This Rosemary Focaccia Bread recipe is ultra-comforting and delicious, and kicked up a notch with the addition of lots of fresh rosemary and flaked sea salt. See optional instructions below for how to mix the dough by hand if you do not have a stand mixer.
Recipe by Ali on March 31, 2020
Prep time: PT1H15M
Cook time: PT20M
Total time: PT1H35M
Rating
4.8 stars ( reviews)
Ingredients
1 1/3 cup warm water (about 110°F)
2 teaspoons sugar or honey
1 (0.25 ounce) package active-dry yeast
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 teaspoons flaky sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling*
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Steps
Add warm water (about 110°F, which you can measure with a thermometer if you want to be sure it’s the right temp) and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough attachment, and stir to combine. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the water. Give the yeast a quick stir to mix it in with the water. Then let it sit for 5-10 minute until the yeast is foamy.
(See alterate instructions below to knead by hand.) Set the mixer to low speed, and add gradually flour, olive oil and salt. Increase speed to medium-low, and continue mixing the dough for 5 minutes. (If the dough is too sticky and isn’t pulling away from the sides of the bowl, add in an extra 1/4 cup flour while it is mixing.)
Remove dough from the mixing bowl, and use your hands to shape it into a ball. Grease the mixing bowl (or a separate bowl) with olive oil or cooking spray, then place the dough ball back in the bowl and cover it with a damp towel. Place in a warm location (I set mine by a sunny window) and let the dough rise for 45-60 minutes, or until it has nearly doubled in size.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface, and roll it out into a large circle or rectangle until that the dough is about 1/2-inch thick*. Cover the dough again with the damp towel, and let the dough continue to rise for another 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Transfer the dough to a large parchment-covered baking sheet (or press it into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish). Use your fingers to poke deep dents (seriously, poke all the way down to the baking sheet!) all over the surface of the dough. Drizzle a tablespoon or two of olive oil evenly all over the top of the dough, and sprinkle evenly with the fresh rosemary needles and sea salt.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until the dough is slightly golden and cooked through.
Remove from the oven, and drizzle with a little more olive oil if desired. Slice, and serve warm.
Reviews
Gabrielle on 2024-01-07 (5 stars): This was the most delicious Focaccia bread I’ve ever had! I mixed three large minced garlic cloves into the dough and topped with fresh parsley, tarragon and Parmesan cheese. Unbelievable!!! Thank you, Ali!!!
Mercedes on 2024-01-10 (5 stars): This is literally the only bread I can make. I added Everything dill bagel seasoning to the top of mine. So tasty!
Ermina Knoder on 2024-01-22 (5 stars): AMAZING recipe! I have never made such an easy and good focaccia recipe. I did read the comments before making and I decided to amp up the flavors…I used beer instead of water (added a good “hoppy/yeasty” flavor and added a tad more salt to the recipe. I will never make another focaccia bread recipe! Everyone loved it!
Dinara on 2024-02-13 (5 stars): Only your recipe using all the time! Every time it comes out perfect!! Thank you . Very delicious! Thank you
Teresa on 2024-02-29 (5 stars): Very good recipe. I am so glad you shared it with all of us. Very simple recipe to follow and such good results. It's good to eat as is or I have used the focaccia bread for making homemade pizza. I love the fluffy pillowy dough. It can be used in a variety of ways. Thanks so much.
Ash on 2024-03-06 (5 stars): This bread is genuinely one of the best recipes I have ever come across. It’s easy, forgiving, and infallibly delicious.
Diane on 2024-04-05 (5 stars): First time for foccaia...2 hours ftom bowl to table. We loved it!! Easy to make and kitchen was not destroyed in the process...yay. loved that it made 2 loaves for us, so we can repeat today. Sprinkled freshly grated parm on top of dough right after oiling it and going into the oven. Yum!
Ak on 2024-04-09 (5 stars): This has been my go-to recipe for focaccia! It’s easy and delicious, turns out perfectly every time!
That being said, it would be amazing if I can prep in advance, and bake just before dinner to have freshly baked focaccia for dinner! Any tips on that, please?
Anna Cushing on 2024-04-16 (5 stars): The best recipe! Easy to follow with perfect results. A winner in this house tonight. Thank you!
