This post may contain affiliate links, please see the privacy policy for details.
This focaccia bread recipe is delightfully simple and seriously delicious. Golden and airy with a crispy edge and tender, chewy center, it nails that classic focaccia vibe. Topped with flaky sea salt and baked to perfection, it’s the kind of bread that steals the spotlight at any Italian dinner. Whether you’re serving it warm as a starter or alongside your main dish, this homemade focaccia might just outshine your favorite Italian restaurant’s version.
Fluffy and moist inside and perfectly crispy on the outside, this soft, slightly chewy focaccia bread recipe is simple enough for home baking beginners to make with ease.
You might also like mushroom focaccia, poinsettia focaccia, Irish soda bread, or, for something sweet, this mouthwatering chocolate loaf bread.
Why You’ll Love It
Really simple: Making this focaccia bread recipe is a straightforward process. You just need to combine the dough ingredients, let the dough rise, and then bake it to golden brown perfection.
Tastes delicious: Focaccia is a delicious Italian bread with a great flavor and chewy texture. You can also try different toppings and add-ins to flavor it however you wish.
A versatile dish: Focaccia makes a tasty appetizer, perhaps served with olive oil for dipping, and it’s also delicious served as a side dish or used as a sandwich bread or pizza base.
Focaccia Bread Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
All-purpose flour: The main ingredient in the dough. If you prefer more chew, you can use bread flour, otherwise all-purpose flour is fine.
Kosher salt: For flavor.
Sugar: To add a touch of sweetness to balance out the salt.
Instant yeast: To make the focaccia dough rise.
Warm water: To activate the yeast.
Olive oil: For the dough and also for drizzling on top before baking.
Coarse salt: To sprinkle on top of the baked bread.
How to Make Focaccia
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Prepare the dough: Whisk the flour, salt, sugar and yeast together in a large bowl, then add warm water and olive oil, mixing until everything is well combined. Cover and let it sit for 15 minutes. Stretch and fold the dough several times, then flip it and cover. Leave it for another 15 minutes. Repeat the folding 3 more times and then let the dough rise for an hour.
Transfer the dough into a baking pan: Transfer the dough into a greased parchment paper lined baking pan and flip it over to coat it in oil. Cover the pan and let it rise again.
Bake the focaccia: Press oiled fingers into the dough to make impressions but not deflate it completely. Drizzle oil over the bread, add flaky sea salt and bake until golden brown, giving it a couple of minutes under the broiler at the end.
Crisp the sides and serve: Take it out of the baking pan and place it in the warm oven to crisp up the sides if you like, and then allow it to cool completely on a cooling rack, slice and serve.
Substitutions and Variations
Gluten-free option: If you want a gluten-free version, use gluten-free flour.
Olive oil: For extra flavor, replace the olive oil with garlic oil or infuse the olive oil with herbs for added depth.
Add herbs: Sprinkle the dough with up to ½ teaspoon of herbes de Provence or some fresh rosemary when you add the coarse salt.
Instant yeast: Substitute active dry yeast. You’ll need to dissolve it in the warm water with a pinch of sugar and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy before adding it to the dry ingredients.
Optional add-ins: Enhance the flavor by adding chopped fresh herbs, sliced olives, caramelized onions, sun dried tomatoes, roasted garlic, or grated parmesan cheese to the dough before baking.
Serving Suggestions
As an appetizer: Serve focaccia with some extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping. You could also enjoy it with a dip such as homemade pesto or pink beet hummus.
As a sandwich bread: Slice it horizontally and use it as bread to make sandwiches, or toast it for a crispy sandwich base.
As a base for toppings: Top it with pizza toppings such as cheese, tomatoes, olives, and cheese or with fresh basil, tomatoes and mozzarella for a Caprese style snack.
As a side dish: Focaccia bread goes with anything from minestrone soup to a lemon parmesan salad.
With antipasti: Cut it into small pieces and add it to an antipasto platter with deli meats, olives and peperonata.
How to Store Homemade Focaccia Bread
Store: This bread is best enjoyed fresh on the day it’s baked. To store leftovers, loosely wrap them in foil and keep them at room temperature.
Freeze: You can freeze it wrapped first in plastic wrap and then in foil and then in a freezer bag for up to a month.
Thaw: Defrost on the counter for an hour or so.
Reheat: Warm it back up in the oven before serving, for the best texture.
