredients mixture. Mix just until a shaggy dough forms. Cover loosely with a towel or plastic wrap and let sit for 20-30 minutes.
• With wet hands, stretch and fold the sides of the dough into the middle until the dough becomes a fairly smooth ball. Avoid overworking the dough, stop once all the remaining dry bits are incorporated.
• Transfer dough to a clear bowl or container. Mark the position of the top of the dough with a washable marker or rubber band. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a towel and proof until doubled in volume, about 8-12 hours (see note).
• Grease the bottom of a 12-inch cast-iron skillet with about 2 tbsp olive olive. Transfer dough to skillet. With wet hands, press your fingers into the dough repeatedly, starting from the middle and working your way out until the dough reaches the edges of the pan. If dough starts to resist further stretching, stop and allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes before stretching further.
• Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap or a towel and allow to rise until puffy and about doubled in volume, around 2-4 hours.
• Preheat oven to 400°. Top as desired, pressing toppings into the dough. Brush the top of the dough with about 1 tbsp olive oil, or top with pesto.
• Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and internal temperature of at least 190°. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Notes

For best results your sourdough starter should be active and recently fed. This means it should at least double within 8-12 hours of feeding. If you are using a young starter, or if it has not been fed within 24 hours of using, you may consider adding a pinch of bakers yeast to the dough, or increasing the amount of starter.

If room temperature is below 70°F (21°C) consider proofing in an empty oven with the light on (but leave yourself a note so you don’t accidentally heat the oven while it is in there).

Author: Ryne J. Macht, RDN

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: cast iron skillet, easy baking, easy sourdough recipe, focaccia, no-knead sourdough, savory sourdough, sourdough, sourdough bread