Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Focaccia

This jalapeño cheddar sourdough focaccia is soft and airy inside with crisp, cheesy edges, fresh jalapeños, sharp cheddar, and garlic butter over the top. It is made with sourdough discard and active dry yeast, so you get good sourdough flavor without waiting on a long overnight rise.

I like this recipe because it takes the same simple idea behind my Simple Sourdough Discard Focaccia Bread Recipe and turns it into a cheesy, savory version with jalapeños. It also uses the same easy discard-and-yeast approach as my Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Focaccia, just in a completely different direction. If you are new to baking with discard, my What Is Sourdough Discard? post explains what it is and how to use it.

The diced jalapeños and cheddar are folded into the dough, then more cheese and sliced jalapeños are added on top before baking. This gives the focaccia flavor all the way through while still making it look like jalapeño cheddar focaccia when it comes out of the oven.

Serve it warm as a side for homemade tortilla soup, chili, grilled meat, sandwiches, or a simple farm-style meal. It is best while the cheddar is still melty and the edges are crisp.

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Quick Look

Prep: 25 minutes
Rise: About 2½ to 3½ hours
Bake: 22 to 28 minutes
Total: About 3½ to 4½ hours
Servings: 12
Texture: Soft and airy inside with crisp, cheesy edges
Best Served: Warm, while the cheddar is still melty

Why You’ll Love This Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Focaccia

This focaccia is soft and airy inside with golden, cheesy edges.

It uses sourdough discard, so it is a good way to use extra starter.

Active dry yeast helps the dough rise faster than a fully naturally leavened focaccia.

Sharp cheddar gives the bread rich flavor and a good melty topping.

Jalapeños add flavor and heat without making the whole bread too complicated.

The garlic butter on top gives the focaccia a savory finish.

Equipment

Large mixing bowl

Wooden spoon or dough whisk

Measuring cups and spoons

Kitchen scale

9x13-inch baking pan

Plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel

Ingredients for Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Focaccia

Focaccia Dough

⅔ cup sourdough discard, unfed and at room temperature, 150 grams

1 ½ cups warm water, 350 grams

2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast, 7 grams

1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 12.5 grams

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 500 grams

1 ¾ teaspoons fine salt or 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 10 grams

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, 40 grams

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened or melted, for greasing the pan, 28 grams

Jalapeño Cheddar Filling

1 cup freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese, white or yellow, 115 grams

¼ cup finely diced jalapeños, about 40 to 45 grams

For the Top

1 cup freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese, 115 grams

1 to 2 fresh jalapeños, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, 28 grams

½ teaspoon garlic powder

Flaky salt, optional

How to Make Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Focaccia

Add the warm water, active dry yeast, and sugar to a large mixing bowl.

Stir gently and let the mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the yeast begins to look foamy.

Add the sourdough discard and stir until mostly combined.

Add the flour, salt, and 40 grams of melted butter.

Mix until all of the flour is hydrated and a sticky, shaggy dough forms. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

With damp hands, stretch one side of the dough up and fold it toward the center.

Rotate the bowl and repeat on all four sides.

Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for another 30 minutes.

Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheddar and the diced jalapeños over the dough.

Perform another set of stretch-and-folds, gently working the cheese and jalapeños into the dough.

Cover and rest for 30 minutes.

Perform one final set of stretch-and-folds.

Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise in a warm place for about 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until noticeably puffy and increased in volume.

Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan generously with 2 tablespoons softened or melted butter.

Transfer the dough to the prepared pan.

Gently stretch it toward the corners.

If the dough springs back, let it rest for 10 minutes before stretching it again.

Cover and let the dough rise for 45 to 60 minutes, or until very puffy and bubbly.

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Combine the melted butter with the garlic powder.

Drizzle or brush the garlic butter over the risen dough.

Use your fingertips to press deep dimples across the entire surface of the focaccia.

Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheddar evenly over the top.

Arrange the sliced jalapeños over the cheese, pressing them lightly into the dough.

Sprinkle with flaky salt, if desired.

Bake for 22 to 28 minutes, or until the focaccia is deeply golden around the edges and the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.

Let the focaccia cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing and slicing.

Serve warm.

Tips for the Best Jalapeño Cheddar Focaccia

Use freshly shredded cheddar instead of pre-shredded cheese. Freshly shredded cheese melts better and gives the focaccia a better texture.

Do not rush the final rise. The dough should look puffy and bubbly before you add the garlic butter, cheese, and jalapeños.

Use damp hands when folding the dough so it does not stick as badly.

If the dough resists stretching in the pan, let it rest for 10 minutes. The gluten will relax, and it will be easier to stretch toward the corners.

For a milder focaccia, remove the seeds and membranes from the jalapeños.

For more heat, leave some seeds and membranes in the jalapeños or use an extra jalapeño on top.

Let the focaccia cool for about 10 minutes before slicing so the cheese can settle slightly.

Can I Make This With Active Sourdough Starter?

Yes, active sourdough starter can be used in place of sourdough discard, but the timing depends on whether you keep the yeast in the recipe.

If you use active starter and still use the active dry yeast as written, the rise time should be similar and may even be a little faster.

If you want to leave out the yeast and rely only on active sourdough starter, you will need to allow more time for the dough to rise. The exact timing will depend on how strong your starter is and how warm your kitchen is. Watch the dough instead of only watching the clock, and move to the next step when it looks puffy, bubbly, and well-risen.

Can I Make This Overnight?

Yes, you can make this dough overnight, even with the active dry yeast in the recipe.

After mixing the dough and doing the stretch and fold, cover the bowl tightly and place it in the refrigerator overnight. The cold temperature slows the yeast down, so the dough can rise slowly while it chills.

The next day, take the dough out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature until it is easier to stretch. Gently transfer it to the buttered pan, stretch it toward the edges, and continue with the second rise.

Because the dough will be cold, the second rise may take longer than usual. Wait until the dough looks light, bubbly, and puffy before adding the garlic butter, cheese, jalapeños, and baking.

For best results, use the refrigerated dough within about 8 to 12 hours. If it rises too much overnight, handle it gently and continue with the recipe, but the finished focaccia may be slightly less airy.

How Spicy Is This Focaccia?

This focaccia has noticeable jalapeño flavor, but the heat depends on the jalapeños you use and whether you remove the seeds and membranes.

For a milder bread, remove the seeds and membranes before dicing and slicing the jalapeños.

For more heat, leave some of the seeds and membranes in place or add extra sliced jalapeños on top.

What to Serve With Jalapeño Cheddar Focaccia

This jalapeño cheddar focaccia is good served warm on its own, but it also works well as a side bread.

Serve it with chili, soup, stew, grilled meat, burgers, barbecue, scrambled eggs, breakfast casseroles, or sandwiches.

It would also be good sliced and served with butter, honey butter, cream cheese, or alongside a bowl of tortilla soup.

How to Store Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Focaccia

Let the focaccia cool completely before storing.

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, or in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Because this focaccia has cheese and jalapeños, I prefer refrigerating leftovers after the first day.

Reheat slices in a 350°F oven until warm, or use an air fryer for a crispier edge.

Frequently Asked Questions About Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Focaccia