Cured-sausage and cheese sheet-pan focaccia
Spanish Chorizo & Manchego Focaccia (Spanish-Inspired)
Smoky cured chorizo rendering pimentón-red oil, nutty Manchego and sweet roasted pepper over a golden focaccia — the flavors of a Spanish tapas bar.
- Total
- 4.4 hr
- Hands-on
- 25 min
- Hydration
- 72%
- Skill
- beginner
By FocacciaRecipe editorial · Updated 2026-07-05 · In editorial development; independent bake-test pending
The short version
Top a 72% hydration focaccia (dough salt trimmed to 9 g for the salty toppings) with coins of cured Spanish chorizo, roasted red pepper strips and grated Manchego, and bake at 230°C/450°F for 20–24 minutes until the chorizo renders its red oil and the cheese melts.
Why this works
Cured (not fresh) chorizo is already cooked, so it needs no pre-cooking and releases pimentón-stained oil that flavors the crumb as it bakes; Manchego melts and browns nuttily; roasted pepper adds sweetness without the water of raw pepper. Trimming the dough salt keeps the whole thing from over-salting.
The schedule
~35m hands-on of 4.2h total · same day
- Mix & fold · 35m
- Bulk ferment · 2h
- Proof · 1h
- Bake · 22m
- Cool · 15m
Terracotta is active work; olive is unattended rising; red is the bake.
Ingredients
Method
- 1
Mix the dough
Whisk flour and yeast, add water and 15 g of the oil, then the reduced 9 g salt. Mix to a shaggy, sticky dough.
Look for: Wet and tacky but cohesive; no dry flour.
- 2
Bulk ferment with folds
Do 2–3 stretch-and-folds over 90 minutes, then rest until nearly doubled.
Look for: Domed, jiggly and bubbly.
- 3
Pan and proof
Oil the pan with the remaining oil, add the dough, stretch toward the edges, and proof until puffy, about 1 hour.
Look for: Dough relaxes into the pan and jiggles when nudged.
- 4
Dimple, top and bake
Dimple all over with oiled fingers. Lay the chorizo coins and pepper strips over the top, press lightly in, scatter the Manchego and a dusting of pimentón, and bake at 230°C/450°F for 20–24 minutes.
Look for: Chorizo edges crisp and release bright red oil; the cheese is molten and the crust deep gold.
Avoid: Use firm cured chorizo. Fresh (raw) cooking chorizo would not cook through in the bake — if that is all you have, brown it first and drain.
- 5
Finish and cool
Scatter parsley if using and a very light pinch of flaky salt, then cool on a rack 10–15 minutes before slicing.
Look for: The rendered oil soaks in and the crumb sets so slices hold together.
What good looks like
- Crumb: Open and airy, stained faintly orange where the chorizo oil soaks in.
- Crust: Crisp base; tender edges.
- Height: About 3 cm tall.
- Color: Deep gold with crisped chorizo and molten Manchego.
If something went wrong
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Too salty overall | Full dough salt with salty chorizo and Manchego | Keep the dough salt at 9 g and finish with only a light pinch of flaky salt. |
| Chorizo raw or greasy-soft | Fresh cooking chorizo used instead of cured | Use firm cured chorizo, or pre-brown fresh chorizo and drain it before topping. |
| Wet patches under peppers | Roasted peppers not drained | Pat jarred peppers thoroughly dry before topping. |
Storing & reheating
Storage: Keep covered at room temperature 1 day, or refrigerate up to 3 days.
Freezing: Freeze cooled pieces up to 1 month, wrapped well.
Reheating: Warm in a 200°C/400°F oven 5–7 minutes to re-crisp and re-melt.
Contains wheat/gluten and dairy (Manchego). Contains pork.
Tools & ingredients for this focaccia
Some links are affiliate links; as an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
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
- Meat / seafood (opens Amazon) ↗ — From a butcher or deli; pre-cook before topping.
- Cheese (opens Amazon) ↗ — Buy fresh from a good cheese counter or deli.
- Fresh vegetables (opens Amazon) ↗ — Buy fresh and in season.
- Smoked paprika (pimentón) (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
- Cured or fresh chorizo?
- Cured (dry, sliceable) chorizo — it is already cooked, renders flavored oil, and crisps in the bake. Fresh cooking chorizo must be browned and drained first.
- Why less salt in the dough?
- Cured chorizo and Manchego are both salty. Dropping the dough salt to 9 g (about 1.8%) balances the finished bread.
Keep baking
In these collections
Source: https://www.focacciarecipe.com/recipes/spanish-chorizo-manchego-focaccia · © 2026 FocacciaRecipe.com
In editorial development — this recipe has not yet completed physical bake-testing.