Pull-Apart Sourdough Focaccia Garlic Bread with Parmesan
This pull-apart sourdough focaccia garlic bread is the ultimate combination of tangy sourdough, buttery garlic flavor, and crispy Parmesan cheese. Each piece pulls apart easily, revealing soft, fluffy bread coated in garlic butter and encrusted with golden Parmesan. Perfect as an appetizer, side dish, or the star of your dinner table!
Equipment
- 9x13 inch baking pan (metal, preferably USA Pan)
- Parchment paper
- Large mixing bowl
- Small bowl for garlic butter mixture
- Shallow bowl or plate for Parmesan coating
Ingredients
For the Sourdough Focaccia Dough:
- 75 g active sourdough starter fed and at peak
- 400 g water room temperature
- 500 g bread flour or all-purpose flour
- 10 g salt
For the Garlic Butter Coating:
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- 3-4 cloves garlic microplaned or finely minced
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped, or 1-2 teaspoons dried parsley
- Pinch of salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper a few cracks from the pepper grinder
For Assembly:
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil for greasing the pan
- 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese refrigerated, pre-grated kind in tubs or bags
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3/4-1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese optional, for topping
Instructions
DAY 1: MAKE THE DOUGH
Mix the Dough
- In a large bowl, combine the sourdough starter and water. Mix until the starter is mostly dissolved. Add the flour and salt, then stir with a spoon or your hands until all the flour is incorporated and a shaggy dough forms. The dough will be sticky.
Stretch and Fold
- After 1 hour, perform a series of stretch and folds. Wet your hands, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over onto itself. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat 4-6 times until the dough becomes smoother and more cohesive.
Long Fermentation
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let the dough rest at room temperature for approximately 8-12 hours. The dough should double in size and have visible bubbles on the surface. Watch the dough for proper fermentation signs, not the clock.
DAY 2: SHAPE AND BAKE
Prepare the Pan
- Line your 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper. Add 3 tablespoons of avocado oil to the bottom of the pan and spread it around to coat evenly.
Make the Garlic Butter Coating
- In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, 2 tablespoons avocado oil, microplaned (or finely minced) garlic, chopped parsley, a pinch of salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. Mix well and set aside.
Portion and Coat the Dough
- Place the grated Parmesan cheese and cornstarch in a shallow bowl or plate.
- Rip off a chunk of the dough into 2 tablespoon-sized pieces (think golf ball size or depending on how big the bite you want, larger). Working one at a time: form each piece into a rough ball, dip the ball completely into the garlic butter-oil mixture turning to coat all sides, roll the buttered dough ball in the grated Parmesan cheese, coating it thoroughly (the granules will stick to the butter), and place the coated ball into the prepared 9x13 pan arranging the balls snugly so they’re touching each other.
Second Rise
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise at room temperature for about 2 hours, or until the dough has puffed up noticeably.
Preheat and Dimple
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C). Gently press your fingers in the middle of some of the dough balls to create shallow dimples (this creates those characteristic focaccia pockets).
First Bake
- Bake for 15 minutes until the focaccia starts to turn golden.
Add Mozzarella (Optional)
- Remove the pan from the oven. If desired, sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the entire focaccia. This adds dramatic cheese pulls and extra gooey, melty goodness!
Final Bake
- Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until the top is deeply golden brown and the mozzarella (if using) is melted and bubbly.
Serve
- Let cool for 5-10 minutes, then serve warm. Pull apart individual pieces and enjoy!
Notes
OPTION 1: Night Before Evening: mix dough → proof overnight at room temp → morning: shape balls, dip & arrange → proof 1-2 hours → bake & ice
OPTION 2: Day Before Morning: mix dough → proof all day → evening: shape balls, dip & arrange → cover well & refrigerate overnight → next morning: bring to room temp 1-2 hours → bake & ice
Both ways = same delicious result! Pick what works for YOUR schedule 
Follow the timing AND signs of complete proofing in the recipe Dough Consistency: This is a high-hydration dough, so it will be sticky and wet. Don’t add extra flour—the stretch and folds will develop the gluten structure. Sourdough Starter: Make sure your starter is active and bubbly at peak rise. If your starter is sluggish, the dough may need longer than 12 hours to ferment. Room Temperature: Fermentation time depends on your kitchen temperature. In warmer kitchens (75-80°F), 10-12 hours may be sufficient. In cooler kitchens (65-70°F), you may need 14-16 hours. Pan Preparation: The parchment paper and oil coating are essential to prevent sticking and create a crispy bottom crust. Parmesan Type: This recipe uses finely grated Parmesan cheese - the refrigerated kind found in tubs or bags in the dairy section. The fine texture adheres perfectly to the butter-coated dough balls and creates a crispy, golden crust. You can also freshly grate/food process your own Parmesan for even better flavor. Fresh Garlic: Microplaned garlic distributes beautifully throughout the butter mixture and gives the best flavor. If you don’t have a microplane, finely mince the garlic as small as possible. You can substitute 1-2 teaspoons of garlic powder in a pinch, though fresh is always best. Storage: Store leftover focaccia in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheating: For best results, reheat in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes until warmed through and crispy again. You can also use an air fryer at 350°F for 4-5 minutes.
