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.
Focaccia Bread
This homemade focaccia bread is a major crowd pleaser. It pairs perfectly with soups, salads and pastas! Plus, it's a naturally vegan recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cup warm water
- 1 packet of active-dry yeast (0.25 oz)
- 2 tsp. sugar
- 3 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- ¼ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling on top
- 1 tbsp. minced garlic
- 1 tbsp. dried rosemary
- ½ tbsp. dried oregano
- 2 tsp flaky sea salt
- OPTIONAL: fresh rosemary or parmesan cheese to top baked bread
Instructions
- Proof the yeast. Add warm water (about 110°F, or warm to the touch), sugar, and active dry yeast to a bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer. Stir lightly to mix. Allow the mixture to sit for 5-10 minutes, until it becomes foamy.
- Make the dough. Add the flour, oil, garlic, rosemary, oregano and sea salt to the bowl or stand mixer. Either knead by hand or by using a stand mixer until the ingredients are well incoroporated and the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Let the dough rise. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and place in a bowl greased with olive oil or cooking spray. Cover with a towel, and place in a warm area to allow dough to rise for about 45-60 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.
- Shape the dough, then rise again. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough until it is the shape of the container you are cooking it in and about 1/2 inch thick. A 9x13 inch baking dish, or a baking sheet is a good size. Allow the dough to rise for another 20 minutes.
- Prepare and bake the dough. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Using your fingers, press into the dough to form deep dents all over the surface of the dough. Drizzle some olive oil over the top of the dough, and sprinkle with some additional sea salt. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the bread has turned golden in color and cooked throughout.
- Top and serve. Top the dough with herbs, extra oil, parmesan cheese, or even olives! Slice into pieces and serve warm.
Notes
Get creative! You can change the herbs that you use in the bread for what you have on hand, or you can knead in olives or cheese for a fun twist.
Flaky vs. Fine Sea Salt. If you don't have flaky sea salt, you can use fine salt. Just be sure to reduce the amount by half so your bread isn't too salty!