I’ve made this amazing focaccia recipe so many times! Our easy homemade focaccia bread is absolutely perfect for beginners. We make the dough with homemade garlic rosemary olive oil, which makes the bread taste incredible!
Watch the Recipe
![Focaccia Bread Recipe Video](/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Focaccia-Bread-Recipe-Video.jpg)
Focaccia was one of the first bread recipes I learned to make, and even though that was many years ago, I still come back to it. Focaccia bread is easy (I promise).
With our focaccia recipe, you’ll make homemade focaccia that is soft, chewy inside, beautifully golden brown, and crisp around the edges. It also tastes amazing thanks to our easy garlic and herb infused olive oil used to make dough and for baking the bread.
![Freshly baked homemade focaccia bread with garlic and rosemary](https://www.inspiredtaste.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Focaccia-Bread-Recipe-1-1200.jpg)
Key Ingredients
- Olive oil: Makes focaccia taste delicious, adding to its texture and flavor. The secret to the best focaccia bread is using a great olive oil. You don’t need to spend lots of money (use the olive oil you enjoy).
- Garlic, thyme, and rosemary: For extra flavor, I infuse the olive oil for this focaccia recipe with garlic and herbs. I love rosemary focaccia, so I use fresh rosemary, but you can try a different blend of herbs if you’d like to (or leave them out and just make garlic focaccia).
- Flour: All-purpose flour or bread flour is perfect for making focaccia bread. I use all-purpose most of the time since that’s what I stock in my kitchen.
- Instant yeast: The method for making focaccia below works with active dry or instant yeast, but I find that instant yeast typically has a bit more pep, so that’s what I keep in my kitchen.
- Sugar: A bit of sugar (1/4 teaspoon) helps wake up our yeast. Use sugar, honey, or maple syrup.
How to Make Focaccia Bread
To make homemade focaccia, we’ll first make our garlic and herb olive oil. It’s so easy and makes the bread unbelievably delicious. I combine the olive oil with minced garlic, thyme, rosemary, and black pepper in a skillet over low heat. I’m not trying to brown the garlic and herbs, only warm them to release flavor and oils into the olive oil.
![Infusing olive oil with garlic, rosemary, and thyme for focaccia.](https://www.inspiredtaste.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Focaccia-Bread-Recipe-Step_0.jpg)
While the oil cools, start your dough. Just like making pizza dough, the first step for focaccia is to wake up your yeast. So add it to a bowl with warm water and a small amount of sugar. Stir a few times, and then let it start to bubble. If you don’t see any bubbling after 5 minutes, you probably have dead yeast, so you will need to get more yeast and try again. You can see the bubbles around the edge of the bowl in the next photo (they look small and foamy).
![Making the dough for homemade focaccia](https://www.inspiredtaste.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/How-to-Make-Homemade-Focaccia-Recipe-2-1200.jpg)
Now stir in some of the flour and some of the infused olive oil, then let the wet dough sit for 5 minutes before adding the remaining flour and salt (salt can inhibit yeast, which is why we are adding it now as opposed to earlier).
At this point, the focaccia dough looks shaggy and may be sticky. I gently knead it 5 to 10 times to bring it together, then allow it to rise in a warm(ish) area until doubled in size. If your oven has a proof setting, use it. It proofs for about 1 hour. (For my tips on proofing focaccia dough in the refrigerator overnight, see our recipe tips below.)
![Proofing focaccia bread](https://www.inspiredtaste.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/How-to-Make-Homemade-Focaccia-Recipe-1200.jpg)
Now it’s time to bake your focaccia, so empty the dough into an oiled 9×13-inch rimmed baking sheet or pan. Add lots of dimples with your fingertips, and then pour over more of your infused olive oil.
![Focaccia recipe step - Adding olive oil to the top of the dough, almost ready to bake.](https://www.inspiredtaste.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Focaccia-Bread-Recipe-2-1200.jpg)
You’ll let the dough rise again, but for 20 minutes this time, and then bake in a hot oven until golden brown (about 20 minutes).
How to Make Overnight Focaccia
You can make focaccia dough up to 3 days in advance. Make the dough according to our recipe, but instead of proofing the dough at room temperature for the first rise, proof it in the refrigerator. Oil the dough well, place it into a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap or a sealed lid, and leave it for at least 12 hours and up to 3 days.
When ready to bake the focaccia, dump the dough onto your oiled baking pan and add more oil. Since the dough is cold, allow it to sit on the counter for 2 hours. After 2 hours, your dough should be at room temperature. Use your fingers to press the dough down into the pan and add dimples. Pour over the rest of your infused olive oil, and let the dough proof for 20 to 30 minutes before baking it in the oven.
Storing Focaccia
Baked focaccia lasts at room temperature for 2 days. Keep it in an airtight container so that it does not dry out. For long-term storage (longer than 2 days), freeze your bread. Freeze your baked and cooled focaccia bread in an airtight bag or container for up to 1 month. I like to cut the focaccia into portions and wrap them in foil before adding them to a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature for an hour or two before reheating.
To reheat, bake in a 375°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes. If the bread seems dry, misting with a little water before baking helps revive it. If your focaccia bread is past its prime, cut it into cubes and make homemade croutons!
What to Serve with Focaccia
Our family makes a lot of homemade focaccia! We love using it for sandwiches. I love it with this tuna salad or this egg salad. It’s amazing dipped into soup. Try our creamy vegetable soup, homemade tomato soup, or this white bean soup with kale.
