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With less than 10-minutes of hands-on time and no-kneading, the name Ridiculously Easy Focaccia Bread says it all! Almost. It's also ridiculously delicious!
I feel like I'm introducing you to an old friend, as I write about this fabulous, super easy focaccia bread. I've been making it for years now and no one ever seems to grow tired of it. It's perfect to accompany a nice dinner, for lunch sandwiches, for dipping in oil, for the best pizza ever, even for breakfast (yes, we even have a fabulous breakfast adaptation with cinnamon and raisins!).
The Ridiculously Easy label
The first time I made this easy focaccia bread I was thrilled with the results and knew that it had to go into our Café Ridiculously Easy Series. How does a recipe get labeled “ridiculously easy”? Well, here at The Café, it has to have certain characteristics to earn that prestigious label:
- A recipe that takes minimal effort and minimal hands-on time to put together. (Resting, rising or chilling time is not taken into consideration.)
- It’s also one that produces fabulous, super delicious results, ie, results that “appear” to have taken lots of time, talent, prowess and/or hard work.
- Ridiculously easy recipes have to work well on those busy days when time is short and expectations are high.
- And last, ridiculously easy recipes are perfect for entertaining, mostly because of the first two characteristics. They take the stress out of dinner parties and gatherings of families and/or friends and allow you more time to enjoy your guests. Bottom line? They are super simple, something anyone can do. (Shhhh! We’ll keep that part our secret.)
To sum it up briefly, these are the recipes that make you look like a kitchen rock star with minimal effort on your part!
An easy technique
I know, you might be looking at the pictures of this Ridiculously Easy Focaccia Bread and thinking that I'm spoofing you about the "easy" part, right? I don't blame you - but it's true! Let me convince you by sharing (in a nutshell) how it comes together:
- Combine flour, instant yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add warm water and stir until the flour is well incorporated. Cover it up, pop the bowl into the refrigerator and forget about it until the next day.
- About two hours before baking time, lightly grease two pans with a bit of soft butter, line them with parchment paper and give each a drizzle of olive oil. Remove the bowl from the refrigerator, divide the dough in two and plop it in the prepared pans. Now forget about it again as you putter around the house, catch up on emails, make some phone calls or whatever it is you need to do.
- After two hours, the dough will have filled the pans and be almost ready to bake. Top the dough with another drizzle of olive oil and have some fun with your fingers, poking holes in the soft dough (for that classic dimpled focaccia texture). Sprinkle the top with sea salt and/or herbs and you're done on your end.
- Now the oven does the magic, transforming the fluffy dough into crisp, golden circles of deliciousness that are perfect for sandwiches, with soups or to fill your dinner bread basket.
If you're still a bit dubious about how easy this bread is to make, we've put together a little video to demonstrate it:
See what I mean, so easy! Ridiculously easy!
Did you notice there's NO KNEADING? In the past, I always thought that you had to do a lot of work, including kneading to achieve a beautiful, rustic, richly flavored bread with lots of big, irregular holes.
In fact, the folks at King Arthur Flour have reported that one of the most common questions they get on their baker's hotline is "How do I get those big, irregular holes in my bread?" They devote a whole article to the complexity of how to achieve this texture - but guess what? With this Ridiculously Easy Focaccia Bread it (magically) just "happens".
Another thing I love about this easy focaccia bread - in comparison to every other focaccia bread that I've made; this one has minimal fat. Each loaf (which makes 6-8 sandwiches or 8 generous bread servings) has only 2 tablespoons of olive oil. If you google "focaccia bread" you'll see that most recipes have much more oil. One popular recipe from The Food Network includes a whole cup of olive oil - yikes!
How do you cut focaccia?
This is a question that people often ask. Since this Ridiculously Easy Focaccia bread is made in round baking pans, there are several options for cutting. I like to cut it in long strips which are perfect for dunking in oil, sauces or soups.
You can also cut it into wedges like a pie. One other suggestion is to cut it into three wide strips in one direction then turn the round loaf 90 degrees and cut it again in 3 wide strips yielding varying sized pieces.
Expect rave reviews!
Have I convinced you? Are you ready to feel like a little Italian breadmaker? You probably have everything you need to make this Ridiculously Easy Focaccia Bread. Whip up a batch of dough tonight and tomorrow your family just might think they've been transported to a wonderful Panificio (the Italian word for bakery) as the incredibly delicious fragrance of baking bread wafts through the house!
