No Knead Focaccia Bread (Authentic Italian Recipe!)

No Knead Focaccia Bread is a delicious and easy way to make authentic Italian focaccia with the most amazing flavor and texture. This recipe comes together fast and is full of delicious airy dough bubbles! 

If you love focaccia bread you need to give this easy no knead focaccia bread recipe a try. Made with just a few ingredients, this recipe has been tested and perfect for the best results every time! 

If you love Italian bread recipes, don’t miss this Italian Brioche or these Pinwheel Bread Rolls. For a delicious side to go with your focaccia, check out this Whipped Ricotta Dip or this delicious Italian Eggplant Caponata Recipe. 

You’ll Love No Knead Focaccia Bread

No Knead Focaccia Bread is the absolutely best way to make fluffy and airy focaccia without a lot of work. It comes together fast with no stand up mixer or kneading required. 

If you’ve never had focaccia before, it is a flat leavened bread that is about an inch or two thick. Focaccia is oven baked and is topped with olive oil and flaky sea salt. 

Homemade Focaccia Bread is great for eating on it’s own fresh out of the oven or used for making sandwiches or pizza. This is a great base recipe to have on hand and you can top it with veggies or fresh herbs. 

You’ll love that you can make this in a bowl without any special equipment. It comes together fast with no kneading required and has the most amazing air bubbles.

So, if you love bread with a soft and fluffy texture, give this No Knead Focaccia Bread recipe a try. You’re going to love it! 

Ingredients

Flour: regular all purpose flour works best for making focaccia. You can use bread flour if you’d like. 

Oil: use a good quality olive oil like extra virgin olive oil for both the bread dough and topping the focaccia before baking. Finish the bread with a drizzle of good olive oil. 

Sugar: you’ll need a bit of granulated sugar to feed the yeast. You could also use equal amounts of honey in place of the sugar. 

Yeast: you’ll need one packet of active dry yeast which is equal to two and one quarter teaspoons. Instant yeast is available in most grocery stores. 

Salt: kosher salt is ideal for the dough. You can top the focaccia with sea salt. 

Water: use lukewarm water to help the dough rise. The water should be about 105-110 degrees. 

Rosemary: chopped fresh rosemary is the classic way to top no knead focaccia bread but you can use your favorite herbs, fresh or dried. 

How to Make No Knead Focaccia Bread

This recipe for no knead focaccia bread is simple to put together and makes authentic Italian focaccia bread. Plus, all you need is a mixing bowl and baking pan. 

The total rise time needed is about 2 hours, so be sure to plan accordingly. Focaccia is best eaten fresh and is worth taking the time to make. 

Step 1: Dissolve the Yeast

For the first rise, start by activating the yeast. In a large bowl, whisk together the warm water and sugar. Then, sprinkle on the yeast and gently stir to combine. 

Let the yeast mixture rest for 5-10 minutes until is is bubbly and frothy. If the yeast isn’t bubbly, discard and start again as the yeast is likely dead. 

Step 2: First Rise

To the yeast, add in the all purpose flour, oil, and kosher salt. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to stir the flour into the yeast until well combined. 

Continue stirring the mixture, folding it over for about a minute. Then, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it rest in a warm place for about an hour or until the dough has doubled in size. 

Step 3: Second Rise

Add a little olive oil to your 9×13 inch baking pan. Then, pour the focaccia dough into the pan and gently stretch it to fill the pan. 

Cover the pan with plastic wrap or a tea towel and let the dough rest for another 45 minutes at room temperature. 

Step 4: Add Toppings and Bake

Once the dough has risen the second time, you can preheat your oven and garnish the focaccia. Drizzle the remaining tablespoons of olive oil over the top of the dough. 

Then, use oiled fingers to press your fingers into the bottom of the pan. You want to continue doing this until you have several indentations all over the bread. This will help ensure the focaccia has airy bubbles. 

Lastly, garnish with the chopped fresh rosemary and more salt. Bake on center rack in preheated oven for 20-23 minutes, or until the top of the bread is golden brown. 

Let the focaccia cool in the pan for the couple of minutes before place on wire rack to cool completely. 

Tips for Making No Knead Focaccia Bread

Yeast: If your yeast mixture isn’t bubbly and foamy, the yeast is likely dead. You will need to start over with a new batch. 

Ingredients: Since focaccia is a simple bread with few ingredients, the quality of each ingredient matters. Opt for good quality olive oil, fresh herbs, and flaky sea salt or kosher salt to enhance the flavor of your homemade bread.