You can serve focaccia with dips. I especially love this easy olive oil dip and our creamy spinach and artichoke dip. And, this bread goes really well with anything Italian like these big Italian meatballs or lasagna.
I also love turning this into focaccia pizza! Bake the bread as directed, and top with your favorite pizza sauce and toppings. Slide back into the oven and bake until bubbly.
![Homemade Focaccia Bread with Garlic and Herbs](https://www.inspiredtaste.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Focaccia-Bread-Recipe-1200.jpg)
Easy Homemade Focaccia Bread
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
This is my tried and true, easy focaccia bread recipe. You don’t need special equipment, and it’s basically no-knead. The secret to the best focaccia is using a great olive oil. We use a 1/2 cup of olive oil in this recipe, so use an olive oil you love. I often use Partanna olive oil since it’s mid-range in price and tastes great in this bread recipe.
Proof and bake the same day with our easy recipe or follow our tips in the article for proofing the dough overnight in the fridge.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
1/2 cup (120ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 cup (235ml) lukewarm water (110°F to 115°F)
2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast, one 1/4-ounce packet
1/4 teaspoon sugar, honey, or maple syrup
2 ½ cups (325g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Directions
- Make Focaccia Dough
1Combine olive oil, minced garlic, thyme, rosemary, and black pepper in a cold medium skillet. Place the pan over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes or until aromatic. You are not looking to add color to the garlic. Keep the temperature low and remove the skillet from the heat before the garlic browns. Set aside and allow to cool.
2In a large bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Stir a few times, then let it sit for 5 minutes.
3Add 1 cup of the flour and 1/4 cup of the infused garlic-olive oil mixture to the bowl with yeast. Stir 3 to 4 times until the flour has moistened. Let sit for another 5 minutes.
4Stir in the remaining 1 ½ cups of flour and the salt. When the dough comes together, transfer it to a floured board and knead 10 to 15 times until smooth (see video for reference).
5Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl, cover with a warm, damp towel, and let it rise at room temperature until doubled in size, for 1 to 2 hours.
- Bake Focaccia
1When the dough has doubled in size, preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C).
2Use two tablespoons of the remaining garlic-olive oil mixture to oil a 9 x 13-inch rimmed baking sheet. See the tips below for other pan sizes.
3Transfer the dough to the baking sheet, then gently press it into the pan. Use your fingers to dimple the dough, then drizzle the top with the remaining garlic-olive oil mixture. Let the dough rise for 20 to 30 minutes until it puffs slightly.
4Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes, and then let the baked focaccia bread cool completely on a wire rack.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Pan sizes: We call for a 9 x 13-inch rimmed baking sheet. If you do not have this, use a 9 x 13-inch rimmed baking dish with taller sides. For thicker focaccia bread, use a 9-inch round pie dish/cake pan or 9-inch square baking pan (baking time will be a few minutes longer).
- Yeast: Use instant yeast or active dry yeast in this recipe. Directions are the same for both. I prefer instant yeast when making bread since it’s usually more active and bubbly.
- Leftover focaccia: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature or freeze for up to 1 month.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
I’ve been making this recipe for three years now and it’s been my favourite of all time! Amazing and budget friendly for a student life, thanks!
Hi Ivy, Thanks so much for coming back and letting us know. So happy you enjoy the recipe so much!
I made this recipe and it is great. Thank You.
Wonderful, thanks Cindy!
This is my new go to recipe. I’ve made it many times now and it turns out perfect. Easy to follow directions. I’ve added roasted garlic pieces on top, and sometimes grape tomatoes, black olives and sliced red onion before baking. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Brilliant and delicious. Thank you for your wonderful work
You are very welcome. So glad you enjoyed your focaccia bread 🙂
I’ve recently found this recipe and have made it three times already and will make it many more times. It’s delicious!! And It’s nice and crispy on the edges, top and bottom and nice and fluffy inside. I usually don’t like fluffy but in this bread it’s fantastid. Now I’m going to look at more of your recipes 🙂
My new go to foccacia bread recipe for sure. Easy, delicious and my kitchen smells amazing. Thank you
This is my “go to” recipe for focaccia bread. I generally double (and sometimes quadruple!) it so I always have some on hand in the freezer. I gift it and always get rave reviews. There are so many ways to adapt it from the infused oil (which I make in quantity and bottle) to fillings and toppings. I slice and lightly toast it to make scrumptious sandwiches to take to work or make open faced appies out of it. Grilled cheese with blue cheese and chutney – gorgeous! Open faced with spicy sausage and provolone, the only limit is imagination. This bread is perfect for dipping on its own (soups or dips or just oil and balsamic) but is also a perfect base for spicy or flavorful additions. I’m always making bread for my family (and friends, co-workers, the guy who pumps my gas lol), bowl breads, artisan breads, and this focaccia is now a staple. Thank you so much! I’ve tried many recipes, this is the best. Quick, easy and sooo delicious
I made this for the first time on Sunday , and it turned our perfect…As i made it to the recipe I just made another one today and again perfect. This is the most easiest and fuss free bread I have ever made. Thank you so much, this is my go to bread. Definately 5 Star.
Made it few times and Everytime it turns out so delicious…Baked it to go with zucchini soup this time.Thank you