Café Tips for making this Ridiculously Easy Focaccia Bread
- I like to use bread flour if I have it - but it isn't necessary. Bread flour is higher in protein and is supposed to create more stability, form, and rise in the dough, allowing it to lift and hold shape. I have used both bread flour and all-purpose flour with good results.
- I use one of these Danish Whisks to easily mix up my dough. They're inexpensive and make whipping up any dough super simple. With this particular brand, you get two professional-grade whisks. Keep one for yourself and give the other to a baking friend. He/she will think quite fondly of you every time they mix a batch of dough!
- While we're talking about mixing the dough, make sure all of the flour is well incorporated and there are not any little pockets of dry flour. I always stir it up until I think it's well mixed and then stir a little more.
- You can cut this easy focaccia bread into wedges or crossways, into strips. I love cutting it in strips, crisping it up in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil and serving it with soup. Just brush the cut sides of the bread lightly with olive oil then heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the bread and cook on both sides until golden. Delish!
- Be sure to grease your pan (with butter) and line with parchment paper. An easy way to line your pans with parchment? Take a piece of parchment slightly larger than the diameter of your pan. Fold it in half and then in quarters. Fold the quarter in half and then in half one last time. You will end up with a long skinny triangular-shaped wedge. Turn the pan you want to line upside down. Place the tip of your parchment paper triangle at the approximate center of the pan and lay it flat so the unfolded edges are lying over the edge of the pan. Trim the paper with a scissors, about a quarter inch in from the edge of the pan. Unfold and line your pan with the circle you created.
- This recipe calls for Instant Yeast which is also called Rapid Rise Yeast. It's quite magical as it doesn't require proofing like regular yeast does. Don't try to use regular yeast in this recipe. You can find Instant or Rapid Rise Yeast at most grocery stores, right next to the regular yeast. You can also buy it in bulk and store it indefinitely in the freezer. It's infinitely cheaper buying yeast in bulk vs purchasing it in the little packets.
- Don't worry about exact time with the initial rising of this easy focaccia bread. I have done as little as eight hours and as much as 24. Your results will be wonderful as long as it rises at least 8 hours. The second rise (in the pan) should be at least 2 hours (or until the dough has nicely risen). If your kitchen is really warm, it may take a bit less time. Rather than using an exact time, use the appearance of the dough as your guide - it should be close to filling the pan.
- Don't be shy when you "dimple" the dough, just before baking. You want to poke your fingers in all the way to the bottom of the pan and actually make little holes with your fingers. This will ensure nice deep dimples that won't disappear in the oven.
- Dry or fresh herbs can be used to top this bread. I like to use dry Italian seasoning or fresh rosemary or thyme. Chives and sage would also be delicious.
- Use flaky sea salt to top this bread. It gives a nice little crunch and a pretty presentation. I like Maldon. It's more expensive than kosher or regular salt but a box will go a long way. Use it as a "finishing" salt rather than using everyday salt.
- As mentioned above, this Easy Focaccia Bread is fabulous as a dinner bread, with salads, for sandwiches, for a dipping bread... Sometimes I drizzle a little oil in a sauté pan, add the focaccia and let it cook over medium heat until it's golden and crisp. So good! It's fabulous to serve with soup, like this Roasted Red Pepper Soup.
- And if you love focaccia, I've adapted this recipe a bit to result in a little healthier version with a portion of whole wheat flour and lots of delicious, nutritious seeds. You can check the recipe out here: Ridiculously Easy Seeded Focaccia.
- And last but definitely not least, we have a sweet version of this focaccia that takes only 2 hours, start to finish with 10 minutes of hands-on time. Check out this Ridiculously Easy Cinnamon Raisin Focaccia for an incredibly delicious breakfast/brunch treat!
Thought for the day:
I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
and on Your wondrous works.
Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,
and I will declare Your greatness.
They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness,
and shall sing of Your righteousness.
Psalm 145:5-7
What we're listening to for inspiration:
If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations and ideas for variations.
With less than 10-minutes of hands-on time, the name Ridiculously Easy Focaccia Bread says it all! Almost. It's also ridiculously delicious!
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
- 2 cups warm tap water
- 1 teaspoon soft butter for greasing pan
- 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
- Italian seasoning or finely chopped fresh herbs
- flaky sea salt I like Maldon
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In a medium-large bowl, combine flour, salt, and instant yeast. Stir well. Add the warm water. Using a Danish Whisk, sturdy wooden spoon or a rubber spatula, mix until all of the flour is well incorporated (there should be no small pockets of flour. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.
