Easy, No-Knead Focaccia Bread

This Easy No-Knead Focaccia Bread is so easy to make, and I’m not even an experienced baker! It is best prepared the night before baking, so you don’t have to wait too long to dig in, and its versatility means you can use any toppings you want! Since discovering this amazing recipe, we’ve completely stopped eating store-bought sliced bread, and our family and friends are always impressed (while gobbling it all up).

When it comes to bread, few creations can match the delightful flavors and textures of focaccia. This traditional Italian flatbread has gained immense popularity worldwide, thanks to its versatility and scrumptious taste.

Focaccia bread is known for its straightforward yet flavorful ingredients. The core components are:

1. Flour: High-quality all-purpose or bread flour is the foundation of any focaccia recipe. Its protein content ensures a chewy and sturdy texture.
2. Water: Water hydrates the flour and activates the yeast, allowing the dough to rise.
3. Yeast: The leavening agent responsible for the bread’s rise. Active dry yeast or instant yeast is commonly used.
4. Olive Oil: A key ingredient that not only adds richness to the dough but also imparts a distinct olive oil flavor to the finished product.
5. Salt: Enhances the bread’s flavor and regulates the yeast’s activity.
6. Toppings: Focaccia’s versatility shines through its various toppings. Classic choices include rosemary, coarse salt, olives, cherry tomatoes, garlic, and onions. However, you can get creative with your preferred toppings.

Tips for the Perfect Focaccia:

1. Quality Ingredients: Always use fresh and high-quality ingredients to achieve the best results.
2. Olive Oil Infusion: Consider infusing your olive oil with herbs or garlic to impart additional flavours into the dough.
3. Toppings Placement: Ensure your toppings are well-distributed across the dough, so each slice has a balanced taste.
4. Don’t Overwork the Dough: While kneading is essential, avoid excessive handling of the dough to maintain a light and airy texture.
5. Experimentation: Feel free to experiment with different toppings and flavors to find your favorite variation.

So, grab your apron, roll up your sleeves, and let the aroma of freshly baked focaccia fill your home!

Watch How To Make It

Print Recipe

Easy, No-Knead Focaccia Bread

This Focaccia Bread is so easy to make with no kneading required! This recipe is best prepared the night before baking, so you don't have to wait too long to dig in, and its versatility means you can use any toppings you want!

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: Global, Italian

Keyword: breakfast, easy recipe

Servings: 3

Equipment

• Oven

Ingredients

• 420 g lukewarm water
• 1 tsp instant yeast
• 1 tsp honey
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 500 g bread flour

Optional Toppings

• anything you like!

Instructions

• Mix lukewarm water, instant yeast, honey, salt and olive oil in a large bowl and leave it for 8 minutes.
• Pour in the bread flour and mix well until the liquid is absorbed and it forms into sticky dough.
• Cover the bowl with a shower cap and leave it for 10 minutes, then fold in the dough to give it structure.

  PRO TIP: Wet your hands so the dough won’t stick to your hands when folding.
• Cover the bowl with a shower cap and leave it for another 10 minutes, before repeating the folding for a second time.
• Flip the dough smooth-side-up (i.e. flipping it over) and drizzle the surface of the dough with olive oil, then cover it with a shower cap and put it in the fridge overnight (at least 12 hours) to proof.
• On the next day, pour a tablespoon of oil on a tray, and spread the oil around so the dough doesn’t stick. Then take the dough out from the fridge and place it on the tray.

  PRO TIP: I’m using a 9” x 13” tray. You can also use muffin trays, Pyrex bowls or other sized trays.
• Fold the dough like a burrito, from left-to-right and right-to-left. Then flip it over smooth-side-up, and let it proof for at least 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, prepare whatever toppings you like (I used chopped garlic and parsley).
• After 2 hours, gently stretch the dough all the way to the ends of the tray so it fills up the tray.
• Drizzle olive oil and your toppings on the surface. The olive oil allows you to gently dimple the dough using all your fingers.
• Transfer the tray into a pre-heated oven and bake for 30 minutes at 210°C or until it’s golden and crisp.
• Remove the tray from the oven and transfer the bread to a cooling rack. Let it cool before cutting and serving!