Focaccia Bread Recipe

This easy Focaccia Bread recipe is crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, and finished with coarse salt and fresh rosemary. The homemade Italian yeast bread is infused with the rich flavor of olive oil, and is a perfect companion for a bowl of soup, a plate of pasta, or a panini sandwich.

While my mom did 99% of the cooking in our house, my dad has always been the master of homemade pizza dough, biscuits and bread. On a recent beach vacation, Dad made his focaccia bread recipe twice in one week -- it was such a hit! I came home from that trip determined to master my own focaccia, and now I can share the step-by-step process with all of you. Don't be intimidated -- this bread is so simple, but also incredibly delicious!

What is Focaccia?

Focaccia (pronounced fuh·kaa·chuh) is a flat, oven-baked Italian yeast bread. It's similar in taste and texture to a thick pizza dough, and can be used as an appetizer with dip, as a side dish with dinner, or as sandwich bread.

In Ancient Rome, panis focacius was a flat bread baked on the hearth. The name "focaccia" comes from the Latin focus meaning "hearth, place for baking." While some believe that the Etruscans first developed a basic focaccia recipe, the bread is now widely associated with the cuisine of Liguria (a region in northwest Italy).

This particular focaccia bread recipe came highly recommended by a blog reader, who insists that the focaccia at Espresso Love Cafe on the island of Martha's Vineyard is the absolute best! The cafe's cookbook, Table Talk, includes a recipe for homemade focaccia, which I've slightly adapted here. The bread is truly amazing!

Why does focaccia have dimples?

The dimples or indentations on the top of focaccia are one of the bread's hallmarks -- and they serve a purpose! The dimples reduce the air in the dough and prevent the bread from rising too quickly. They also create little pools of olive oil that further enhance the crust's texture and flavor.

How to make a Focaccia Bread Recipe from Scratch:

The process for making focaccia is actually really easy, and only requires about 10 minutes of hands-on prep time. You just need to be patient, as you'll have to wait for the yeast to proof and for the dough to rise before you can dig into a warm slice of homemade bread!

Ingredients for Italian Focaccia Recipe:

• Dry yeast: helps the dough rise
• Warm water: activates the yeast
• Sugar: just enough to feed the yeast
• Milk: gives the bread a richer, more velvety texture and helps it brown
• Extra-Virgin Olive oil: add the oil to the dough for a richer flavor and on top to give focaccia its trademark crispy, golden exterior
• All-purpose flour: you can also use bread flour in this recipe if you prefer
• Cornmeal: prevents the dough from sticking to the pan
• Kosher salt: in the dough and on top for flavor
• Pepper
• Fresh rosemary: a classic topping for a focaccia bread recipe; however, you can substitute with other herbs or toppings (see my notes below)

Step 1: Proof Yeast

Place the yeast, 1 cup of the warm water, and the sugar in a large mixing bowl that will fit a mixer equipped with a dough hook. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes, until the yeast is foamy.

Step 2: Mix Dough

Add the remaining water and the milk, mix for 2 minutes, and then add ¾ cup of the olive oil. Mix for one more minute, and then gradually add the flour and salt. You may need more or less flour, so adjust accordingly. You want the dough to pull away from the sides of the bowl, but it will still be quite sticky and wet.

Step 3: Let Rise

Transfer the dough to a large, greased bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 ½ hours.

Step 4: Press Into Pan

Punch the dough down to release a lot of the air, then spread the dough on a large rimmed cornmeal-dusted baking sheet (about 12 x 16-inches). Since the dough will be sticky, rub your hands with olive oil before pressing the dough into the pan.

Step 5: Rest Dough

Let the dough rest for another 30 minutes while you preheat the oven and prepare the toppings.

Step 6: Make Indentations and Add Toppings

Use your fingertips to make indentations on top of the raised dough. Pour the remaining ½ cup of olive oil all over the top of the dough, spreading it around with your hands. Sprinkle with additional salt, pepper and fresh rosemary.

Step 7: Bake

Bake the focaccia bread in a 425 degree F oven for about 25 minutes, or until it's a beautiful golden brown color.

How to serve the Focaccia Bread Recipe:

Slice the focaccia into squares, triangles or long rectangles. Try eating the focaccia bread in any of the following ways:

• Appetizer: Serve the bread as a snack or appetizer on its own, or with an olive oil dip or pesto. It would make a nice addition to a cheese board with cheeses, fruit, olives and crackers.
• Sandwiches: Since it's relatively thick, you can slice the bread horizontally and use it to make sandwiches or paninis. Try a simple grilled cheese sandwich, a tomato, basil and mozzarella sandwich, or an Italian sandwich with a variety of Italian meats (like prosciutto, soppressata, mortadella and capocollo).
• Side Dish: Prepare a bread basket full of focaccia to serve with your next pasta dinner. The bread would be delicious alongside Spinach Pasta, Shrimp and Sausage Pasta, or Penne with Prosciutto Parmesan Cream Sauce. Don't forget to serve it with your next spaghetti dinner, too!
• With Soup: The focaccia is a perfect dipper to pair with a warm bowl of soup. Try serving the bread with Pasta Fagioli Soup, Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo, Chicken Tortellini Soup, or Tomato Basil Soup.

