This Easy Focaccia Bread is soft and fluffy on the inside with crispy, golden edges and a bold garlic flavor that makes it nearly impossible to stop at one slice. Topped with a whole bulb of minced garlic, fresh rosemary, and a sprinkle of sea salt, it’s the kind of bread that fills your kitchen with the most incredible aroma while it bakes.
Recipe Highlights
- Bold garlic flavor: A full bulb of minced garlic is heated in olive oil and spread across the entire surface of the bread before baking, giving every bite a rich, garlicky depth.
- Perfect texture: Soft and fluffy in the center with crispy, golden edges straight from the oven, this focaccia has it all.
- Simple ingredients: Made with basic pantry staples, this recipe is straightforward and approachable even for beginner bread bakers.
- Beautiful and customizable: Sea salt and rosemary are a classic topping, but feel free to add sliced vegetables or additional herbs to make it your own.
- Great for sharing: This recipe makes 12 generous slices, making it perfect for serving alongside dinner, at gatherings, or as an appetizer.
- Worth the wait: With two rises and a hands-on baking process, this bread takes some time, but the result is completely worth it.
Ingredients in Focaccia Bread
- Instant yeast: One packet of instant yeast gets the dough going. Active dry yeast works as well, but may take longer to proof. See the FAQs below for details.
- Water: Warm water activates the yeast and helps the dough come together. Make sure it’s warm but not hot, as water that’s too hot can kill the yeast.
- Granulated sugar: Just one tablespoon feeds the yeast and helps it activate. Only granulated sugar has been tested in this recipe.
- All-purpose flour: The base of the dough. You’ll need at least 3½ cups to start, plus a bit more for kneading as needed. Only all-purpose flour has been tested here.
- Salt: Enhances the overall flavor of the bread and keeps the dough from tasting flat.
- Olive oil: Used generously throughout this recipe, in the dough, to grease the bowl and pan, and to cook the garlic. The higher the quality of the olive oil, the better the flavor.
- Garlic: A full bulb of minced garlic is heated in olive oil until soft and translucent, then spread across the top of the dough before baking. This is what gives the focaccia its bold, unmistakable garlic flavor.
- Sea salt: Sprinkled over the top before baking for a little crunch and a burst of salty flavor in every bite.
- Rosemary: Fresh rosemary pressed into the top of the dough before baking adds an aromatic finish that pairs beautifully with the garlic.
Tips for the Best Easy Focaccia Bread
Full instructions can be found on the recipe card below, but here are a few helpful tips.
- Oil your hands generously: Any time you touch the dough, make sure your hands are well oiled. This prevents sticking and makes the folding and shaping process much easier.
- Don’t rush the rises: Two one-hour rises are what give this bread its light, airy, fluffy texture. Find a warm spot in your kitchen and give the dough the full time it needs.
- Cook the garlic low and slow: Heating the minced garlic in olive oil over low heat until soft and translucent mellows the sharpness and creates a rich, flavorful topping.
- Poke the dough generously: Don’t be shy when pressing your fingers into the dough before baking. Those signature dimples are what give focaccia its classic look and help hold all that garlicky topping in place.
- Watch for golden color: The bread is done when the top is golden brown. Depending on your oven, this may take anywhere from 25 to 30 minutes.
- Get creative with toppings: Sea salt and rosemary are a classic combination, but sliced olives, cherry tomatoes, or other fresh herbs are all delicious additions.
Storage Instructions
Store focaccia in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
To reheat, place slices in the air fryer at 390°F for 3 to 5 minutes to bring back the crispy exterior. For softer bread, reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
Easy Focaccia Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 packet instant yeast (¼ oz)
- 1½ cups warm water
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour plus more for kneading
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup olive oil plus more for hands and pan
- 1 bulb garlic minced
- Sea salt to top
- Fresh rosemary to top
Instructions
- Add yeast, warm water, and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
- Add flour and salt and mix on low until a loose, slightly sticky dough forms.
- Switch to the dough hook and knead for 15 minutes, adding more flour as needed to prevent sticking.
- Grease the bowl with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, return the dough, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Oil your hands and fold the dough over itself 6–8 times, rotating the bowl each time.
- Brush 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a 9×13 baking dish. Spread the dough evenly into the pan, pressing to the edges. Let rise for another hour.
- While the dough rises, heat the minced garlic in the remaining olive oil over low heat until soft and translucent.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Oil your hands and press dimples all over the surface of the dough. Spread the garlic mixture on top, sprinkle with sea salt, and add rosemary.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes until the top is golden brown.
- Let cool, remove from the pan, and slice into 12 pieces.
Nutrition
📫 Save this recipe! Send it to your email! 📩
I consent to receiving emails from this site.
FAQs
Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast?
Yes! Active dry yeast works in this recipe, but it will take 2 to 3 times longer to proof than instant yeast. Make sure the yeast, sugar, and water mixture is fully foamy before moving on to the next step.
Can I make this without a stand mixer?
Yes. If you don’t have a stand mixer with a dough hook, you can knead the dough by hand. It will take a bit more effort, but the result will be just as delicious.
Can I use an oval baking dish instead of a 9×13?
Yes, as long as it’s a similar size to a 9×13-inch dish. Since the dough doesn’t rise all the way to the top of the pan, you have a little flexibility with the shape.
How do I know when the focaccia is done baking?
The bread is ready when the top is golden brown. Start checking around the 25-minute mark and leave it in for the full 30 minutes if it needs a little more color.
Can I add other toppings?
Absolutely. While sea salt and rosemary are classic, this focaccia is wonderful with sliced vegetables, olives, cherry tomatoes, or additional herbs pressed into the dough before baking.
More delicious yeast bread recipes to try:
- Made with just a few simple ingredients and no mixer required, these Easy 30-Minute Dinner Rolls bake up perfectly soft and buttery every time, making them a favorite side for any meal.
- Soft Homemade Breadsticks are made from scratch with yeast, flour, and oil, then topped with savory garlic butter for a classic, buttery Italian breadstick everyone will love.
- With a beautiful braided presentation and incredible savory flavor from fresh rosemary and thyme, Braided Garden Herb Bread is a stunning homemade loaf that’s as impressive as it is delicious.
- Made with just 4 ingredients and no kneading required, this Easy Artisan Bread bakes up with a golden, crusty exterior and a soft, fluffy interior that’s perfect slathered with fresh butter.
- This French Bread recipe delivers two gorgeous homemade loaves in under 2 hours, making it the perfect and surprisingly simple way to bring fresh bread to the dinner table.
This Easy Focaccia Bread is soft, fluffy, and loaded with garlic flavor, the kind of homemade bread recipe that’s impressive enough for guests but simple enough to make any night of the week.
Leave a Reply