This Focaccia Bread recipe is easier than you think! Made with just a few ingredients and brushed with olive oil and Italian herbs, it’s the perfect complement to any meal!
Focaccia bread is a thick and slightly chewy flatbread that is great for dunking! It would go perfectly with this Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup, this Creamy White Chicken Chili, or this amazing Slow Cooker Chicken Tortellini Soup.
Italian Focaccia Bread
Making homemade Focaccia bread might seem intimidating, but I promise you there are just a few ingredients and a few simple steps. In fact, making flatbread is a great introduction to bread making because you simply roll it into a large circle and dimple it with a wooden spoon, instead of worrying about rolling perfect rounds for rolls or rolling up a loaf of yeast bread. Focaccia is one of my favorite breads for dunking.
It just doesn’t get better than the golden, chewy exterior seasoned with Italian herbs, and the soft and fluffy interior. It’s the best of both worlds and pairs well with just about any soup, chili or saucy pasta you can think of! It’s the perfect way to make a simple soup like cauliflower soup totally filling. I personally love dipping it in homemade tomato soup. You can even keep things simple and serve it with this olive oil bread dip.
Ingredients
Focaccia bread is a really simple dough that you will love making! It’s a great bread to make if you are trying bread for the first time. It’s so simple! And you can do fun things to decorate the top. I have seen so many amazing designs that include peppers, red onions, cherry tomatoes, basil, and olives. You can decorate the top of the dough however you like, or you can keep it simple with a drizzle of olive oil and maybe some fresh herbs. You can find the measurements below in the recipe card.
- Water: You want the water to be a little warm to help activate the yeast.
- Dry Yeast: This is to help the focaccia rise.
- Sugar: Sugar sweetens the dough and helps to activate the yeast.
- Olive Oil: This is what makes the dough really moist and soft.
- Italian Seasoning: I like to make my own homemade blend because it tastes so fresh and delicious.
- Garlic Powder: This is to add extra savory flavor.
- Salt: This helps the dough taste more flavorful.
- All-Purpose Flour: This is the easiest to work with.
- Coarse or Flaked Salt: A little crunch of salt on top takes this bread to the next level!
Focaccia Bread Recipe
I love how easy this focaccia bread recipe is! It is a yeast dough, but there is no reason to be worried about this dough turning out. If you follow these instructions, it will be light and fluffy every time!
- Activate Yeast: In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together water, yeast and sugar. Let sit for 10 minutes or until foamy.
- Mix Oil and Seasonings: Whisk in 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon garlic powder and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Add Flour to Mixer: Place the bowl in the stand mixer with the dough hook on. Then gradually add flour (one cup at a time to start), and knead on low speed until all flour is incorporated. Add just enough flour so that you have a soft but not too sticky dough
- Oil and Rest: Place dough in an oil bowl and turn to coat. Then cover with a lint free kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and place in a warm draft-free place to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Punch Dough and Rest: Uncover dough and punch down. Then press dough into a large rectangle on a greased rimmed baking sheet (10×15 inches) you can make a smaller rectangle for a thicker bread if you prefer. Then cover again and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled again.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Make Dimples: Uncover dough and then use your finger to create dimples in the dough.
- Mix Oil and Seasonings: Whisk together remaining 3 tablespoons oil, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning and ¼ teaspoon garlic powder. Then brush over dough and sprinkle with coarse or flaked salt.
- Bake: Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown.
Tips for Making Focaccia Bread
This recipe is really simple and perfect for your first try. If you want to take your focaccia bread up a level, you can use some of these tips. There are so many fun ways to make this bread new and delicious!
- Instant Yeast: You can swap the active dry yeast in this recipe for instant yeast and not change a thing. I still like to proof my instant yeast to make sure it’s not old or stale. Proofing yeast is what happens when you dissolve it in warm water. It will become thick, foamy, and bubbly if it’s working.
- Adding Design: If you have seen any beautiful pans of focaccia bread on the internet, they are usually topped with gorgeous food “paintings”. You can get so creative with the top of your bread by adding designs made out of chopped vegetables like red onion, bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes.
- Cheese On Top: I love to sprinkle so parmesan cheese on top. You can use the powdered kind or even some freshly grated after you pull it out of the oven.
Storing Leftovers
Focaccia is a super delicious bread for sandwiches and as a side dish. It also stores really well, and here are my tips.
- On the Counter: Store bread wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days. Fresh homemade bread doesn’t last as long as store bought because it doesn’t have preservatives, so make sure to freeze half of the bread if you won’t be able to eat it all in a week.
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Focaccia Bread
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 1 package active dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 cup olive oil divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning divided
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder divided
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ -3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2-1 teaspoon coarse or flaked salt
Instructions
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together water, yeast and sugar. Let sit for 10 minutes or until foamy.
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Whisk in 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon garlic powder and ½ teaspoon salt.
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Place the bowl in the stand mixer with the dough hook on. Gradually add flour (one cup at a time to start), and knead on low speed until all flour is incorporated. Add just enough flour so that you have a soft but not too sticky dough (I used 3.5 cups).
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Place dough in an oil bowl and turn to coat. Cover with a lint free kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and place in a warm draft-free place to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
-
Uncover dough and punch down. Press dough into a large rectangle on a greased rimmed baking sheet (10×15″) — you can make a smaller rectangle for a thicker bread if you prefer. Cover again and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled again.
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
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Uncover dough and use your finger to create dimples in the dough.
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Whisk together remaining 3 tablespoons oil, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning and ¼ teaspoon garlic powder. Brush over dough and sprinkle with coarse or flaked salt (more or less depending on your tastes).
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Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown. (Exact bake time will depend on the thickness of your dough)
Notes
Updated March 17, 2023
