Easy Focaccia Bread
Posted: June 24, 2025
Updated: December 3, 2025
Instinct Level 4 – Advanced Technique: Patience and precision shine here: complex steps, longer time, sharper skills required.
Instinct Level 3 – Intermediate Balance: A little layering, some timing, and a dash of judgment — you’ve got this.
Instinct Level 5 – Expert Challenge: Multi‑stage, high‑skill cooking with nuanced judgment — a true kitchen adventure.
Instinct Level 2 – Easy with Guidance: Simple skills, short prep, clear steps — just follow along and you’re golden.
Instinct Level 1 – Beginner Friendly: You’ll breeze through this: quick, easy, no judgment calls, barely any cleanup.
This recipe resulted in the best focaccia bread that I have ever tasted, let alone made – no need for a more complex recipe for the go-to with its light and airy texture and a crisp golden crust. It requires very little hands-on time, no kneading, and it can be as little as 2 hours of rise time. This recipe is my adaptation of Food Network's “The Best Focaccia” recipe with some tweaks that I have found work really well for me.
servings (≈4x4-inch squares)
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Hands-On Time: 15 minutes
Rising Time: 1 to 2 hours for the first rise, 45 minutes for the second rise
Cooking Time: 20 to 25 minutes
Total Time: 2½ to 4 hours
Equipment
plastic wrap or lint-free towel
baking sheet (half-sized or 2 quarter-sized, rimmed)
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Meal Suggestions
Really this bread is good with almost anything. Use as a side for your favorite soup or salad or use as a fancy sandwich bread.
One of my favorite uses is as the crust for a flatbread pizza – cut a large section of the bread in half horizontally and spread with your desired sauce, cheese, and other toppings. My favorite is pesto with fresh mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, and basil leaves finished off with a balsamic glaze once out of the oven.
A great dip for the bread is Blackberry Balsamic Vinegar, olive oil, and a Bread Herb Mix. Just put it into a small bowl and combine.
Shortcuts
Not really a shortcut, but I like to either halve the recipe or use 2 quarter sheet pans, especially if I know that I will need to store most of the bread for later. The smaller size allows for easier storage and more portability (bonus: quarter sheet pans fit into the dishwasher).
This is almost as short as the time from mixing to a full rise that yeast breads can get (in my experience). The rise process can be sped up a little bit by putting the bowl in a warm location, putting in a warm oven (not super-hot – no more than 200°F – or you will bake the bread), or using a bread proofer.
Troubleshooting
One of the only troubles that I have run into with this easy bread recipe is that the dough might be too sticky (I have found that humidity can play a role). If you are in a humid environment, don’t be afraid to start with 2¼ cups of water and add more if the dough seems to be too dry. Remember that this dough should be sticky enough to stick to the bottom of the mixing bowl but not so sticky that it is hard to scrape out.
Make Ahead
The bread can be made and baked up to 2 days in advance and still tastes fresh if stored properly (sealed in the pan with plastic wrap or another cover or in a sealed bag or container). If desired, warm in the oven whole or in slices before serving.
Storage & Leftovers
Store in a sealed container with as little air as possible. Usually, the bread will last for 3 to 5 days without any deterioration. If you have a lot of extra, focaccia makes excellent croutons or bread crumbs – just air dry and cut into cubes or break up the bread with your hands.
If oven drying then cut into cubes, spray with olive oil, sprinkle with herbs, salt or other seasonings, and heat in the oven at 350°F for about 15 minutes or until dry. If bread crumbs are desired, use a blender or food processor and puree to the desired size or place the dried bread into a bag and smash with a mallet or rolling pin.
FAQs
Q: Do you have a gluten-free version of this recipe?
A: Unfortunately, not yet. I did try using Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free flour to directly replace the all-purpose flour in this recipe. The taste was great, but the bread was hard, dense, and took longer to cook thoroughly.
Nutrition Facts
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* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet; your needs may differ.
Nutrition information is estimated using USDA databases and may vary based on ingredient brands and preparation methods.
The 2,000-calorie reference is used as a general guide. Individual calorie needs typically range from 1,600-2,400 calories per day for adult women and 2,000-3,000 calories per day for adult men, depending on age, activity level, and other factors.
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Yeast Bread
Yeast breads are leavened baked goods that rely on the fermentation activity of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) to create their characteristic light, airy texture and complex flavors. These breads are fundamentally distinguished from unleavened breads or chemically leavened breads by their use of living yeast organisms that consume sugars in the dough and produce carbon dioxide gas and ethanol as byproducts. The carbon dioxide becomes trapped in the gluten network of the dough, causing it to rise and develop the open, porous crumb structure that defines quality yeast bread. Beyond leavening, yeast also contributes significantly to flavor development, gluten strengthening, and the overall texture of the finished bread through the complex biochemical processes of fermentation.
Knead
The process of working dough by hand or machine to develop gluten networks, resulting in a smooth, elastic texture essential for breads and many baked goods. It involves folding, pressing, and stretching the dough repeatedly, trapping gasses produced by yeast and providing structure for rising. Properly kneaded dough passes the “windowpane” test—when stretched, it forms a thin, translucent film without tearing. Under- or over-kneading impacts texture, so technique and timing matter for bread quality.
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