Italian Focaccia Bread Recipe
Published February 28, 2023. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This incredibly easy-to-make authentic Italian Focaccia Bread is light, fluffy, and finished with olive oil and rosemary. You will love how simple this is to prepare and just how delicious it is.
Baking bread is one of the most fulfilling and satisfying things to make. If you are looking for more tasty bread recipes, try my Banana Bread or Homemade Bagel Recipe.
Focaccia
Focaccia is a large flat, round, or square Italian bread that is generously brushed with olive oil, salt, and sometimes herbs. The bread we know today dates back a few thousand years, and while the basic recipe is thought to have originated from Greece, it is the Italians who popularized it.
Focaccia is made all around Italy and absolutely loved by all while being mainly associated with the Ligurian region of Italy. It is sometimes called focaccia Genoese, based on the capital of Liguria, which is Genoa.
Focaccia in Genoa is more accurately pronounced as Fugassa. It was originally cooked in a fire-burning hearth oven and can be cooked in a regular oven nowadays. The name comes from the word focus which means hearth or fireplace.
Today, Focaccia literally translates into flatbread. Contrary to popular belief, It’s not some 3” thick bread that is loaded up with a ton of toppings. It’s about 1” thick or less on some occasions. It’s a lightly leavened flatbread that comes together in about 3 hours, and I can promise you you’re going to love it.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Flour – I used bread flour in this recipe. If you only have all-purpose flour, you will need to reduce the amount of water by 5%.
- Salt – I always use sea salt in my cooking and baking.
- Yeast – Active or instant yeast works perfectly.
- Glucose – You will need either barley malt syrup or honey.
- Oil – Use an excellent cold expeller pressed extra virgin olive oil in this focaccia recipe.
- Herbs – I used rosemary, but feel free to use basil or oregano.
- Water – Any filtered water will work.
How to Make Focaccia Bread from Scratch
Add the water and yeast to a standing mixer with the hook attachment and give a little whisk and let sit for 3 to 4 minutes or until dissolved. A raft will form on the top if you’re using active yeast.
Next, add the remaining ingredients and mix on low speed until incorporated.
Turn it up to medium-low speed and mix for 8-10 minutes.
Cover with plastic and let stand for 60-90 minutes or until it has doubled or tripled.
Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil to a ½ baking sheet tray.
Spread and stretch the dough out to fill the tray.
Cover with a towel and sit for 30 minutes or until it has doubled.
Using your fingers, press down onto the dough to make imprints or dimples all over the dough.
Whisk the olive oil and warm water until combined and evenly pour it over the dough.
Sprinkle the top with sea salt.
Bake in the oven at 425° for 15 to 20 minutes or until the bread is golden brown.
Cool, finish with optional fresh Rosemary leaves for garnish, slice, and serve.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make this Focaccia bread up to 1 day ahead of time.
How to Store: Cover and keep at room temperature for three days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can freeze this loaf of bread for up to 6 months. Thaw it at room temperature until thawed before slicing and serving.
Chef notes + tips
- The warm olive oil and water mixture that is poured over the top of the bread before baking is known as Salamoia.
- A trick to help proof the dough is to add the bowl while resting in a slightly cracked oven with only the oven light on. It creates the perfect moist temperature environment for proofing.
- Adding a pan of water to the oven will help create moisture and provide a nice golden-brown crust on your bread.
More Bread Recipes
Video
Italian Focaccia Bread Recipe
Ingredients
For the Bread:
- 280 grams 1 1/4 cups of luke-warm water
- 4 grams 3/4 teaspoon yeast
- 510 grams 3 cups bread flour
- 6 grams 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 6 grams 1 teaspoon barley malt syrup or honey
- 25 grams 2 tablespoons good extra virgin olive oil + more for the pan
For the Salamoia:
- 10 grams 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 20 grams 2 tablespoons lukewarm water
- 10 grams 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to convection bake at 425° or 450° non-convection.
- Bread: Add the water and yeast to a standing mixer with the hook attachment and give a little whisk and let sit for 3 to 4 minutes or until dissolved.
- Next, add in the remaining ingredients and mix on low speed until incorporated, then mix on medium-low speed for 8-10 minutes.
- Cover with plastic and let stand for 60-90 minutes or until it has doubled or tripled in size.
- Add about 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil to a ½ baking sheet tray and spread and stretch the dough out to fill the tray.
