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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.
Rachel says
Hi! My dough is in the refrigerator right now. I just realized I used active dry yeast instead of instant yeast. I am worried it might change up the results of the bread. Do you know if it will?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Rachel, it might be a problem because regular yeast generally needs to be activated before adding it to the dry ingredients. You might be okay though because of the long, slow rise. If it's not doubled in size by morning, try letting it sit out at room temp for an hour or two before adding it to the pans.
Rachel says
Hi! Luckily, the yeast was not a problem. I followed the recipe exactly. The dough rose to the top of my pans and the bread was delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! That's just awesome, Rachel! So happy it worked out!
Sue S says
Hi, Chris,
I’ve used this recipe a lot and really enjoy it. So easy! Such good results! I’ve also shared it with a group called “Good to Mama: Lasagna Love”, which is a grassroots group, rapidly growing around the country, in which a family brings a meal (usually lasagna) to another family.
Anyway, I need to make it for a family with a nickel allergy. No aluminum pans allowed. Have you ever tried this either in a glass pie plate, or as a full recipe in a glass 9x13? OR have you tried it in a cast iron skillet (in the oven)?
Thanks in advance for your response.
Sue
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Sue! I'm so happy you've enjoyed this recipe!
Regarding your question, I think you could definitely make this in the pie plate or glass 9x13. The results will be thicker though which wouldn't be bad, just different. You could also make it in two 9-inch cast iron pans or make a half recipe in one 9-inch cast iron pan.
I love what you're doing in this group! 💕
Wendy skokal says
I am not a baker and have never made a bread in my life! But I was intrigued by all of the beautiful garden focaccia breads I was seeing on line. So I started my search for an easy focaccia bread. When I saw your Ridiculously Easy Focaccia bread recipe I knew you were speaking to me! Your instructions, tips, and video were so helpful, I felt confident every step of the way. I decorated my focaccias with herb and flower bouquets, chives, cherry tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, and sea salt. I sprayed the bouquets with olive oil spray. They were so beautiful and the bread was absolutely delicious. Crispy outside, and soft inside. I’ll be making these for thanksgiving and Christmas. Thanks for helping me. achieve a culinary milestone! - Wendy S.
Chris Scheuer says
Bravo, Wendy! 👏 So happy this worked out well for you!
Donna says
This is an absolutely ridiculously easy bread to make, we will be making it over and over again! My variations worked really well, I thinly slices lemons and red onions placing on top of the bread, drizzles a little more olive oil and sprinkled with a finishing salt...amazing! The second one I used cherry tomatoes that were skinned and seeded ( sounds like a lot of trouble but I wanted the intensity of the tomato to come through) and then cut in half and placed one piece in some of the holes in the dough then lightly brushed the rest with a good quality tomato sauce added a couple of tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan and some thin slices red onion , a sprinkling of Italian seasoning, then finish it off with a drizzle of olive oil and some Maldon salt. They were both so amazing, almost couldn't stop eating this bread! The variations are unlimited and I am also thinking that I might try a brown sugar cinnamon topping with a butter drizzle next time.
The lemon and red onion was truly amazing...a must try!!
Chris Scheuer says
Thank you, Donna, for sharing your review. Your adaptations sound wonderful! I will try them!
Nessa says
Good day...this bread looks delish. I would want to make sandwiches with it...can this be made loaf pan size so that I can slice it for regular sized sandwiches?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Nessa, I wouldn't try to make this focaccia in a loaf pan. I do use it for sandwiches though by slicing it across horizontally. You can either first cut it in wedges or slice the whole thing horizontally and then fill and cut in wedges.
Karen says
Can you please mention water temperature range somewhere in recipe. Warm water is subjective and I am afraid of killing the yeast .
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Karen, the water temperature should be nice and warm to the touch, 105-115˚F.
Jan says
Hihi. I am a novice baker.
Can I use 2 8-inch square pans and if oven is small, bake one after the ?
Chris Scheuer says
Yes! The bread will be a little thicker but still delicious!
Priscilla Kow says
I tried the recipe yesterday with Rosemary and Truffle salt.
