Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Is there anything better than pairing extra-virgin olive oil with fresh rosemary, especially when embedded in bread?! The salt on top of this bread doesn’t hurt either.
Texture: The best part of homemade focaccia bread is the texture, am I right? It’s somehow magically chewy yet soft, rich, and just slightly crunchy and crusty at the edges. It’s perfection in every bite.
Ease: SO easy – you don’t even have to knead or use a mixer.
Pros: Just amazing all-around.
Cons: Patience while the focaccia bread rises.
Would I make this again? Absolutely.
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I love baking bread (like this Focaccia Bread!) and I frequently receive messages from readers, saying you love seeing bread-baking-related recipes, tips, tutorials, and videos. That makes me SO happy.
The idea of making homemade bread can be daunting – and can also feel like something only done in decades past. How many of you have grandmothers who only baked bread from scratch?
I am thrilled about the more recent trend toward scratch-made cooking and baking and the increased importance placed on quality ingredients and food. That is what I am ALL about! Bread baking gets a bad rap – but in reality, all it requires is patience. I promise it’s not as scary as it seems.
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I recently binge-watched Salt Fat Acid Head on Netflix and LOVED it.
Samin Nosrat has such a pure and joyful love and curiosity for food and culture that’s positively contagious. In the “Fat” episode, she makes a batch of Ligurian Focaccia. It looks so perfect and incredible that I knew I needed to make a batch myself, STAT.
So I took my original easy focaccia bread recipe from years ago (first published in 2014!) and added elements to it inspired by Diego and Samin in the show.
I reduced the amount of yeast and added a longer rising / fermentation time, to develop a better flavor and texture inside. It’s totally worth the wait. Not only that, but in doing so, I was able to switch this to a ‘no knead’ method recipe, so you don’t even need a stand mixer!
Then I added a salty brine on top of the dough just before baking, to give the focaccia that crispy salty crust that’s so mouthwatering and addictive.
More tips for this chewy focaccia bread recipe below!
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Focaccia Bread
Ingredients for Rosemary Focaccia Bread
- Active dry yeast – Learn about the differences between active dry vs. instant yeast here.
- All-purpose flour – The backbone of our focaccia bread. You can use bread flour if you prefer, but all-purpose works great here.
- Granulated sugar – Just a little, to help feed the yeast as the bread ferments.
- Salt – Do not skip the salt!
- Fresh rosemary – For the most incredible flavor!
- Extra virgin olive oil – This is where the magical flavor and texture comes from!
How to Make Crispy Focaccia Bread
To guarantee crispy golden brown edges, I like to use a pizza stone to bake the tray of focaccia dough on. If you don’t have one, simply invert a high-quality rimmed baking pan and use in place of a stone.
Variations for Homemade Focaccia Bread
- Fresh herbs – Feel free to add whatever herbs you like to this focaccia bread. Fresh sage is a delicious alternative/addition. Fresh thyme, basil, and chives are also fabulous options.
- Toppings – You can also top the bread with whatever you fancy. I like shredded cheese (parmesan cheese works great), crumbled feta or goat cheese, torn fresh mozzarella, olives, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, or even caramelized onions.
- Homemade everything bagel seasoning adds a fun touch.
- Garlic cloves – Add fresh, finely minced garlic to the dough.
- Pizza – Make a Focaccia Pizza!
- Sandwiches – Use a serrated knife to slice your cooled bread in half and make focaccia sandwiches.
- Dip into your favorite soups!
How to Make Focaccia Bread Ahead of Time
You can make focaccia bread ahead of time by letting the dough chill in the fridge, covered, for a few days before shaping. The longer it ferments, the more flavor will develop! Allow to come to room temperature before shaping and allowing to rise for the second time.
How to Serve & Store or Freeze Focaccia Bread
The focaccia bread is definitely best served the day it’s made. However, you can freeze any leftover focaccia. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. Keep in the freezer for one month. Allow to defrost at room temperature then refresh in a 325°F oven until warmed through and crispy again, about 5 minutes. Day-old bread can also be chopped up, baked at 375°F for about 10 minutes, and used as croutons!