Focaccia Toppings:

I've kept this recipe simple with just classic toppings of rosemary, coarse kosher salt and pepper. The options are endless, though! Add any toppings that you like, such as:

• Garlic
• Parmesan cheese (add before or after baking)
• Caramelized onions
• Thinly sliced raw onions (add before baking)
• Sun-dried tomatoes
• Pesto (spread on top or use for dipping after baking)
• Sliced tomatoes
• Additional herbs such as thyme, oregano, basil or parsley
• Olives
• Mushrooms
• Mozzarella cheese

Make Ahead Focaccia Bread Recipe:

• Make Ahead: Focaccia is a convenient dough that can be made in advance. To do so, spread the dough into the baking sheet as instructed in Step 5. Cover the dough tightly and let it rest in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes while you preheat the oven and prepare the toppings.
• To Freeze Focaccia Dough: After the dough rises in the bowl, punch it down to release the air, coat it with a little olive oil, then cover and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight. Once thawed, remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow to rest for 30 minutes on the counter. Shape the dough on the baking sheet as instructed in Step 5 and continue with the recipe.

How to Store Focaccia:

The bread is at its best when served the same day that it's baked. You can bake it a few hours in advance and keep the bread at room temperature until serving. After a few hours, you'll need to store the bread in an airtight container. The focaccia will lose some of its crispness, but it will last at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can also freeze the leftover bread for up to 3 months.

Cook's Tips - Focaccia Bread Recipe:

• Make sure that your "warm water" is about 110°F. If it's too cool, the water will not activate the yeast. Anything hotter than about 130 degrees F will kill the yeast. I use a thermometer to be sure that I'm in the right temperature range, but you're looking for water that feels like a warm bath (not too hot and not too cold).
• Focaccia gets a lot of its flavor from all of that olive oil, so it's important to use a high-quality olive oil that actually tastes good. I recommend a really nice extra-virgin olive oil.
• If you can, it's best to wait to slice the focaccia until the bread has cooled some. If you slice it straight from the oven, steam will escape and the bread will dry out a bit. Not a disaster (it won't ruin your bread), but something to keep in mind if you can be patient.
• Don't have a stand mixer? You can stir the dough together with a spatula or wooden spoon, and then knead the dough by hand for a few minutes on a floured surface.
• Why didn't my focaccia rise? If your bread does not rise properly, it could be due to any number of reasons. For instance, your yeast may not be fresh. Even with a good expiration date, yeast has a short shelf life once a package is opened (I recommend keeping it in the freezer). It’s also possible that your water was the wrong temperature (see my note above regarding water temp) and therefore did not activate the yeast.

More homemade bread recipes that you might enjoy:

• No-Knead Bread
• Easy Homemade Bread
• Honey Wheat Bread

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5 from 1 vote

Focaccia Bread Recipe

This easy Focaccia Bread recipe is crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, and finished with coarse salt and fresh rosemary.

Course bread

Cuisine Italian

Keyword focaccia bread recipe, focaccia bread with rosemary, italian focaccia bread

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Resting Time 2 hours 10 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes

Servings 24 slices

Calories 199kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

• ½ oz. dry yeast (about 4 teaspoons)
• 1 ¾ cups warm water, divided
• 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 ¼ cups olive oil, divided
• 5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
• 1-2 tablespoons cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling on top
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

Instructions

• Place yeast, 1 cup of the warm water, and the sugar in a large mixing bowl that will fit a mixer equipped with a dough hook. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes, until the yeast is foamy. Add the remaining ¾ cup of warm water and the milk.
• Mix on low speed for about 2 minutes. Add ¾ cup of the olive oil and mix for 1 minute.
• Gradually add the flour, giving it a chance to incorporate into the mixture. Mix in the salt.
• Transfer dough to a large greased bowl and cover with a damp dish towel.
• Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 ½ hours, or until the dough has doubled in size. Sprinkle cornmeal on a 12 x 16-inch rimmed baking sheet (or a similarly sized pan). Punch down the dough, then spread on the prepared baking sheet. Rub olive oil on your hands before pressing the dough into the pan (this will prevent the dough from sticking to you). Let the dough rest (uncovered) for an additional 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Use your finger tips to make indentations on top of the raised dough. Drizzle the remaining ½ cup of olive oil over top, using your fingers to spread the oil all over the top of the bread (especially in those little dimples). Sprinkle additional kosher salt, pepper and fresh rosemary on top. Bake until golden brown (about 25 minutes).

Notes

• Make sure that your "warm water" is about 100-110°F. If it's too cool, the water will not activate the yeast. Anything hotter than about 130 degrees F will kill the yeast. I use a thermometer to be sure that I'm in the right temperature range, but you're looking for water that feels like a warm bath (not too hot and not too cold).
• Focaccia gets a lot of its flavor from all of that olive oil, so it's important to use a high-quality olive oil that actually tastes good. I recommend a really nice extra-virgin olive oil.
• If you can, it's best to wait to slice the focaccia until the bread has cooled some. If you slice it straight from the oven, steam will escape and the bread will dry out a bit. Not a disaster (it won't ruin your bread), but something to keep in mind if you can be patient.
• Don't have a stand mixer? You can stir the dough together with a spatula or wooden spoon, and then knead the dough by hand for a few minutes on a floured surface.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 199kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 293mg | Potassium: 37mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 7IU | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg