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Rosemary Focaccia Bread

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This delicious Rosemary Focaccia Bread recipe is easy to make, and topped with fresh rosemary, olive oil and flaky sea salt.

Rosemary Focaccia Bread Recipe

Meet my all-time favorite focaccia bread recipe. ♡

It was actually one of the very first bread recipes that I learned to make years ago, and still continues to be a fave because it is so simple to make. And most importantly, it’s just so dang good.

It’s perfectly soft and fluffy and satisfyingly chewy. It’s sprinkled with lots of fresh rosemary and crunchy flaky sea salt, and drizzled with extra olive oil just before serving, which soaks perfectly into all of those little classic holes that you have poked in the bread. It’s easy to make by hand, or even easier to make with the help of a stand mixer. It also happens to be naturally vegan, and can be shaped into a free-form round or pressed into a rectangular baking dish. And best of all, it is just the ultimate cozy carbohydrate comfort food. I know you’re going to love it.

Also, if you happen to be new to working with yeast in bread, please don’t let that deter you from making focaccia! This recipe is a great place to begin when working with yeast, and I will walk you through each step of the process so that all of your questions are answered. You’ve got this.

Let’s make some rosemary focaccia!

Fresh Rosemary for Focaccia Bread

Rosemary Focaccia Bread Ingredients:

To make this rosemary focaccia bread recipe (pronounced “foh-kah-chah”, by the way), you will need:

  • Warm water: Since we are working with active dry yeast in this recipe, it’s important that we use warm water to dissolve it. I highly recommend using a cooking thermometer to double-check the temperature of the water if possible. (It should be around 110°F.)
  • Sugar or honey: Whichever you have on hand, to give the bread a hint of sweetness and help to activate the yeast.
  • Active dry yeast: You will need one packet (or 2.25 teaspoons) to make this focaccia bread.
  • Flour: Basic all-purpose flour will be great!
  • Olive oil: Some of which we will mix into the actual bread dough, plus extra for drizzling on top once the focaccia has baked.
  • Flaky sea salt: Some of which we will mix into the actual bread dough, plus extra for sprinkling on top of the dough before baking. If you don’t have flaky sea salt on hand, you can use fine sea salt, but be sure to reduce the amount by half so that the bread isn’t too salty.
  • Fresh rosemary: To sprinkle on top of the dough and add that delicious earthy rosemary flavor. (Feel free to finely chop the fresh rosemary if you would like smaller rosemary sprinkles.)

Easy Focaccia Bread Dough

How To Make Focaccia Bread:

Here are the basic steps to make this rosemary focaccia bread recipe (full instructions included in the recipe below, as always):

  1. Proof the yeast. In the warm water and sugar. (I highly recommend using a thermometer to measure the temperature of the water, so that it is not too hot or too cold.)
  2. Knead the dough*. Gradually add in the flour, olive oil and salt. Then knead for 5 minutes using the dough attachment or a stand mixer, or knead the dough by hand.
  3. First dough rise. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a greased mixing bowl, and cover with a damp towel. Let the dough rest in a warm location for 45-60 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.
  4. Second dough rise.  Shape the dough into a large circle or rectangle until that the dough is about 1/2-inch thick*. Cover and let the dough continue to rise for another 20 minutes.
  5. Prepare the dough. Heat 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 — like seriously, poke all the way down until you touch the baking sheet — all over the surface of the dough. Then 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.
  6. Bake. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the dough is slightly golden and cooked through.
  7. Serve. Remove from the oven, and drizzle with a little more olive oil if desired. Slice, and serve warm.

*If you do not have a stand mixer, no prob! Just complete step 1 in a large mixing bowl. Gradually stir in the flour, olive oil and salt until a shaggy dough begins to form. Then turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead by hand for 5 minutes until smooth, adding extra flour if the dough feels too sticky, and continue on with the recipe as directed.

How To Make Focaccia Bread with Rosemary

Possible Recipe Variations:

Want to customize this recipe? Feel free to…

  • Add garlic. Finely mince and mix a large clove of fresh garlic into the dough to give it some extra garlicky flavor.
  • Add Parmesan. This focaccia would also be delicious with some Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top!
  • Use different fresh herbs. In place of (or in addition to) the fresh rosemary, feel free to use fresh tarragon or sage.
  • Use dried herbs. If you don’t have fresh herbs on hand, you are welcome to use dried herbs instead (such as dried rosemary or Italian seasoning). If you use dried herbs, I recommend kneading them into the dough itself rather than sprinkling them on top so that they do not burn in the oven.

Focaccia Recipe

More Favorite Bread Recipes:

Interested in doing some more bread-baking? Here are a few of my favorite easy bread recipes on the blog:

Easy Focaccia Bread Recipe

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Rosemary Focaccia Bread Recipe

Rosemary Focaccia Bread

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 408 reviews
  • Prep Time: 75 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 95 minutes
  • Yield: 8 -12 servings 1x

Description

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.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 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

Instructions

  1. Proof the yeast. 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.
  2. Knead the dough.  (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.)
  3. First dough rise. 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.
  4. Second dough rise.  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.
  5. Prepare the dough. 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.
  6. Bake. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the dough is slightly golden and cooked through.
  7. Serve. Remove from the oven, and drizzle with a little more olive oil if desired. Slice, and serve warm.

Notes

Flaky vs. fine sea salt: If you do not have flaky sea salt on hand, no worries, you can definitely sub in fine sea salt.  Just be sure to use about half the amount of salt (if using fine sea salt) so that the bread is not too salty.

To knead the dough by hand: Complete step 1 in a large mixing bowl.  Gradually stir in the flour, olive oil and salt until a shaggy dough begins to form.  Then turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead by hand for 5 minutes until smooth, adding extra flour if the dough feels too sticky.  Continue on with the recipe as directed.

Bread thickness: I like my focaccia to be a bit on the thicker side.  But if you prefer yours thinner, just roll it out a little more.  It will rise up considerably while baking.

 

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733 comments on “Rosemary Focaccia Bread”

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  1. Easy and Delicious! This recipe is fantastic and easy to do for someone who is not a bread baker. My family loves it. I used the olive oil infused with rosemary (from my garden!) and a couple of cloves of garlic. Topped with caramelized onions. Thank you!






  2. I was wondering about cooking it on a pizza stone??

  3. Have made this focaccia twice now, and it came out perfectly both times. It’s my new weekly bake. Delicious, easy, and awesome. Thanks, Ali!






  4. I’ve been a little afraid of making yeast breads because of some unpleasant past experience. This was only my second yeast bread since I recommitted. It was easy to make and came out absolutely beautifully, just like your pictures. And the inner texture is lovely. Afraid no more!






  5. Made this tonight. It was my first time to make bread, and a very easy and success building recipe. I see many more of these in the future.






  6. Wow! I am a lifelong cook with a fear of all things dough related, and this recipe was so easy to follow and absolutely perfect. Focaccia is one of my favorite breads, and being able to recreate it so beautifully was a great feeling. I did not have rosemary, so I decided to use chives. I also baked 5 minutes longer to get a browner crust. Other than that, I followed it to a tee. Soft, flavorful, moist and full of flavor – this recipe is a keeper!






  7. I love love love this recipe! It’s simple and always turns out delicious






  8. Hello! I like your recipes and used a few in the past. I was looking for recipe for focaccia bread so I came to your site first. Disappointed that this is a bread recipe but you’re not providing weight for dry ingredients, especially flour…I hope you’ll reconsider? Thank you very much and I still love most of your recipes here.

  9. Great recipe! I’ve made it many time and it’s delicious. I would plan for 2 hours to make it, though.






  10. Just made this. Perfect! Definitely will add the appropriate amount of salt (I ran out!) and herbs in the dough. Will use the rest as a pizza crust. Yum!

  11. Such an easy recipe to follow and the result is so yummy! i loooove making bread it’s so therapeutic, this was my first time baking focaccia and i really enjoyed it! I’m also v happy that it’s vegan!! Thanks for sharing this great recipe!






