Easy No Knead Focaccia Bread

Have you ever wanted to bake your own bread but thought it was too hard?

This easy no-knead focaccia recipe is perfect for beginners! It only takes about 10 minutes to prepare, and you don't need any special equipment.

Focaccia is a type of bread that's simple and chewy. It's not heavy like some breads, but it's still satisfying to eat.

This recipe uses basic ingredients and is a great way to start baking your own bread at home.

Follow along with our step-by-step instructions and enjoy the delicious aroma of freshly baked focaccia filling your kitchen!

If you like more simple international bread recipes you like this recipe for soft flour tortillas or this naan bread recipe.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• It is quick to put together with less than 10 minutes to prepare.
• You can add any toppings you like to flavor it.
• The bread has a light golden brown crust that's crispy on the outside and chewy and airy inside.
• It's great for dinner because you can match the toppings with different dishes.
• You can enjoy focaccia warm or at room temperature, and it's delicious with breading dipping oil.
• You can eat it plain or use it to make thick sandwiches.
• Use this recipe to make no-knead focaccia pizza – check out the ideas below.
• It’s cheaper and fresher than anything you could buy and healthier too because, it is preservative free.

Are You A Yeast Bread Beginner?

All our yeast bread recipes use instant yeast. If you've never used it before, check out our guide on How to Use Instant Yeast. It covers many common questions.

Ingredients

• Bread flour (baker’s flour/strong flour) is best because it gives the bread it’s characteristic soft chewy texture. You can use all-purpose flour (plain flour) if that is all you have, the focaccia will still be nice but, the texture and chewiness will be a little different than bread made with baker’s flour.
• Dry Instant yeast add it in at the same time with the other dry ingredients.
• Salt – is a must in bread making, it adds flavor to the bread and without it you will find the bread can be a little bland.
• Sugar – gives the bread sweetness and feeds the yeast.
• Water – Use lukewarm water, you don’t want to use hot water because you can kill the yeast. If in doubt use cold tap water.
• Extra virgin olive oil or another neutral flavored oil. Use this to oil the pan and coat the dough before baking.
• Toppings – We used garlic powder, onion powder, Italian herbs, sliced black olives, and cherry tomatoes for the bread shown on this page.
• However, you can use other toppings if you prefer, see our "Focaccia Topping Ideas" section below for ideas.

Step By Step Instructions

Step 1 - Place the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt into a large mixing bowl.

Use a large sturdy wooden spoon and mix well making sure there are no dry patches of flour. The dough should be soft and sticky

Step 2 - Tightly cover the bowl with plastic food wrap, place it in a warm area and allow it to double in size – this can take anywhere between 1 ½ - 3 hours.

Step 3 - After the dough has doubled in size divide it into two equal parts and place them into two well-oiled baking pans (or you can line the pans with baking paper).

You could use two 25 x 20 cm (10 x 8 inch) rectangle baking tins or two 23 cm (9 inches) round tins or one of each.

However, if you don’t have suitable tins, you can still make this no-knead focaccia bread using baking sheets. After dividing the dough shape into two balls, place each ball onto an oiled rimmed baking sheet (or line the baking sheets with baking paper).

Pour a little bit of olive oil over each dough ball, then with oiled fingers gently press and dimple the dough, spreading it out to about 2cm (1 inch) thick.

Step 4 – Loosely cover the tins with plastic wrap or a clean cloth and allow the dough to double in size.

Step 5 – Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (350°F) about 10- 15 minutes before baking the bread.

Step 6 – Just before baking, add the topping and drizzle over a little more olive oil. Bake for about 15 – 20 minutes or until cooked.

• Tip: When using cherry tomatoes as a topping place them cut side up, this will stop the focaccia from getting soggy.

Step 7 – Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

• Tip: Toppings like cherry tomatoes can fall off the top of the bread when upturned. Place a sheet of baking paper over top of the bread before turning upside down, then turn the bread right side up and allow to cool.

Expert Tips

• Handling sticky dough. This no-knead focaccia dough is very sticky so, dust your hands and bench with flour throughout the shaping process to stop the dough from sticking.
• Lightly oil your fingers before dimpling dough, this will stop the dough from sticking to your fingers when lifting them from the dough.
• Generously oil the tins, especially the base as the dough does stick or, line the base with baking paper.
• Line the base and sides of the tins with baking paper for easy lifting out.

