The Easiest Homemade Focaccia Bread

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Focaccia bread is a type of Italian bread that is made with olive oil, herbs, and sometimes cheese. It is a popular dish in Italy and can be eaten as a snack or as part of a meal. Making focaccia at home is easy, and the results are delicious.

loaf of bread in pan on table by sprigs of rosemary

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Homemade Focaccia Bread
What Does Focaccia Bread Go With?
Ingredients
Handy Kitchen Tools
How to Make Homemade Focaccia Bread
Frequently Asked Questions
More BreadRecipes
📖 Recipe

Homemade Focaccia Bread

Homemade focaccia bread is a delicious bread that’s easy to make at home. It’s perfect for dipping, eating on its own, or as an accompaniment to your favorite meal. The recipe is simple and straightforward so anyone can do it!

You will be able to create this amazing dish with just a few ingredients and a short prep time. While you'll need to let the bread rest before baking, it is simple to throw together in a hurry and bake it later in the day.

With this recipe, you won't need to buy focaccia bread from the store again. You will have an easy homemade bread recipe that will taste better than anything you can buy at the store. You can also customize the basic homemade focaccia bread recipe to whatever you like. Make something different each time you make it just by adding a different herb to the top or incorporating spices into the dough.

If you like this, you might also like this homemade mozzarella and thyme savory pull-apart bread.

rosemary topped focaccia stacked on cutting board

What Does Focaccia Bread Go With?

If you aren't sure when or how to serve this bread recipe, it is great with truly anything on your menu. However, I find that it goes best with light salads or classic Italian flavors. Of course, it also fits well alongside Greek or Mediterranean flavors.

There are some great Mediterranean diet recipes that are bright and flavorful to pair well with this. It also fits perfectly alongside this baked moist chicken breast or even a simple cabbage roll recipe. Of course, you can't go wrong when you share this with our favorite homemade bolognese sauce.

brown platter holding sliced bread with rosemary sprig on the side

Ingredients

1 ⅔ cups lukewarm water (400 ml)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1 teaspoon salt
3 ¾ cups all-purpouse flour (470 g)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
Olive oil to spread on the baking dish

wire rack on wood table topped with focaccia bread slices

Handy Kitchen Tools

black baking dish filled with bread on table with teal cloth

How to Make Homemade Focaccia Bread

In a large bowl, whisk together the warm water, sugar, and yeast.

glass bowl of yeast and water with teal whisk

Whisk in the flour, salt, and olive oil. Then mix with a spoon until you have a soft and sticky dough.

Cover the dough loosely with a damp towel and let rest in a warm place for 4 hours.

Transfer the dough to the baking dish, then spread the dough with your fingers, leaving divots in the top of the dough.

hands making divots in top of bread dough

Cover it, and let it rest for an additional 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425°F/220C then coat the baking dish with olive oil.

Sprinkle rosemary and salt over the top of the dough,

rosemary sprinkled over the top of raw dough in black pan

Then bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.

baked focaccia bread in black baking dish

Serve warm with additional olive oil or garlic butter for dipping.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Do You Press Down on the Top of Focaccia Bread?

When you are making bread each time you punch it down, you are creating a better bread, by adding air bubbles to the dough. When you press down the top of the focaccia bread and then create the dimples in the bread you are preventing it from rising too quickly. If the bread rises too quickly these air bubbles will burst.

The indents in the bread are also a great place to add some extra flavor. Whatever seasoning you decide to add to the bread can be pressed into the dimples and then the bread will rise around it and then the flavor will bake inside.

What Kind of Pan Do I Need to Make Focaccia Bread?

I used a basic baking dish, but you can use any pan you prefer. If you don't want a specific shape, you can bake it on a baking sheet or pizza stone. Another popular option is to use a cast-iron skillet.

The key to making focaccia bread is using some sort of baking dish that will retain heat. You are looking for something that will heat the bottom of the bread while allowing the top of the dough to cook at its own speed.

How Long is Homemade Bread Good For?

Because homemade bread doesn't have the preservatives that store-bought bread does, it doesn't have the same shelf life as store-bought bread. Homemade bread will last for about 5 days when stored at room temperature. You can freeze the focaccia bread to help it last longer. Wrap the bread well in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer. It will last for about a month in the freezer.

Does This Bread Need to Be Refrigerated?

When you make homemade focaccia bread you want to store it at room temperature as a general rule unless it contains perishable ingredients. Things like meats and cheeses are great to add to the bread, but once added, you will want to make sure that the bread is stored, wrapped well, in the refrigerator. Otherwise, the bread will spoil quickly.

stacked focaccia bread with rosemary on wire rack

More BreadRecipes

We love making homemade bread, and that includes rolls and even sweet bread. Below are some personal favorites that are also delicious and ideal for making and sharing with your family. Make sure that you pin the recipes to Pinterest, print out the recipes, or bookmark these recipe posts to make soon!

📖 Recipe

Yield: 12

The Easiest Homemade Focaccia Bread

This homemade focaccia bread recipe is a great choice to serve alongside any meal on your menu!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Additional Time 4 hours 45 minutes

Total Time 5 hours 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 ⅔ cups lukewarm water (400 ml)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1 teaspoon salt
3 ¾ cups all-purpouse flour (470 g)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
Olive oil to spread on the baking dish

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together the warm water, sugar, and yeast.
Whisk in the flour, salt, and olive oil. Then mix with a spoon until you have a soft and sticky dough.
Cover the dough loosely with a damp towel and let rest in a warm place for 4 hours.
Transfer the dough to the baking dish, then spread the dough with your fingers, leaving divots in the top of the dough, cover it, and let it rest for an additional 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425°F/220C then coat the baking dish with olive oil.
Sprinkle rosemary and salt over the top of the dough, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.