This is an easy recipe for basic focaccia bread. I like mine with caramelized onion and olives on top, but you can customize the toppings to your liking or leave it plain.

This is an easy recipe for focaccia bread with simple toppings, one that doesn't require a whole day in the kitchen. Of course, as with all bread recipes with yeast you' ll need to leave it to rest for a while, and let the yeast work its magic. And yes, it's not as easy as this no-yeast quick beer and olives bread but still, the whole procedure is very straightforward and I believe you will be very happy with the outcome.
I always say that if your hands are not greasy from the olive oil after eating a piece of focaccia, then it wasn't a real focaccia! The olive oil covers the pan and the surface of the bread and gives it that crunchy exterior and a superb taste, while the center remains chewy, soft and pillowy. I like to keep the hydration at about 65-70% because I find that this makes the dough easier to work with, but you can certainly increase it up to 75% for a chewier texture (though the dough will be stickier).

The name focaccia comes from the Latin “panis focacius" which means flatbread baked on the hearth (the floor of a fireplace). Focus was the word for fireplace and the early focaccia bread was developed from the recipes where they covered the flatbread with charcoals. If you're lucky enough to have a wood-fired oven, then you should try to bake it there; the taste will be amazing. The rest of us, the simple humans, will have to keep satisfied with our kitchen ovens.
How do you make focaccia bread from scratch?
As I've said, this is an easy recipe for focaccia bread and if you follow these simple steps you will be eating a delicious focaccia in a few hours!
- Mix the water, the yeast and some of the flour in a bowl and wait for the yeast to show some activity (small bubbles or a nice yeasty smell).
- Add the rest of the ingredients and knead until a smooth dough is formed. Let it rise until doubled in volume.
- Transfer it to a pan, flatten it out and let it rise for a second time.
- Then, make deep holes throughout the surface, add your desired toppings (optional) and sprinkle with some sea salt flakes and an emulsion of olive oil and water.
- Bake until golden brown.

Can I use all-purpose flour or bread flour?
For this recipe you can use only all-purpose flour or a mix of all-purpose and bread flour (like this recipe from the perfect loaf). I have done it both ways and I love them both. If you use only all-purpose flour the focaccia will be a bit softer and you may also need one or two extra tablespoons of flour (but this can also depend on the brand and the protein content of each flour). If you use a mix of all-purpose and bread flour, the result will be chewier.
If you want to increase the fiber content of this recipe you can also replace the bread flour with whole wheat flour.

What different toppings can I use in focaccia?
As I've said before I love bread so most of the times I leave my focaccia plain, with only some sea salt flakes and a generous drizzle of olive oil on top. This way I can enjoy the taste without having any distractions. For this post I used chopped onion which caramelizes through baking and sliced olives. The result was delicious!
You can actually add whatever toppings your heart desires. I'm not saying that you should cover the whole bread with everything you have in your fridge and transform it into a pizza but two or three different ingredients will add some interest. My favorites are:
- chopped onion
- dried onion flakes, thick tomato paste and oregano (make a paste and spread it at the top before you add the olive oil emulsion)
- sesame seeds
- rosemary or other herbs
- crashed black pepper
- sliced cherry tomatoes or (dried tomatoes)
- olives
- chopped peppers
- small cheese cubes
What is focaccia bread served with?
You can eat focaccia plain or you can slice it in the middle and make a delicious savory sandwich.
A green salad with goat cheese, some chicken and a slice of focaccia make for a great lunch!
Also, focaccia can be served during dinner instead of plain bread or it can also be cut into smaller slices and be a part of a meze platter.

What makes the bread smell like yeast.
Sometimes, homemade bread can smell like yeast and the focaccia is no exception. A variety of reasons can result in this. If you find yourself in this kind of situation, check if something of the following is happening:
- The quantity of the yeast is too much. Usually every packaging of yeast says how much you should use for a certain amount of flour. Try not to add more than that.
- Try to use room temperature water (or other liquids). Warm water will help the dough rise faster but it can also be responsible of a strong smell of yeast in your bread. Using room temperature liquids can solve this problem.
- You should rest the dough in a warm place to give it time to rise/proof. But if the proofing temperature is above 80-85 F (26-30 C) it can make the bread smell yeasty.
Recipe

Basic focaccia bread recipe
Equipment
- one rectangular pan 13x10 inch (32x25 cm) or a 12-inch (32 cm) in diameter round one
Ingredients
For the focaccia bread:
- 1 cup (130 grams) bread flour
- 2 ¾ cups (360 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 ⅓ cups (320 grams) water (room temperature)
- 1– 1.5 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons (22 grams) olive oil
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup (or honey)
For the pan:
- 2 tablespoons (22 grams) olive oil
For the topping:
- 2 tablespoons (22 grams) olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) water
- 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
- 0.5 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- ¼ cup sliced and pitted black olives
- ¼ cup chopped red onion
Instructions
- Proof the yeast: Mix the water, the yeast and 2-3 tablespoons of the flour in bowl and wait for the yeast to show some activity (small bubbles or a pleasant yeasty smell).
- Make the dough: Add the rest of the flour, the salt and the olive oil and form the dough. The dough will be sticky so it is best to use a wooden spatula if you don't want it to stuck on your hands. Work the dough until it smooth and elastic.
- First rise: Cover it with cling film and let it rest in a warm place until doubled in volume (about two hours).
- Shape the focaccia: Deflate the dough and knead it some more with the wooden spatula. Transfer it to a pan which you have greased with olive oil. Wet your fingers and spread it so that it covers the pan. It will spring back a little, so let it rest for 15 minutes and repeat this procedure.
- Second rise: Cover again with cling film and let it rise for a second time for 40-60 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 430°F (220°C)
- Prepare the toppings: transfer the water and the olive oil to a small bowl and beat with a fork until homogenised and an emulsion is formed. Sprinkle the onion and the olives on the top of the bread. Wet your fingers and press them al the way in the focaccia, througout the whole surface. Brush the olive oil and the water emulsion on top and let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Bake in middle/lower rack for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition
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Akhila @ Pepper Delight
Wow, that's a detailed post with so much of information. The texture of focaccia looks amazing!!
Jill Munyan
HI, this bread looks amazing! What size pan do you recommend using? And do you think a glass pan would work, or is metal better for this recipe?
Makos
Hi Jill,
I used a 10" x 13" rectangular pan.
I haven't tried it with a glass pan, but I feel it will work 🙂
Thanks!
Jill
Thank you for your quick reply! We made it last night to go with dinner and it was delicious. My family loves the french bread from grocery store bakeries quite a lot, but said this homemade focaccia was even better than that 🙂 We used olives and parsley for the toppings, as well as some garlic powder. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Makos
I'm so pleased you liked it! 🙂
Thanks for the feedback!
Jill
HI, this bread looks amazing! What size pan do you recommend using? And do you think a glass pan would work, or is metal better for this recipe?
Hannah
Best Focaccia result ever, tastes fantastic, thank you !
Makos
Hi Hannah,
I'm so pleased you liked it!
Thanks for the feedback 🙂