- Cover with a towel and let sit for 30 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
- Using your fingers press down onto the dough to make imprints or dimples all over the dough.
- Salamoia: Whisk together the olive oil and water until combined and evenly pour it over top of the dough. Sprinkle the top with sea salt.
- Bake in the oven at 425° for 15 to 20 minutes or until the bread is golden brown on top.
- Cool, finish with optional fresh Rosemary leaves for garnish, slice, and serve.
Hi Billy I really want to try this and so how long should I knead the dough. We are on vacation and in a cabin with no mixer… thanks Marlene
Without testing it by hand it’s hard to say. Plus My knead may look different than yours. If i. were to do it, I’d probably do 8-10 mins.
This is fantastic and the dough is perfect. It stretches with ease and the flavor..fugetaboutit! I can’t wait to use it as a sandwich bread.
Looks fabulous!!
Wow, i have been following you from day 1. I have tried over 50 % of your receipts and a 5 to all. My nono was a sous chef at the Waldorf so food is in my blood. Anyway your quite gifted. Thanks. Mary
I made this bread & it was Amazing! Now it’s one of my Favorites.Thanks Chef for sharing all your recipes & techniques.
My pleasure!
Excellent!! We just came back from Rome and this is so close to what we ate there. Very authentic and delicious!!
That’s awesome!
My absolute favorite bread recipe so far. Great flavor and texture in this bread
thanks for giving it a shot!!
This is now my favorite foccacia bread. Easy to make and delicious
Excellent!
Loved this recipe. So easy to follow along
thanks for giving it a shot!!
Billy, I’ve been cooking and baking for most of my life. I’ve taught the same for 25 years. And in all my years I’ve never been able to make an authentic focaccia. I’d never heard of the Salamoia before and this is the technique that brings me directly to Italy. Absolutely no going back now. Grazie mille
Thanks for giving it a shot!!
New neighbor moving in? Make this focaccia. Nee baby? Make this focaccia. Teaching a friend how to get over fear of using yeast? Make this focaccia. It’s flavorful, easy to add in extras (olives, toppings) and is wonderful with a bowl of soup or stew.
Very good and easier than I thought
Can I use 00 flour?
Yes
I made this today, and the results were pretty good, but I have some questions: (1) The half sheet pan-is that 18×13? That’s what I used, and the bread was a little thinner than I expected (but crispy, and I am not complaining about the texture, just wanted to make sure I was using the appropriate pan–figured with it making 16 servings, it had to be the 18×13 pan); (2) what kind of yeast? I used dry active (not instant)… You’re usually so thorough, I was surprised that the recipe didn’t specify; and (3) you stated convection oven, but I don’t have convection, so I added a few minutes to the cook time… wasn’t sure how much (again, the result was fine, but just wanted to get a little intel for next time). And there will be a next time. 🙂
Yes, on the sheet pan size. Focaccia in Italy isn’t the 2″ think bread we’ve come to expect here in the states. I always use active yeast unless specified. However, the only difference between that and instant is you don’t need to wait for a raft for instant yeast. They are the same, and it’s almost impossible to kill commercial yeast these days. If you want it thicker you can for sure make it in a smaller sized pan.
Just started following you and I thoroughly enjoy your videos/recipes. The pace and instruction of your instructional videos and the quality & variety of your recipes are exceptional! Thank you!
Love your focaccia bread recipe. Is there a way to add a bit of the rosemary flavor in the bread during the mixing?
Fantastic recipe. Love your videos. Big bromance here. I’ve tried most all your breads. Perfect every time. You rock! Thank you – great way to deal with “pain”demic stress.
Thank you Chef! I made it this morning and it was delicious.
Is it possible to make this recipe without a standing mixer? Your artisan bread recipe rocks! Most beautiful and delicious bread. I was hoping to make the focaccia my next project!
Sure can, just going to require you to do it by hand.
I love this with just about every meal!
Thanks Suzy!
Billy You are the BOMB. I love your recipes.
Thank you so kindly!!
Mmm, I can never turn down fresh, warm focaccia!
totally agree!
Oh wow, this Focaccia bread looks incredible!! I bet it tastes amazing!
Thanks Katerina!
This is perfect – nothing beats fresh bread and focaccia bread is my favorite!
Indeed!!
This bread is incredible!
Thanks so much Sarah!