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This Easy Herbed Focaccia Bread such a simple bread recipe to make, but the flavor is outstanding! This bread is light and airy, with a yummy olive oil saltiness and those fresh herbs bring the whole loaf to life. Use it as a side or to build delicious sandwiches!
Table of Contents
- Easy Focaccia Bread Recipe
- What’s Needed for Herbed Focaccia Bread?
- How to Make Focaccia Bread
- How to Store Focaccia Bread
- How to Freeze Focaccia Bread
- What to Pair with Homemade Focaccia
- Tips for Making the Best Focaccia Bread
- More SIDE DISHES You’re Sure to Love:
- More EASY BREAD RECIPES You’ll Love:
- The Easiest Herbed Focaccia Bread Recipe
Easy Focaccia Bread Recipe
We make bread a lot in this house because bread is pretty much heaven on earth if you ask me! Bread making takes some practice, and making sandwich bread in particular is a process to learn. If you want to learn to make bread and are looking for an easy recipe, this herbed focaccia bread is the best way to start learning about yeast bread!
Now, I should issue a warning right here from the get-go. This is not a bread you can whip up and have ready in a couple hours. The dough needs to rest in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. I like to make it and let it sit overnight. It is super simple, but it does take time and some planning. Oh baby, is it worth the wait!!
Whether you are a seasoned baker or just getting your feet wet in the baking world, this homemade focaccia recipe is for you. It is fool proof and even if this is your first time making a yeast bread, it’s going to come out gorgeous and perfect!
What is Focaccia Bread?
Focaccia bread is a flat oven-baked yeast bread that originated in Italy and is pronounced “fuh-KA-cha.” It is traditionally topped with fresh herbs, such as rosemary, and coarse salt, but it is a very versatile bread that can be altered to your liking. I’ve even seen it with raisins in it and topped with sugar or honey to make a sweet dessert bread. Yum!
What’s Needed for Herbed Focaccia Bread?
The ingredients list for this easy focaccia recipe is short and sweet. Here’s what you’ll need to make this bread:
- Bread flour
- Kosher salt
- Warm water
- Instant yeast
- Granulated sugar
- Olive oil
- Fresh rosemary
- Fresh parsley
- Fresh thyme
- Maldon sea salt
Can I Use Dried Herbs Instead of Fresh?
Yes, if you don’t have fresh herbs you can use dry herbs or just sprinkle with Italian Seasoning.
How to Make Focaccia Bread
Although this focaccia bread recipe requires some patience, it’s such a simple yeast bread to make. Here are the basic steps to making homemade focaccia:
- Mix together the water, yeast, and sugar. Set aside until frothy.
- Combine the yeast mixture with the flour and salt.
- Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 8 hours.
- Oil an 8-inch cake pan and place the dough in the middle.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rise a second time.
- Drizzle the focaccia dough with more oil, then use your finger to make indentations on the top.
- Sprinkle with herbs and sea salt, then bake until golden.
Why Dimple the Focaccia Dough?
A signature of focaccia bread is the dimpling on the top, but is there a purpose or is it purely cosmetic? There are differing opinions out there, but the reason that makes the most sense to me is that it increases the surface area and creates little pockets for the olive oil to collect in. This enhances the flavor and crust of the bread.
How to Store Focaccia Bread
We rarely have any leftovers when we make this easy herbed focaccia bread. Our kids devour it! Occasionally, I’ll make two loaves just so we can have leftovers. Then, I just store it on the counter in a zip-top bag. Because of the high olive oil content in the dough, it will last for a good 4-5 days at room temperature and still be delicious.
How to Freeze Focaccia Bread
If you want to freeze your homemade focaccia, wrap it in plastic wrap and then store it in a zip-top bag or use a FoodSaver. It will last in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it on the counter to room temperature before serving. It can also be warmed up on the oven. I love it warm!
What to Pair with Homemade Focaccia
This focaccia bread is absolutely phenomenal on its own. Because it is thick, it works perfectly for slicing in half and using as sandwich bread. But my favorite way to eat this bread is to dip it in a good soup. Focaccia bread is a great dipping bread!
