This classic Italian recipe is definitely one to have on hand for regular baking.
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❤️ Why I love this recipe
- Add different toppings to suit any craving
- No fussy portioning of the dough—just dump it and go
- Olive oil adds great flavor and makes the edges slightly crisp
- Bonus: it's naturally dairy-free!
This authentic Italian focaccia recipe is easy to make and fills your whole home with the comforting scent of fresh, delicious bread.
Plus, there are so many different ways to serve fluffy focaccia—enjoy it with dinner, as an appetizer, make it sweet for dessert, use it for sandwiches, and more!
🧾 Ingredients
This is an "at a glance" list of ingredients. You'll find the list and the measurements in the printable recipe card below.
🔪 Instructions
You'll find the complete instructions in the green recipe card below.
- Add active dry yeast, water, and sugar to a bowl and let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.
- Add olive oil, flour, and salt to yeast mixture. Mix well.
- Let rise.
- Press into oiled baking dish and let rise. Bake in preheated oven according to instructions in green recipe card.
🥫 Storage
Homemade focaccia bread tastes best just after it comes out of the oven—as soon as it's cooled enough to dig into! However, if stored properly, you can make it last for a few days.
Instructions: Place leftover focaccia in an airtight container, or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Store at room temperature for three days, or in the fridge for up to five days.
Reheat classic focaccia bread in the air fryer at 330 degrees F for three or four minutes. (Or, use the toaster for a faster option.) You can also enjoy it at room temperature—it's delicious either way!
Freezer Instructions: Wrap the bread tightly in plastic, then place it in a freezer-safe bag (or add a final layer of tin foil.)
Store it flat in the freezer—it'll last for three months. Thaw in the fridge for about a day, or use the defrost setting of the microwave.
I like to prep extra focaccia and save some in the freezer. It makes a great side dish or quick appetizer for days when I don't have much time to cook!
🧑🏻🍳 Baker's notes
⭐ Expert Tip: If you like chewier focaccia, swap bread flour in place of the all-purpose flour.
- Use a good, high-quality extra virgin olive oil (if you can.) You'll be able to taste the flavor difference.
- If your home is drafty and cool, turn on your oven's proof setting and let the dough rise inside. It's a perfect "warm place."
- No proof setting? No worries! Turn the oven on to the lowest temperature (often 150-200 degrees F.) Preheat, then turn the oven off, and wait a few minutes for it to cool. Let the dough rest inside.
- Don't be afraid to really press into the surface of the focaccia with your fingertips. Skipping this step can result in flat (sad) focaccia.
- The focaccia will turn golden brown as it nears doneness. If you prefer to check by temperature, make sure it registers about 200 degrees F at the center.
- As soon as the pan has cooled enough to handle, turn the focaccia out and onto a cooling rack. This will prevent it from overcooking.
- Cherry tomatoes, olives, onions, and herbs are not only beautiful but tasty toppings, as well.
- Make a sweet focaccia bread by sprinkling the top with a cinnamon-sugar blend. Serve it with fresh fruit or berries.
- Add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes
- Add some Parmigiano to the dough and sprinkle some fresh herbs after it is done cooking. Serve as an appetizer where you can dip in a mix of olive oil and balsamic vinegar
💡Great Idea: Portion the dough into halves or quarters, and get the kids' help making individual focaccia pizzas! They love to squish the oily dough, and adding toppings together is fun.
✨ FAQs
Focaccia is a delicious kind of Italian flatbread. It's crisp enough on the outside to use for sandwiches but fluffy enough on the inside to be oh-so-tasty!
Focaccia dough is a very wet dough, so it doesn't need much kneading. Instead, you mix it in a bowl and tip it into a baking tray. You may have to knead it a couple of times to mix in stubborn flour at the bottom of the bowl, but it's not too hard on your wrists/hands.
Yum—use any dried or fresh herbs you like! Fresh rosemary focaccia is really popular. Thyme, parsley, or basil taste great as well. You can even use dill, oregano, sage... the list goes on, and on!
While you can use focaccia for a homemade, pizza-style snack, technically, it all comes down to the amount of yeast in the dough. Focaccia has more yeast than pizza dough, so it rises more.
Focaccia is an Italian bread that many believe originated near the Liguria region, Northwest of Italy. It's pronounced: "fuh-ka-cha." Even if you can't say it just right, you'll still love eating it!
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This is such an easy focaccia bread recipe once you make it you'll want to have it on the regular!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Authentic Italian Focaccia
Author: Marye Audet-White
Equipment
- 13x9-inch baking dish
- Danish dough hook
- stand mixer
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water temperature between 95 to 105 degrees F
- 1 packet active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil + 2 tablespoons for the 9x13 baking dish
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, pour the water and add the yeast and sugar.
- Let it stand for 4 to 5 minutes or until the yeast is activated. After this time, if the yeast has not activated, restart with new yeast and make sure the water temperature is not too hot or too cold.
- Add the olive oil (2 tablespoons), flour, and salt. Mix until all combined. I used a Danish Dough hook, you can use a stand-up mixer as well.
- Cover the bowl with a plastic film, and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for 90 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
- Add 2 tablespoons oil to a 9 x 13 bake dish. Make sure to oil all sides as well.
- Once the dough has doubled, transfer the dough to the oiled baking dish.
- With your fingers, press down on the dough and push to make it fit/cover the bottom of the dish.
- Cover and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for 30 to 45 minutes.
- During this time preheat your oven to 425℉.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-23 minutes or until the focaccia is nice and golden.
- Brush with some olive oil and sprinkle with some Kosher salt (OPTIONAL)
- Allow to cool for a few minutes, then release from the pan with a spatula.
- Cut in slices or squares to serve.
Notes
- If you like chewier focaccia, swap bread flour in place of the all-purpose flour.
- Use a good, high-quality extra virgin olive oil (if you can.) You'll be able to taste the flavor difference.
- If your home is drafty and cool, turn on your oven's proof setting and let the dough rise inside. It's a perfect "warm place."
- No proof setting? No worries! Turn the oven on to the lowest temperature (often 150-200 degrees F.) Preheat, then turn the oven off, and wait a few minutes for it to cool. Let the dough rest inside.
- Don't be afraid to really press into the surface of the focaccia with your fingertips. Skipping this step can result in flat (sad) focaccia.
- The focaccia will turn golden brown as it nears doneness. If you prefer to check by temperature, make sure it registers about 200 degrees F at the center.
- As soon as the pan has cooled enough to handle, turn the focaccia out and onto a cooling rack. This will prevent it from overcooking. Cherry tomatoes, olives, onions, and herbs are not only beautiful but tasty toppings, as well
- Make a sweet focaccia bread by sprinkling the top with a cinnamon-sugar blend. Serve it with fresh fruit or berries.
- Add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
- Add some Parmigiano to the dough and sprinkle some fresh herbs after it is done cooking. Serve as an appetizer where you can dip in a mix of olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Jacque Russ
Can you make this with gluten free all purpose flour?
marye
I haven't but I think you could.