This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Garlic Parmesan Focaccia Bread is a salty, chewy yeast bread that requires no mixer and no kneading! This is the perfect carb to supplement any meal.
You’ll love this Garlic Focaccia Bread Recipe
Focaccia bread is a thin (and slightly dense) piece of cooked bread with a texture that mimics that of a pizza crust. Making your own focaccia bread isn’t as difficult as you may think.
Sure the name sounds fancy, but unlike other yeast doughs, this one doesn’t require an excessive amount of kneading, rising and other crazy steps. In fact, if you’re not an already experienced bread maker, this recipe could be the foolproof step you need to start exploring the delicious world of freshly made bread.
Seasoned with garlic and cheese, this ridiculously easy focaccia bread tastes like an amazing loaf of breadsticks and would make an amazing snack or appetizer! Consider enjoying it as an appetizer with some crack chicken bombs (that’s one way to become the cool house on game day!)
What is Focaccia?
Focaccia is a delicious Italian flatbread that is often a side dish or sandwich bread. It is made with a simple yeast dough that is typically flavored with olive oil, salt, and herbs. The dough is then stretched into a large, flat shape and dimpled with your fingers before being baked in the oven. The result is a golden brown, soft and fluffy bread with a crispy crust and savory flavor. It can be enjoyed plain or topped with a variety of ingredients such as herbs, olives, cheese, or vegetables, making it a versatile and delicious addition to any meal.
How to pronounce focaccia
Focaccia is a delicious Italian flatbread that is pronounced “fuh-KAHT-chuh”.
Garlic Bread Focaccia Ingredients
- Flour (just all-purpose!)
- Active yeast
- Sugar
- Salt
- Minced dried garlic (you could substitute fresh if you’d like.)
- Warm water
- Olive oil, divided
- Shredded parmesan cheese
- Sea salt
- Parsley
Check out the specific ingredient amounts and the full step by step process in the recipe card below!
How to make Garlic Focaccia Bread without kneading
Making the Dough
In a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and minced garlic. Just whisk them together, easy peasy!
Add in the water and 2 tbsp of the oil, stirring until combined. The dough will have a ‘shaggy’ look to it. It will not be a perfectly smooth ball by any means. All you want to do is incorporate the liquids. That is all, the dough will be very sticky.
Allow the dough to rise
Cover and allow the dough to rise in a warm place until its double in size, approx 30 min. If you are making this in the wintertime and you aren’t sure where a good warm place is, try microwaving a cup of water for a few minutes, remove the cup of water but then place the bowl with the dough inside of the microwave and shut the door. That usually does the trick for me!
Transfer the dough to a greased 9×13 pan. You should also grease your fingers and spread the dough to cover the bottom of the pan. Again, the dough is very sticky, so you’ll want to spray your fingers with non-stick spray liberally.
Cover the pan and let it sit and rest while the oven preheats to 375°.
When the oven is preheated, use your (greased) fingers, and create large dimples in the top of the bread. Drizzle the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil over the top of the dough and sprinkle the shredded parmesan cheese, sea salt, and parsley on the top of the bread.
Bake the Bread
Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes, until it’s golden brown.
Let the dough cool slightly before cutting. It can be served warm or at room temperature, but I personally like it best warm.
This focaccia bread is great as a side dish, but it can also be served with a dipping sauce such as ranch or marinara to become a simple appetizer.
What to serve with Garlic Focaccia
Focaccia bread goes great with a dipping sauce, but you can also serve it with pizza ingredients, pesto, melted cheese or delicious creamy soups. Really, any meal would benefit from this bread. Having it as a side to a hearty beef stew or along side a pasta dish.. the possibilities are endless!
How to reheat Focaccia Garlic Bread
With focaccia bread tasting best warm, you may want to reheat the bread before enjoying any leftovers. Wrapping a slice of focaccia bread with a damp paper towel and microwaving for 10 seconds can help to refreshen your bread and have it tasting like new again without drying the bread out.
Garlic Focaccia Bread FAQs
If your focaccia is not fluffy, it could be due to a couple of reason. Under proofing the dough occurs when the dough is not given enough time to rise before baking, this can cause dough to be flat. Another reason is the sue of too much flour when needing the dough, this will result in a denser final bread. Oven temperature and baking time is another contributor to not getting the bread perfect. Follow the bake temperature and time to get the correct fluffy consistency.
Yes, you can substitute bread flour for all-purpose flour when making focaccia, but it can make a difference in the final product. Bread flour has a higher protein content, which can give your focaccia a chewier texture and a more distinct crust. It can also absorb more liquid making it rise a bit more.
Focaccia bread is different from traditional breads in several ways. One of the main differences is the use of olive oil, which is incorporated into the dough and brushed on top of the bread before baking. This gives focaccia a distinct, rich, and savory flavor, as well as a softer and more delicate texture. Another difference is the dimpling of the dough before baking, which allows it to rise more evenly and creates pockets of olive oil and flavor within the bread.
If you loved what you saw here, get more of it on Facebook, Instagram & Pinterest! I’d love to connect! Sign up for my weekly newsletter below to never miss a new recipe again!
Want all the Bread Recipes? Try some of these!
- Asiago Cheese Bagels
- Dinner Rolls
- Honey Wheat Bread
- French Bread
- Soft Pretzels
- Cinnamon Roll Recipe
- Blueberry Quick Bread
- Bread Bowls
Garlic Focaccia Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 1/4 tsp active yeast
- 3/4 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic, dried
- 1 1/2 cup warm water
- 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp sea salt, (optional)
Instructions
- Mix flour, yeast, sugar, salt and minced garlic in a large bowl.
- Add in water and 2 tbsp of the oil. Stir until combined.
- Cover and allow to rise until double, approx 30 min.
- Transfer the dough to a greased 9×13 pan. Grease your fingers and spread the dough to cover the bottom of the pan. Cover and let it sit in a warm place while the oven preheats to 375°.
- When the oven is preheated, Use your (greased) fingers, and create large dimples in the top of the bread. Drizzle the remaining 2 tbsp of oil over the top and sprinkle the shredded parmesan, sea salt and parsley on top of the bread.
- Bake at 375° for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown.
- Cool slightly before cutting.
This is fabulous bread! We couldn’t stop eating it. We cooked it in a large cast iron skillet and can’t explain how good it is. Must try.
Super easy and unbelievably delicious!!!
Thanks, Karli!