Focaccia
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Learn to make focaccia, the simple Italian flatbread characterized by its dimpled surface and rich olive oil flavor.
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 (so be sure to allow plenty of time). 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! Note that the oil 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.
Adapted from Anne Burrell, this simple focaccia is topped with coarse salt and fresh rosemary, but other toppings can be added, such as thinly sliced tomatoes, olives, or grated cheese, to name just a few. Enjoy the bread warm out of the oven with pasta fagioli, bolognese 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. I’ll be making it again real soon since my group devoured it.”
What you’ll need to make focaccia
I use instant or rapid-rise yeast (it is sometimes labeled “bread machine instant yeast,” as pictured above) to make focaccia and other yeast breads. It rises much faster than regular active dry yeast. Yeast is sold in jars or packets, and will keep in the refrigerator for three to six months once opened. If you don’t bake a lot of homemade breads, it’s best to buy the individual packets to ensure freshness.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Dough
Begin by combining the flour, salt, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the dough hook.
Mix to combine.
Add 1-3/4 cups warm water and 1/2 cup of the olive oil.
Mix on low speed until the dough comes together into a sticky mass.
Increase the speed to medium and knead for 5 to 6 minutes, or 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 lightly floured surface.
Briefly knead with your hands until it comes together into a smooth ball.
Step 2: Let the Dough Rise
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 it rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.
Step 3: Shape the Dough and Let Rise Again
Pour about 1/4 cup olive oil onto a 13″ x 18″ rimmed baking sheet (I know it seems like a lot, but that’s what gives focaccia its characteristic crispy bottom), then place the dough on top.
Flip it over once so that both sides are coated with oil; this makes it easier to stretch. Using your hands, spread it out to the corners of the pan.
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, about an hour. Drizzle the dough with a bit of olive oil, so it pools in the dimples, and sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and fresh rosemary.
Step 4: Bake
Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden.
Let cool for about 15 minutes, then transfer to cutting board and slice into squares. Drizzle with a touch more olive oil if desired.
How to freeze focaccia
The finished focaccia freezes beautifully. 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 rewrap it in the foil. Heat it in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes or until heated through.
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Focaccia
Learn to make focaccia, the simple Italian flatbread characterized by its dimpled surface and rich olive oil flavor.
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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Beautiful dough to work with and super delicious! Love your recipes for their simplicity and amazing taste!!
Hi Jen, is it possible to prepare in advance (say morning of the day you want to eat the bread) and put in the oven when ready to eat?
Sure – hope you enjoy!
This was the first bread I ever made (made it within the first two weeks of quarantine) and it was absolutely heavenly! I have made it probably 10 times since. Bread always rises as it it supposed to, my only addition is to add extra salt and add salt of good quality (we typically use a french grey sea salt). A great side dish for pasta night or to dip in olive oil and balsamic!
The absolute best focaccia recipe – stop looking and start here. The first time I made this recipe, we were in an ice storm. I made Jenn’s pasta e fagioli soup the same day. What a pair! My whole house smelled amazing. We could barely wait to tear into the bread as soon as it came out of the oven. Both recipes take a little time but the effort is worth it. The focaccia has just the right crunch to the crust, give to the bread, and flavor from the rosemary, salt and oil. You will be so happy if you follow the recipe to a T.
This bread is easy, delicious, and is great for dipping in oil and vinegar. I used half as much oil (1/8 cup instead of 1/4 cup) on the baking sheet because it seemed to turn out too greasy the first time I made it.
So easy and delicious! Fantastic focaccia bread!
I’ve been making other types of bread over the last year and have been wanting to try my hand at focaccia bread so when I found this recipe in my inbox, I decided to give it a try. The recipe was easy to follow and the dough came together perfectly, which doesn’t always happen when making bread. I let the dough rise for 2 hours the first time and about 90 minutes once it was in the sheet pan. It smelled amazing as it baked and browned beautifully. The final product was delicious and made so much for my family of 4 that I was able to freeze 3/4 of it to enjoy another time! I will definitely be making this again.
I love this recipe! My neighbors also love it because I usually give them 1/2 of it after I make it. Super easy, even for this non-bread making gal!
This is my go-to focaccia recipe and I always get requests for it! My four year old goes crazy for his “square bread”!
Just as the recipe says- easy to make and so delicious. 1/4 oil in the pan feels like a lot but it really makes the bread delicious. I cut the leftovers into sandwich sized pieces and froze them. It worked like a charm. I pulled out individual ones and they made delicious toasted sandwiches with my panini press.
This is absolutely delicious and comes out perfectly every time! I do find that I need to add almost a cup more of flour than the recipe calls for, otherwise the dough is very loose. Freezes very well too! I wrap it up in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and when I heat it up covered in aluminum foil. The bottom gets nice and crispy and is almost better than freshly made.