  12. Made this recipe twice, first time hand kneading and second time using the stand mixer. There isn’t enough flour in the recipe. Had to add between 2/3 and 1 cup of flour extra to get it to be workable, which ended in it over kneading – would add a bit at a time and watch to see if the dough started pulling from the sides of the bowl before adding more – resulting in a tough bread with none of the crunchy lightness focaccia should have.

    Was trying to find a simpler recipe that took less time than the two day Cook’s Country one, but this is definitely not a winner. I so wish it was though.






    • I had this same experience, exactly. Had to add another heavy 1/3 cup flour to achieve correct dough consistency, I too felt it was then over mixed. The bread was doughy and soft and was completely lacking in the crispness I was looking for in focaccia. Disappointing though I love a lot of recipes from this site.






  13. Woah, woah, woah!! Used instant yeast, garlic from a jar, dried herbs, Kraft shredded Parmesan and STILL AMAZING!! I have my husband convinced I’m a domestic goddess. Thank you!! (The trick really is a GREAT olive oil. Don’t skimp!! If you think you’re using too much, you’re doing it right. ?

  14. Great fool proof recipe. I am making it quite regularly. Thank you






  15. Made this for dinner tonight to serve with pasta. Super easy, light and fluffy. Turned out perfect. Will definitely be making this again and again.






  16. I stumbled across this recipe a few months ago and have now made it multiple times. So easy! So delicious! Such a hit with my whole family! Thank you!






  17. May I substitute bread flour for the all-purpose flour indicated in the recipe? Would any changes to the recipe be needed?

    • I used half bread half AP and it came out wonderful. I even used fresh yeast. Great reviews at the dinner table. Will make again for sure.

  18. Can this recipe be doubled?

  19. Maybe this has already been asked, but does using bread flour give a better result, or is AP flour the best?






    • I love this recipe. I’ve made it several times in the past month. One question. I have a lot of bread flour, can I substitute it for AP flour? Thanks for a great recipe!






  20. This is a great recipe, but how is it naturally vegan if it has yeast and honey in it?






  21. I didn’t use parchment paper, but rather just generously sprayed a baking sheet very well with cooking spray and that worked fine. Also I used regular table salt in the recipe, but didn’t sprinkle any on top and it worked out just fine. Dried herbs mixed into the bread were also good. I didn’t have fresh on hand.






  22. Such an easy recipe for something that looks so complicated! I followed the recipe pretty much as is, and it came out perfect. The only thing I did differently was pressed out the dough on an oiled 9×13 baking sheet, rather than rolling it out on the counter and THEN transferring to the baking sheet – it just saved an extra step. I also infused some olive oil with freshly grated garlic and oregano to brush on top before baking. And let me tell you, my kitchen smelled like an Italian restaurant :) The bread baked up perfectly, lightly golden with a crunchy bottom. It’s taking all my strength not to eat the whole pan before dinner is ready! Thanks for sharing this recipe! It will be a staple in our bread-loving house :) Can’t wait to try different variations, and even using this as a pizza crust! *drool*






  23. Made it for the first time tonight and it is a keeper. Served it with a bread dip made of olive oil, balsamic and Parmesan. Will be making again real soon. Handy to grow your own rosemary.






  24. I made it by hand and it turned out amazing. Thank you for the great recipe.






  25. This is one of the best bread recipes I’ve ever made! The focaccia comes out so moist and fluffy, and my family is obsessed with it. I’ve already gotten requests to make it for our Christmas day lunch. Amazing recipe!






  26. Made this today with a friend over FaceTime and we added 2 garlic cloves in the dough and Parmesan cheese on top before putting the dough in the oven. We are both halfway done with our loaves, they turned out so good! The dough was pretty sticky after kneading in the Kitchen Aid even though it didn’t stick to the walls of the mixing bowl so will be adding a bit more flour next time. Can’t wait to make it again!






  27. I’ve made this before. I double the dough in my industrial kitchen aid mixer! So, I’m curious, can I freeze the dough? And when should I do that?

    The last time I made it, I baked both & gave away one to a family friend, it was so warm & yummy smelling her husband had gotten into it before we were done chatting in the driveway! Ha-ha! His eyes were wide & he was full of compliments. He’d never had anything this good! Fresh Rosemary for the Win!






  28. The BEST! Everyone in my family loved this. My aunt is an amazing chef, and she said it was the best focaccia she’d ever had. Make this!! It’s so easy, doesn’t take too long, and is sooooo delicious. Thanks Ali for always having the best recipes!






  29. Great recipe! Thanks!






  30. This came out perfectly. I used fresh rosemary and sea salt flakes. After the rise I used two 8″ cake pans for the proofing and baking. It made two perfect round loaves. I had to reprise it again as the bread disappeared in minutes with a request for “more please”. Great accompaniment for pasta then prime rib the next day.






    • Made this for the 1st time and it came out wonderful, looking to make a double batch. Would mixing/kneading times increase if I am to double this?

  31. Ali’s directions are always spot on and easy to follow! This is no exception. The focaccia came out beautiful and delicious. I dare you not to eat half the loaf right out of the oven!






  32. Simply delectable! I made this for Christmas with our Prime Rib this year and then made homemade herb, dipping oil to go with it. It turned out much softer, and plush than I thought it would (which was great!). My first attempt at homemade bread. Definitely a make again. Thanks for posting! Love it.






  33. I had never made focaccia (or any other kind of bread!) before and this was a very simple but very delicious recipe. Next time I will smush the Rosemary into the dough a little bit more – most of it just brushed off the top when I sprinkled it on. Overall – great bread and I will be baking it again!

  34. Made a terrible dough. WAY Too salty. Too much flour and the dough doesn’t hold together when kneading by hand. I had to add an extra 1/4 cup of water and extra olive oil Just to get the dough to form. I recommend using 1/4 the suggested amount of salt. Do not try this recipe. I just threw mine in the compost for the worms and started over using a completely different recipe






    • I have made this exactly per instructions several times and always incredible. Some salts are “saltier” than others and weather conditions effect flour amounts needed. I can’t imagine what happened to your bread. I’m sad you had a bad experience but at least your worms profited.

  35. Easy and delicious






  36. Great recipe. My focaccia came out perfect. No tweaks!






  37. How do I store the leftover bread. It was delicious.






  38. Very easy to follow yet amazing recipe! Still novice at baking and messed up some steps, but still came out real delicious! Definite must try!






  39. I use Bob’s Redmill gluten free flour…will this work for this recipe?

  40. This is the easiest and most delicious recipe! I’ve made this twice now and my family has loved it both times!






  41. So easy to make and it came out absolutely perfect.






  42. This is the focaccia I’ve been looking for! This recipe is simple and delicious!






  43. Turned out really good! I had to use sunflower oil instead because I was out of olive oil, but it still worked out. Decorated the top with a few slices of tomato too along the rosemary, and tried some with cheese on top instead, both were tasty.






  44. Not only was this focaccia lovely to look at, but upon the first bite, my entire family made borderline obscene moaning noises and promptly ignored the rest of the dinner in lieu of finishing this bread even though it hurt. Absolutely delicious!






  45. It is really a great recipe. I add tomatoes, capers,olives, and Parmesan cheese.






  46. This came out soooo amazing! It was a hit in my house! I made it with your Turkish Lentil Soup! Which also is now my favorite soup!! Question, how do you store any leftover bread?

  47. Second bread I’ve ever made, one of the best breads I’ve ever had. Easy, delicious, and cleanup was a snap. The crust of the bread is kinda crazy good – I didn’t have flaky salt but followed the recipe with normal salt. No doubt I’ll make this again and again. Thank you for the recipe!






  48. Made this today for the first time.loved it great recipe






  49. Easy.
    Works every time.
    The kids devour it!
    The honey gives it depth.
    Delicious.
    Thank you!






  50. This recipe works perfectly every single time, by hand and by KitchenAid. Love it!