No-Knead Homemade Focaccia

Soft and light inside, crispy outside, and loaded with delicious toppings, this homemade focaccia is to-die-for! It’s much easier to make than you’d think and requires no kneading at all!

About This Recipe

What is Focaccia?

Focaccia is a type of flat Italian bread that is similar to pizza dough. It is typically cooked in a pan and topped with olive oil, herbs, and other ingredients. Focaccia can be served as an appetizer, snack, or side dish.

This focaccia recipe is simple, requires no kneading and you don’t need a stand mixer to make it. It’s made with only 5 ingredients, but the results will leave you amazed. The only thing that is a bit difficult in this recipe is waiting, that’s right, the dough needs to rest multiple times so it’s very important that you have patience when making focaccia. But trust me it’s worth every single second!

When it comes to the toppings, the options are endless. I used garlic, olives, dried rosemary and, pickled chilies. Some other great options would be cherry tomatoes, cheese, basil, thyme, and the list goes on and on.

How is focaccia different from regular bread?

Focaccia is different from regular bread in a few key ways:

  1. Ingredients: Focaccia typically contains higher amounts of olive oil and salt compared to regular bread. It also often includes additional flavorings such as herbs, garlic, or cheese.
  2. Texture: Focaccia has a chewy and slightly dense texture, compared to the light and fluffy texture of regular bread.
  3. Shape: Focaccia is typically baked in a flat, rectangular shape, whereas regular bread is usually baked in a loaf shape.
  4. Toppings: Focaccia is often topped with ingredients such as olives, tomatoes, onions, or rosemary, giving it a more flavorful and visually appealing appearance compared to regular bread.

What You Need To Make This Recipe

Bread Flour: bread flour has a higher protein content compared to all-purpose flour, which helps to create a stronger gluten network when the dough is kneaded. This results in a chewier texture and better rise in the bread. Additionally, bread flour absorbs more moisture than all-purpose flour, which can lead to a more moist and tender crumb in the final product. That being said, I have tried making focaccia with all-purpose flour and it came out amazing, so if you don’t have bread flour, you could definitely make this with A flour.

Instant Yeast: I used instant yeast, this type of yeast does not need to be activated. You could also use active-dry yeast because we’re going to add the yeast in lukewarm water at the beginning anyway. Just let it sit in the lukewarm water for 5 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.

Olive oil: you’ll need this for adding into the dough, on the dough, and on your hands! So yeah, you’ll need lots of olive oil for this recipe!

Salt: you can’t make bread without salt.

Lukewarm water: this is for the dough. Lukewarm water is water at around around 80°F/ 27°C. Any hotter and you’ll kill the yeast!

Toppings: you can use whatever toppings you’d like just make sure to grease them with some olive oil to prevent them from burning.

How To Make Focaccia Bread

Step 1: Combine lukewarm water, salt, instant yeast, and olive oil in a large bowl. Give it a mix to dissolve the salt into the water.

Step 2: Add in bread flour and mix to bring the dough together, it’s going to be super sticky so don’t use your hands! Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

Step 3: After 30 minutes, perform your first set of stretches and folds, see video (written in detail in the recipe card below) . Cover and rest for another 30 minutes, then perform the second set of stretches and folds. Cover and rest for 30 more minutes, then perform the third set of stretches and folds. Cover and rest for another 30 minutes, then perform the fourth set of stretches and folds. Finally cover the bowl with plastic wrap and rest the dough for 30 min! (that’s a lot of 30’s!!)

Step 4: Now perform the last and final set of stretches and folds and transfer the dough to a well-greased baking tray. Cover and let the dough rest for one last time, I promise, for 1 hour.

Step 5: Now drizzle the dough with some more olive oil and grease your hands with some as well. Starting from the top make dimples in the dough. Then, starting from the top again, use your hands to jiggle the dough to spread it out.

Step 6: Add toppings of your choice and bake in an oven preheated to 200 °C / 400°F (with the fan on if you have a convection oven) for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden brown and crispy. Once baked let the focaccia bread cool down for 10-15 minutes before cutting into it!

Storing The Focaccia

Focaccia should be stored in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or foil at room temperature. It can also be stored in the refrigerator for a few days, but should be brought to room temperature before serving. It can also be frozen for longer storage, but may lose some of its texture and flavor. To reheat, simply place in a 350°F oven for a few minutes until warmed through.