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Lightly butter two 9-inch cake pans. Line pans with parchment paper. Pour one tablespoon of olive oil into the center of each pan. Divide dough in half with a large spoon or rubber spatula and place one piece of dough in each pan, turning to coat with oil. Tuck edges of dough underneath to form a rough ball.
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Cover each pan tightly with plastic wrap and allow the dough balls to rest for 2 hours (it may take as long as 3 hours, depending on the warmth of your kitchen). The dough should cover most of the pan.
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Preheat oven to 450˚F with a rack positioned in the center of the oven.
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Drizzle another tablespoon of oil over each round of dough. With oiled fingers, using both hands, press straight down and create deep dimples that go all the way through the dough (in other words, you'll actually be making deep holes.) If necessary, gently stretch the dough as you dimple to allow the dough to fill the pan.
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Sprinkle tops with Italian seasoning (or fresh herbs) and flaky sea salt.
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Transfer the pans to the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 425˚F. Bake for 22 to 28 minutes, until the tops are golden and the undersides are crisp. Remove pans from the oven. With a metal spatula remove bread rounds from the pans and transfer to a cooling rack.
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Serve warm or allow to cool completely then store in a zippered bag.
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To freeze, allow bread to cool completely, then transfer to a ziplock bag and freeze. Thaw and enjoy at room temperature or warm for 10 minutes in a 350˚F oven.
Kathy says
I just realized that I bought "fast-acting" instant yeast. Will it be OK to use in this recipe?? (Sorry! I haven't really made bread like this before. It's one of my goals! To try and make things with yeast in them. LOL! )
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Kathy, sorry to be late to reply as we've been out of the country. "Fast-acting" yeast will work well!
Faitb says
Is there anyway to make this without the parchment paper?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Faitb, you could try it without parchment if you butter and then oil your pan. I can't guarantee results as I haven't tried this but I'm guessing it will work.
Vickie says
So easy and so good! Another winner from you Chris, thanks so much!
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! So happy you had great success with this recipe, Vickie!
Norma says
How would you cut this bread for use in making sandwiches?
Mandi says
We absolutely love this bread! I made a batch last week, 1 tin with lemon olive oil and the other with garlic olive oil, both topped with Cornish flaky sea salt and cracked pepper. They turned out amazing, and I had enough bread left over for my daughter’s lunch box for the week! I have another pan in the oven now, half batch this time, for this weeks lunch boxes. No more buying bread for sandwiches! Thanks for a great recipe!
Chris Scheuer says
Haha, I know what you mean. My granddaughter requests this for her lunch and is so disappointed if I don't have any stashed away! Your versions sound wonderful!
Sheryl says
Hi! This recipe & reviews sound great. If I intend to bake it the same day, how long should I leave it out? Have never baked bread before. I live in a tropical country so weather is pretty hot.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Sheryl, I think you'll love this bread. This bread is best if you can refrigerate it for at least 5-6 hours and then let it rise in the pan for 2 hours. Sometimes, however, when I'm in a pinch for time, I will let it sit out for 2 hours at room temp or until it's risen nicely and then proceed with the instructions in step 2.
Kaye Blewett says
How many grams of fresh yeast would I use instead?
Thanks
Kaye
elaine says
I have made this before and it was wonderful. I'm making this for a meal tomorrow and the dough is quite wet. I don't remember if this is normal or if I forgot a cup of flour. I've read all the comments and can find no mention of this.
Elaine
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Elaine, you're probably okay, this is a pretty wet dough.
Susan Adams says
This recipe looks amazing, I'm anxious to try it. I make "peasant bread often in the winter and love how easy it is. I was wondering if I would be able to use regular yeast, and what changes would be needed?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Susan, yes, this is super easy. If you don't have any instant yeast you could make this with regular yeast but I would activate it with some of the water in the recipe before adding it.
Kirsten Shoults says
Hi, definitely going to try your bread but how do you like living in the mountains? We’re thinking about getting a 2nd place there to get out of the Fl heat. Thx!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Kirsten, we absolutely love it here. We lived in Raleigh for 40 years and always kind of dreaded summer because of the intense heat and humidity. Now we love summer and enjoy the outdoors just about every day!
Lori Deardorff says
Wow, this bread is delicious! The crust is just perfect and it’s chewy on the inside !! I love that it’s so easy to make also! Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Chris Scheuer says
So happy you enjoyed this focaccia, Lori. We love it too. Thanks for taking the time to share your results!
