If you want to impress your family and friends with tasty homemade bread, focaccia bread is the way to go. It’s surprisingly easy to make for beginners with just a few common ingredients, yet tastes like something you’d get at a fancy restaurant.
Focaccia is one of the easiest homemade breads to make. No kneading, no special equipment, no fancy ingredients, and no waiting! Learn how to make it the same day with these step-by-step instructions and photos.
This flavorful bread has become a staple in our house for just about any occasion! It’s wonderful served as a side dish but also makes for a crowd pleasing appetizer for dinner parties and family gatherings.
Ingredients Needed
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more for topping)
- 1 cup lukewarm water (mix ¼ cup boiling water with ¾ cup cold water)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- butter for greasing
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional)
- fresh rosemary leaves (optional)
Step 1In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, instant yeast, and salt. Add the lukewarm water and use a spatula to mix until all the liquid is absorbed and the ingredients form a sticky ball of dough.
Step 2Rub the surface of the dough lightly with olive oil to prevent it from sticking to the bowl. Allow the dough to rest on the counter at room temperature for about 1½ hours. It should slowly increase to about twice the size.
Step 3Coat a 9-inch dish with a generous amount of butter and pour 1 tbsp of olive oil inside. Place the dough inside of your prepared dish and roll it around in the oil to coat it all over. Allow the dough to rest for an additional 30 minutes.
Step 4Pour another tablespoon of olive oil over the dough along with your minced garlic and rosemary. Use greased fingers to press the dough down to form deep dimples while also spreading it out to fill the entire dish.
Step 5Sprinkle the top of the dough with additional salt and then place in the center rack of your oven at 425° F for approximately 25 minutes or until golden brown and crisp on the edges.
Step 6Allow the bread to cool for about 10 minutes and then slice as desired. It’s delicious with butter or dipped in extra virgin olive oil with spices! We also love this bread served as a side dish with a saucy pasta.
Want To Make The Dough Ahead of Time?
Even better! If you refrigerate the dough for at least 12 hours it will make the bread extra airy and pillowy. Simply place the dough ball in the fridge over night. Make sure it’s covered in olive oil and the bowl is tightly sealed with plastic wrap. Once you pull it out of the fridge, place the dough into your buttered dish with a tablespoon of olive oil and allow it to rest at room temperature for 3-4 hours before moving on to the final steps.
This quick and easy homemade bread is absolutely delicious served as an appetizer or side dish with just about any meal. You won’t believe how good it is considering it’s made with just a few cheap pantry staples! As long as you plan ahead for the 2 hours of rest time, it only takes about 5 minutes of actual preparation.
Easy Rosemary Garlic Focaccia Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp instant yeast
- 1 tsp kosher salt (plus more for topping)
- 1 cup lukewarm water (mix ¼ cup boiling water with ¾ cup cold water)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- butter for greasing
- 2 tsp minced or chopped garlic (optional)
- fresh rosemary leaves (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, instant yeast, and salt. Add the lukewarm water and use a spatula to mix until all the liquid is absorbed and the ingredients form a sticky ball of dough.
- Rub the surface of the dough lightly with olive oil (just enough to prevent it from sticking to the bowl). Allow the dough to rest on the counter at room temperature for about 1½ hours. It should slowly increase to about twice the size.
- Coat an 8 or 9-inch dish with lots of butter and pour 1 tbsp of olive oil inside. Place the dough inside of your prepared dish and roll it around in the oil to coat it all over. Allow the dough to rest for an additional 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425° F.
- Pour another tablespoon of olive oil over the dough along with your minced garlic and rosemary. Use greased fingers to press the dough down to form deep dimples while also spreading it out to fill the entire dish.
- Sprinkle the top of the dough with additional salt and then bake in the center rack of your oven for approximately 25 minutes or until golden brown and crisp on the edges.
- Allow the bread to cool for about 10 minutes and then slice as desired. Serve with butter or seasoned olive oil for dipping!
Notes
- Want to make the dough ahead of time? Even better! If you refrigerate the dough for at least 12 hours it will make the bread extra airy and pillowy. Simply place the dough ball in the fridge over night. Make sure it's covered in olive oil and the bowl is tightly sealed with plastic wrap. Once you pull it out of the fridge, place the dough into your buttered dish with a tablespoon of olive oil and allow it to rest at room temperature for 3-4 hours before moving on to the final steps.
- Focaccia bread can be seasoned and flavored however you'd like! We love the combination of rosemary and garlic, but feel free to experiment with different seasonings. You could sprinkle on a little bit of Italian seasoning, black pepper, garlic powder, etc.
- The rest times for this bread greatly depends on the temperature of your kitchen. If your kitchen runs on the cold side, you might need a little extra rest time on the counter to get the dough to double in size.
- Try serving this bread with seasoned olive oil for dipping! We simply sprinkle a plate with Italian seasoning, fresh cracked black pepper, garlic, and red pepper flakes before pouring extra virgin olive oil over top. This transforms it from a side dish into an appetizer!
- If you're serving a crowd, you can double the recipe and make it in a 9x13 baking dish or split the dough and make two loaves.