It’s crispy on the outside and soft and chewy inside. I will definitely
add this to my recipe collection. Thank you for this fantastic recipe! Just one question, the bread turned out flatter than I expected. I am not sure what went wrong. Also maybe my fridge is too cold, I have to let it sit on the counter for 4-5 hours for the second rise.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Priscilla, it's hard to say without having been there in the kitchen with you. One thing I always advise is to make sure it's well-stirred at the beginning as pockets of flour can keep the dough from rising. Next time, you might want to warm your pans by running hot water over them (then drying) before adding the dough. If my kitchen is chilly, I do that sometimes to help boost the rise.
DEW says
I had never worked with yeast before but a friend sent me your website at the beginning of our lockdown so my husband and I thought why not. Well we were pretty proud of ourselves, it was amazing. My sister lives in Ontario while we are in B.C and thought what a great idea to make this via a video call. It took 3 calls a lot of fun and getting to see family. Next is the Rosemary shortbread. Thanks for the great recipes and the chance for family to get together.
Chris Scheuer says
That's so awesome! Bravo! I love the though of you guys making this via facetime! Thanks so much for sharing your results!
Lea says
Love this simple recipe. I did want to point out you don’t have to refrigerate this dough at all. It can rest, covered, on your kitchen counter overnight and is perfectly safe. Using the fridge is okay and you can actually leave the dough in the fridge for up to 4 days, as this allows for a longer dough fermentation which improves depth of flavor.
I’ve used your recipe several times with great results!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Lea, I'm so happy you have enjoyed this recipe and appreciate you sharing your review. You're right about the refrigeration and sometimes when I'm in a hurry, I don't refrigerate the dough. The reason for the refrigeration, however, is just what you were talking about, it slows down the rising, creating the longer fermentaion which really does improve the flavor. I have found, if you let the dough sit too long though, the yeast kind of loses its oomph.
Joy Brown says
I have made this bread three times (so far)and changed it slightly each time. It just gets better each time. I think I have hit on the perfect recipe for me. I added 1/4 cup of honey to the mix and sprinkled parsley and parmesan on top. I also bake it on an insulated cookie sheet. It is perfect! I served it with your manicotti recipe. I couldn't ask for better bread. Thank you so much for the recipe. I haven't been successful with bread in the past, but those days are over now. I plan to make the scones next.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much for sharing youre results, Joy. Your adaptations sound wonderful!
Danielle Miu says
Ridiculously easy and, according to my six-year-old, crazy great!
Chris Scheuer says
That's awesome! I'm so happy everyone enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing your results, Danielle!
Evalynn says
Thank you for the recipe. However, after seeing that my dough has not risen, I double checked the recipe and there is a discrepancy. When trying a new recipe I always follow the measurements exactly. You called for 2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast adding that was a whole packet. I added exactly 2 1/4 teaspoons because the packet I have (Red Star brand) is 3 1/4 teaspoons. I’m a bit frustrated as I now have to show up at my in-laws without the expected homemade focaccia. So was it supposed to be 3 1/4 teaspoons, 2 1/4 tablespoons or 2 1/4 teaspoons? Thanks ~
Evalynn says
I forgot to add.... my yeast is not expired and the water temperature I used was with range.
Chris Scheuer says
Hello Evalynn, I'm so sorry you had trouble with this recipe. I hate wasting good ingredinets. However, the recipe is written correctly. There are 2¼ teaspoons of yeast in one packet. If you check the Red Star Yeast website, they will verify this: https://redstaryeast.com/tips-troubleshooting/frequently-asked-questions/
It's hard to say what went wrong without having been right there in the kitchen with you. If you read the comments most people have had good success with this recipe.
Again, I'm sorry this was a problem for you. One thought that occured to me was to check the type of yeast you used. Was it instant yeast?
Mary says
Hi Chris,
Love your website and have made so many of your fabulous recipes. I use Gluten Free Cup 4 Cup flour for all my baking. Do you think I will get the same rise if I sub this flour for Bread Flour?
Chris Scheuer says
Thank you, Mary! I haven't tried GF flour with this recipe but I know other readers have with good success!
