Focaccia Bread: Easy No-Knead Recipe 🫒
This focaccia bread comes out with a golden, crispy crust and a soft, fluffy inside — and there's no kneading involved.
The overnight cold fermentation does all the flavor work while you sleep, and you don't need any special equipment beyond a good metal baking pan.
⏱ RECIPE AT A GLANCE
Prep: 3 hrs 10 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 11 hrs 30 min
Servings: 12
🛒 INGREDIENTS
☑️ 4 3/4 cups bread flour (576g)
☑️ 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (14g)
☑️ 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar or honey (8g)
☑️ 2 teaspoons instant yeast (5g)
☑️ 2 cups warm water (454g), 90°F to 110°F
☑️ 2 1/2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (30g), plus more for pan and topping
For Topping on Dough:
☑️ Extra virgin olive oil
☑️ Flaky sea salt
☑️ Fresh rosemary sprigs, coarsely chopped (optional)
👩🍳 INSTRUCTIONS
1. Make the dough: Weigh the flour into a large bowl, then stir in salt, sugar, and yeast. Add olive oil and water a little at a time, stirring with a dough hook or silicone spoon until well combined. Cover and let sit 15 minutes.
2. Stretch and fold: Wet your fingers, lift an outer section of dough, pull it up and fold into the center. Repeat around the bowl, then cover and rest 15 minutes. Repeat this stretch and fold 3 more times over the next 45 minutes.
3. Refrigerate overnight: After the 4th stretch and fold, cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours (overnight). This cold fermentation is what gives the best flavor and texture.
4. Add to pan: Coat a 9x13" metal pan with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil. Gently transfer the dough to the pan and stretch it to fit, being careful not to overhandle it.
5. Rise: Cover with a dry towel and let rise at room temperature 2 1/2 to 4 hours, until puffy and expanded to fill most of the pan.
6. Dimple the dough: Preheat oven to 475°F (245°C). Coat your fingers in olive oil and press three fingertips into the dough all over to create dimples, reaching the bottom of the pan.
7. Top it: Drizzle 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over the dough and sprinkle with flaky sea salt (and rosemary, if using).
8. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack before slicing.
💡 RECIPE TIPS
The overnight cold fermentation makes a real difference in flavor and texture. Short on time? Let the dough rise at warm room temp about 1 hour until doubled, then rise in the pan for just 1-2 hours instead.
A metal 9x13" pan is essential for getting that classic crispy focaccia texture.
This bread tastes best the day it's made. Store leftovers wrapped in foil at room temp, warm slightly before eating, or turn them into focaccia pizza.
SAVE this focaccia bread recipe for later! 🍋 Find more tried-and-true recipes at Tastes Better From Scratch.
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If you're new to making focaccia, one of the best tips is to embrace the no-knead technique paired with cold fermentation — this method really enhances the flavor and texture with minimal hands-on effort. From my experience baking this easy homemade focaccia, letting the dough ferment overnight in the fridge is a game changer. It not only develops the complex, slightly tangy flavor but also results in a beautifully airy crumb inside while keeping the crust crisp. When working with the dough after the cold rise, be gentle—stretching it carefully to fit your metal pan helps maintain the delicate bubbles formed during fermentation. Using a metal 9x13-inch pan is key as it helps achieve that signature golden, crispy bottom and edges that make focaccia irresistible. Also, I recommend coating your fingers with olive oil before dimpleding the dough; it stops sticking and creates those classic dimples that soak up olive oil and toppings beautifully. For toppings, flaky sea salt adds a wonderful crunch and seasoning, and fresh rosemary is a fantastic aromatic that pairs perfectly with the rich olive oil. Other herbs like thyme or sage could be experimented with based on personal preference. If you don’t have time for the full overnight fermentation, an alternative is to let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled (about an hour), then transfer it to the pan for another shorter rise, though the flavor won’t be quite as developed. Leftovers can be stored wrapped at room temperature and warmed slightly before eating—they also make amazing focaccia pizzas. I often slice extra focaccia, add tomato sauce, cheese, and fresh toppings, then bake it again for a quick and delicious meal. The OCR image text "EASY HomemADe FOCACCIA" perfectly sums up the charm of this recipe: straightforward, approachable and yielding bakery-style bread right from your kitchen. Give this recipe a try during your weekend baking sessions, and you’ll enjoy fresh, flavorful focaccia with minimal effort and no need for kneading skills.
