We love homemade bread, and one our favorite recipes is today’s homemade Focaccia bread.
This recipe bakes up with a crisp, golden crust and a tender, airy middle, perfect for dipping, sandwiches, or devouring (it’s so delicious!). Not only is this recipe simple, but an easy overnight chill builds flavor and bubbles, then olive oil, oregano, basil, and flaky sea salt finish it beautifully.
Serve this recipe on its own or with some our favorites like Tomato Basil Soup, Baked Ziti and Fettuccine Alfredo.
Why we think you’ll love it:
- So much flavor. Overnight dough for big flavor with very little hands on time.
- Nooks and crannies. Deep olive oil dimples that bake crisp and delicious.
- Make ahead friendly and great warm or at room temperature.
Focaccia Bread Ingredients
- All-purpose flour (2 cups): Forms the gluten structure for a chewy yet tender crumb.
- Salt (1 teaspoon): Seasons the dough and balances the olive oil and herbs.
- Instant yeast (1 1/4 teaspoons): Gives a reliable rise during the chill and the final proof.
- Warm water (1 cup): Hydrates the dough so it mixes quickly and stays soft and sticky.
- Olive oil (1/4 cup): Pooled in the pan and drizzled on top, it creates a crisp, flavorful crust and those signature dimpled pockets.
- Oregano (1 teaspoon): Adds classic Italian aroma that perfumes each bite.
- Dried basil (2 teaspoons): Brings gentle herbal sweetness to the crust.
- Flaky sea salt, Maldon if you like (1 teaspoon): Finishes with crunchy pops of salt that brighten the bread.
How to Make Focaccia Bread
DOUGH. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and yeast. Add the warm water, and stir to form a soft and sticky dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or up to 24 hours.
CHILL, SHAPE + REST. After the dough has chilled, gently shape the dough into a ball with your hands. Pour a tablespoon of olive oil into the bottom of an 8 inch cake pan and spread it to cover the interior surfaces of the pan.
Place the ball of dough in the center of the pan and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let sit at room temperature for 2 hours, or until the dough has expanded to nearly fill the cake pan.
BREAD TOP. Toward the end of the rise time, preheat the oven to 450. Remove the plastic wrap from the pan. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the dough, then press your fingers down into the dough, pushing to the bottom of the pan.
BAKE. Repeat until the entire surface of the dough is covered in deep dimples. Sprinkle with the oregano, basil and sea salt. Bake 22-25 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Keep the dough sticky, resist adding extra flour, the hydration makes the crumb airy.
- Oil the pan generously and dimple to the bottom so olive oil collects in little wells.
- Let it rise until it nearly fills the pan before baking for the best lift.
- Other spices: Rosemary, Fresh or roasted garlic, olive slices, sun-dried tomatoes, shredded cheese (parmesan would probably work best!)
- For extra crunch, bake on the lower third rack and let it rest 5 minutes before lifting out.
- You can leave the dough in the fridge for up to 24 hours, so you can bake it when it’s convenient for you.
Focaccia Bread Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt I used Maldon salt
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and yeast. Add the warm water, and stir to form a soft and sticky dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or up to 24 hours.
- After the dough has chilled, gently shape the dough into a ball with your hands. Pour a tablespoon of olive oil into the bottom of an 8 inch cake pan and spread it to cover the interior surfaces of the pan. Place the ball of dough in the center of the pan and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let sit at room temperature for 2 hours, or until the dough has expanded to nearly fill the cake pan.
- Toward the end of the rise time, preheat the oven to 450. Remove the plastic wrap from the pan. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the dough, then press your fingers down into the dough, pushing to the bottom of the pan. Repeat until the entire surface of the dough is covered in deep dimples. Sprinkle with the oregano, basil and sea salt.
- Bake 22-25 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Make ahead and storage, cool completely, wrap, and keep at room temp 1 day; rewarm at 350°F for 6 to 8 minutes; freeze up to 2 months and thaw wrapped.
We like to wrap the bread in plastic wrap and then in a freezer-safe storage bag. This can be stored for up 4-6 weeks in the freezer.
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This recipe was first posted May, 2019.
Giving this recipe a try. However, it states total time 8 hours 55 minutes but it includes 30 prep, 25 cook, 8 hours in REFRIGERATOR then 2 hours room temperature before baking.