Megan on 2024-05-05 (5 stars): Hopefully you read this because I have used and love your recipe. Was browsing Facebook and came across an add for "Delidori" (https://delidori.com/products/copy-of-focaccia-cherry-tomatoes-oregano-basil-400g) and they have stolen your focaccia photo, assuming it's not a stock photo.
Ashley on 2024-05-25 (5 stars): This was my first attempt at making bread and WOW what great results!! I took it to our Mother’s Day get together and everyone loved it. I’ve made it several times since then and it comes out so darn good every time. I’m excited to play around with it with different herbs and spices. I’m making it tonight sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, serve alongside homemade pasta (ANOTHER fantastic Gimme Some Oven recipe) with bolognese. We haven’t tried that yet but we’re super excited!! Fantastic recipe!!!
Jen on 2024-06-23 (5 stars): We love this recipe!! New to making bread, but it was super easy and delicious. Could we use this recipe for making a regular loaf of bread in a loaf pan?
Marrisa on 2024-07-06 (5 stars): Easy to follow, comes together quickly, and delicious.
Phil on 2024-07-26 (5 stars): Great recipe! Tall and fluffy! I’m glad you listed the temperature for the yeast! I’ve never tested the temp and I have using too hot water! Focaccia tastes great!
Cora on 2024-10-10 (5 stars): This was my first time making any bread from scratch. This recipe was easy to follow and produced the perfect bread for our butternut squash soup. I rolled my out thinner and baked on a sheet pan with raised edges. Edges were golden brown and slightly crispier than the rest of the bread.
Phyllis Moore on 2024-10-30 (5 stars): Absolutely delicious! My family loves it!
Carron on 2025-01-04 (5 stars): Recipe worked a treat. Lively big loaf with minimal effort.
Katie Litchfield on 2025-02-08 (5 stars): This recipe was spot on. The measurements and instructions were perfect. This went fantastically and tasted great. It was light and fluffy and rose so beautifully.
Alyse on 2025-02-10 (4 stars): Overall a decent recipe, but imo it needs a few adjustments to make perfect focaccia. Mainly, I recommend adding a third rise of 20-30 min after moving the dough to the pan before baking - the rise time in the instructions would probably work better for instant yeast. I bake a lot of bread and I know rise time can vary depending on temp, altitude, etc., but I ignored my instinct because the instructions said it would rise a lot in the oven...mine unfortunately didn't :(
It was still good (and my boyfriend couldn't tell it didn't turn out as intended), but it was more flat and dense than the legit focaccia I survived on while working in fine dining. I do recommend brushing more olive oil on after baking and sprinkling additional salt before serving; it made a bit difference in flavor.
Eli on 2025-02-20 (5 stars): Made this many times but as a pizza base; absolutely perfect!
Nita on 2025-02-25 (5 stars): This was easy and delicious! As others noted, I did the second rise in the baking pan (9x13 lined with parchment) and then made the holes and drizzled olive oil and rosemary before placing in oven. Mine baked very quickly, in about 11 minutes, so do watch as you get past the 10 min mark. Will definitely make this again.
AJsaysOK on 2025-04-01 (5 stars): Love this. I wish I could get more of a rise but this is a solid recipe
Susan Phelps on 2025-04-07 (5 stars): I made this and brought it to work and everyone is raving about it! Thank you for making me the office baker. Shared your recipe!
Stoniii on 2025-05-21 (4 stars): I loved the taste of this the only thing I would change is 100% do the 2nd proof in whatever your gonna bake it in. I tried transferring it and I definitely ruined it in the transfer....still yummy but I feel like it would have been more airy if inwas to proof it in the baking container
Alethea on 2025-06-09 (5 stars): Made this at least 25 times! Favorite go to recipe.
Morgan D. on 2025-06-21 (5 stars): I started using this recipe in 2020 or 2021. The last time I made it until this week was 2022. Obviously, with being out of practice making bread, I thought I would be a bit rusty. But no, this recipe is just as easy to follow as it was 3 years ago. I had a lot of fun with it and actually found it easier now than I did back then (no doubt from practice in the kitchen). I don't know if I ever left a review on it but this is the best focaccia recipe EVER! It's the ONLY recipe I use for focaccia.