Karen Wood says
Hi—this looks great but I am wondering about the flour to water ratio. This is a lot more water than most bread recipes.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Karen, you have to try it to believe it. Just read all the reviews then give it a try. I think you'll be very pleasantly surprised!
Shirley says
Can this be baked in a cast iron skillet?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Shirley, I haven't tried it in a cast iron skillet but I think it should work just fine.
Alli says
Absolutely brilliant recipe, so easy to make and the results are perfect! Huge time saver delivering delicious bread! My family love it. Thanks so much
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much Alli, for taking the time to share your results!
Tracey says
Hi, this easy foccacia recipe doesn't seem to have any sugar. Was this a typo?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Tracey, no, it is not a typo. Sugar is not necessary to activate yeast. A pinch of sugar can quickly tell you if yeast is still alive but it's not needed for it to work its magic.
Tracey says
Awesome thanks I'm about to potter for 2 hours 😀
Karen says
This recipe is so good and so easy! More often than not, online recipes just don't come out looking like the picture on the recipe. This one did and it was delicious. The crust was crisp and the bread was chewy. This recipe is a definite keeper.
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Karen. We love this bread. I don't repeat a lot of recipes as I'm always onto something new but this one is different. I make this bread at least once a week. Thanks for taking the time to share your results!
Debra says
Mixed it up and left it on the counter covered as I intended to use it the same day, was going serve with a pasta dish. Well, it got late so I made "dressed" focaccia- added Trader Joe's everything but the bagel seasoning, thin sliced roma tomatoes, onions and marinated artichoke hearts, topped off with fresh mozzarella and grated parmesan cheese. It was DELICIOUS - ridiculously easy indeed. Looking forward to trying more recipes!
Chris Scheuer says
I love your version, Debra! Thanks for sharing your results!
Andrea Scheingross says
I’ve made this with regular flour and loved it! Would it be possible to make it with Kamut flour for those with gluten sensitivity?
Chris Scheuer says
I think some readers have made this with GF flour with good success. I haven't done it myself so I can't advise any adaptations that might be needed. If you try it, please share your results. Thanks!
Debbie - MountainMama says
This looks amazing, can't wait to try it!! I assume I can use my Kitchen Aid stand mixer to mix the dough....this is going on my MUST MAKE ASAP list! So happy I found your blog, can't wait to explore more of your recipes!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Debbie, you definitely could use a mixer but it's so easy and quick by hand that it's really not necessary. Thanks for visiting The Café 🙂
Buddy Hadley says
I’ve made this several times to go with my Paella. Tonight I added a twist....fresh crushed garlic, rosemary and Asiago cheese. I blended it all before I added the water. I’ll send a pic and a review tomorrow.truly love your recipes....Thank YOU For sharing your talents and passion!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Buddy! Yum, that sounds wonderful! Thanks for taking the time to leave such a nice comment 🙂
Marian says
I use this recipe all the time now! Everyone raves over it. Can the dough be frozen? And if so at what point, before or after the first rising? Thank you!
M. Doran says
OMG. This so delicious and so easy! Thanks for a great recipe.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. So happy you enjoyed it!
Rosemary says
I would like to make this but I wonder if I could just make just one loaf, and use a 13x8 pan?
I love your recipes and the blog, thank you so much !
Rosemary
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Rosemary, that should work just fine. Hope you enjoy it! Thanks for your kind words 🙂
Anita says
Wow, this is a wonderful recipe. I made it to go with dinner tonight (chicken and spinach orzo) and served it with a bit of olive oil with pepper, and my SO took one bite, looked at me, and said "This is the bomb!" I'll be making this again soon. Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Anita, I'm so happy you enjoyed and I love the response you got from it 🙂 That's exactly what I thought the first time I made it!
Lisa says
I started this yesterday afternoon. Wow. I looked in fridge before bed. Already had risen. Made the bread today. Great and easy instructions. It came out perfect. I could eat the whole loaf myself. Loved it. Will be making again.
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! So happy you enjoyed it, Lisa! It is very dangerous to have around. Once you eat one piece, it's hard to stop! Thanks for taking the time to share your results!
Jodie-Anne Barlow says
Such a great and simple recipe. I made my first one cutting the quantity in half as there is only two of us, and I used wholemeal flour. It was perfect and delicious. I took a photo because it looked exactly like yours - and NEVER happens!! Thanks so much, this will be a regular in our house.
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! I love that your bread turned out so great! Bon Appetit!