Focaccia is an Italian bread with a airy interior, golden crust, and dimples filled with olive oil. It works just as well as a side dish for dinner as it does on the buffet or as finger food. Here, you'll get a simple recipe for airy focaccia from scratch, our best tips for getting the dough right, and inspiration for tasty toppings to vary the bread with.
Focaccia recipe
It’s hard to beat freshly baked focaccia with crisp edges, a soft interior, and plenty of olive oil! With this simple basic recipe with rosemary and flaky salt, you can then customize and vary it with your own favorite toppings.
Approx. 15 pieces
Ingredients for the focaccia:
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25 g fresh yeast
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4 dl lukewarm water, approx. 37 °C
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1.25 dl olive oil
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approx. 8 dl all-purpose flour
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1 tsp salt
Ingredients for the pan and topping:
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olive oil
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fresh rosemary
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flaky salt
How to make it:
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Crumble the yeast into a large bowl. Add the lukewarm water and stir until the yeast has dissolved.
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Add the olive oil, all-purpose flour, and salt. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes, by hand or in a stand mixer. The dough should be fairly loose.
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Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise at room temperature for about 1 hour, or until it has roughly doubled in size.
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Drizzle plenty of olive oil into a baking sheet, about 30 × 40 cm. Add the dough and gently press it out with oiled hands so it covers the pan.
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Cover and let rise for another 30 minutes or so. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 250 °C.
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Drizzle olive oil over the dough and press your fingertips in to create focaccia's classic dimples.
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Top with fresh rosemary and flaky salt.
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Bake in the middle of the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the focaccia has a nice golden color.
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Let the bread cool slightly before slicing it. Then just serve and enjoy!
Tip! How to make a really airy focaccia
Dreaming of baking a focaccia that’s really airy on the inside and beautifully golden on the outside? There are a few simple tricks you can use that make a big difference:
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Keep the dough fairly loose. Don’t add more flour than necessary, since a looser dough helps give the focaccia an airy texture.
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Give the dough plenty of time to rise. The rising time is important both for flavor and for getting those lovely air bubbles in the bread.
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Handle the dough gently after rising. Try not to press out all the air when you move the dough to the pan or spread it out.
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Don’t skimp on the olive oil. Olive oil in the pan and on top of the dough contributes to the focaccia’s moist texture and golden surface.
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Make the classic dimples with your fingertips. Gently press your fingers into the dough just before baking, then top with olive oil, flaky salt, and any topping you like.
Can you cold-proof focaccia?
Yes, focaccia works great for cold-proofing. When cold-proofing, you usually use less yeast and let the dough rise slowly in the fridge, for example overnight. It’s an easy way to prepare the baking in advance while giving the dough plenty of time to develop flavor. Remember to take the dough out well before baking so it has time to finish rising.
Toppings for focaccia - 5 tasty combinations
Olive oil, flaky salt, and rosemary are a true classic on focaccia, but there’s plenty of room here to experiment! Vary the toppings to suit your taste, the occasion, or simply what you happen to have at home. Here are five tasty combinations to try:
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Zucchini, lemon & thyme
Press thinly sliced zucchini into the dough and top with thyme, olive oil, and a little flaky salt before baking. Finish with finely grated lemon zest for a fresh focaccia with lots of flavor.
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Tomato, garlic & basil
Press halved cherry tomatoes and thinly sliced garlic into the dough before it goes into the oven. Top with fresh basil after baking for a fresh and flavorful focaccia.
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Olives & rosemary
Press green or black olives into the dough and top with fresh rosemary, olive oil, and a little flaky salt. A simple combination with lots of flavor!
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Feta & red onion
Crumble feta over the focaccia and top with thinly sliced red onion. The salty feta goes well with the mild, roasted onion.
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Parmesan, garlic & herbs
Top the dough with finely grated parmesan, thinly sliced or pressed garlic, and your favorite herbs. Perfect when you want a slightly richer, cheesier focaccia.
What goes well with focaccia?
Focaccia is a really versatile bread that works for many different occasions. Serve it as a side dish with soup or salad, put it out on the buffet, or make it part of a lovely finger-food meal. You can also cut the focaccia in half and fill it with, for example, mozzarella, tomato, pesto, cured meats, or grilled vegetables to make a heartier focaccia sandwich.
Do you like airy Italian breads? Also check out our pinsa recipes with tasty topping ideas or try gluten-free pinsa.
How to store focaccia
Focaccia is best fresh from the oven, but if you have any bread left over, it can be saved. Let the focaccia cool completely, then store it well sealed at room temperature. If you want to keep the bread longer, you can cut it into portions and freeze it.
Thaw the focaccia at room temperature and warm it for a few minutes in the oven before serving. That way, it will regain more of its crisp surface and soft interior.