Focaccia is one of my favourite breads as it's so versatile and so easy to make. I always get great results from this recipe and although you can top it with lots of different things, you can't ever go wrong with garlic and rosemary! It's such a classic combination which gives this Rosemary & Garlic Focaccia a delicious salty and fragrant flavour. The topping is so moreish, and this bread is great for sharing with friends or dipping in oil and balsamic vinegar.
This post may contain affiliate links. I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information
- Strong bread flour is the best option for bread as it is high in protein which assists in the forming of gluten - a protein that creates the rise in bread, as well as creating the lovely bread texture that we all know and love. You can also make this recipe with regular plain flour, the bread may just rise a little less.
- A good quality olive oil is the best kind of oil to use for focaccia, but you can also use vegetable oil or another plain oil that doesn't have a strong taste like canola or sunflower oil. If you do want to add some extra flavour to your bread you could try an infused oil, like garlic for example.
- The water should be lukewarm or tepid, this essentially means room temperature water which is around 18C to 23C. It's important not to use hot water that's above 30C as this will most likely kill the yeast and your bread will not rise.
- If you are kneading the dough in your stand mixer, pop it into the bowl of your mixer and set it on a low speed with the dough hook attachment. Leave it to knead for 8-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and supple, and comes away from the side of the bowl.
- For more information on bread making, including a guide on how to knead by hand and lots of tips and tricks, check out my White Bread Loaf recipe.
- Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
How to make Rosemary & Garlic Focaccia
Start by roasting a large bulb of garlic. Chop the top off it, drizzle it with olive oil and sprinkle it with salt, then wrap it in foil and put it in the oven for 1 hour. For the focaccia dough, in a large mixing bowl stir together the yeast, salt and strong white flour. Add the oil and water, and mix to make a sticky dough.
Using a stand mixer with dough hook attachment, knead the dough for 10 minutes. Or knead by hand. Place the dough into an oiled bowl, cover it and leave to rise for 1 hour.
Knock the air out of the risen dough and use your fingers to spread it out onto a baking tray. Mix the roasted garlic with the rosemary, salt and butter, and spread it all over the dough. Let it rise again for 30 minutes, then bake it for 25 minutes until golden.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
How do you know when the focaccia has risen enough?
Depending on the temperature of your room, it will take slightly different times for the dough to complete it's first prove (rise). Aim for 1 hour in a 21C room, then check the dough by giving it a poke with your finger. If the dough springs back easily, it needs more time. If it doesn't spring back at all, it's over proved. If it springs back about halfway, it's just right! If you're not sure, it's always better to have sightly under proved bread, than over proved bread.
What size tin do you need to make focaccia?
I used a Wilton tin which is 33.7 x 23.5 cm (13.25 x 9.25 inches). If you have a tin that is slightly bigger or slightly smaller this will be ok, just don't use a tin that is dramatically bigger or smaller. Remember that using a bigger tin will mean the focaccia needs slightly less time to bake, and a smaller tin will mean it needs slightly more time to bake.
How long does focaccia last and can it be frozen?
The focaccia will keep well for 2-4 days, however it really is best eaten within 1-2 days. It should be stored in an airtight container in a cool place. You can freeze it for up to three months, wrap it well in cling film or freeze it in a tupperware container. It's best to freeze it in slices then you can defrost it as you need it.
Who is this recipe suitable for?
This recipe is suitable for vegetarians. To make this focaccia vegan and dairy free, you will need to use a dairy free spread instead of butter. This recipe is also egg free.
Can this recipe be made gluten free?
If you are coeliac or are wanting to bake bread for someone who is, I would advise that you look for a specifically gluten free bread recipe. It is much easier to follow an already gluten free bread recipe, than try to adapt one. I am not familiar with gluten free bread baking, and I have no experience with baking gluten free bread. I recommend starting with this Gluten Free Bread recipe from The Gluten Free Alchemist.
What type of yeast should you use to make this focaccia?
The best type of yeast to use for this recipe is fast action yeast (also know as instant yeast) it is sold in sachets that weigh 7g each. It does not need dissolving in water before use. The great thing about this type of yeast is that you can just add it straight into the flour. It is my personal favourite kind of yeast for homemade bread baking, and the type I recommend for this recipe. However if you want to use fresh yeast, you will need 8g fresh yeast. Or if you want to use active dry yeast, you will need 9g of active dried yeast.
