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4.75 from 74 votes

Focaccia bread recipe

Light, airy, and crunchy Focaccia bread recipe infused with Italian herbs seasonings and topped with rosemary and olive oil excites the amateur or even the profi baker! Naturally vegan and the perfect make-ahead focaccia is the crowd-pleasing yeast bread you can serve for dinner parties, celebrations, potlucks, or family gatherings.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Rest:2 hours
Total: 2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Sides
Cuisine: Egg-free, Vegan
Servings: 8
Calories: 276kcal
Author: Ruchi

Ingredients

YEAST INGREDIENTS

DOUGH INGREDIENTS

TOPPINGS


Instructions

ACTIVATE YEAST

  • Combine active dry yeast, sugar, and lukewarm water in a bowl. Give it a good stir. Let this mixture rest for 5-10 minutes to foam up. 
    Activated Yeast- Ruchiskitchen

MAKE THE DOUGH

  • Add flour, olive oil, Italian herb seasonings, proofed yeast, and salt to the stand mixer bowl.
  • Pour water into the bowl. Using the dough hook, mix the ingredients on medium speed until it forms a smooth dough. 

FIRST RISE

  • Spray a bowl with oil. Transfer the dough to that greased bowl. Brush the top of the dough with oil. 
    Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a wet kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm, draft-free environment or inside your oven for 1-2 hours.
  • After the resting time is over, the dough will double in size and look all fluffy and airy.

KNEAD THE DOUGH

  • Remove the dough from the bowl, sprinkle it with some flour, and punch it down.
  • Knead the dough by stretching and pulling the dough. This step is necessary – if the dough is not kneaded well, the bread will turn out dense.

SECOND RISE

  • Grease a 9x9 inch baking tray and transfer the dough onto that baking tray. Stretch the dough to fit the entire pan.
  • Cover and let it rise for another 30-40 minutes or until doubled in size. Once the dough has doubled in size, make about 15-16 indents all over the dough.
  • You can use your fingers or the back of a spatula to make dimples in the focaccia dough. 

LET'S BAKE THE FOCACCIA BREAD

  • Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. While the oven is heating, you can top your bread with crushed black pepper, rosemary, and sea salt. Finally, drizzle olive oil all over the unbaked focaccia bread.
  • Bake the focaccia bread in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Once done, remove from oven and brush with more olive oil if desired.
    Let the freshly baked focaccia bread cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
  • Slice the focaccia bread into square pieces and serve warm.
  • Or you can create a veggie art all over your focaccia bread. To create this art, I have used red bell peppers, red onions, cilantro leaves, olives, and yellow peppers. 
    Focaccia bread flower art
  • Serve warm.

Video


Notes

 
Frequently Asked Questions
 
Why did my dough not rise?
The probable reasons for the dough not rising are —
  • Your yeast must be old or inactive.
  • You may not have provided the ideal warm temperature for the yeast to bloom. Yeast is a living organism thriving in warm and humid temperatures (between 80° and 90° F). 
 
Can I make the Focaccia bread in advance?
Absolutely! You can bake this delicious herb focaccia bread well in advance. When baked fresh, brush it with Olive oil and allow it to cool. Then, cover it loosely with plastic wrap and store it at room temperature.
When ready to serve, slice it as you want and warm it slightly in the microwave. Relish the divinely delicious focaccia.
 
How can I store the leftover vegan Focaccia bread?
After baking, allow the focaccia to cool down on the counter. Once completely cooled, wrap it in plastic and leave it on the counter. It stays fresh for about 3 to 4 days at room temperature, after which it must be refrigerated.
 
Can I double the recipe?
You sure can! You will need a bigger baking pan to fit the dough. The baking time and rise time will also need to be adjusted.
You should bake the bread for 25-30 minutes in a preheated oven.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 512mg | Potassium: 105mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 21IU | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 3mg