I absolutely love this recipe. It is so easy and comes put so perfectly. I’ve done it 3 times this week alone. I wish I would have come across this years ago but happy to have it now. I use slightly more water than the recipe calls for and for the topping I use what’s on hand including fresh rosemary and lavender from my garden, dried thyme, roasted garlic and nice salt. I’ve baked mine in a cast iron skillet and a square pan and both come out great. The cast iron may be my favorite. Thanks for an awesome recipe!
You are so nice! Thank you & everything you’ve done sounds perfect!
If i HAD TO CHOOSE ONE THING I HAD TO EAT FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE (without health consequences) it would Be bread. And now i have found my favorite bread recipe EVer. This bread is glorious. So easy to make! I will aLways make the doUgh the day ahead.
That’s so nice of you to say & I would agree! I love bread! Thank you so much!
Came out tasty and very CrUnchy but the yeast measure seems odd. The dough took forEver to rise (3 hours) when I took it out of the fridge Even then was not quite as fluffy as i ANTICIPATED. Is the measure actually 1 1/4 teaspoons? It seemed odd having a teaspoon left in the packet. Is it supposed to read 1 1/4 oz? Just checking since most recipes use a whole packet.
STill delicious but i would have loved a little more fluff and a faster rise.
I’m wondering the same thing. I’ve never seen 11/4 teaspoons in a recipe before.
This looks delicious & so so easy! Just wondering what flour should be used?
You could use all-purpose or even bread flour.
It was easy to make and deliciouS. First time making Bread.
Way to go!! Glad you tried it & liked it!
Thank you so much!!! I loved this and so did all of my family. I am making it again tonight- and although I am perfectly happy eating it as is,I thought I would turn it into a pizza for my guys. I’m going to bake it for 20 minutes, then add the toppings and put it back in the oven for a few more minutes. Yummy!!!!
Great idea!! You’ll have to let me know what you think! Thank you!
Hi ALICIA
THNKS A LOT FOR THIS RECEIPE
DONE IT today
Was a bit tensed at first wondering if i was doing everything correctly
But I LOVE It! It tastes LIKE THE “PAIN A L,’ancienne” except it is round ?
This receipe helped us during complete lockdown
Will try other simple receipes from you
Thank you ?
Thanks for trying it!! So glad you liked it 🙂 Hope you find others to try!
This was amazing! Focaccia is by far my favorite type of bread but i was sure it had to be complicated to be as delicious as it is. This was so simple i think anyOne could make it! It was especially a treat for my boyfriend who has never had homemade bread before this…He loved it so much that the loaf i made today is already gone and i just put another batch in the fridge tonight to make it again tomorrow 🙂
What a nice compliment! It really is simple. Glad you thought so & liked it & tell your boyfriend, thanks!
I do not have sea salt On hanD. Do you think j could use regular table Salt??
Yes, for sure 🙂 Hope you like it!
KRISTYN, THIS WAS A HUGE HIT FOR MY FAMILY! THANKS FOR THE AWESOME RECIPE. I DIDN’T HAVE TEN HOURS TO PREP THIS, SO I MADE THE DOUGH, LET IT SIT ON MY COUNTER IN A COVERED BOWL FOR FOUR HOURS, THEN PROCEEDED TO PUT IT IN THE PAN AND FOLLOWED THE REMAINING PART OF THE RECIPE. IT WAS THE BEST HOMEMADE BREAD I’VE MADE IN AWHILE! ONE NOTE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING THIS: THE DOUGH IS REALLY LOOSE AND STICKY, I WAS TEMPTED TO ADD MORE FLOUR BUT DIDN’T, AND IT TURNED OUT BEAUTIFULLY.
I am so glad it turned out & that you liked it! Thank you for letting me know 🙂
Hello!
Not sure if it will come out well without Oil.
The mEasuRements seemed off. I had to aDd flour because the dough was too wet. Also the esTimated time is off by two hours. After thE dough is in the fridge for eight hours it needs two hours in the pan (a little frustraTing). HopIng it turns out well after this many hours Going into it.
You may have needed a little more flour. It can be in the fridge up to 24 hours, but, at least 8 hrs & then 2 hours in the pan. That 2 hours is not included at the top, sorry about that.
And yet, you still haven’t changed the time on the recipe.
I have not made This yet but was wondering if you can use bread flour for this recipe? Thanks!
I haven’t personally tried, but you sure could 🙂 Enjoy!!