What can you serve with focaccia?
- Olive oil and balsamic vinegar dip
- Olives
- Pesto (check it's vegetarian suitable if you're serving to vegetarians)
- Slice it in half and use it as a fancy sandwich bread
- As part of a buffet, tapas night or a mezze board
- Use it in place of garlic bread and serve wedges of focaccia alongside pasta or a risotto
Troubleshooting
If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!
Recommended equipment & ingredients
- Baking tray
- Stand mixer with dough hook
- Mixing bowls
- Kitchen scales
- Fast action yeast
- Cooling rack
- Dough scraper
I earn a small amount of money if you buy the products after clicking on the links. You will not be charged anything extra for this. Thank you for supporting The Baking Explorer!
More Focaccia recipes...
Rosemary & Garlic Focaccia
Ingredients
For the dough
- 500 g Strong white bread flour
- 7 g Sachet fast action yeast
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 325 ml Lukewarm water
For the garlic butter topping
- 1 tbsp Fresh rosemary Finely chopped
- 1 tsp Coarse sea salt
- 1 Large garlic bulb
- 30 g Butter
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 180C Fan/400F/Gas Mark 6
- Slice the top off the garlic bulb, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, then wrap in foil and place in the oven on a baking tray for 1 hour
- In a large bowl, add the bread flour, yeast and salt. Make sure to add the salt and yeast on opposite sides of the bowl, then stir together
- Add the water and olive oil to the flour mixture and bring it together into a dough
- Knead by hand, or use an electric food mixer with the dough hook attachment, for 10 minutes
- Put the kneaded dough into an oiled bowl covered with cling film, leave it in a warm place to rise for 1 hour
- Knock the air out of the risen dough, then press it out using your fingers onto a lipped baking tray. I used a Wilton Non-Stick Cookie Pan which is 33.7 x 23.5 cm (13.25 x 9.25 inches)
- Remove the roasted garlic cloves from the skin and mash them up with the butter, salt and rosemary
- Spread the butter mixture over the dough and leave to rise for 30 minutes
- Pre-heat your oven to 200C Fan/425F/Gas Mark 7
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden
- Allow to cool, slice and serve, or serve warm. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. It also freezes well
Notes
- Strong bread flour is the best option for bread as it is high in protein which assists in the forming of gluten - a protein that creates the rise in bread, as well as creating the lovely bread texture that we all know and love. You can also make this recipe with regular plain flour, the bread may just rise a little less.
- A good quality olive oil is the best kind of oil to use for focaccia, but you can also use vegetable oil or another plain oil that doesn't have a strong taste like canola or sunflower oil. If you do want to add some extra flavour to your bread you could try an infused oil, like garlic for example.
- The water should be lukewarm or tepid, this essentially means room temperature water which is around 18C to 23C. It's important not to use hot water that's above 30C as this will most likely kill the yeast and your bread will not rise.
- If you are kneading the dough in your stand mixer, pop it into the bowl of your mixer and set it on a low speed with the dough hook attachment. Leave it to knead for 8-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and supple, and comes away from the side of the bowl.
- For more information on bread making, including a guide on how to knead by hand and lots of tips and tricks, check out my White Bread Loaf recipe.
- Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
Hannah
Not only does it sound delicious, I absolutely love the scale of it! It looks amazing!
Victoria Lee
Kat this looks so easy! I always shy away from bread a little bit but I think I can tackle this recipe. Would be great with sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan I reckon - yummy!
kickatthepantrydoor.blogspot.com
My Golden Pear
It has to be good with that amount of garlic - lovely.
Sarah Barnes
This looks lovely Kat. Makes me want someone to invent a blog post you can smell!!
Kat (The Baking Explorer)
Thanks everyone! It was really tasty and smelt amazing, smell-o-net would definitely be good I agree! Victoria - parmesan and tomato sounds perfect 🙂 might try that! But with garlic too of course hehe.
Michelle {The Purple Pumpkin Blog}
That looks and sounds LUSH!! I hate being on a diet sometimes lol.
Would love for you to come post this at my link party!
xx
Jules
This looks delicious and I LOVE roasted garlic. I think I'll give this a go, cheers for sharing!!