Quick & Fluffy Focaccia Bread Recipe to Brighten Your Table

Crafting delectable focaccia bread transports you into a world of rustic Italian culinary magic.

Mediterranean kitchens buzz with the aroma of fresh herbs and olive oil.

Soft, pillowy dough promises a sensory adventure that connects generations of home cooks.

Finger-dimpled surfaces capture pools of golden olive oil and fragrant rosemary.

Salt crystals dance across the golden-brown landscape, creating irresistible texture and depth.

Warm slices beckon with their inviting golden crust and tender interior.

You’ll want to savor every bite of this simple yet extraordinary bread.

Why Focaccia Bread Steals the Show Every Time

• Craft Artisan Bread at Home: Master the art of creating restaurant-quality focaccia with simple ingredients and basic kitchen skills, transforming your cooking confidence.
• Quick Crowd-Pleaser: Impress family and friends with a versatile bread that works perfectly for dinner gatherings, picnics, or casual weekend meals without complicated techniques.
• Customize Your Flavor Adventure: Experiment with different toppings like herbs, olives, cherry tomatoes, or cheese to make this recipe uniquely yours, keeping meal preparation exciting and personal.
• Zero Fancy Equipment Needed: Prepare delicious focaccia using standard mixing bowls, baking sheet, and basic kitchen tools, making this recipe accessible for home cooks of all experience levels.

What Goes into This Fluffy Focaccia Bread

• Flour: The primary base that provides structure and texture to the focaccia bread.
• Warm Water: Essential liquid that helps activate the yeast and bind the ingredients together.
• Olive Oil: Adds rich flavor and helps create a soft, tender bread with a golden crust.

• Yeast: The key ingredient that helps the bread rise and develop a light, airy texture.
• Salt: Enhances the overall flavor and helps control yeast growth.

• Sea Salt, Rosemary: Provide a classic Mediterranean flavor profile and add visual and taste complexity to the focaccia bread.

How to Bake Focaccia That’s Golden and Soft

Step 1: Create Dough Foundation

Combine flour, salt, and yeast in a spacious mixing bowl. Pour warm water and olive oil into the dry ingredients.

Mix thoroughly until a rough, uneven dough emerges. Knead the mixture for approximately 10 minutes, transforming it into a smooth, stretchy texture.

Step 2: First Dough Rise

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Shield the bowl with plastic wrap.

Allow the dough to rest in a cozy, draft-free area for 1-2 hours until it doubles in volume.

Step 3: Prepare Baking Surface

Coat a baking sheet generously with olive oil.

Gently spread the dough across the pan, carefully stretching it to fill the entire surface. Press your fingertips into the dough, creating signature focaccia dimples throughout.

Step 4: Second Dough Rise

Cover the dough and let it expand for about 30 minutes, allowing it to become puffy and light.

Step 5: Final Touches and Baking

Heat the oven to 425°F.

• Sea salt
• Fresh rosemary

Bake for 20-25 minutes until the bread turns a beautiful golden brown color.

Tips to Get That Signature Focaccia Finish

• Choose high-protein flour for a chewier, more robust focaccia texture with better rise and structure.
• Ensure water temperature is warm (110°F) to activate yeast without killing it, creating perfect dough development.
• Use extra-virgin olive oil for authentic Italian flavor and enhance the bread's rich, aromatic profile.
• Allow sufficient rising time in a draft-free, warm area to develop complex flavors and achieve light, airy crumb.
• Experiment with toppings like olives, cherry tomatoes, or caramelized onions to personalize your focaccia and add exciting taste dimensions.

Fresh Focaccia Styles to Try Next

• Herb Garden Focaccia: Add a blend of fresh thyme, basil, and oregano into the dough and sprinkle extra chopped herbs on top before baking for an aromatic Mediterranean-style bread.
• Garlic Parmesan Focaccia: Mix roasted garlic cloves into the dough and generously sprinkle grated parmesan cheese over the surface before baking for a rich, savory version.
• Olive and Sun-Dried Tomato Focaccia: Fold chopped kalamata olives and sun-dried tomatoes into the dough, then scatter extra pieces on top for a tangy, robust flavor profile.

