Golden, fluffy, and topped with rosemary and garlic, this Easy Focaccia is everything you love about homemade bread in a simple recipe that comes together in a few steps!
This Easy Focaccia recipe is a rustic Italian bread that’s surprisingly simple to make, yet delivers incredible flavor and texture. With a soft, airy interior and a golden, crisp exterior, this olive oil–rich bread is infused with rosemary and garlic that everyone will love. The dough comes together with minimal effort and rises into those signature dimples that hold pools of savory goodness.
I love simple bread recipes, and this focaccia is just that! For more easy options, check out my No-Knead Artisan Bread or 1 Hour Dinner Rolls.
Table of Contents
What is Focaccia?
Focaccia is a classic Italian flatbread, similar to pizza dough, known for its signature dimples and topped with herbs, cheese, or veggies.
Sized for a cookie sheet, this recipe is effortless—just press the dough into the pan, bake, and cut into squares, triangles, or strips. It’s wonderfully flexible and pairs well with pasta, soup, and salads.
Why We Love Homemade Focaccia Bread
- It’s easy to make, even for beginners.
- Focaccia is delicious on its own or with toppings.
- It’s a versatile bread that pairs well with almost any meal.
Recipe Ingredients
Rosemary – Fresh rosemary gives focaccia an herbal aroma.
Potato Flakes – While optional, potato flakes add softness to the focaccia’s texture. Without them, the bread can feel a bit dry and tough, so I like to include them for a more tender result.
Olive Oil – For a lighter flavor, use light olive oil instead of extra-virgin olive oil.
For a full list of ingredients and amounts, see the recipe card below.
Variations
Cheesy Focaccia – Add shredded mozzarella, Parmesan, or Asiago on top before baking for a savory, cheesy twist.
Spice Alternatives – Use thyme, oregano, or basil in place of rosemary for a different flavor.
How to Make Easy Focaccia
Step 1: In a small bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Stir to dissolve. Let sit for 12 minutes or until the mixture is foamy.
Step 2: In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, potato flakes, and salt. Add the yeast mixture and olive oil. Mix on low speed until the dough comes together. Turn the speed to medium and continue to knead for 5-7 minutes. The dough should be smooth and soft. If the dough is too wet or tacky, add an additional tablespoon of flour and knead for 1 minute.
Step 3: Transfer the focaccia dough to a lightly floured surface. Gently knead until a smooth ball forms.
Step 4: In a large bowl (or a clean stand mixer bowl), add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Use your hands to coat the bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, flip the dough over, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled, about 1-1.5 hours.
Step 5: Coat a 12″ x 16″ rimmed baking sheet with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Place the dough onto the prepared pan and press/stretch it with your hands to fit the size of the pan. Once the dough is stretched, use your index finger to make impressions or dimples in the dough (don’t poke all the way through; go as far as you can without breaking through).
Step 6: Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
Step 7: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius).
Step 8: Brush the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Top with rosemary, garlic, and remaining salt.
Step 9: Place in the oven and bake until golden brown, about 18-22 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cut as desired.
Expert Tips
Preserve Air Bubbles for Fluffy Focaccia – To keep focaccia light and airy, handle the dough gently after the first rise. When transferring to the baking sheet, avoid pressing out air, and don’t overwork the dough—this keeps those signature bubbles intact.
Stretch and Fold – During kneading, stretch and fold the dough instead of pressing to improve structure and create a lighter crumb.
Serving Suggestions
Oil Dip – Make a dipping oil with olive oil, spices, and parmesan for a delicious side.
Dip in Soup – Use a slice of focaccia to soak up soups like Tomato Tortellini or Minestrone.
Croutons – If the bread starts to stale, cut into 1″ pieces, toss with olive oil, and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 18-20 minutes. Broil on high for 1-2 minutes for a crisp finish.
Sandwich – Slice into larger pieces for sandwich or panini bread.
FAQs
Popular toppings include olives, cherry tomatoes, caramelized onions, fresh herbs, sea salt, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, crumbled feta, seasonal veggies, and a drizzle of garlic or chili oil before baking.
Use plenty of olive oil on the baking sheet and drizzle some on top before baking. Adding a small dish of water to the oven creates steam for a crispier crust.
Storage Information
STORE Focaccia tightly wrapped in the fridge for 2-3 days to keep it fresh. To FREEZE, you can prepare it as dough or baked bread. For dough, let it rise, punch it down, shape it into balls, coat it with olive oil, and freeze it in airtight bags for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bring to room temperature before baking. For baked bread, wrap pieces individually, place them in a freezer-safe bag, and freeze them for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight and bring to room temperature before serving.
Easy Focaccia Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 c. warm water
- 1 package - 2 ½ tsp. active dry yeast
- 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
- 5 c. all-purpose flour
- 1/4 c. potato flakes
- 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 c. olive oil + 1 tbsp for the bowl
For the Topping
- 5 tbsp. olive oil - divided
- 1 tbsp. chopped rosemary
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Stir to dissolve. Let sit for 12 minutes or until the mixture is foamy.
- In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, potato flakes, and salt. Add the yeast mixture and olive oil. Mix on low speed until the dough comes together. Turn the speed to medium and continue to knead for 5-7 minutes. The dough should be smooth and soft. If the dough is too wet or tacky, add an additional tablespoon of flour and knead for 1 minute.
- Transfer the focaccia dough to a lightly floured surface. Gently knead until a smooth ball forms.
- In a large bowl (or a clean stand mixer bowl), add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Use your hands to coat the bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, flip the dough over, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled, about 1-1.5 hours.
- Coat a 12" x 16" rimmed baking sheet with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Place the dough onto the prepared pan and press/stretch it with your hands to fit the size of the pan. Once the dough is stretched, use your index finger to make impressions or dimples in the dough (don’t poke all the way through; go as far as you can without breaking through).
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius).
- Brush the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Top with rosemary, garlic, and remaining salt.
- Place in the oven and bake until golden brown, about 18-22 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cut as desired.
This bread was delicious, warm and pillowy with a light crust that had just the right chew.
Gorgeous bread and easy recipe. So delicious!
This recipe is very easy & the focaccia is so soft!
We make this recipe about once a month. It’s an absolute favorite of mine and my family!
This bread has the most amazing flavor. I love the texture too! I will be making this again soon!