Easy Focaccia Bread Recipe

This easy focaccia bread recipe is a staple in my kitchen. My mom has been making it for years and I loved it when I was a kid, and now my family loves it too. Focaccia is an Italian bread easily recognized by its signature dimples. It’s crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and usually topped with olive oil, sea salt, and herbs.

This recipe is about as simple as it gets when it comes to bread. It requires just a few ingredients: flour, salt, olive oil, yeast, water, and sugar, plus the toppings of your choice. If you’re a novice bread maker, starting with a simple, diary free recipe is the way to go.

bread dough in a mixer

Most focaccia bread recipes call for similar ingredients, so the method is what makes this recipe particularly easy. Some focaccia recipes call for rising the dough overnight, or require a lot of complicated folding or kneading. This recipe is made in a mixer, rises quickly, and is baked in a standard rimmed baking sheet.

Focaccia is traditionally a very oily bread, but I prefer mine a little big lighter, so this recipe calls for only 1/4 cup of olive oil, plus extra for brushing the pan and the top of the dough. Focaccia is made with a wet dough, so the texture might seem unusual if you’re used to making something with less water like pizza crust or crusty bread.

easy focaccia

Focaccia breads vary in thickness; I prefer mine on the thin side, made in a rimmed baking sheet,  because it’s perfect for sandwiches. If you prefer a thicker bread, bake it in a smaller pan and increase the baking time as needed.

Olive oil, sea salt, and rosemary are my favorite focaccia toppings, but you can top it with almost anything you want. Tomatoes and onions, pesto, olives, sliced lemons, roasted red peppers – the possibilities are endless! One of my favorite memories of being on vacation in the Liguria region of Italy is buying freshly baked focaccia topped with their famous pesto.

easy focaccia

Easy Focaccia Bread Recipe

Soft and fluffy focaccia bread with rosemary and sea salt. It's so easy - perfect for a novice baker.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 2 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Servings 24 servings

Calories 144 kcal

Equipment

KitchenAid KSM180QHSD 100 Year Limited Edition Queen of Hearts Stand Mixer, Passion Red

Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls (Set of 6) Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl Set - Easy To Clean, Nesting Bowls for Space Saving Storage, Great for Cooking, Baking, Prepping

Wilton Perfect Results Premium Non-Stick 21 x 15-Inch Mega Baking Pan

Measuring Cups and Magnetic Measuring Spoons Set

Bastig Brush - Grilling BBQ Baking, Pastry, and Oil Stainless Steel Brushes

Bakers Joy Cake Pan Spray 2 Pack

Ingredients

  

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• 2 cups warm water
• 2 packages or 5 teaspoons dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons table salt
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil plus extra for topping
• Coarse sea salt for topping
• Dried rosemary for topping

Instructions

 

• Combine water, yeast, and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer and let stand for 10 minutes*.
• Add flour, salt, and olive oil and knead the dough in the mixer, using the dough hook, for about 5 minutes.
• Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead by hand for an additional minute. Form the dough into a round and place into an oiled bowl. Cover with wax paper and a towel and let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Generously brush a rimmed baking sheet (approximately 12x18 inches) with olive oil.
• Once risen, press dough into baking sheet, cover with wax paper and a towel, and let rise for an additional hour.
• Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
• Once risen a second time, remove the wax paper and towel, and make indentations all over the dough using your index finger.
• Generously brush dough with olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt and rosemary.
• Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown.

Nutrition

Serving: 3-inch squareCalories: 144kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 4gFat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 243mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1g

Keyword focaccia bread, homemade bread, Italian bread

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