Deliciously soft focaccia bread recipe. Perfect to serve on a charcuterie board or made into sandwiches or with a main meal. So easy to make!
Looking for more bread recipes? Be sure not to miss our Garlic Breadsticks recipe. It's super delish.
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What Is Focaccia
Focaccia is an olive oil enriched, leavened bread that is spread out flat. Once risen, the baker uses the fingers to poke little wells into the risen dough. Olive oil is then spread all over the dough and left to pool into the little wells. After the final rise, the focaccia is baked to golden perfection and topped with a little more olive oil. It is a delight to make and often the star of the meal.
Secret to this Recipe...not to overwork the dough. Focaccia dough is a loose and slightly wet dough that barely sticks to the fingers.
Here's What You Need
All you need to make this tasty focaccia recipe is a few pantry staples.
Notes on Ingredients
- water
- instant yeast
- sugar
- extra virgin olive oil
- all purpose flour
- salt
- kosher salt
How to Make It
- Proof Yeast.
2. Make Dough.
3. Knead Dough. Knead dough until it's smooth but a bit sticky to the touch.
4. First Rise. Let rise at room temperature until dough has doubled in size.
5. Second Rise. Using your fingers, push dough out gently to cover the shape of the pan. Prepare the emulsion while you wait.
6. Prepare Olive Oil Emulsion. Put extra virgin olive oil and water into a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake it until the oil and water hold together in an emulsion.
7. Prepare Dough. Gently poke holes or wells with your fingers all over the dough. Brush the olive oil emulsion all over the risen dough, allowing it to pool in the wells. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Add any additional toppings at this point.
8. Bake for 15 Minutes.
9. Final Steps. When focaccia has finished baking, pour an additional tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil over the top.
10. Serve. Cut the focaccia into pieces and serve warm.
Recipe FAQS
Focaccia is an olive oil enriched, leavened bread that is thicker than pizza. It has a slightly crispy crust and a soft, tender crumb. It is often used for appetizers, sandwiches, and sides to serve with anything you can imagine. Sometimes toppings are used in a very artistic presentation. But it is the delicious taste of focaccia that always steals the show.
Tasty Focaccia Toppings
While always delicious tasting, focaccia toppings are sometimes arranged in the most artistic and beautiful manner. So, don't be afraid to get creative with your artistic expression.
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Olives
- Tomatoes
- Onions
- Garlic
Serving Suggestions
Focaccia is best served warm, right out of the oven and can be used for appetizers, charcuterie boards, sandwiches, or with a main meal.
In Liguria, Italy, where it originated, freshly baked focaccia is often served for aperitivo along with some meats and cheeses, and a cocktail, of course.
In our house, we always love a good hot pastrami and provolone sandwich on focaccia. It's amazing!
Storage and Freezing
Store leftover focaccia in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. However, it doesn't freeze all that well, as the moisture and salt will soften and change the crust to an undesirable texture. So, its best to serve focaccia fresh.
There you have it. It's as easy as that! We hope you enjoy our super simple, super tasty recipe for focaccia bread. Try it and let us know how you like it. We'd love to hear from you.
xo ~ Seanna
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Print📖 Recipe
Focaccia Bread Recipe
- Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 Servings 1x
Description
Deliciously soft focaccia recipe. Perfect to serve on a charcuterie board or made into sandwiches or with a main meal. So easy to make!
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1 cup tepid water (95-105°F), divided. ¼ cup for proofing, and ¾ cup for dough
- 1 package (2 ¼ teaspoon) instant yeast
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon and ⅛ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon course kosher salt, reserved to sprinkle on top
Emulsion:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Proof Yeast. Measure out water, instant yeast, and sugar into a large bowl or a Kitchenaid Stand Mixer with a dough hook attachment. Stir until combined. Let mixture rest for 5 minutes or until yeast begins to bubble, indicating it is alive and active. (Note 1)
- Make Dough. Add flour and salt to yeast mixture and begin mixing to combine. Using speed 1 on the mixer, begin adding water a little at a time, along with the extra virgin olive oil. Mix together until dough formed, about 1 minute.
- Knead Dough. Knead dough on speed 2 for 8 minutes or by hand for 10 minutes, until dough is smooth but a bit sticky to the touch.
- First Rise, 90 Minutes. Coat a baker's quarter sheet or large cast iron skillet with extra virgin olive oil. Turn dough out onto center of the pan and cover with a damp towel or bus tub. Let rise at room temperature in a draft-free place for 90 Minutes and dough has doubled in size.
- Second Rise, 45 Minutes. When dough has doubled in size, spread it out gently to cover the shape of the pan. Cover the dough with a damp cloth or bus tub and let rise for another 45 minutes.
- While You Wait. Place baking stone on a rack in the lower 3rd of the oven. Preheat Oven to 450°F at least 30 minutes before baking. And Prepare the emulsion. Put extra virgin olive oil and water in an airtight container and shake it until it emulsifies, and set aside.
- Prepare Dough (Poke, Brush, Sprinkle). When 45 minutes has elapsed and the dough has risen, gently poke holes or wells with your fingers all over the dough. Gently brush the prepared emulsion all over the risen dough, filling the holes or wells with the emulsion. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Salt should be sprinkled evenly over the dough.
- Bake for 15 Minutes. Bake for 15 minutes, then check. If focaccia appears to be browning unevenly, turn the pan around and continue to bake 5 more minutes.
- Final Steps. When focaccia has finished baking, take it out of the oven and place on a cooling rack. Pour an additional tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil over the top of the freshly baked focaccia. Use a pastry brush to spread it out evenly.
- Serve. Cut the focaccia into pieces and serve warm.
Notes
Note 1: Proof Yeast. If there is no change in the mixture within those 5 minutes, chances are the yeast isn't working. Re-do this step, adjusting the temperature of the water, and checking the condition of the yeast. Make sure yeast isn't beyond its expiration date. When its bubbly and your mixture looks like it has increased in volume, it's good to go.
- Prep Time: 150 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 Minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Focaccia
- Calories: 143
- Sugar: 0.2 g
- Sodium: 202 mg
- Fat: 5.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 20.3 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: Focaccia
Did you love this recipe? If you make this recipe and love it, stop back and give it a 5-star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a comment. THANK YOU!! Follow Seanna's Kitchen and share this recipe with your friends on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest and subscribe my Newsletter for ALL the latest recipes! We'd love to hear from you!
Laura
I love focaccia bread. This recipe is so simple to make. Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Seanna
Thank you Laura! I really appreciate it!
Russ B
This is awesome focaccia! Pro tip: Use with warm pastrami and provolone sandwiches!! Coming soon to Seanna's Kitchen??
★★★★★
Seanna
Thank you! I'll get our Pastrami Sandwich on Focaccia recipe out there soon.