Lil says
Hi Chris,
Another fantastic recipe! I can’t believe how ridiculously simple and ridiculously good this bread turned out. Was a bit concerned since I left the 2nd rise for over 3 hours. The bread was perfectly crispy on the outside and soft inside. This recipe is a keeper for sure. Thank you for sharing.
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! So happy you had good results, Lil! We love this bread! Thanks for taking the time to share your results!
Katie says
If I let the dough sit in the fridge for 40hra before baking is that ok?
Chris Scheuer says
I think that might be a little long, Katie. I'm afraid the yeast would lose some of its oomph.
Abel and lou says
Helllo dear thanks for the amazing easy recipe, i made it twice my family love the taste but i wonder why my bread is a bit rubbery, what could possibly wrong......
God bless from Singapore
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for sharing your results. It's hard to say as I've never had that issue or have heard anyone else report that. I wonder if it could be the type of flour that is available to you??
Suzi says
We love this recipe! Since there are just two of us, I freeze the second one. It freezes beautifully.
Now that I can find yeast again in my local grocery, I will be making this bread more often!
Thanks, Chris!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Suzi! Great idea!
Diane says
I just made this recipe OMG so good thank you so much. I have a question instead of using 2 9-inch cake pans could we use a 13 X 9 pan instead? Next question if possible would I use the full dough recipe and how long would I bake it for?
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for sharing your review, Joy! I'm so happy you had good success with this recipe. You could definitely make it in a 9x13. It will be a little thicker and you may have to bake it just a bit longer. You can also make this in a 13x18-inch sheet pan.
ANN HEWITT says
What temperature should the warm water be? I ask because I would like to use filtered water and heat it to the proper temperature in a saucepan. Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Ann, the temperature should be anywhere from 90-100˚F.
sonia says
My dough did not rise at all. I did exactly what you said. Now planning to add more yeast after activating it and adding little more flour.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Sonia, I'm wondering if your yeast could be bad. If you look through the comments, the majority of readers have had great success with the recipe the way it is. Are you using instant yeast? For this particular recipe, you definitely want instant yeast. The other culprit could be the temperature of the water. You want the water to be nice and warm. I often warm the measuring up with some hot water before measuring out my water as a cold measuring cup can drop the temperature of the water really quickly.
Bea says
Hi! I tried the recipe yesterday thank you for sharing. A question tho, is the dough supposed to rise/double its size in the fridge? I found my dough did not rise overnight or am i supposed to put it in the fridge after the first rise on a warmer temperature? Thank you.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Bea, it could be that your water was not warm enough. To ensure good rising next time, use nice warm water and leave it out of the refrigerator until you see the dough staring to rise. Then refrigerate it.
Suzie A says
Exactly as promised! Ridiculously easy and very tasty! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Chris Scheuer says
You're welcome, Suzie! So glad you enjoyed it and had good success! Thanks for sharing your results!
Jessica says
This turned out absolutely amazing! I’ve never made focaccia before, and I’m not much of a baker, but this was excellent and so easy! The perfect combination of fluffy, crispy, oily. YUM! Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Maybe you're more of a baker than you thought, Jessica! I'm so happy you enjoyed this bread and had great results! I'm making a batch right now!
Tanisha Jain says
I tried this bread yesterday! It is so delicious! Thank you for sharing your recipe! 🙂
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! So happy you enjoyed it, Tanisha! Thanks for taking the time to share your review!
Terrylee says
Just made 1/2 recipe for 1 loaf and it is wonderful!!! Thank you Chris
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thanks, Terrylee! So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Carol Manning says
Hi Chris,
Another great recipe.... and this really is ridiculously easy! I used fresh rosemary on one and Good Seasoning Salad dressing mix on the other. Both were delicious. Thanks for sharing your recipes.
Carol
Chris Scheuer says
Yummy! Your versions sound wonderful! Thanks for sharing your review, Carol!
Sue says
This is the best recipe ever. I add garlic powder, oregano and parmesan cheese to the bread then when it's ready to go into the oven I sprinkle some garlic salt on top. Also I put it in an 8x11 pan to bake rather than 2 round pans. Just love this recipe!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Sue! I love your adaptations!