Focaccia Bread Recipe
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Learn to make focaccia, the simple Italian flatbread with its signature dimpled surface and rich olive oil flavor—it’s easier than you think!
Perfect for feeding a crowd, focaccia is a rich and flavorful Italian flat bread baked in a sheet pan. It’s made with a yeast dough that rises twice: once after it is mixed and then again after it is shaped. To give the bread its signature dimpled appearance, you use your fingers to form little indentations all over the dough. These “dimples” hold tiny pools of olive oil that soak into the bread as it bakes. The recipe calls for about one cup of oil, which I know seems like a lot, but that’s what makes focaccia so good!
Adapted from Anne Burrell, this simple focaccia recipe is topped with coarse salt and fresh rosemary, but other toppings can be added, such as thinly sliced tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, olives, caramelized onions or Parmesan cheese, to name just a few. Enjoy the bread warm out of the oven with pasta fagioli, zuppa Toscana, bolognese, Italian wedding soup, or a big Italian salad. Leftovers make wonderful sandwiches.
“Thanks for another hit Jenn! I made this for Christmas Eve and it paired perfectly with your classic lasagna.”
What You’ll Need To Make Focaccia
- All-purpose flour: The base of the dough. Be sure to use the spoon and level method—spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife—for accuracy and best results.
- Sugar: Feeds the yeast, helping the dough rise.
- Yeast: Makes the bread rise. I use instant or rapid-rise yeast (sometimes labeled “bread machine yeast”) for focaccia and other yeast breads because it rises much faster than active dry yeast. You can find it in jars or packets, and once opened, it keeps in the fridge for 3 to 6 months. If you don’t bake homemade breads often, I recommend buying the individual packets to ensure freshness.
- Kosher salt: Adds flavor to both the dough and the top of the focaccia.
- Warm water: Activates the yeast and brings the dough together.
- Extra-Virgin Olive oil: Provides richness and flavor while also creating a crispy bottom. Note that it is added in stages, so be sure to read the recipe carefully before starting so that you don’t accidentally add it all at once.
- Fresh rosemary: Adds an earthy, fragrant flavor. Feel free to experiment with other herbs like thyme or oregano for a different twist.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin by combining the flour, salt, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix well to combine.
Add the liquid ingredients to the flour mixture.
Then mix with the dough hook on low speed until the focaccia dough comes together into a sticky mass.
Increase the speed to medium and let the mixer knead the dough for about 5 or 6 minutes. You want it to be soft and a little sticky – it should stick to the bottom of the bowl a bit. If it seems too wet, sprinkle a little flour on top and let the mixer knead it for a minute or so to mix it in.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead quickly with your hands until it comes together into a smooth ball.
Place the dough in a large greased bowl, flipping it over once so that both the top and bottom of the dough are lightly slicked with oil.
Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours. Remember that rising times can vary based on kitchen conditions like temperature and humidity.
Now it’s time to shape the dough and let it rise again. Pour about ¼ cup olive oil onto a sturdy rimmed baking sheet (yes, it’s a lot but that’s what gives focaccia its deliciously crispy bottom!), then place the dough on top.
Flip the dough over over so that both sides are coated with oil—this makes it much easier to stretch. Then use your hands to spread the dough out to the corners of the pan.
Now the fun part: use your fingertips to make dimples all over the dough.
Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rise again a warm spot until puffed up and doubled in size—it should take about an hour. Next, drizzle the dough with a bit more olive oil, so it collects in the dimples, and sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh rosemary.
Bake the bread for about 20 minutes, until it is nicely golden brown.
Cool the bread in the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer it to cutting board and slice into squares. You can gild the lily by drizzling it with a touch more olive oil, if you like. The bread will keep nicely for about 1 day or can be frozen for longer storage. Enjoy!
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Ingredients
- 5 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with a knife, plus more for kneading
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 packet (2¼ teaspoons) instant/rapid-rise yeast (see note)
- 1 tablespoon + ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1¾ cup warm water
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for oiling the bowl and drizzling on top
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, from several sprigs
Instructions
- In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of the salt. Mix on low speed to combine. Add the water and ½ cup of the olive oil; mix on low speed until the dough comes together, then turn the speed up to medium-low and continue to knead for 5 to 6 minutes, until the dough becomes soft and slightly tacky. It should stick to the bottom of the bowl a bit. If the dough seems too wet, sprinkle with a few tablespoons of flour, and turn the mixer back on to knead it briefly to combine.
- Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly floured surface (it helps to flour your hands, too). Knead by hand briefly until the dough comes together into a smooth ball.
- Coat the inside of a large bowl with about 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl, flipping once so that both the top and bottom are lightly slicked with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in a warm, draft-free spot until the dough has doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours. (The warmer the spot, the faster it will rise.)
- Coat a 13" x 18" rimmed baking sheet with ¼ cup of olive oil. (It will seem like a lot, but that's what makes the bottom crispy.) Plop the dough onto the prepared pan and begin pressing it out with your hands to fit the size of the pan. Turn the dough over once to coat both sides with olive oil. Continue to stretch the dough to fit the pan. Once the dough is stretched, spread your fingers out and make impressions almost all the way through the dough (don't poke holes, just press down to the bottom of the pan). Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place in the warm, draft-free spot until the dough has puffed up and doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- While the dough is rising a second time, preheat the oven to 425°F. Set an oven rack in the middle position.
- Sprinkle the top of the focaccia dough with the remaining ¾ teaspoon kosher salt and rosemary, then lightly drizzle about 1 tablespoon of olive oil on top so it pools in the indentations. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove the focaccia from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutes. Transfer the focaccia to a cutting board and slice into squares. Drizzle a touch more oil on top before serving, if desired.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: Focaccia is best eaten freshly baked but it can be made 1 day ahead of time, if necessary. For best results, wrap the focaccia in aluminum foil and place in a sealed plastic bag at room temperature. Reheat, wrapped in foil, in a 350°F oven until just warmed through, about 10 minutes. The focaccia can also be made ahead and frozen. To freeze, cut it into portions, wrap in plastic wrap and then foil and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat the focaccia, remove the plastic wrap and re-wrap it in the foil. Heat it in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes or until heated through.
- Note: Active dry yeast may be used instead of instant/rapid-rise yeast, however, the dough will take longer to rise. To give active dry yeast a boost, you can add it to the warm water in the recipe, let it sit until frothy, about 10 minutes, and then proceed with the recipe.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 2 squares
- Calories: 325
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 41 g
- Sugar: 1 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Sodium: 160 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 g
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Can I prepare this in advance and bake it later?
Hi Audrey, It’s possible to make this a little bit ahead of time and bake later, but there are a lot of variables. Here’s a good link that explains:http://redstaryeast.com/yeast-baking-lessons/postpone-baking/
The other thing to consider is that this bread keeps pretty well since there is a lot of oil in it; you could easily bake it in the morning and serve it warmed up in the evening.
I’ve made other focaccia recipes that never seemed to have quite the right texture or there were problems with the recipe. This focaccia is *perfect*. It comes together so easily, and it turns out right every time. The flavor and texture is spot on, and adding the rosemary just puts it over the top. It’s so good!
This bread was so easy and very tasty! The directions were easy to follow and the pictures were so helpful to see. My bread turned out looking just like Jenn’s!
This was my first time making focaccia, and I was so pleased with how it turned out. I made no changes to the recipe. It makes a lot, so I froze some and it still tasted great out of the freezer.
Have made this recipe several times and it comes out great each time.
Have tried a variety of toppings, too.
Hi Jen, I love this recipe! I knead this dough by hand and it comes out perfect. The second time I made the bread I infused the olive oil with a large clove of crushed garlic and fresh rosemary a day prior. Absolutely delicious!! Thanks so much for this recipe, my family and friends love it as well.
Hello,
Most of our close friends are peruvian, so we recently made your Peruvian style roast chicken…and it was Amazing!!! So now we are going to attempt this lovely bread!! Super excited, but wanted to ask if you have any suggestions for making it with whole wheat flour? Will it work? or should i try it with half whole wheat/half regular flour? Thank you 🙂
Hi Carla, So glad you enjoyed the chicken. I would definitely make the bread with half whole wheat/half all purpose. Please let me know how it turns out 🙂
There’s just two of us, so…..is this bread freezable?
Hi Cathie, Yes, definitely 🙂
WOW – this is the third time we tried to make focaccia and I was about to give up. I am so glad that I came upon your recipe. It turned out amazing. As a topping, I used fresh basil, tomatoes and garlic. Thank you so much.
Delicious. The first time I made this bread, I followed the recipe exactly – the second time I used less than the 1/4 cup of olive oil for the bottom of the pan. The bread wasn’t as good.
I made it for a sick neighbour and it was very well received!