This Focaccia Bread recipe is an easy, no-knead, tasty treat or side. A tantalizing Italian flatbread topped with rosemary, heirloom cherry tomatoes or olives. Perfect on its own, used to make Italian panini, or even used as a base for pizza.

Italian Focaccia Recipe

If you’ve never had homemade focaccia bread before, you’re missing out on a love affair you shouldn’t deprive yourself of. Every bite of that perfectly crispy, yet soft bread is a wonderland of discovery.

You don’t need any special occasion to make this, nor do you need a fancy feast to back it up. I adore just ripping a piece off and enjoying it with some sauce, a bowl of Minestrone, mushroom soup or Pasta e Ceci. Yes, it’s that good.

It’s one of my favorite recipes simply because it can be used in so many ways. Plus, it always adds a flair of amazing when it’s included. I beg of you, try this bread! You’ll be in love, I swear.

What is Focaccia Bread?

A type of leavened Italian flatbread similar to pizza that is popularly used as a side, snack, or even as sandwich bread. Flatbread, in general, can either be unleavened or leavened. This means it’s made without yeast or with it.

The Toppings

What’s really great about this bread is all the delicious toppings you can add to it. My favorites are the additions of heirloom tomatoes of course and strong herbs like rosemary and fennel seeds. Gosh, the smell of that bread once it starts baking will make you weak in the knees. Some other divine toppings suggestions below!

The Ingredients

Flour
Warm Water
Yeast
Sea Salt
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Mashed Potato.

Easy & Simple Process

Make the dough – Make the yeast mixture. Combine all the ingredients once the yeast is ready and knead for a minute.
Rise – Drizzle with olive oil, cover with a towel, and let it sit until doubled in size.
Shape – Place in a skillet and press to the edges. Sprinkle with your selected toppings, cover, and let rise again.
Bake – Bake up to 35 minutes. Allow to cool for a few and enjoy!

Useful Tips + FAQ

Storage: If you actually end up with any leftovers at all make sure to store them in a plastic bag on the kitchen counter for a day or two. Alternatively you could even freeze it and pop it in the toaster oven when ready to enjoy.
How to eat it? – It’s similar to pizza crust, so think along those tasty lines. You can dip it in some homemade arrabiata or marinara sauce. You could even eat it by itself or serve it alongside my Zuppa Toscana, Italian vegetable soup, Italian cabbage, Pasta e Ceci or this lovely Roasted Tomato Soup. I’ve even used it as a base for my pizza before. There was zero disappointment with that meal, let me tell ya.
Is there an alternative to olive oil? – If you really can’t use olive oil (it’s really the best in this recipe), you can always use another oil. Vegetable oil, walnut oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, and peanut oil, just to name a few options. You can always make it oil-free but to be honest this is just not the recipe for that.
How do I make focaccia bread art? – Before baking your bread, you can use herbs and veggies to make designs on the top of the dough. Once you’re finished designing, you just bake it as normal. It’s fun and just as tasty + you get to sneak a few more veggies in there.
How do I make it more fluffy? – Not necessary because you have the potato for this! However if you insist, you can add 2 teaspoons of sugar to your yeast and warm water and give it a whisk to mix. Let it stand until foamy and then follow the rest of the steps as normal. This should make your bread fluffier than usual but it really isn’t necessary for this style of flatbread which is originally meant to have a dryer crumb.
Where can i buy it? – Honestly, you can find it at most grocery stores these days. However, once you eat the homemade version, you’ll scoff at the store-bought stuff. Yup, I said it because it’s true.

Watch How to Make Focaccia Bread

Focaccia Bread with Rosemary and Tomatoes

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