How To Tell When Bread Is Done

If you are new to baking and want to know how to tell if bread is done you can:

• Look at the bread - Check the crust color; it should be golden brown.
• Give it a tap - Gently tap the bread or bun; if it sounds hollow, it is likely done.
• Use a thermometer- Measure the inside temperature with a food thermometer. Bread should be 190-200°F (88-93°C), and sweet buns should be 185-190°F (85-88°C).
• Follow the baking time - Stick to the recommended baking time in your recipe. Use both visual and internal cues to adjust if needed.

What To Do If Your Bread Is Browning To Quickly

If you find that your bread is browning to quickly and it has more cooking time left, here is is what you can do:

• Cover with the bread with foil - If you notice your bread browning too fast while baking, loosely cover the top of the bread with aluminum foil. This will help prevent further browning and allow the bread to continue baking without burning.
• Reduce oven temperature: Lower the oven temperature slightly because oven temperatures can vary. A slightly lower temperature can slow down the browning process and give the bread more time to bake evenly without becoming too dark on the outside.
• Even baking - If you see that your bread is browning unevenly, it might be because of a hot spot in your oven. To fix this, try rotating the bread halfway through baking. This helps distribute the heat more evenly, ensuring that all sides of the bread bake at the same rate and achieve a consistent color.
• Check baking time: Make sure you are following the recommended baking time for your recipe. Sometimes bread can brown quickly if the oven temperature is too high or if the bread is smaller or thinner than usual.

By using some or all of these tips, you can control the browning of your bread and achieve a nicely baked loaf without it becoming too dark on the outside.

Topping Ideas

With all these focaccia topping ideas don’t forget to drizzle over 2-3 teaspoons of olive oil, before popping into the oven.

1. Olive oil and sea salt.
2. Caramelized onions.
3. Sage and mozzarella cheese.
4. Thinly sliced garlic cloves and fresh rosemary leaves.
5. Cherry tomato halves (cut sides up) and basil leaves.
6. Anchovy fillets, capers, corn kernels, fresh or dry oregano and bottled artichoke hearts.
7. Mozzarella cheese, goats’ cheese, parmesan cheese, fresh or dried rosemary.
8. Sun dried tomatoes, black olives, red onion slices and feta cheese.
9. Thin slices of tomato and dried herbs with grated parmesan added after baking.
10.  Thin slices of red onion, thinly sliced garlic, sliced black olives, grated cheese, sea salt and dried herbs.
11. Zaatar (A Lebanese spice blend) get the recipe from masalaherb.com.
12. Generous dusting of garlic and onion powers, a light sprinkle of Italian herbs and a little sea salt.

Variations

No knead focaccia pizza - Use this no-knead focaccia recipe to create a thick no-knead focaccia pizza.

Just swap out the focaccia toppings with your favorite pizza toppings, then bake for about 15-20 minutes until the focaccia is fully cooked.

Similar to pizza, avoid piling on too many toppings; keep it light. Adding too many toppings can prevent the dough from cooking properly.

How to Store Fresh Made Bread

Here are some tips for the best way to store bread for freshness:

• Cool the bread completely - Allow the bread to cool completely on a wire rack after baking, it should then be wrapped for storage.
  • For unfilled bread wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent drying out.
  • For bread with fillings like meat or custard), wrap in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep it fresh.
• Room temperature storage
  • Unfilled bread can be kept at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. Keep it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and heat sources.
• Refrigeration storage
  • Breads with fillings should always be stored in the fridge and be used within 2-3 days when stored in the refrigerator.
  • Unfilled bread can be refrigerated for longer shelf life, up to 3-5 days, although it may dry out faster in the fridge.

For longer storage homemade bread can be frozen.

How To Store Bread In Freezer - (Filled and Unfilled Bread)

• Wrap cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil for freezer storage. Label with the name of the bread and date of baking.
• Place the wrapped bread in the freezer. It can be frozen for up to 1-2 months for best quality.

When you need the bread thaw it before using.

How To Thaw Bread

• Unfilled bread: Thaw unfilled bread at room temperature, still wrapped, for a few hours or overnight.
• Filled Bread (with perishable fillings): Thaw filled bread at room temperature for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator. If liked you can reheat individual thawed portions in the microwave or oven until heated through.

By following these storage and freezing tips, you can enjoy your homemade bread—whether filled or unfilled—while maintaining its freshness and quality for longer periods.

FAQ

If you're enjoying this no-knead focaccia recipe, you might also want to explore these other delightful bread recipes.

Try making naan bread, easy pita bread, or even a classic white bread using a bread machine.

Also, consider experimenting with other homemade bread varieties such as soft dinner rolls, cob bread, and spinach feta bread.

Feel free to browse through our collection of easy bread recipes for more baking inspiration!