Pro Tips

  • Use a high-quality olive oil for the best flavor in your focaccia.
  • Don’t skimp on the salt – focaccia is meant to be a savory bread, so be generous with the seasoning.
  • Use a generous amount of olive oil on the bottom of your baking pan to help create a crispy, golden crust.
  • Experiment with different toppings like fresh herbs, garlic, olives, or sun-dried tomatoes to customize your focaccia.
  • Bake your focaccia in a hot oven (around 400-425°F) for a crispy crust and soft, fluffy interior.
  • Let your focaccia cool slightly before slicing to allow the flavors to develop and the bread to set. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

FAQ’s

Can I make the focaccia dough ahead of time?

Yes you can make the dough the day before. Once you finish 4 sets of stretches and folds, cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight. The next day you can continue to follow the recipe from step 7.

Can I make focaccia with all-purpose flour?

Although it’s best to use bread flour, I have tried it out with AP flour and the results blew my mind!! So if can’t find bread flour easily you can definitely make focaccia with all-purpose flour.

How can focaccia be served?

Focaccia can be served on its own as a side dish or appetizer, sliced and used for sandwiches or paninis, topped with various ingredients like olives, tomatoes, herbs, or cheese, or used as a base for bruschetta or as a dipping bread for oils and spreads. It can also be used in place of traditional bread for a charcuterie board or enjoyed alongside soups or salads.

Check out my YouTube Channel for detailed recipe tutorials! Made one of my recipes? Tag me on Instagram, I would love to see your creations!

Do you also love baking bread like me? Then you have to check out my ultra fluffy Japanese Milk Bread! It literally melts in your mouth! Or try out this creamy Roasted Pumpkin Soup that will pair perfectly with Focaccia!

Recipe Card

Homemade Focaccia

Soft and light inside, crispy outside, and loaded with delicious toppings, this homemade focaccia is to-die-for! It’s much easier to make than you’d think and requires no kneading at all!

Prep Time: 3 hrs. 30 min

Cook Time: 20 min

Total Time: 3 hrs. 50 min

Course: Appetizer

Servings: 6

Calories: 442kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 cups lukewarm water, at 80°F/ 27°C (470g)
  • 2 tsp instant yeast (7g)
  • 2 tsp salt (11g)
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (you’ll also need lot’s more for greasing and drizzling)
  • 4 cups bread flour (560g)

Toppings

  • Rosemary (dried or fresh)
  • Olives
  • Garlic chunks
  • Cherry tomatoes

Equipment/Utensils

  • Large bowl
  • Wooden spoon
  • Spatula
  • 9 x 13 inch rectangular baking tray (23 x 33 cm)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl combine the lukewarm water, instant yeast, salt, and olive oil. Give this a good mix. Add the bread flour and mix until all the ingredients are fully incorporated. You should end up with a very sticky dough.
  2. Use a spatula to clean the side of the bowl, then cover and let it rest at room temp, for 30 min.
  3. 30 minutes later, you are going to perform your first set of stretches and folds: Wet your hand generously with water, this will prevent the dough from sticking to your hand. Grab one corner of the dough and gently stretch it upwards, then fold it back into the opposite side of the bowl. Then rotate the bowl one quarter and repeat another 3-4 times. (see the video for a detailed demonstration.) Cover and let it rest for 30 min.
  4. After 30 more minutes have passed, wet your hand and perform another set of stretches and folds as you did earlier. Cover and let the dough rest for another 30 min.
  5. 30 minutes later, perform your third set of stretches and folds, cover, and rest for 30 more minutes.
  6. Finally, after 30 minutes, repeat the stretches and folds one more time. In total, you should have performed 4 sets of stretches and folds. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for a final 30 minutes.
  7. After 30 minutes, grease a 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm) baking tray lined with parchment paper with 3 tbsp olive oil. Grease your hands and perform one last set of stretches and folds, Then transfer the dough to the greased tray. Drizzle some olive oil on the dough, then cover with another tray and let it rest one last time, I promise, for 1 hour.
  8. Once 1 hour has passed, preheat the oven to 200 °C / 400°F (with the fan on if you have a convection oven). Drizzle the dough with more olive oil, and cover your hands in oil as well. Gently make dimples all over the dough, then jiggle it to spread it out in the pan. (see video for demonstration)
  9. Add the topping of your choice, making sure to oil them so they do not burn. Then bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden brown and crispy.
  10. Once baked, let the Focaccia cool down for at least 10-15 minutes before slicing into it. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 441.81kcal

Total Fat: 13.42g

Carbs: 67.69g

Sugars: 0.29g

Protein: 11.18g

Sodium: 712.67mg

Fiber: 2.24g

 **Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more. **

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