It’s undeniable: there is something amazing about a fresh homemade bread. And this easy homemade focaccia bread is just the thing to satisfy that craving!
I love making bread. It’s something that many people find intimidating, but there is really no reason to be!
Focaccia bread (pronounced foh-kah-ch-ya) is an Italian bread that makes a great side to pasta, soups and salads or as a sandwich bread.
This bread is naturally vegan, as it contains only flour, oil, herbs, salt, and yeast. There are no animal products at all in this recipe, as long as you omit the parmesan cheese topping.
Focaccia bread is something that can be easily adjusted to whatever you have on hand. It’s amazing with fresh herbs, but dried herbs can work great if that’s what you have on hand.
How do I make focaccia bread?
As long as you follow all of the steps, it’s pretty hard to mess up!
You’ll start by proofing the yeast. That’s a fancy way of saying you are going to make sure the yeast is still active. You do this by putting the yeast in warm water with some sugar.
When yeast is proofed, it gets foamy and bubbly. Once the yeast changes, you can move onto the next steps. If your yeast does not proof, your dough will not rise properly and the yeast should be discarded.
The image below will show you what proofed yeast looks like.
Once your yeast has proofed, you can add in the rest of the ingredients and mix until it pulls away from the bowl.
For a yeast-free bread recipe, try Cheesy Garlic Bread.
Then you’ll rise the dough for about 45-60 minutes. Place it in a bowl greased lightly with olive oil and set in a warm spot. I like to rise my dough next the fireplace or over a heat vent.
Once the dough has doubled in size, you will transfer it to a lightly floured surface and roll the dough out to the size of your pan. Let the dough rise again for about 15-20 minutes.
Poke holes into the dough with your fingers. Push them all the way to the bottom of the pan.
Top your bread with a drizzle of olive oil and a few pinches of flaky sea salt before baking.
Bake bread for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Top bread with more olive oil, fresh herbs, or parmesan cheese! This bread is best served warm, and makes a great side to soups, salads and pasta.
Let me know what you think of this recipe! I love it alongside Broccoli Cheddar Soup. For a vegan option, try Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup.