More Savory Recipes You’ll Love:
Focaccia Bread
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 2 cups lukewarm water, about 100° to 110°F
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 5 sprigs fresh rosemary leaves, chopped and divided
- 5 1/4 cups (670 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus coarse sea salt for sprinkling
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
For the brine:
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/3 cup lukewarm water
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Add in 2 teaspoons of the chopped rosemary, half the flour, and the salt, and stir to combine. Add 1/2 cup olive oil. Gradually add in the remaining flour until a shaggy mass forms. Only add in as much flour as you need to create a shaggy, slightly sticky dough.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let ferment at room temperature for about 8 to 10 hours, or until doubled in size. At this point, you can refrigerate the dough for several days until ready to bake. This will also develop more flavor.
- Coat a rimmed half-sheet pan with the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil. Turn the dough onto the pan and begin pressing it out with your fingertips to fit the size of the pan. Coax and stretch the dough to fit the entire pan, or just about. If the dough springs back, cover and let it rest for 10 minutes before proceeding. Spread your fingers to make little dimples all the way through the dough.
Make the brine:
- Combine the warm water and salt together until the salt is dissolved. Pour all over the dough to make little pools of water in the dimples. Cover loosely with plastic and allow to rise again until the dough is puffy, about 45 minutes.
Bake the bread:
- Meanwhile, place a baking stone in the oven and preheat to 450°F. If you don't have a baking stone, invert a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet and place in the oven to preheat.
- Sprinkle the dough liberally with coarse sea salt and the remaining rosemary leaves. Bake with the sheet pan on top of stone until the focaccia is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
This recipe was originally published in 2014 and has been updated with recipe improvements and new photos. Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
I made this bread yesterday to have with a pasta dinner. It was so easy and delicious! I have my friends and family asking me to make it for them now. Thank you for posting the recipe with the video! I will make this bread on a regular basis now.
I’m baking this right now, it’s in the oven! I put half in freezer!
When I saw your rosemary foccacia receipe it looked so good i couldn”t wait to try it. I have had two attempts trying to make it, But were not succesful it didn”t come stretchy like yours. But when I saw your step by step video I was more inspired to make it. And it was perfect and so delicious it made the house and the smell outside smelt like a real bakery.The only thing I changed was the all purpose flour to bread flour as I didn’t know there was any difference. And I was a bit scepticle about adding the yeast with the ingredients, but it worked. Much easier. thank you so much.
Was wondering if you could use gluten free flour, and if so, would I alter recipe at all? I’ve used it for cookies and brownies and is same a regular flour. Thank you!
I’m not sure GF flour would work. Unlike cookies and brownies, bread wholly relies on the gluten formation for its structure and shape (hence the kneading) so you might try to find a specifically GF focaccia bread recipe.
I am also curious if bread flour can be used in place of all purpose flour.
I haven’t tried that so I’m not sure.
can someone use bread flour instead of all purpose flour if they have it on hand?
Killer! First time making; added a couple more herbs and super coarse salt on top. I wanted to make sandwhiches out of this-but I spread it too much, and only rose 1.5 inches or less. Which I now realize was supposed to happen. I only ate the bread for dinner and was not dissapointed. Comparing against William Sonomas recipe…the only thing I changed, dbled the yeast and allowed to rest in the water for 5 mins (whisked first) Added oil in before flour and only spread out 3/4 of pan-boom perfect for sandwhiches! Thank you so much! Super easy, cheap and delicious!
So easy to make and I kneaded my bread by hand because I dont have a stand mixer and still came out perfect!
Just made your recipe. So delicious, that it has taken the #2 spot behind my challah bread. Thank you.
I was lead to your blog from Pinterest. Your Focaccia looks so gorgeous, will definately try to bake this soon.
I love this recipe!!!
it is crunch but soft. it is delicious, and makes me smile so big when i bite into it. we made it for thanksgiving, for potlucks, for a dinner party and just for having around. I am so in love. thank you for this AMAZING fresh focaccia 🙂 THANK YOU!
Absoltely LOVE this recipe 🙂 have made this twice already 🙂 Your link for what jelly roll pan you use isn’t working & was wondering if you could tell me what size you use? I think its time to invest in one 🙂 Thank you!!