What to Serve with Your Focaccia Bread

• Pair with Robust Red Wine: Complement the rich, herbal focaccia with a full-bodied Italian red like Chianti or Sangiovese, which echoes the bread's earthy rosemary notes and cuts through its olive oil richness.
• Serve with Hearty Mediterranean Dips: Create a flavor explosion by offering classic hummus, baba ganoush, or tzatziki alongside the focaccia, allowing guests to explore complementary Mediterranean tastes and textures.
• Match with Fresh Green Salad: Balance the bread's density with a crisp arugula salad dressed in lemon vinaigrette, providing a light, zesty counterpoint to the focaccia's robust profile.

How to Keep Focaccia Soft and Flavorful

• Refrigerate: Store cooled focaccia in an airtight container or sealed plastic bag for up to 3 days. Keep at room temperature to maintain softness.
• Freeze: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 1 month. Place in freezer bag to prevent freezer burn.
• Reheat Oven: Warm at 350°F for 5-7 minutes, wrapped in foil to prevent drying. Unwrap last 2 minutes to crisp the edges.
• Microwave: Heat individual slices for 10-15 seconds. Add a damp paper towel to prevent hardening and maintain moisture.

Common Focaccia Questions—Baked to Help

• What ingredients make focaccia unique?

Olive oil is the key ingredient that gives focaccia its signature rich flavor and soft, slightly crispy texture. The high olive oil content in the dough and on top creates a distinctive moistness and golden-brown crust.

• Is focaccia difficult to make at home?

Not at all! Focaccia is actually one of the easiest breads for beginners. The dough is very forgiving, requires minimal kneading, and doesn’t need complex shaping techniques like other bread recipes.

• Why do I need to create dimples in the dough?

The dimples are traditional and serve a practical purpose. They help hold olive oil, distribute toppings evenly, and create those characteristic crispy pockets that make focaccia so delicious. The indentations also prevent the bread from rising too much during baking.

Focaccia Bread Recipe

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4.7 from 35 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours 5 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

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Description

Rustic Italian Focaccia brings Mediterranean warmth to kitchen tables with fragrant herbs and olive oil. Crisp exterior and pillowy interior invite bread enthusiasts to savor each delectable slice, promising a delightful culinary journey through Italian baking traditions.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Ingredients:

• 4 cups (500g) bread flour or all-purpose flour
• 1 ¾ cups (415ml) warm water
• ¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil

Leavening and Seasoning:

• 2 ¼ teaspoons (7g) active dry yeast or instant yeast
• 2 teaspoons (10g) salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves

Finishing Ingredient:

• Coarse sea salt for sprinkling

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Instructions

1. Combine flour, salt, and yeast in a spacious mixing vessel, creating a solid foundation for the focaccia dough.
2. Pour warm water and olive oil into the dry ingredients, mixing until a rustic, uneven dough emerges. Knead vigorously for 10 minutes, transforming the mixture into a smooth, supple texture.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased container, envelop with a protective film, and allow it to rest and expand in a cozy environment for 1-2 hours until it doubles in volume.
4. Lavishly coat a baking sheet with olive oil, then delicately stretch the risen dough across the surface, ensuring even coverage.
5. Using fingertips, gently press and create rhythmic indentations throughout the dough’s landscape, giving it its characteristic dimpled appearance.
6. Shield the dough and permit a secondary rising period of approximately 30 minutes, allowing it to become puffy and voluminous.
7. Ignite the oven to 425°F, preparing for baking transformation.
8. Generously drizzle additional olive oil across the surface, then sprinkle sea salt and fragrant rosemary for a burst of aromatic flavor.
9. Slide the focaccia into the preheated oven, baking for 20-25 minutes until it achieves a golden, crisp exterior with a soft, tender interior.

Notes

• Knead the dough thoroughly to develop gluten, ensuring a light and airy texture with a soft, tender crumb.
• Use lukewarm water between 100-110°F to activate the yeast perfectly without killing it, creating optimal rising conditions.
• Experiment with toppings like olives, cherry tomatoes, or caramelized onions to customize the focaccia and add extra flavor complexity.
• Allow the bread to cool completely on a wire rack to maintain its crispy exterior and prevent soggy bottoms, preserving the perfect texture.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 202
• Sugar: 0g
• Sodium: 248mg
• Fat: 8g
• Saturated Fat: 1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 7g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 30g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 5g
• Cholesterol: 0mg