This easy focaccia is fantastic in texture and flavor and surprisingly easy to prepare. You will need to allow an overnight rise, but almost no work is involved.
First, mix the ingredients until combined, then drizzle with olive oil and put it in the fridge for overnight proofing. The next day, take the focaccia dough out of the fridge about 3 1/2 hours before you plan to eat; put the dough in the pan, let it rise a bit more, then bake!
There is absolutely no kneading required—just lightly mix with your hands or use a bowl scraper to fold it over a few times. The dough is very soft, but it’s easy to handle with oiled or wet hands, forks, or bowl scraper. I use a jelly roll pan, but you can use a 9-by-13-inch baking pan if that’s what you have. You’ll have a thick, crusty focaccia loaf with perfect chewy texture and tons of flavor.
Top this focaccia with the simple flaky sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper or add some rosemary leaves or other fresh herbs. Garlic is another excellent choice. Crush a few cloves of garlic and mix with a tablespoon or two of olive oil, then brush the mixture over the dough before sprinkling with salt and pepper.
Related Bread Recipes
You might also enjoy this focaccia with olives or this bread machine version. Or try our homemade ciabatta bread or this recipe for fougasse, which is similar to focaccia. Or if you want a more conventional loaf of no-knead bread, try this Dutch oven bread.
Recipe Tips
- When topping the dough with rosemary, first toss it lightly with olive oil, then stick the leaves in a bit so they will adhere.
- For airy focaccia, avoid overworking the dough.
- After fitting the rested dough into the pan, allow it to rest 45 minutes before baking.
What do you eat with focaccia?
Focaccia is a crusty bread that goes with many meals. Enjoy it with a tossed salad or a bowl of soup or stew. It’s an excellent bread to serve with an Italian pasta meal or sliced horizontally to make sandwiches. It’s even great as a breakfast bread!
What is the difference between focaccia and pizza crust?
While focaccia and pizza dough are similar, focaccia contains more yeast, making it thicker and airier. Focaccia may be topped with sauce, cheese, and toppings just like any pizza.
How To Store Focaccia
- Focaccia is best enjoyed freshly baked, but it will last for up to 2 days wrapped in plastic and stored at room temperature.
- To freeze, wrap slices of cooled focaccia in plastic wrap then aluminum foil and freeze it for up to 1 month.
- To warm thawed focaccia bread, place it on a baking sheet and bake it in a preheated 375 F oven for about 10 to 12 minutes or until hot.
Airy No-Knead Focaccia
Focaccia is a super easy bread to bake for a spaghetti dinner, Alfredo, or any other meal! You can even split this thick focaccia and make sandwiches!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 15 hours: Rest/Proof
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Bread
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons honey or sugar
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 cups (454 grams) lukewarm water
- 4 cups (510 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon butter for greasing the pan, only if the pan is nonstick
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the honey or sugar, yeast, and warm water; let stand for 5 minutes. Add the flour, salt, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil; mix to form a wet, sticky ball. Oil your hands or a bowl scraper and fold the dough over a few times while drizzling with 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for up to 72 hours.
- About 4 hours before you plan to bake the focaccia, remove it from the fridge and deflate the dough by stretching and folding over few times. Drizzle with more oil, cover the bowl, and let it rest at room temperature for 3 hours.
- Prepare a 10-by-15-inch jelly roll pan or 9-by-13-inch baking pan. If the pan is not nonstick, grease it with 1 teaspoon of butter. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and brush it to cover the bottom. Turn the dough into the pan and let it rest for 15 minutes so it will relax enough to stretch.
- Stretch the dough to fit the pan and let it rest for 45 minutes longer.
- With oiled hands, dimple the dough all over. Sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper, and arrange rosemary over the top if desired.
- Bake for 24 to 28 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Cool the focaccia for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
