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Make this easy Focaccia Bread as a simple side dish! It’s the perfect no knead bread with herbs and olive oil and it’s become one of our favorite recipes!
This bread is the perfect vehicle for herbs and oil or even turn it into pizza for a simple dinner.
No Knead Focaccia Bread
Focaccia is an Italian bread that’s baked flat. It’s a yeast bread that’s no knead, easy to make and perfect as a side dish or for sandwiches. And it’s absolutely perfect when dipped in good olive oil!
Kneading bread isn’t hard but it does take time and you have to know what you’re doing. There’s more chance for error when you have to knead a recipe. All you have to do when you’re making focaccia bread is to stir together the wet and dry ingredients. That’s it!
Ingredients needed
- Rapid rise or fast acting yeast: Not active dry yeast.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar helps activate the yeast
- Very warm water: between 120°-130°F (an instant read thermometer is good to have!)
- Olive oil: Use a good quality olive oil
- Italian seasoning: Adds extra flavor to the bread!
How to make focaccia bread
- Mix flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
- Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the water, then add the wet ingredients to the dry, stirring until well mixed.
- Press into a greased 9×13-inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke multiple holes into the dough. Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over dough. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Cover again and let rise additional 15 minutes. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until lightly browned.
- Cool slightly and slice into pieces.
Expert Tips
- The kind of yeast you use for this recipe is important. You need to make sure and use a fast or quick acting yeast and NOT active dry yeast. Active Dry Yeast is a different kind of yeast and requires proofing and longer rising time.
- There are so many options when seasoning this bread: Italian seasoning, A bit of olive oil, or turn it into garlic bread or pizza!
- Because there is yeast in focaccia bread, it does need time to rise. Therefore plan accordingly.
FAQs
No, active dry yeast is different. You need fast or quick acting yeast.
You can store and freeze it in an airtight container.
Easy Focaccia Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups (372g) all-purpose flour
- 1 envelope (2 ¼ teaspoons or 7g) rapid rise or fast acting yeast NOT active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon (13g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ⅔ cups (395ml) very warm water (heated to between 120°-130°F)
- 4 tablespoons (60ml) olive oil divided
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Grease a 9×13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray or oil.
- Mix flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the water, then add the wet ingredients to the dry, stirring until well mixed. Press into prepapred pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke multiple holes into the dough. Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over dough. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Cover again and let rise additional 15 minutes. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until lightly browned.
- Cool slightly and slice into pieces.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Do not use active dry yeast.
- This takes time to rise, so plan accordingly.
- You can add garlic powder or fresh garlic to make garlic bread, or even turn this into pizza!
Recipe Nutrition
Other Bread Recipes
Last Updated on August 29, 2023
rises way too much and not even crispy. if you had to make this recipe, then half the measurements and increase temp to 450
easy,easy delicious focaccia bread. I did add about a half cup more flour . made my own mix of fresh herbs and garlic sliced with evoo,topped after baking with crunchy sea salt.Am making for second time in a week!
I was disappointed in the finished product. I can’t quite pin down the issue. The biggest issue was the texture. I think the answer is for me to find a recipe that calls for the dough to be kneaded.
The flavor is ok. I made this to serve to guests for dinner. They might feel differently.
Flavor was there but the texture was way off! For me it came out tasting more like a savory piece of cake rather than the classic chewy bread I had in mind. Using all the water left me with a very loose, almost batter like dough that allowed for too much rise, and the absence of kneading left the gluten strands underdeveloped. I think with a little less water and about 5 minutes or so of kneading it would have been perfect though. Definitely going to try again because it did have a good flavor and came together easy, I just wish it had been denser.
I made this for Christmas dinner and it turned out absolutely perfect! Great recipe. I added dried herbs to the flour mixture before adding the liquid. I also used garlic infused olive oil, and topped the bread with shredded Parmesan right before baking.
I was worried that the dough was very loose. Don’t worry it turns out fantastic.
Hi again, I am perfecting this recipe and am wanting to share my experiences with making this delicious bread. I know, in baking, even though the recipe is exact, sometimes we doubt ourselves so another hint. I noticed someone asked about the 1 2/3 water – because it came very watery – well, I found that while not like pure liquid, it is very sticky and gooey. But that’s is okay, just put into the greased pan then sort of smooth out – almost like a thick frosting. No worries if there are some holes because as it rises the holes get filled in. I just ❤️ this foccacia
Oops forgot- I tried making the water about 128 degrees which is a little warmer than I ordinarily do. I think it worked better. I am always concerned it will be too hot. THANKS AGAIN DOROTHY. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK WITH YOUR VERY UNDERSTANDABLE RECIPES1
Omg this focaccia is absolutely delish. Sometimes my breads don’t come out very good even though I feel that I have followed the recipe. But here is how I did this- followed recipe exactly- when putting in the pan and spreading I put a generous amount of olive oil in pan before spreading. To rise I turned my dryer on Med for about 1 min , shy]u off then put pan that was covered with Saran Wrap. I let it rise for about 1 hour. Then took out and followed recepe again. The last short rise, I just put in sunny window and covered with towel. My o-pings were Italian seasoning – generous amount, and olive oil, and salt and garlic. The best focaccia bread I’ve tasted. My compliments to the recipe maker!
I’m signing into your site! Now I have two faves -you and Jenny can cook!Forget the big recipe sites – you guys are great!
Dorothy-
I also have a ? About olive oils.
I’ve been researching as to the best oils for dipping. You mentioned Jordan. What suggestions do you have about various “tasty” oils
That I can purchase- and where I can find them. I’m in ct.
Thanks.
Do you have an olive oil store near you? They’re all the rage here, like wineries but olive oil. Do you have Il Fornaio (a restaurant) near you? If so theirs is fabulous!
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