Fluffy Golden Homemade Focaccia Recipe: A Bread Lover’s Dream

Crafting a delectable homemade focaccia brings pure culinary joy to passionate home bakers.

Mediterranean traditions inspire this simple yet remarkable bread that fills kitchens with incredible aromas.

Soft, pillowy textures and crisp edges make each slice irresistible.

Salt-sprinkled surfaces and herb-infused dough create magical moments of comfort and connection.

Italian bakers understand the art of transforming basic ingredients into extraordinary experiences.

Olive oil and fresh rosemary dance together, promising a sensational journey for anyone willing to knead and wait.

You’ll fall in love with every golden, fragrant bite that emerges from your oven.

Why Homemade Focaccia Feels Like Bakery Bliss

• Boost Baking Skills: Perfect recipe for novice bakers wanting to master artisan bread techniques, with clear step-by-step instructions that guide you through each stage of bread making.
• Customize with Creativity: Easily adaptable recipe that welcomes personal touches like different herbs, toppings, and seasoning variations to match your taste preferences and culinary imagination.
• Sensory Bread Experience: Enjoy the delightful process of creating a rustic Italian bread that fills your kitchen with incredible aromas, provides a satisfying hands-on kneading experience, and delivers a crispy, golden result that looks professionally crafted.
• Versatile Serving Options: Ideal for multiple occasions like casual gatherings, dinner parties, appetizer platters, picnics, or as a delicious accompaniment to soups, salads, and main course meals.

What You’ll Need To Make Focaccia

• Bread Flour: The primary ingredient that provides structure and chewiness to the focaccia.
• Sea Salt: Enhances the overall flavor profile of the bread.

• Active Dry Yeast: Crucial for creating the bread's rise and light texture.
• Warm Water: Activates the yeast and helps develop the dough's consistency.

• Olive Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Adds richness, moisture, and authentic Mediterranean flavor to the focaccia.

• Dried Rosemary, Dried Oregano: Provides aromatic herbal notes characteristic of traditional focaccia.
• Fresh Basil Leaves, Minced Garlic: Introduces additional depth and complexity to the bread's flavor profile.

• Coarse Sea Salt: Adds a final burst of flavor and creates a delightful crunchy texture on top of the focaccia.

How To Bake Focaccia From Scratch

Step 1: Awaken the Yeast

Mix yeast with warm water and let it bubble and transform into a frothy mixture. Watch as the tiny organisms come to life and create a soft, foamy texture.

Step 2: Build the Flour Foundation

• Bread flour
• Sea salt

Create a gentle crater in the center to welcome the yeast mixture.

Step 3: Merge Wet and Dry Ingredients

Pour the activated yeast into the flour crater. Add olive oil and blend until a rough, shaggy dough emerges. The mixture will look uneven and slightly messy.

Step 4: Develop Dough Strength

Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Knead vigorously for 8-10 minutes. Press, fold, and stretch the dough until it becomes smooth, silky, and elastic.

Step 5: First Dough Rise

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest in a warm, cozy spot. Allow the dough to expand and double in size, which takes about an hour.

Step 6: Shape the Focaccia

Gently deflate the risen dough. Move it to a generously oiled baking sheet. Stretch and spread the dough to cover the entire surface, creating a rustic, uneven landscape.

Step 7: Create Signature Dimples

Use your fingertips to press small indentations across the dough surface. These characteristic wells will capture flavor and create a classic focaccia texture.

Step 8: Add Herbal Touches

Sprinkle dried rosemary and oregano evenly across the dough. The herbs will infuse the bread with aromatic Mediterranean flavors.

Step 9: Second Dough Rise

Let the dough rest and proof for 30 minutes at room temperature. The bread will become puffy and light.

Step 10: Prepare the Oven

Heat the oven to 425°F. The high temperature will create a crispy exterior and soft interior.

Step 11: Final Flavor Enhancements

• Minced garlic
• Fresh basil leaves

Step 12: Add Finishing Salt

Sprinkle coarse sea salt across the top. This will provide a delightful crunch and enhance the overall flavor profile.

Step 13: Bake to Golden Perfection

Slide the baking sheet into the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the focaccia turns a beautiful golden brown with crispy, slightly darker edges.

Step 14: Cool and Serve

Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Allow the bread to cool for 10 minutes. Slice and serve warm, enjoying the herbs, salt, and olive oil’s incredible aroma.

Focaccia Tips For Great Results

• Master Yeast Activation: Ensure water temperature is between 100-110°F to wake up yeast without killing it, creating perfect foam for fluffy focaccia.
• Stretch Dough Gently: Use fingertips to stretch dough softly across baking sheet, preventing tears and maintaining airy texture.
• Enhance Flavor Layers: Experiment with herb combinations like thyme, rosemary, and oregano to develop complex, aromatic profiles in your focaccia.
• Perfect Moisture Balance: Drizzle extra virgin olive oil generously before baking to achieve crispy exterior and tender, soft interior.
• Control Proofing Environment: Place dough in warm, draft-free spot like near a preheating oven to help it rise evenly and develop rich flavor.

