Fresh, cold-topped mezze focaccia
Labneh, Cucumber & Sumac Focaccia (Levantine-Inspired)
Cool, tangy labneh smeared over warm focaccia and piled with crisp cucumber, ruby sumac, mint and a slick of green olive oil — a fresh, mezze-style open focaccia.
- Total
- 4.2 hr
- Hands-on
- 25 min
- Hydration
- 80%
- Skill
- beginner
By FocacciaRecipe editorial · Updated 2026-07-05 · In editorial development; independent bake-test pending
The short version
Bake a plain 80% hydration olive-oil focaccia, then top it cold after baking with labneh, salted-and-drained cucumber, sumac and fresh herbs — the dairy and vegetables never go in the oven.
Why this works
Labneh would split and weep and cucumber would flood the crumb if baked, so the focaccia bakes plain and every fresh element is added off the heat. Salting and draining the cucumber first pulls out its water so it stays crunchy, and sumac brings the citrusy tang that ties the cool dairy to the warm bread.
The schedule
~35m hands-on of 4.3h total · same day
- Mix & fold · 35m
- Bulk ferment · 2h
- Proof · 1h
- Bake · 22m
- Cool · 20m
Terracotta is active work; olive is unattended rising; red is the bake.
Ingredients
Method
- 1
Mix
Whisk flour and yeast, add water and the 25 g olive oil, then the salt. Mix to a wet, shaggy dough with no dry flour.
Look for: Very loose and slack at 80% hydration — it pours and clings.
- 2
Bulk ferment with folds
Do 3–4 sets of stretch-and-folds over the first hour to build strength, then let the dough rise until nearly doubled.
Look for: The dough tightens with each fold and finishes bubbly and airy.
- 3
Pan and proof
Oil a 30×40 cm sheet pan generously, transfer the dough, stretch toward the corners, and proof until puffy.
Look for: It relaxes to fill the pan and jiggles when shaken.
- 4
Dimple and bake plain
Dimple the dough with oiled fingers, drizzle with olive oil and a little flaky salt, and bake at 230°C/450°F for 20–24 minutes until golden and crisp.
Look for: A deep-gold, glossy top and a firm, browned base.
- 5
Prep the cold toppings
While it bakes, salt the sliced cucumber and let it drain in a colander 15 minutes, then pat thoroughly dry. Stir the labneh smooth.
Look for: The cucumber slices feel firm and dry, not weeping — that keeps them crunchy.
Avoid: Skipping the salt-and-drain step floods the labneh with cucumber water and makes it runny.
- 6
After baking: assemble cold
Let the focaccia cool 15–20 minutes until just warm. Spread the labneh over the top, arrange the cucumber, dust generously with sumac, scatter the herbs, and finish with olive oil and flaky salt. Serve right away.
Look for: Cool white labneh against warm bread, ruby sumac on top, herbs bright green.
Avoid: Do not add the labneh to hot focaccia — it will slide and thin. Wait until the bread is just warm.
What good looks like
- Crumb: Very open and airy from the 80% hydration.
- Crust: Crisp base; soft top beneath the cool topping.
- Height: About 3 cm tall.
- Color: Deep gold before topping goes on.
If something went wrong
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Runny, sliding labneh | Bread too hot, or cucumber not drained | Cool the focaccia to just-warm and salt/drain/dry the cucumber first. |
| Watery, soggy top | Cucumber released liquid onto the bread | Salt, drain and pat the cucumber dry before assembling. |
| Flat, one-note flavor | Not enough sumac or acid | Be generous with sumac and add a squeeze of lemon to the labneh. |
Storing & reheating
Storage: Best assembled and eaten fresh. Store plain focaccia and toppings separately; the dressed bread does not keep.
Freezing: Freeze cooled plain focaccia up to 1 month; add fresh toppings after reheating. Do not freeze labneh-topped.
Reheating: Re-crisp plain focaccia in a 200°C/400°F oven 4–6 minutes, cool to warm, then top.
Contains wheat/gluten and dairy (labneh).
Tools & ingredients for this focaccia
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Core pantry
- Bread flour (opens Amazon) ↗ — High-protein bread flour or Italian “00” both work.
- Fine sea salt (opens Amazon) ↗ — Fine sea salt for the dough.
- Instant yeast (opens Amazon) ↗ — Instant (or active dry) yeast keeps for months.
- Extra-virgin olive oil (opens Amazon) ↗ — Use a good EVOO you like the taste of.
- Flaky finishing salt (opens Amazon) ↗ — For the crunchy finish.
Fresh — buy local
- Labneh (opens Amazon) ↗ — A common item; buy fresh or from your pantry.
- Fresh herbs (opens Amazon) ↗ — Fresh is best; a windowsill pot works well.
You don’t need to buy everything here — many items are already in most kitchens. Fresh produce, cheese and herbs are best bought local and in season.
Frequently asked
- Can I bake the labneh on top?
- No — strained yogurt splits and weeps in the oven. Bake the focaccia plain and spread the labneh on after it has cooled to warm.
- How do I make labneh if I can only find yogurt?
- Line a sieve with cheesecloth, add salted full-fat yogurt, and let it drain in the fridge overnight until thick and spreadable.
Keep baking
In these collections
Source: https://www.focacciarecipe.com/recipes/labneh-cucumber-sumac-focaccia · © 2026 FocacciaRecipe.com
In editorial development — this recipe has not yet completed physical bake-testing.