These Garlic Tomato Focaccia Muffins are so fluffy, chewy, and made with 8 simple ingredients. The bread itself requires no kneading, and the garlic tomato oil makes this recipe SO delicious!
A few years ago, I made the most delicious Rosemary Focaccia, but recently have been dreaming of making a muffin version! This recipe uses my focaccia recipe as a base, but we are topping it with the most delicious garlic tomato oil to make it that much better!
Ingredients:
Ingredient & substitution notes:
- All-purpose flour: I have only tested this recipe using all-purpose flour, as I just find that the easiest to use with homemade bread.
- Substituting in bread flour should also work!
- Olive Oil: I can't stress enough how important it is to bake this bread with high-quality olive oil. Since we use a fair amount, the flavor really shines through, so use olive oil you know you love.
- Active Dried Yeast: I love baking with active dried yeast, but it does require the extra step of reactivating the yeast in warm water.
- If you'd prefer to use Instant Yeast, that also works- just add it when you add the flour & salt instead (no need to let bloom in the water).
- Tomato Paste: I highly recommend using tomato paste from a tube vs. a can. It has a brighter, less acidic flavor and tends to have a more concentrated tomato flavor.
- My favorite brands are Cento and Mutti.
- Garlic: Must be fresh and very finely minced!
- I used my garlic press to get the perfect texture for these focaccia muffins! It's one of those tools that seems silly but will make your life 100 times easier!
How to make focaccia muffins
Make the bread dough
First, add the active dried yeast to the warm water. Your water mustn't be TOO warm, or it can kill the yeast, so lukewarm water is best.
Let that sit for about 5 minutes to give the yeast time to bloom.
Mix in the oil, then add the flour and salt to the bowl and mix together.
I prefer using a spatula to mix the dough since it's pretty sticky. No kneading is required, but you want to make sure you mix the dough until no streaks of flour remain.
The first rise
For the focaccia bread dough into a loosely shaped bowl and coat with 1 more Tablespoon of olive oil. Then, cover it with plastic wrap and add it to the fridge for 10-16 hours to proof.
This long proof time allows the yeast to ferment slowly and is what gives these focaccia muffins their flavor. The next day, remove the dough from the fridge and deflate it. It is a high-hydration dough & pretty sticky, so you may want to coat your hands with olive oil before touching the dough. a light and airy crumb.
Add to muffin tin for second rise
The next day, remove the dough from the fridge and deflate it. It is a high-hydration dough & pretty sticky, so I highly recommend coating your hands in olive oil before handling the dough.
Then, break the dough into 12 equally sized balls and add them to a greased muffin tin. Cover the tray with plastic wrap and let it rise about 1-2 more hours.
Make the tomato garlic topping
Right before the dough is done with its second rise, make the tomato garlic oil. Add the olive oil, tomato paste, minced garlic, salt, and dried parsley to a bowl and mix together until smooth.
Add topping & dimple the dough
Add about 1 teaspoon of garlic tomato oil to each muffin. Then, use your fingers to dimple the dough and spread the oil out over the tops of the muffins.
Bake for 20-25 minutes
Add the tray of focaccia muffins to the oven and bake at 425F for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown. It's important not to overcook the muffins, or you risk burning the tomato and garlic on top.
Remove the muffins from the oven, top with some extra flaky sea salt, serve, & enjoy!
FAQ & Tips:
Can I add different toppings to focaccia muffins?
Definitely (though I am obviously biased and think they taste amazing as is)!
Like my rosemary focaccia, you can add a mix of olive oil and fresh rosemary. You can also add fresh slices of cherry tomatoes, shallots, or olives on top. Truly, the possibilities are endless!
What should I serve with these focaccia muffins?
These bread muffins are great on their own, but they really do best served as a side dish!
My favorite way to serve them is with a dish that has extra broth so you can use the bread to soak it up! A few favorites I'd recommend include my Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Quinoa Soup, Tuscan White Bean Kale Soup, or my Carrot Lentil Ginger Soup.
How do I store focaccia?
Focaccia muffins can be stored in a resealable container or bag for about 3-4 days at room temperature.
You can also freeze focaccia by slicing it and storing it in a freezer-safe bag for up to 1 month. To defrost, let the muffins thaw at room temperature and reheat in the microwave if desired.
I can't wait for you to try these chewy Garlic Tomato Focaccia Muffins! They are such a fun side dish for Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or to enjoy any time you are craving a side of homemade bread. Enjoy!
-TSG
More savory bread recipes you will love:
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Garlic Tomato Focaccia Muffins
Ingredients
Focaccia Bread:
- 1 ¾ cups lukewarm water
- 2 ½ teaspoons active dried yeast
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil *make sure to add at specified times as amount varies at each step
- 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
Garlic Tomato Oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
Instructions
Make the focaccia dough & first rise:
- Begin by adding your warm water and yeast to a large mixing bowl. Let it sit for 3-5 minutes to make sure the yeast is activated. You will be able to tell it's working if it's bubbling and turns frothy. If using instant yeast, you can skip this step and add the yeast directly to the mix with the flour and salt (and add the water with the oil).
- Next, add 2 Tablespoons of the olive oil to the mixing bowl and stir to mix. Then, add in the all-purpose flour and salt and mix together until no streaks of flour remain. I prefer using a spatula for this step as it helps to mix this high-hydration & sticky dough, but a spoon also works.
- Once the dough is mixed, form it into a rough ball and coat it with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and then add it to the fridge to proof for 10-16 hours. This extra-long rise is crucial for that classic yeasty & chewy focaccia flavor and texture.
Second rise:
- Before removing the dough from the fridge, lightly grease a muffin pan with olive oil. This helps prevent any sticking and allows the focaccia to get a nice crust while baking.
- Next, remove the bowl of dough from the fridge. It should have risen substantially overnight.
- Lightly oil your hands to prevent sticking and then deflate the dough by pulling away the sides of the dough from the bowl and folding it into a loosely shaped ball.
- Break the deflated dough into 12 equally sized balls and place them into the muffin pan.
- Cover the muffin pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rise another 1-2 hours at room temperature until the dough has doubled in size.
Making the tomato garlic oil:
- About 10 minutes before the bread has finished its second rise, preheat the oven to 425F and make the garlic tomato oil.
- To make the garlic tomato oil, finely mince the garlic cloves (or better yet, use a garlic press for the best texture!). Then, add the minced garlic, olive oil, tomato paste, salt, and dried parsley to a small bowl and whisk together until combined.
Add topping & bake focaccia:
- Remove the plastic wrap from the muffin pan and top each bread muffin with equal parts of the garlic tomato oil until all of it is used. Then, use all of your fingers to press into each ball of dough and dimple it. Continue to do this until the dough is covered in little holes and the garlic tomato oil covers the top of each bread ball.
- Add the muffin pan to the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes until the muffins are cooked through and the tops are golden brown.
- Let the focaccia muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes. Then, carefully transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling. If desired, sprinkle extra flaky sea salt on top at this time. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Please see the blog post for substitution ideas and recipe tips.
- Focaccia muffins can be stored in a resealable container or bag for about 3-4 days at room temperature.
- You can also freeze focaccia by slicing it and storing it in a freezer-safe bag for up to 1 month.
- To defrost, let the muffins thaw at room temperature and reheat in the microwave if desired.
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