Creative Takes On Homemade Focaccia

• Mediterranean Medley Focaccia: Enhance the classic recipe by adding chopped sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, and crumbled feta cheese across the dough's surface before baking.
• Herb Garden Focaccia: Replace dried herbs with fresh thyme, sage, and chives, creating a vibrant green-flecked bread with intense aromatic flavors.
• Spicy Jalapeño Cheese Focaccia: Mix shredded cheddar cheese and finely diced jalapeños into the dough, topping with extra cheese and sliced peppers for a fiery kick.
• Caramelized Onion Focaccia: Slowly cook sliced onions until golden and sweet, then spread them generously over the dough before baking for a rich, complex flavor profile.

What Goes Well With Homemade Focaccia

• Pair Herbal Mediterranean Wines: Select crisp white wines like Vermentino or Greco di Tufo with bright, herbal notes that complement the focaccia's rosemary and oregano flavors.
• Create Rustic Antipasto Platter: Serve focaccia alongside cured Italian meats like prosciutto, soft cheeses such as burrata, marinated olives, and sun-dried tomatoes for a complete Mediterranean experience.
• Match Bold Olive Oil Dips: Prepare robust dipping sauces using extra virgin olive oil blended with roasted garlic, balsamic reduction, or herb-infused vinaigrettes to enhance the bread's rich, aromatic profile.

Smart Storage Tips For Homemade Focaccia

• Keep focaccia wrapped in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days, ensuring maximum freshness and soft texture.
• Place focaccia in a sealed container or wrap tightly with aluminum foil, storing in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days without compromising its quality.
• Cut focaccia into individual portions, wrap each piece separately in plastic wrap, then place inside a freezer-safe bag for storage up to 2-3 months with minimal flavor loss.
• Warm refrigerated or frozen focaccia in a preheated oven at 350°F for 5-7 minutes, restoring its crispy exterior and soft interior, creating an almost freshly-baked experience.

FAQs On Baking Homemade Focaccia

• Why is yeast activation important?

Activating yeast helps ensure proper fermentation and creates a light, airy texture in the focaccia by allowing the yeast to become frothy and alive before mixing with other ingredients.

• How do I know if my dough is properly kneaded?

A well-kneaded dough will feel smooth, elastic, and spring back when gently pressed. After 8-10 minutes of kneading, the dough should no longer be sticky and will have a consistent, stretchy texture.

• What role do the dimples play in focaccia?

The dimples are a signature focaccia technique that helps create pockets for olive oil to collect, resulting in a crispy surface and preventing the bread from rising too much during baking.

Homemade Focaccia Recipe

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4.6 from 17 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 35-40 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

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Description

Rustic Italian Focaccia brings Mediterranean warmth to kitchen counters with its golden, herb-infused crust. Simple ingredients and gentle kneading create a bread that connects generations through delicious, aromatic comfort you’ll savor slice by slice.

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Ingredients

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Main Ingredients:

• 4 cups bread flour
• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1.5 cups warm water
• 4 tbsp olive oil

Herbs and Seasonings:

• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp dried rosemary
• 1 tbsp dried oregano

Toppings:

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

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Instructions

1. Activate the yeast by dissolving it in warm water, allowing it to foam and become frothy for about 5-7 minutes.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine bread flour and sea salt, creating a well in the center for the yeast mixture.
3. Pour the activated yeast into the flour, incorporating olive oil and mixing until a shaggy dough forms.
4. Knead the dough on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic, developing gluten structure.
5. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm spot for approximately 1 hour or until doubled in size.
6. Punch down the risen dough and transfer to a generously oiled baking sheet, gently stretching it to cover the entire surface.
7. Dimple the dough surface using fingertips, creating characteristic focaccia texture.
8. Sprinkle dried rosemary and oregano across the dough, ensuring even distribution.
9. Let the dough rest and proof for an additional 30 minutes at room temperature.
10. Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C) while the dough is proofing.
11. Before baking, drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the surface and scatter minced garlic and fresh basil leaves.
12. Sprinkle coarse sea salt across the top for enhanced flavor and texture.
13. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and crispy around the edges.
14. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

• Choose high-protein bread flour for optimal gluten development, ensuring a chewy and airy texture.
• Maintain warm water temperature between 100-110°F when activating yeast to prevent killing the live cultures.
• Allow sufficient proofing time for maximum flavor complexity and authentic Italian-style bread structure.
• Experiment with alternative toppings like sundried tomatoes, olives, or caramelized onions for unique flavor variations.

• Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
• Category: Snacks, Appetizer, Lunch, Dinner
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 220
• Sugar: 0.5 g
• Sodium: 400 mg
• Fat: 7 g
• Saturated Fat: 1 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 34 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 6 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg