This easy focaccia bread is one of those simple, soul satisfying bakes we love to pull from the oven as a team. A golden, dimpled flatbread with crisp edges and a soft, airy middle, which for us is exactly what real food for real life is all about.
This easy homemade focaccia bread recipe brings a taste of Italy right to your kitchen. With a preparation time of about 2.5 hours, mostly hands off for rising, and 25 minutes of baking, you will have a delicious flatbread that is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Simple to make with minimal ingredients, this easy focaccia bread is perfect as an appetizer or a side for your meals.
What makes this easy focaccia bread so good is the dimpled, oil drenched crust. Pressing in the olive oil gives the signature golden, crispy edges.
Watch the Recipe Video
Watch how this easy focaccia bread comes together, step by step.
Why You Will Love This Easy Focaccia Bread
- Crispy and soft. Crisp edges with a soft, airy inside.
- Minimal ingredients. Just a handful of pantry staples.
- Mostly hands off. The rising does most of the work.
- A taste of Italy. Classic rosemary and sea salt focaccia.
- Versatile. A perfect appetizer or side.
What Makes This Easy Focaccia Bread So Good
A great focaccia, the classic Italian flatbread, is all about the contrast of a crisp, golden crust and a soft, airy interior.
A generous rise builds the texture. Letting the dough double, then rise again, gives it that light, bubbly inside.
Olive oil makes the crust. Greasing the pan and drizzling the top gives those signature crispy, golden edges.
A generous pour of olive oil, the heart of so much Italian cooking, is the secret to a crisp, flavorful focaccia crust.
Optional Pro Tip: Be Generous with Oil
Use plenty of olive oil. It is what gives the crispest, golden crust.
Dimple deeply. Press wells all over to hold the oil and salt.
Tips for the Best Easy Focaccia Bread
- Use warm water. To activate the yeast properly.
- Knead until elastic. About 10 minutes for good structure.
- Let it rise fully. Until doubled, for a light interior.
- Grease the pan well. Olive oil gives a crisp bottom crust.
- Dimple deeply. Press wells to hold the oil and salt.
- Be generous with oil. For the crispest golden top.
- Second rise matters. It makes the focaccia light and airy.
- Bake until golden. For crisp edges and color.
Variations and Add Ins
This easy focaccia bread is endlessly customizable.
- Add garlic. Press minced garlic into the dimples.
- Add cherry tomatoes. For a sweet, juicy topping.
- Add olives. Sliced olives for a briny touch.
- Use other herbs. Thyme or oregano in place of rosemary.
- Add caramelized onion. For a sweet, savory depth.
- Top with parmesan. For a salty, golden crust.
- Make it a sandwich. Slice and fill it once cooled.
- Add red pepper flakes. For a little heat.
How to Store and Reheat
Store the focaccia bread in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for up to two days. It is best enjoyed fresh while the crust is crisp.
To bring back the crispness, reheat slices in a 350 F oven for a few minutes. Focaccia also freezes well for up to a month, thawed and rewarmed in the oven.
Serving Suggestions for Focaccia Bread
This easy focaccia bread is wonderful as an appetizer or side, perfect alongside soups, salads, and pasta, or for sopping up sauces and olive oil.
It makes a beautiful addition to a bread basket or antipasto spread, served with extra olive oil or balsamic for dipping. It also makes excellent sandwiches.
For serving, cut the warm focaccia into squares or strips, brush with a little extra olive oil, and finish with flaky sea salt and fresh rosemary.
- With soup or salad. A perfect side.
- With pasta. For sopping up sauce.
- As an appetizer. With olive oil for dipping.
- As a sandwich. Sliced and filled.
It is wonderful served alongside a creamy pasta like our creamy Cajun chicken pasta, a great one to try.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is focaccia bread?
Focaccia is a classic Italian flatbread baked with a generous amount of olive oil, giving it a crisp, golden crust and a soft, airy interior. It is often topped with herbs and sea salt.
Can I use all purpose flour?
Yes. Bread flour gives a slightly chewier texture, but all purpose flour works well and is great if it is what you have on hand.
Why is my focaccia dense?
Your easy focaccia bread likely needed more rising time. Let the dough fully double on the first rise and rise again after shaping for a light, airy crumb.
How do I get a crispy crust?
Be generous with the olive oil, both greasing the pan and drizzling the top, and bake until the focaccia is deeply golden and crisp at the edges.
Why dimple the dough?
Dimpling creates little wells that hold the olive oil and salt, giving the signature texture and pockets of flavor throughout the bread.
Can I make it ahead of time?
Focaccia is best fresh, but you can bake it ahead and reheat in a 350 F oven to re crisp the crust. The dough can also rise slowly in the fridge.
What toppings can I add?
Garlic, cherry tomatoes, olives, caramelized onion, or other herbs all make delicious toppings pressed into the dimples before baking.
Can I freeze focaccia?
Yes. Freeze it in an airtight container for up to a month, then thaw and rewarm in the oven to bring back the crisp crust.
How do I store leftovers?
Keep it in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for up to two days, and reheat in the oven to restore the crisp crust.
What should I serve it with?
It is perfect with soups, salads, and pasta, or as an appetizer with olive oil and balsamic, and it makes excellent sandwiches.
Homemade Italian Comfort
This easy focaccia bread bakes a golden, dimpled flatbread with crisp, olive oil rich edges and a soft, airy interior, finished with fragrant rosemary and flaky sea salt. It is a simple, satisfying taste of Italy made at home.
Mostly hands off and made with just a handful of ingredients, this easy focaccia bread is perfect as an appetizer, a side, or sandwich bread. Once you try it, this easy focaccia bread will become a regular bake.
Craving a hearty main to serve it with? Our high protein creamy beef pasta is a great one to try next.
Results vary by ingredients, equipment, and cooking conditions. Always taste and adjust seasoning as you go.
Easy Focaccia Bread
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and yeast.
- Add the warm water and olive oil.
- Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 to 2 hours until doubled in size.
- Grease a baking sheet with olive oil.
- Gently stretch the dough to fit the pan.
- Use your fingertips to create the signature dimples all over the surface.
- Cover the dough and let it rise again for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 425 F.
- Drizzle the focaccia generously with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and rosemary.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.
Nutrition
Notes
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