Warm and buttery Italian garlic and rosemary focaccia bread made with olive oil-infused rosemary, thyme, and garlic. This luscious bread will satisfy any craving!
If you're new to bread baking, then this is the recipe for you! Focaccia is incredibly easy as it doesn't require special skills or tools. This recipe is the perfect way to bring the taste of an Italian bakery into your home, plus the spices and olive oil make your kitchen smell so good!
🍞 What is focaccia?
Focaccia is an Italian flatbread similar to pizza bread. The bread is flavored with herbs and olive oil and sometimes topped with vegetables. Focaccia has a dimpled appearance to prevent the dough from rising too quickly and to catch the olive oil that is drizzled on top so that it can soak into the bread. This provides the bread with a crisp yet chewy texture and a complex, fragrant flavor.
🥘 Ingredients
- Olive oil: Don't skimp on olive oil in this recipe. Use good quality, extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
- Garlic
- Thyme and Rosemary: For the sake of time, I used dried spices in this recipe. However, fresh would provide the bread with a stronger flavor. If you opt for fresh, use 1 tablespoon of each herb.
- Salt and pepper
- Yeast: I used active dry yeast, but instant yeast would work just as well.
- Honey
- All-purpose flour
🔪 Instructions
- Add olive oil, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and pepper in a skillet. Heat on low heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, add water, yeast, and honey. Stir, and let rest for 5 minutes or until yeast starts to bubble. Add flour olive oil to the mixture. Stir until combined.
- Mix in the remaining flour and the salt. Knead dough and place in a greased bowl. Rise for one hour.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, preheat the oven to 400 F. Pour olive oil onto the bottom of a quarter baking sheet.
- Place the dough into the pan, and stretch it to the sides of the pan until it completely covers the bottom. Using the tips of your fingers, indent the surface of the dough several times. Brush the remaining olive oil on top of the dough.
- Allow the dough to rest for another 20 minutes. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
💭 FAQs
While focaccia bread is absolutely delicious on its own, it is the perfect accompaniment to pasta, soup, or salad. It also makes the perfect sandwich bread when you feel like spicing up your plain old white bread sandwich!
With so many different kinds of Italian bread, it can be hard to keep them straight! While the two types of bread use very similar ingredients, they are quite different in many ways. Focaccia has a texture similar to pizza dough, whereas ciabatta is denser and less soft.
Focaccia is made as a flatbread, and ciabatta is baked in loaves. And when it comes to enjoying the two types of bread, focaccia is often used as the base for pizzas, sandwich bread, or flatbread topped with different meats and cheeses. Ciabatta is primarily used as sandwich bread.
Focaccia will keep at room temperature, covered in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days. The bread can be reheated in the oven at 375F for 10 minutes. If you want to save the focaccia for later, it can be frozen for up to 1 month.
🥖 More Bread Recipes
- Homemade Pita Bread
- Light and Fluffy Brioche Bread
- Japanese Milk Bread
- Garlic Butter Breadsticks
- Quick and Easy Soda Bread
If you make this recipe, let me know what you think! I’d love it if you could add a star rating ★ and a comment below. Be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook, too!
📋 Recipe
Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia Bread
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
- ¼ teaspoon honey
- 2 ½ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- In a skillet, add olive oil, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and pepper. Heat on low heat, occasionally stirring for 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add water, yeast, and honey. Stir, and let rest for 5 minutes or until yeast starts to bubble. Add in 1 cup of flour and ¼ cup of the olive oil mixture. Stir until the flour is just combined. Let mixture rest for 5 minutes.
- Mix in the remaining flour and the salt. On a floured surface, knead dough until smooth. Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with a damp towel. Rise for one hour.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, preheat the oven to 400 F. Pour 2 tablespoons of the olive oil onto the bottom of a quarter baking sheet or 9x13 pan.
- Place the dough into the pan, and stretch it to the sides of the pan until it completely covers the bottom. Using the tips of your fingers, indent the surface of the dough several times. Brush the remaining olive oil on top of the dough.
- Allow the dough to rest for another 20 minutes. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the bread is golden brown.
Rebecca B. says
This looks yummy! What type of flour do you use? AP? Bread flour? Thanks!
Ashley says
Thanks Rebecca! I used all purpose flour for this recipe. I hope you enjoy it!
Tara says
I made this awhile back but somehow messed up a step. It was still amazing and I will definitely try it again!
Ashley says
I’m glad to hear it still turned out good! 🙂
MEGAN MCDUFFIE says
I always ask our Air BnB hosts for their favorite local spots to eat - they always have gems that I would never find on my own. This bread looks wonderful - and what a great way to transport you back to your travels in Florence!
Ashley says
They always seem to know the best places to eat! Thanks Megan, it's definitely one of my favorite recipes - and it definitely makes me feel like I'm back in Florence. ☺️