This easy and delicious no knead focaccia bread is so simple to make and comes out perfect every time. It requires no special equipment and very little hands on time.
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Quick and easy this no knead focaccia recipe is perfect for the beginner cook. Great to eat fresh from the oven or use it to make focaccia pizza.
Cost To Make
Estimated cost = $2.52 or $1.26 a loaf (toppings not included)
Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- It is quick to put together with less than 10 minutes to prepare.
- It can be flavored with any topping you like.
- It has a light golden brown crisp crust with a chewy and airy texture inside.
- It’s perfect on the dinner table with any number of dishes because you can flavor match the toppings.
- Focaccia bread can be eaten warm or at room temperature and is also delicious with breading dipping oil.
- It can be eaten plain or can be used to make delicious thick sandwiches.
- This focaccia bread recipe can even be used to make no-knead focaccia pizza – see below for ideas.
- It’s cheaper and fresher than anything you could buy and healthier too because, it is preservative free.
Ingredients In This Recipe
The printable recipe further down the page has the complete list of ingredients, including quantities and step-by-step instructions.
Bread flour (baker’s flour / strong flour) is best because it gives the bread it’s characteristic soft chewy texture.
However, if all you have is all-purpose flour (plain flour) this can be used instead. The focaccia will still be nice but, the texture and chewiness will be a little different than bread made with baker’s flour.
Yeast – I always use instant yeast granules for my bread recipes. This yeast does not require activation and can be added in with the other dry ingredients. If you have never used instant yeast before read our article on How to Use Instant Yeast for more information.
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 – is added not to give the bread sweetness but to feed the yeast. Only one teaspoon is used, and you will hardly notice it in the finished bread.
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.
Olive oil – this is used to oil the pan and coat the dough before baking.
Toppings – I 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.
Equipment
- Kitchen scales
- Measuring spoons
- Large mixing bowl
- Wooden spoon
- 2 baking tins 25 x 20 cm (10 x 8 inch). Can also use two 23 cm (9 inch) round tins
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.
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Recipe 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. This is also good when using tomatoes that can fall off when the bread is turned upside down.
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.
- Olive oil and sea salt.
- Caramelised onions.
- Sage and mozzarella cheese.
- Thinly sliced garlic cloves and fresh rosemary leaves.
- Cherry tomato halves (cut sides up) and basil leaves.
- Anchovy fillets, capers, corn kernels, fresh or dry oregano and bottled artichoke hearts.
- Mozzarella cheese, goats’ cheese, parmesan cheese, fresh or dried rosemary.
- Sun dried tomatoes, black olives, red onion slices and feta cheese.
- Thin slices of tomato and dried herbs with grated parmesan added after baking.
- Thin slices of red onion, thinly sliced garlic, sliced black olives, grated cheese, sea salt and dried herbs.
- Zaatar (A Lebanese spice blend) get the recipe from masalaherb.com.
- 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 make a thick no knead focaccia pizza. Replace the focaccia toppings with your favorite pizza toppings and bake for about 15- 20 minutes or until the focaccia is cooked.
Just like pizza, you don’t want a thick layer of toppings, so keep it light. If too much topping is added the dough may be undercooked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Focaccia is a simple Italian flatbread made using a high gluten flour (bakers’ flour or strong flour), salt, sugar, yeast, water, and olive oil.
Focaccia can be eaten as is. It can be cut into wedges, long thin slices or the bread can be sliced in half to create a thick sandwich bread.
The flavors of this bread can be made to suit many different dishes depending on the toppings added to it. It’s great for soups, can be eaten with salads, made into sandwiches, can be used to mop up stews and saucy pasta dishes.
Focaccia bread can be eaten hot, warm or cold and is at its best eaten the day it was made.
Yes, focaccia dough can be made in advance. Prepare the dough to the first rise stage, then tightly cover with plastic food wrap and store overnight in the fridge.
When you’re ready to finish the bread, continue with the recipe instructions where you left off. But be aware that you will have to increase the time for the second rise because the dough is cold, this can be up to an additional three hours.
Focaccia bread is milk free.
Yes, focaccia bread can be frozen. To freeze allow the bread to cool to room temperature then, tightly wrap in a double layer of plastic, label, and date then freeze.
If you have frozen focaccia allow it to thaw before reheating in the oven. To reheat in the oven, remove and discard the plastic food wrap, tightly wrap the bread in aluminum foil. Place in a preheated 200°C (390°F) for about 10 - 15 minutes or until hot.
You can refresh focaccia by sprinkling a little water over the bread, then tightly wrap in aluminum foil and reheat as instructed above in question 7. You can tell that it's ready by pressing the bread if it feels soft it is ready.
More Bread Recipes
You might also like to try these this naan bread recipe, or this easy pita bread recipe, or this bread machine recipe for white bread or these other homemade bread recipes:
If you make this no-knead focaccia, please come back and leave a comment below because I would love to hear how it went.
Recipe
No Knead Focaccia Bread
EQUIPMENT
- Kitchen scales
- Measuring spoons
- Large mixing bowl
- Wooden spoon
- 2 rectangle baking tins 25 x 20 cm (10 x 8 inch). Can also use two 23 cm (9 inch) round tins
INGREDIENTS
- 560 grams (1.2 pounds) bread flour also known as strong flour, bakers flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 10 grams (2 ½ teaspoons) yeast
- 420 grams (1 ¾ cups) water plus a little extra if needed
- 6 teaspoons olive oil for topping, plus a little extra for greasing the tins
Topping Suggestion – Or Toppings of Your Choice
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- dried Italian herbs
- sea salt crystals
- cherry tomatoes
- sliced black olives
INSTRUCTIONS
- Make The DoughPlace the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and water 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.Tightly cover the bowl with plastic food wrap, place it in a warm area and allow to double in size – this can take anywhere between 1 ½ - 3 hours.
- Prepare the baking tins by coating inside base and sides of the tins with a little olive oil.Use a scraper, to scrape the dough from the sides of the bowl, divide into two, and place in the prepared tins.Pour about 1 teaspoon of olive oil over each dough ball, then use your hands to rub it over the dough.With your fingers still oiled, press into the dough so that it spreads and fills the tin in an even layer.
- Allow to rise a second timeLoosely cover the tins with a piece of plastic food wrap. Place in a warm area and allow to double in size – this can take about 30 – 60 minutes.Note: This bread can also be baked without tins. When you come to step 1 grease two baking trays, and shape the divided dough into balls, place a dough ball on each of the trays, using lightly oiled fingers to press into the dough and spread it out so that it’s about 2 cm (a little less than 1 inch) thick. Then follow the rest of the recipe.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) about 10 – 15 minutes before the end of the second rise.
- Add toppingsYou can get creative and add any topping you like to this dough or use the one below.Garlic and herb topping: Dust the top with garlic and onion powder – be generous here otherwise you won’t get the flavours. Then lightly sprinkle with the Italian herbs – be careful not to use too much as these can be overpowering. Then scatter over a little salt, and drizzle over 2- 3 teaspoon of olive oil on each of the loaves.
- BakeBake for about 15 – 20 minutes or until the tops turns golden brown, and the bread sounds hollow when tapped.Remove from the oven, allow to cool in the tins for about 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into slices or wedges.
YH says
I think you forgot to include the water in the actual recipe.
I only see it in the ingredients.
Harriet Britto says
Thanks for letting me know, I have updated the recipe.