Follow the timing AND signs of complete proofing in the recipe Dough Consistency: This is a high-hydration dough, so it will be sticky and wet. Don’t add extra flour—the stretch and folds will develop the gluten structure. Sourdough Starter: Make sure your starter is active and bubbly at peak rise. If your starter is sluggish, the dough may need longer than 12 hours to ferment. Room Temperature: Fermentation time depends on your kitchen temperature. In warmer kitchens (75-80°F), 10-12 hours may be sufficient. In cooler kitchens (65-70°F), you may need 14-16 hours. Pan Preparation: The parchment paper and oil coating are essential to prevent sticking and create a crispy bottom crust. Parmesan Type: This recipe uses finely grated Parmesan cheese - the refrigerated kind found in tubs or bags in the dairy section. The fine texture adheres perfectly to the butter-coated dough balls and creates a crispy, golden crust. You can also freshly grate/food process your own Parmesan for even better flavor. Fresh Garlic: Microplaned garlic distributes beautifully throughout the butter mixture and gives the best flavor. If you don’t have a microplane, finely mince the garlic as small as possible. You can substitute 1-2 teaspoons of garlic powder in a pinch, though fresh is always best. Storage: Store leftover focaccia in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheating: For best results, reheat in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes until warmed through and crispy again. You can also use an air fryer at 350°F for 4-5 minutes.
YEAST SUBSTITUTION SECTION
NO SOURDOUGH STARTER? USE YEAST INSTEAD!
Don’t have sourdough starter? No problem! You can make this Pull Apart Focaccia recipe using instant yeast or active dry yeast with fantastic results. The bread turns out just as fluffy and delicious with the same irresistible pull apart texture.
REPLACE THE 75G ACTIVE SOURDOUGH STARTER WITH:
37g (about ¼ cup) all purpose flour
37g (about 2½ tablespoons) water
7g (2¼ teaspoons) instant yeast OR 9g (2¾ teaspoons) active dry yeast
USING INSTANT YEAST (RAPID RISE):
Mix everything together at once. Add the 37g flour, 37g water, and 7g instant yeast along with ALL the other recipe ingredients (the 500g bread flour, 400g water, and 10g salt) right from the start. Mix until no dry flour remains. No activation needed with instant yeast.
Rest for 30 to 60 minutes. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest at room temperature. 30 minutes is standard for yeasted focaccia; 60 minutes will give you slightly more flavor development but may shorten your bulk fermentation time.
Stretch and fold. With wet hands, grab one edge of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over to the opposite side. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. Do this 4 times total (one complete rotation around the bowl). The dough will transform from sticky and shaggy to smoother and more cohesive.
Bulk fermentation. Cover and let the complete dough rise for 2 to 3 hours at room temperature until it doubles in size and becomes puffy and jiggly.
Continue as normal. Once doubled, proceed with the recipe exactly as written. Same shaping into balls, same dip and Parmesan coating, same proofing, same baking temperature and time.
USING ACTIVE DRY YEAST:
Activate the yeast. Mix the 37g warm water (100 to 110°F) with the 9g active dry yeast and ¼ teaspoon sugar in a small bowl. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy and bubbly. If it doesn’t foam, your yeast is dead and you need to start over with fresh yeast.
Mix everything together. Once your yeast is foamy, add it along with the 37g flour and ALL the other recipe ingredients (the 500g bread flour, 400g water, and 10g salt). Mix until no dry flour remains.
Rest for 30 to 60 minutes. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest at room temperature. 30 minutes is standard; 60 minutes provides more flavor development.
Stretch and fold. With wet hands, grab one edge of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over to the opposite side. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. Do this 4 times total (one complete rotation around the bowl).
Bulk fermentation. Cover and let the complete dough rise for 2 to 3 hours at room temperature until it doubles in size.
Continue as normal. Proceed with the recipe exactly as written.
IMPORTANT YEAST VERSION NOTES:
Worried about wet dough? If you’re new to baking and concerned about sticky dough, start by decreasing the water in the main recipe to 360g (1½ cups). Experienced bakers can stick with the full 400g of water.
Water temperature matters: Use room temperature water for instant yeast. Use warm water (100 to 110°F) for active dry yeast.
Bulk fermentation is 2 to 3 hours instead of 8 to 12 hours with sourdough starter. The rest period is 30 to 60 minutes instead of the sourdough’s 30 to 45 minute autolyse (shorter rest = longer bulk fermentation; longer rest = shorter bulk fermentation). This is the main time difference between the two methods.
Everything else stays EXACTLY the same!
PRO TIP: Instant yeast is more forgiving and faster to use. If you’re new to baking, choose instant yeast over active dry yeast. It eliminates the activation step and produces consistent results.
