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Square overhead shot of a cast iron skillet full of sliced focaccia
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5 from 1 vote

No-Knead Cast Iron Focaccia

This easy no knead cast iron focaccia is crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, and finished with coarse salt and fresh rosemary.
Course Appetizer, bread, Side, Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Keyword cast iron focaccia, focaccia bread recipe, no knead focaccia, small batch focaccia
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings 9 slices
Calories 274kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

  • ¼ oz. dry yeast (about 2 ¼ teaspoons)
  • Warm water, divided
  • ¾ teaspoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon cornmeal
  • Sea salt flakes (or extra kosher salt), for topping
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

Instructions

  • Place yeast, ½ cup of warm water, and the sugar in a large mixing bowl on a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes, until the yeast is foamy. Add 6 more tablespoons of warm water and the milk.
    Adding yeast to a bowl.
  • Mix on low speed for about 2 minutes. Add 6 tablespoons of the olive oil and mix for 1 minute.
    Drizzling olive oil into a mixing bowl.
  • Gradually add the flour, giving it a chance to incorporate into the mixture. Mix in the kosher salt.
    Adding flour to stand mixer.
  • Transfer dough to a large, greased bowl and cover with a damp dish towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 - 1 ½ hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.
    Focaccia dough in a bowl before rising.
  • Sprinkle cornmeal in a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Punch down the dough, then spread in the prepared skillet. 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.
    Process shot showing how to make focaccia in a cast iron skillet.
  • Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450°F.
  • Use your fingertips to make indentations on top of the raised dough. Drizzle the remaining ¼ 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 flaky sea salt (or additional kosher salt), pepper, and fresh rosemary on top.
    Making dimples in cast iron focaccia bread.
  • Bake until golden brown, about 20-22 minutes.
    Side shot of hands holding a skillet of cast iron focaccia.

Notes

  • 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°F will kill the yeast.
  • 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.
  • Use a 10-inch cast iron skillet (rather than a larger 12-inch skillet). The smaller pan keeps the bread thicker and more fluffy.
  • We love the texture and flavor of these Maldon sea salt flakes on top of the bread, but coarse kosher salt will also work!

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 0.3mg | Sodium: 391mg | Potassium: 55mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 4IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 2mg