Had it not been for Covid 19, I might have never attempted to make any kind of yeast bread. Then I saw your Rosemary Faccacia recipe and had to try it. Your instructions were so specific and easy to follow. I grow my own Rosemary, so other than purchasing the yeast, I was all set. We love it. I always freeze a batch, ready to reheat for a delicious side or even a beautiful sandwich with tomatoes, ham and provolone, reheated in the oven. So good!
I made this recipe over this past weekend. What a dream of a dough to work with! A chef friend of mine taught me to let yeast dough rise in the oven with the warmth of the oven light and it works every time for all kinds of yeast recipes. This was so soft and easy to work with. Easy to spread in the pan. I did find that I needed to bake it just a few minutes more to get a light golden brown. It was absolutely delicious! Had some marinara sauce on the side for dipping. Thank you!
FANTASTIC!!!! beautiful evertime…I bake in a 9×13 for a little extra fluffiness….makes it great for sandwiches!!
I only have a 9 X 13, can you tell me if you made the full recipe and if so did you have to bake it a bit longer to compensate for the extra thickness?
Finally I was brave enough to try making Focaccia. I didn’t realize how easy it was going to be. This will definitely be made often! We had it with dinner last night and paired it with the Pasta Fagioli recipe. There are four adults in this house and we have half of the Focaccia left. I was tempted to freeze the leftovers but I still want to keep eating it! We will be using it for sandwiches today. I did not have the rapid-rise yeast so I was thankful for the note on substituting active dry yeast. Perfect!!
The recipe is perfect. It has clear instructions and the kids in my extended family said it was the best bread ever. I had hoped to have lots of leftovers to freeze, but the 4 boys ate it all.
Oh my! Very easy to make, reproducible and it is amazing! I’ve made this several times. I just reminded my husband of this bread and his eyes lit up. I am a trained chef, but not a dedicated baker. This recipe rocks! I also made it with all ingredients easily at hand. Thank you for all your recipes, many of which I have made with no surprises. Well tested.
I absolutely LOVED this recipe! I live at altitude in Denver, and I didn’t make any adjustments, and it turned out perfectly! The one little thing I did change, was to use a rosemary infused olive oil, which added that extra little oomph of flavor. Such a great recipe and will definitely make again!
Super easy to make and perfect addition for any savory soups. Sometimes it’s great just as snack. Love the smell and taste of rosemary. I always keep fresh rosemary in my house!
Magnifico!!! Don’t be intimidated as I was, I finally tried it and will be making this again and again! My husband started planning the menu for our next gathering once everyone can get together, with the focaccia being the coup de resistance!!!
Simply the best! Every single recipe from Jenn is easy to follow and absolutely delicious. She’s a genius! I make this focaccia at least once a month and it’s so tasty every time.
A lovely, silken dough that results in a light and tasty bread. I topped it with chopped casteltrevano olives and flaked sea salt instead of rosemary this time.
Has anyone used gluten free 1 to 1 all purpose baking flour?
Never disappointed in Jen’s recipe and most can be made gluten free, not sure about baking this though?
Thanks!
My son has celiac
Edie
Beautifully fragrant, velvety-soft and delicious beyond words – a fool-proof crowd-pleaser for sure!
My favorite thing to make on holidays and special occasions. I’m making it for Christmas tomorrow. There’s two of us and it is gone before the end of the second day because we can’t stop eating it. Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
So good! We use this crust to make pizza! Delicious.
jen,
I’ve seen other recipes with a third rise. Ive seen that you need to put a cup of steaming water in the oven to help rising during baking. Have you done that?
Nidhi
No, I haven’t found it necessary for this recipe. 🙂
Our oven has a proof setting. How does that work exactly as this is my first time making bread? Do I still put it in to proof for the same amount of time?
Hi Emily, the proof setting is the equivalent of finding a warm spot for the dough to rise, so it will work well for the dough here (and yes, you should use the same timing). Hope that helps!
Just made. Halved recipe and used bread flour bc that’s what I had. Delicious. Thank you! Husband said it was “perfect” and toddler even ate it.
This was delicious! It was my first time making bread, so I was nervous but your instructions made it really easy. Watching the dough rise is magical. 🙂 Only changes I made were using whole wheat AP flour so it’s a bit healthier (hah!), and more rosemary. My husband and I ate it fresh and we also bought prosciutto and provolone slices to make sandwiches with it later. Thanks for this fantastic recipe!
OMG!! OMG!! OMG!!! I MADE THIS!!!!! AAAAND it turned out!!! Yeast and I are not friends so I hesitated to make this BUT with Jenn’s AMAZING descriptions and recipe, I MADE THIS! It is AMAZING! I can’t stop eating it….
🙂
Great flavor, but I really struggled with the dough. I don’t know if it is my stand mixer, but I couldn’t get it to form a ball at all. I added more flour, but your instructions say to add the flour and then briefly remix. I decided to take it out, but it was a sticky gummy mess trying to get it into the baking sheet. Not sure how it turned out tasting so great though! Thoughts?
Hi Lynn, I’m glad it turned out well despite the difficulty with the dough! What brand of flour do you use?
This.
Was.
Amazing!
I made it as is and will definitely be making it again. The bread turned out really fluffy and so very tasty! Next round I’ll experiment with some of different toppings. Thank you for this!
Can this dough be prepared in a food processor with plastic blade? (I lost my stand mixer in the flood a few years ago and have not yet replaced it. )
I haven’t tried it, but assuming your food processor bowl big enough to fit all the ingredients, I think it should work. Please LMK how it turns out!
This focaccia was AMAZING! I have tried several recipes recently that were all meh, and I’m so glad I’ve finally found the one! I used bread flour instead of AP because that is what I had and it had the perfect texture. So so good. My family ate it up in seconds!
Great recipe! In one occasion the dough was very big and fluffy, and the focaccia ended up being thick. If that happens, before baking, don’t be shy and add more salt, oil, and (specially) rosemary, so you can still have a very flavoury foccacia 😉
How can I alter this recipe to fit a 9″x13″ pan?
Hi Nafsin, I’ve never tried this in a 9 x 13 baking dish. While it might work, I’m a bit concerned that the outside would get baked but the inside may be doughy. If you do try it, please LMK how it turns out!
I have made this several times and it could not be easier. Perfect outcome each time. Thick, light and serves a crowd
Hi Jenn,
Thank you for the recipe. I made this but unfortunately I made a big mistake and thought that the size of the pan is in centimeters, (because in Iran we are used to centimeter to measure.) so I chose a small dish, the bread became thick and the inside of the bread was not cooked although being cooked for 45 minutes. But thank you anyway.
Awww, Shila, sorry for the mix up! For future reference, most of my recipes have conversions to weight/metric. To view them, scroll down to the recipe and immediately under the recipe title on the right side, you’ll see a little toggle. If you move it from “cup measures” to metric, you’ll see measurements that will work for you. Hope you have better luck next time if you try it again!
One of the most delicious bread items to have ever graced my taste buds
This is insanely good. I cannot stop eating it. My guests raved about it. Thanks for making me look good. Again.
Perfect recipe!
Hi Jenn,
Do I add the stalks of the rosemary or just the leaves?
Thanks
Just the leaves. Enjoy!
Can I cut in half and what size pan to use then.
Love everyone of your recipes I have made!,,
Lynne
Hi L, Glad you like the recipes! I think you could cut this in half and use a 9 x 13-inch pan. The baking time may be a bit different so I’d keep a close eye on it.
I can’t find yeast . Can I use a substitute?
Unfortunately not — sorry!
This recipe is such a winner! Perfect foccacia every time as long as you follow the recipe! Just made another batch now and enjoying it while it’s still warm. I actually let it proof for the first time overnight since I didn’t have it in me to finish the proofing and baking last night and it still turned out wonderful today! Made this three times so far and I am sure I’ll be making it many more times. Thank you!
I’m eager to try this recipe. How much Parmesan can I add to it and at what point would I incorporate it? Thank you!
Hi Dorothy, I’d recommend about 1/2 cup and sprinkle it on top of the dough in place of (or in addition to) the rosemary. Enjoy!
If I want to make only half the recipe size should I just half all the ingredients ?
Sure, Lakshmi, you could cut the recipe in half if you’d like. You’d just need to divide all the ingredients by two. This freezes beautifully, so you could make the entire recipe, cut it into portions and freeze some of it for a later date. Hope you enjoy!
Can this be made a day ahead and frozen raw?
Hi Krista, You can also freeze it after the final kneading before you let it rise. Hope that helps!
Came out amazing!!!!
Delicious!!!! Amazing recipe. Thank you for sharing.
I tried this focaccia bread yesterday and I got so many compliments for it! Thank you so so so much for this.
I also supplemented it with a really good dipping sauce (1/2 cup olive oil,1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, 5 garlic cloves minced, 1 teaspoon dried thyme).
It was heavenly!!
This is a great easy recipe! There is enough focaccia to feed 10 people at one gathering, but it also freezes wonderfully and can be frozen in manageable portion sizes so you can do the work once, and reap the benefit of fresh bread several times. Delicious!
Did anyone ever make it gluten free?