Here are a few or our favorite dip-worthy soups:
- Brown Butter Cauliflower Soup
- Zupas Copycat Tomato Basil Orzo Soup
- Creamy Tortellini Butternut Squash Soup
- Irish Beef Stew
- The Ultimate Cheeseburger Soup
- Homemade Cream of Tomato Soup
Tips for Making the Best Focaccia Bread
Use a strong flour. Focaccia bread should be made with a strong flour, like bread flour, because it is high in gluten. All-purpose flour also works fine in this recipe if you don’t have bread flour.
Use a glass mixing bowl. I recommend using a glass bowl to mix the dough in. I’ve heard metal can change the taste, which I haven’t personally tested, but I really just like the way the dough comes together in a glass bowl.
Use a wooden spoon. The dough should be incorporated together using a wooden spoon. Wooden spoons incorporate better than spatulas, in my experience.
More SIDE DISHES You’re Sure to Love:
- Brazilian Coconut Rice
- Macaroni Salad
- Wild Rice and Chickpeas
- Sweet Cornbread
- Instant Pot Refried Beans
- Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
- Best Mashed Potatoes
- Easy 7-Up Biscuits
- Grilled Corn
- Best Baked Beans
- Southern Macaroni and Cheese
- Best Potato Rolls
- All our SIDE DISH recipes!
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- Homemade Baguette
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The Easiest Herbed Focaccia Bread
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Flour , Bread, (or all-purpose)
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 Cup Water, Warm
- 1 1/8 teaspoon Instant Yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon Granulated Sugar
- Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Rosemary, Fresh, chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)*
- 1 teaspoon Parsley, Fresh, chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)*
- 1/2 teaspoon Thyme leaves, Fresh, chopped (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)*
- Maldon Flaked Sea Salt
Instructions
- In a glass bowl, add the flour and salt. Mix to combine.2 Cups Flour , 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- In a glass measuring cup, mix the warm water, yeast and sugar. Allow to sit for a minute (see note) and stir into the flour with a wooden spoon until the dough just comes together.1 Cup Water, 1 1/8 teaspoon Instant Yeast, 1/2 teaspoon Granulated Sugar
- Cover the bowl with tight plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 8 hours or up to overnight.
- Remove the bowl from the fridge.
- In an 8-inch round cake pan, drizzle oil and place the dough in the center, tucking ends under.Olive Oil
- Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise 2 hours.
- Heat the oven to 450ºF.
- Once risen the dough should fill the pan. Drizzle with additional oil and use your fingers to press holes down to the bottom of the pan but not through the dough.Olive Oil
- Sprinkle with herbs and salt.1 teaspoon Rosemary, 1 teaspoon Parsley, 1/2 teaspoon Thyme leaves, Maldon Flaked Sea Salt
- Place in the oven and turn down to 425ºF and bake 22-24 minutes or until golden.
Recipe Notes
- *If you don’t have fresh herbs you can use the dry herbs as stated above or just sprinkle with Italian Seasoning.
- Activated yeast should bubble and foam up within a few minutes if your yeast is good.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Why put it in the fridge right away? It doesn’t rise in cold temps and kills the yeast. Focaccia tasted fine but i could tell that it barely rose… doesn’t make sense.
Hi Annie!! Great question! It’s all about slowing the rise and allowing for a better fermentation. Same secret for pizza dough actually. It creates a light, airy, pillowy dough. The enzymes in both the flour and the yeast during refrigeration break down the starches in the flour into simple sugars, which adds both to flavor and to browning and that chewiness in crust. I hope this helps!
Just baked a garlic italian herb focaccia today. Follow the ingredients and step by step instructions but final baking at 200 deg C for 25mins in a 8inch square pan on a low wire rack. The top crusted very well but the bottom feels unbaked, without a crust. Is it because I baked it at a lower temp? Also, is 25mins enough to thoroughly baked through the dough. I was worried that the top would burnt at a higher temp. and baking too long.
Yes it could be the lower temperature or where you oven rack was placed. The bottom won’t be as crusty as the top though.
Hello
This is amazing! Can I double the recipe and put it in a larger pan?
Hi Susan! That is a great questions! I’ve never tried it, but in theory you should be able to double it and just bake it in a 9×13 baking dish. The baking time would probably need to be extended a little. I’d start checking it at 22 minutes but expect it to need a few extra minutes. Enjoy!
I tried this for the first time, added in some garlic powder to the dough base, and did the second prove in the oven after preheating for about 2 minutes. It came out so well! Definitely saving this recipe!
Yay! Love to hear this! Thank you so much Alicia!
Followed recipe exactly and bread looked picture perfect. I used a square 8” glass pan and the bread stuck, even though I generously oiled the bottom and sides before putting in the dough. I definitely think, after reading many similar comments, that using parchment paper to bake the bread should be highly recommended. Will definitely make this again. Would like to try adding olives, caramelized onion, roasted minced garlic or sun dried tomatoes in the dimples.
Hi Bonnie! I’m drooling just thinking about all your suggested add-ins! Yum! Thank you so much for your feedback! You can definitely use parchment to help with the sticking.
Was so excited to find this recipe. Followed the instructions to a T. Let it rise in the fridge overnight. Baked it at the correct temperature and it stuck so badly to the non stick baking pan I baked it in. I put plenty of olive oil on the bottom and the top… I’ve made bread before and it was always recommended to put it in parchment paper. I wished I had tried it before I made it for company. I will try it again in parchment paper and hopefully will have a better result.
Hi Diana! I’m so sorry that happened. You can definitely use parchment paper next time. With the olive oil, sticking shouldn’t be an issue.
I never comment on recipes, but this one shocked me. It was like a cloud. I actually doubled the recipe to fill a huge pan I have. I let it cold ferment in a container in the fridge for 24 hours + before I took it out to use, probably closer to 30hrs. I let it sit at room temp 2 hours, liberally coated my pan with olive oil, and then spread it out in the pan and let it sit there for another hour. I turned it into a sort of sheet pan pizza. It rose like a champ and tripled in height despite the heaping toppings. Biting into it was like eating a cloud, it was wonderful. Thanks for the great recipe! I think letting it age a little longer in the fridge gave it that slightly fermented taste that is so delicious in bread. Will for sure make again.
Thank you so much Katy! You’re feedback is invaluable and I appreciate you taking time to share your experience and tips!
Why is it necessary to use a glass bowl, please??
Hi Bryan! I’ve heard that metal bowls can change the taste of the dough. I’ve never personally tested that but I just love the way the dough comes together in a glass bowl. It’s not mandatory, but it’s just my preference.
Hello. I would like to make this recipe but am a little confused about the yeast. The ingredients list says to use instant yeast but the note says to use active yeast. I call Fleishmans company and they said you would not put instant yeast in water, you would only do that with active yeast. Can you please tell me which kind of yeast to use for this recipe. The picture looks devine and would love to try to make this. Thank you for your help.
Hi Janetta! You will want to use instant yeast. The note says “activated” yeast, meaning yeast that has started foaming and bubbling in the water. It is not necessary to activate instant yeast, but I always do it anyway. I hope this makes sense! Sorry for the confusion!
My dough didn’t seem to rise in the fridge. Is it supposed t, and if so how much?
Hello! No, it doesn’t rise in the fridge. It rises on the counter top after you remove it from the fridge.
I can’t wait to try this! Looks like a great recipe. I’m wondering how you would change the baking time if I wanted to make this in sheet pan form?
Hmmmm…that’s a good question! It would have to be a quarter size sheet pan. The baking time would be less. I would start checking it around 18 minutes. You would actually be better baking it in a 9×9 baking dish so it can get a good rise. I hope this makes sense! Thank you for the support!
Thank you! This will be the perfect complement to my Boxing Day french onion soup!
Yup! Yes it will!!