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Easy, homemade and the best Focaccia with garlic, rosemary and oregano toppings. This focaccia bread recipe is soft, fluffy and great as an appetizer for Italian dishes.
Focaccia Bread
What is Focaccia?
Focaccia is a classic Italian flatbread renowned for its soft, fluffy texture and rich flavor, thanks to generous amounts of olive oil used both in the dough and on top.
Originating from Genoa, Italy, it has gained global popularity as one of the quintessential Italian breads.
This versatile bread can be enjoyed at any hour: accompany it with your morning coffee for a comforting breakfast, serve it alongside a meal for a delightful complement to dishes, or indulge in it as a satisfying snack or appetizer throughout the day.
Its simplicity and ability to be customized with various toppings like herbs, tomatoes, olives, or even cheese make it a beloved choice across cultures and culinary preferences. Focaccia’s appeal lies not only in its delicious taste but also in its ability to evoke a sense of homemade comfort and culinary tradition wherever it is enjoyed.
Focaccia Recipe
This authentic Italian Focaccia recipe is incredibly simple to make. It’s completely homemade, hassle-free, and can be ready in under 2 hours. You don’t need any special skills or equipment—just a few basic ingredients and some time to let the dough rise.
Once baked, it fills your kitchen with the irresistible aroma of freshly baked bread, just like puff bread. Enjoy it warm from the oven, topped with olive oil, sea salt, and your favorite herbs like rosemary or thyme.
Its soft, airy texture and flavorful crust make it a perfect side dish for any meal or a delicious snack on its own. I love gathering my loved ones around the table to enjoy this homemade treat that brings the authentic taste of Italy right to us, reminiscent of our times in Italy!
Focaccia Ingredients
The recipe calls for five (5) basic ingredients:
- Olive oil
- All-purpose flour
- Instant yeast
- Warm water
- Salt
Focaccia Toppings
You can add a variety of toppings. Here are some of the popular ingredients to top off the bread:
- Garlic
- Herbs such as rosemary, oregano, sage or Italian basil.
- Olives can be added to the dough.
- Sliced onion can be used as a Focaccia topping.
- Vegetables such as cherry tomatoes, artichoke and mushrooms can also be added as the toppings.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
For the toppings, I used sea salt flakes, garlic, fresh rosemary and oregano, yielding the best homemade Focaccia bread.
How To Make Focaccia
Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a 9″ x 13″ (22 cm x 33 cm) baking pan and use your fingers or a brush to spread it evenly across the bottom and sides. This helps prevent sticking and gives the focaccia a beautifully crisp bottom.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the dough ingredients. Using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the mixture on high speed for about 60 seconds, or until a soft, sticky dough forms. This quick mix helps develop gluten and jumpstarts the rise.
Scoop the sticky batter into the oiled pan and spread it out evenly. Cover the pan with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise at room temperature for about 1 hour, or until puffy and bubbly. While it rises, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Gently dimple the surface of the dough all over with your index finger, pressing down to create little pockets without deflating the dough.
Drizzle the dough lightly with olive oil, then sprinkle evenly with salt, minced garlic, rosemary, and oregano.
Bake the bread for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is a healthy vegan recipe as it calls for olive oil instead of butter.
Also, no diary products are present in the recipe.
Rosemary and garlic are two of the most popular toppings.
You can use either rosemary, garlic or combine the both.
The bread is only 377 calories per serving.
What To Serve With Focaccia
This bread is best served with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It’s a fabulous side dish or appetizer for dinner.
For an authentic Italian meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
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Focaccia
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, to drizzle onto the pan
Dough:
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast , or active dry yeast
Toppings:
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes , or kosher salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoons chopped rosemary
- 1 tablespoon chopped oregano
Instructions
- Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a 9" x 13" (22cm x 33cm) pan.
- Combine all of the dough ingredients and beat at high speed with an electric mixer for 60 seconds.
- Scoop the sticky batter into the prepared pan, cover the pan, and let it rise at room temperature for 60 minutes. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Gently poke the dough all over with your index finger.
- Drizzle it lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, minced garlic, rosemary, and oregano.
- Bake the bread until it's golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove it from the oven, wait 5 minutes, then turn it out of the pan onto a rack and cut it into pieces. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This looks amazing!
Can these be made into sandwich rounds?
I don’t think so.
Is the center spongy and the outside slightly crispy as this is the texture that I am looking for. Thank you
Yes, soft inside.
Absolutely delicious! Best focaccia recipe I have tried – thank you!
Can we use other types of flour?
Please don’t change for the best results.
I tried this but when the dough rose it stuck to my towel then when I removed the towel the dough was sticky and would not bound back or allow me to creat holes. Any idea what went wrong?
I don’t know, please watch the video. Your measurement might be off.
Use plastic wrap with cooking spray (greased side down) then put towel over plastic wrap :)
This was so easy and came out DELICIOUS! I put a few slices of tomato on top before baking, otherwise I followed the recipe. This one will be my favorite.
Thank you.
This was so easy to put together! I got a little nervous because mine did not rise very much in the first 60 mins (I think my yeast was a little old) so I let it sit for an extra 30 mins, then baked as instructed! (Hoping for the best LOL) It rose a bit more in the oven too! So Yayyy! Very nice flavour and texture too! Even look Pro!
I give this 5 stars for simplicity, appearance and taste! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Thanks!
This turned out so good! I would recommend using a very good quality and good tasting olive oil as that flavor does come through.
Bee so quick, simple and delicious. A real treat.
Your recipes are always a pleasure to try
Hubby and I loved it! I Roasted broccoli instead of asparagus because that’s all I had but still used the lemon butter sauce and it turned out Amazing!!!
I’ve been trying out focaccia recipes and love this one best. I have adapted it slightly to quick rise (heat oven to 200 then turn off. Place pan of dough covered with a towel in warm oven for 20 minutes) and bake in my cast iron skillet. My 19 year old son would eat the whole thing in one sitting if I’d let him!