Description
A quick and easy garlic herb focaccia with crispy edges and a soft, airy center, perfect for busy weeknights. Loaded with fresh garlic and herbs, this bread pairs well with salads, soups, and proteins.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ¼ teaspoons (7g) active dry yeast
- 1 ½ cups (360ml) warm water (around 105°F / 40°C)
- 3 ½ cups (420g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (10g) salt
- ⅓ cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- Sea salt flakes for sprinkling
- Optional: ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
Instructions
- Activate the yeast: Pour warm water into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle active dry yeast over the top. Stir gently and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy and bubbly.
- Mix the dough: Add flour, salt, and ⅓ cup olive oil to the yeast mixture. Stir until it forms a sticky dough, tacky but not wet. Add more flour if too wet.
- First rise: Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 to 1.5 hours.
- Prepare the pan and shape the dough: Generously oil a 9×13 inch baking sheet or rimmed pan. Turn dough onto the pan and press out with fingers to fill the pan. Dimple the dough all over with fingertips.
- Second rise: Cover loosely and let dough rise again until puffy, about 30 minutes.
- Add garlic, herbs, and oil: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over dough, scatter sliced garlic and chopped rosemary evenly, pressing toppings gently into dough. Sprinkle sea salt flakes on top.
- Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown with crispy edges. Add cherry tomatoes about 10 minutes before end if using.
- Cool and serve: Let focaccia cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then slice into squares and serve warm. Drizzle more olive oil on top if desired.
Notes
Use fingertips to dimple dough to trap olive oil and create crispy pockets. Preheat pan in oven for crispier edges. Thinly slice garlic to avoid bitterness. Leftovers reheat well in skillet or toaster oven. Variations include adding olives, sun-dried tomatoes, or cheese. Gluten-free and whole wheat substitutions possible.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of the focaccia
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 320
- Fat: 11
- Saturated Fat: 1.5
- Carbohydrates: 36
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 6
Keywords: garlic herb focaccia, focaccia bread, easy focaccia recipe, crispy focaccia, weeknight bread, garlic bread, herb bread