Rosemary Focaccia

This easy 6-ingredient focaccia is the perfect no-knead bread recipe to serve as a side or as a sandwich bread!

5 from 6 votes

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 40

Resting/Proofing time: 15

Total Time: 16 10

Servings: servings

▢ 1 ¾ cups warm water
▢ 2 ½ teaspoons active dried yeast
▢ 5 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
▢ 2 sprigs fresh rosemary leaves only
▢ flaky sea salt optional, to top bread before baking

Begin by adding your warm water and yeast to a large mixing bowl. Let sit for 3-5 minutes to make sure the yeast is activated. You will be able to tell 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.
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 with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and then add to the fridge to proof for 10-16 hours. This extra-long rise is crucial for that yeasty & chewy focaccia flavor and texture.

Before removing the dough from the fridge grease a 9*13 inch pan with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. This helps prevent any sticking and allows the focaccia to get a nice crust while baking. If your pan is not non-stick, you may want to add more olive oil or even a sheet of parchment paper before adding the dough.
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.
Add the deflated and folded dough to the 9*13 inch pan and gently pull it to stretch it out in the pan. It won't completely fill the pan at this point since the dough is cold, but rest assured it will after the next rise.
Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let rise another 2-3 hours at room temperature until the dough has doubled in size and completely fills the pan.

Preheat the oven to 425F.
Remove the plastic wrap from the pan and drizzle the final 1 Tablespoon of olive oil onto the dough. Lightly oil your hands again and then use all of your fingers to press into the dough and dimple it. Continue to do this until the dough is covered in little holes. If necessary, gently stretch the dough as you dimple to allow it to fill the pan.
As a final step, top the dimpled dough with the fresh rosemary leaves and flaky sea salt before baking.
Add the pan to the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes until the focaccia is cooked through and browned on top and bottom.
Let the focaccia cool in the pan for a few minutes, and then carefully transfer it to a wire rack to finish cooling. Once cooled, use a serrated knife to cut into 12 pieces. Enjoy!

Rosemary and flaky sea salt work as a base topping for this recipe. However, feel free to experiment with other toppings. Some of my favorites include caramelized onion, olives, garlic cloves, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, vegan pesto, or cheese!
Focaccia bread can be sliced and 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, you can let it thaw at room temperature and then reheat it in a pan to warm it up.
I don't recommend trying to make any of my yeasted bread recipes gluten-free as the structure of the bread does depend on some gluten forming.

Tried this recipe?Mention @shortgirltallorder or tag #sgtoeats!