Stickiness: Focaccia dough should be relatively wet compared to other bread doughs. Don’t worry that the dough is sticky and wet; this is normal. 

Handle Gently: When shaping the dough and transferring it to the pan, be gentle to avoid deflating the air bubbles that have formed during fermentation. Use your fingertips to press the dough into the pan, rather than kneading or stretching it aggressively.

Toppings: Focaccia is incredibly versatile and can be customized with various toppings and flavors and even makes for a great pizza dough. Experiment by topping with different herbs, cheeses, and vegetables before baking.

Focaccia Toppings

This easy focaccia recipe is topped with the classic rosemary and salt garnish. However, there are many different toppings you can add instead: 

• Halved cherry tomatoes
• Sliced red onion
• Caramelized onions and garlic cloves
• Raw vegetables such as asparagus, sliced red bell peppers, or broccoli
• Grated parmesan cheese 

What to Make with Leftover Focaccia?

Focaccia is best served warm but can make for great leftovers the next day too. Here are some delicious ways you can use leftover no knead focaccia bread. 

Bruschetta Salad: cube your leftover focaccia and toast in the oven. Toss it with fresh diced tomatoes, cheese, and a basil to make a delicious bruschetta salad. 

​Hearty Italian Sandwich: you can either slice the focaccia in half or use two pieces to make a delicious Italian sandwich. Fill it with Italian cured meats, cheeses, and veggies for a delicious and hearty sandwich.

Focaccia Stuffing: around the holidays leftover focaccia can be transformed into the most amazing Thanksgiving stuffing. Just cube the bread and toss with sausage, veggies, and broth for a delicious and flavorful stuffing with minimal effort. 

Breakfast casserole: you can use leftover focaccia to make a delicious savory breakfast casserole. Combine cubes of bread with cooked meat, eggs, and cheese, and bake until it is golden brown and bubbly. 

How to Serve No Knead Focaccia Bread?

This no knead focaccia bread tastes best the day it is made. There is nothing like sinking your teeth into to those bubbly air pockets in this soft and flavorful bread. 

Serve focaccia along with a sauce to dip it in. You can use marinara sauce or make a simple balsamic dipping sauce. 

Just combine a tablespoon of olive oil with a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Then, add in fresh ground pepper and grated parmesan, and dip in pieces of this easy focaccia bread. 

How to make Pizza with Focaccia dough?

You can use this recipe for no knead focaccia bread to make the most amazing pizza. To do so, just make the bread as instruction through the second rise. 

After you have puckered the dough in the pan, add on some pizza sauce and a sprinkle of cheese. Bake as instructed and you have a delicious focaccia pizza. 

I love to use this recipe to make pizza dough because it make the most light and airy pizza with a texture similar to deep dish pizza. Plus you can make the dough in one large mixing bowl with no kneading required. 

You could also make a thinner pizza by baking the focaccia dough on a sheet pan instead of baking pan. Just adjust the cooking time.  

Frequently Asked Questions

Why didn’t my focaccia get bubbles? 

If your focaccia didn’t produce those light airy bubbles, it could be that a couple of things went wrong. Here are some causes for flat focaccia bread: 

• Your yeast is not activated and likely dead. 
• You over mixed or under mixed the dough. You want the dough to be sticky, smooth, and elastic. 
• The dough is too dry. Focaccia dough needs to be wet and sticky and may need more water added to it. 
• There wasn’t enough time to proof. Be sure your focaccia has time to grow and proof between rises. Also, be sure your focaccia is being proofed in a warm, draft free environment. 
• Over-handling the dough may be another reason your focaccia didn’t get those light airy bubbles. Be careful when shaping and transferring the dough to the pan to preserve those bubbles.
• Lastly, be sure you are pressing your fingers into the dough before baking. This will help give the focaccia that bubbled effect when baked. 

How to know if my yeast has gone bad?

To determine if yeast has gone bad, you can conduct a simple test: dissolve a teaspoon of yeast in warm water with a pinch of sugar and wait for it to foam within 5-10 minutes. If it doesn’t foam, the yeast is likely inactive and should be replaced.

How to store leftover focaccia? 

To store leftover focaccia, allow it to cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent it from drying out. Alternatively, place it in an airtight container. 

Store the no knead focaccia bread at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze it for longer storage by wrapping it tightly and placing it in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 1 month. 

To reheat, thaw frozen focaccia at room temperature or in the refrigerator overnight, then warm it in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes until heated through.

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