Top Tips
Scoop and level dry ingredients: Scoop the dry ingredients, like the flour and sugar, into a measuring cup and level off the top with a palette knife for the most accurate measurements.
Crisping up the sides: The last step is optional but if you like a crisper edge and bottom, you should definitely take the time to do this. Just switch the oven off and put the loaf on the bottom rack until crisp.
Flaky salt: For topping this bread, be sure to use a coarse finishing salt such as Maldon. Fine salts like kosher salt and table salt aren’t recommended for topping focaccia.
Classic Focaccia Bread FAQs
Yes. To make the dough ahead of time, prepare the recipe through the end of the rising time, then cover the bowl and store it in the refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours. When ready to bake, transfer the cold dough to the prepared pan. Let the dough rise, covered, in the pan in a warm room temperature environment. (2 to 3 hours) When it almost reaches the corners of the pan and the top edge of the dough is just below the top edge of the pan, you can proceed with the recipe.
Yes, you can. After mixing and performing the 4 folds, cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate overnight. The slow fermentation will develop a richer flavor. Allow the dough to come to room temperature before proceeding with the next steps.
Best Homemade Focaccia Bread Recipe
Focaccia Bread Recipe
Equipment
- Baking Dish 8-Inch Square
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 2 ⅔ Cups all-purpose flour
- 1¼ Teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 Teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 Teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 Cup + 2 Tablespoons water, warmed to between 90°F and 110°F
- 1 ⅓ Tablespoons olive oil, extra-virgin
Instructions
Make the Dough:
- Whisk the flour, salt, sugar, and yeast in a large mixing bowl until evenly distributed.
- Add the warm water and olive oil.
- Stir with a spatula or your hands until all ingredients are thoroughly combined, ensuring no dry patches remain.
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 15 minutes to allow for hydration.
- With damp hands, gently stretch and fold sections of dough toward the center, working around the bowl (8 to 12 times).
- Flip the dough so the smooth side faces up.
- Cover and let it rest for another 15 minutes.
- Repeat the folding process 3 more times at 15-minute intervals. Each fold strengthens the dough’s structure.
Let it Rise:
- Cover and let the dough rise in a warm environment (70°F to 75°F) for about an hour until it doubles in size and appears airy with possible surface bubbles.
- Lightly coat an 8-inch square pan with nonstick spray. Place a strip of parchment paper across the center with overhanging sides for easy removal.
- Spray the parchment and brush 1 tablespoon of olive oil evenly across the bottom.
- Carefully move the risen dough into the pan.
- Flip it over to coat both sides in oil, handling it gently to maintain airiness.
- Cover the pan and let the dough rise for 1 to 1 ½ hours until it is soft, jiggly and nearly filling the pan.
- Set the oven to 475°F and position racks in the upper and lower thirds.
- Lightly oil your fingers and press them into the dough, making deep impressions throughout the surface while being careful not to deflate it completely.
- Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the dough and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
Bake the Focaccia:
- Place the pan on the lower oven rack and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until the top turns golden brown.
- Transfer to the top rack and broil for 1 or 2 minutes. Don’t let it get too brown.
- Remove from the oven and use the parchment tabs to lift the focaccia onto a wire rack. Discard the parchment strip.
- Optional: Turn off the oven and return the focaccia (no pan needed) to the lower rack for 5 to 7 minutes to crisp the sides.
- Allow the focaccia to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
Notes
Crisping up the sides: The last step is optional but if you like a crisper edge and bottom, you should definitely take the time to do this. Just switch the oven off and put the loaf on the bottom rack until crisp.
Flaky salt: For topping this bread, be sure to use a coarse finishing salt such as Maldon. Fine salts like kosher salt and table salt aren’t recommended.
Nutrition
Crisp on the outside, moist and soft inside, and perfectly chewy, homemade focaccia bread is simple to prepare and tastes amazing. Include any add-ins you wish, making garlic focaccia, adding fresh thyme or any herbs or seasonings you want, to make it your own. You’ll find plenty of ways to enjoy this focaccia recipe, such as with cured meats and cheeses, with extra virgin olive oil for dipping, or alongside your favorite Italian meal.
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
I can’t believe how easy this was to make. The crispy edges and that chewy center were perfection. I sprinkled on some rosemary too and served it with olive oil… instant hit at dinner.