This olive and herb focaccia is a simple homemade bread you can serve as a side or use for sandwiches. The crumb is soft and chewy while the top is salty and crisp from olive oil, studded with olives and fresh herbs. This easy recipe is a great introduction to baking bread at home.
Baking bread from scratch feels like a comforting weekend ritual. While the process takes a few hours, most of that time is hands-off while the dough rests and rises, so it fits easily between other tasks. I recently made this focaccia on a rainy autumn afternoon and it was perfect: warm, fragrant and satisfying.
Freshly baked bread has an unmatched aroma and flavour, and this focaccia is no exception. It requires two short rises and a few simple steps, and the toppings—olives and herbs—make it extra special. I love it with soup, but it also works wonderfully sliced for sandwiches.
Yeasted breads improve with practice, but focaccia is an especially approachable loaf for beginners. The base dough is versatile and the toppings can be adapted to what you have on hand or your personal tastes.
What is focaccia?
Focaccia is a flat, oven-baked Italian bread typically finished with olive oil, salt and herbs such as rosemary. Served as an appetizer, snack or alongside a meal, it’s known for its dimpled top, herb-scented crispness and soft, slightly chewy interior. It’s one of my favourite breads to make at home.
Key Ingredients
Focaccia dough is similar to pizza dough: a handful of pantry staples for the bread, with creative freedom for toppings.
Ingredient quantities are listed in the recipe card below.
- Warm water – activates the yeast and helps form the dough.
- Yeast – instant dry yeast gives the dough lift and flavour.
- Sugar – honey adds flavour; white sugar is a fine alternative and keeps the recipe vegan-friendly.
- Flour – plain/all-purpose works well; use bread flour for a chewier crumb.
- Salt – essential for flavour in the dough and finish with flaky sea salt on top.
- Olive oil – adds richness, keeps the crumb tender and gives the crust its characteristic crispness.
- Olives – chopped green or sliced black olives add a salty, savoury note; use your favourite.
- Herbs – fresh herbs are ideal, but dried work too. The photos show rosemary, parsley and a mix of dried basil and oregano.
Step-by-step Instructions
A stand mixer with a dough hook speeds things up, but you can mix and knead by hand if needed. This version is baked in a quarter sheet pan (12.5 x 9 x 1 inches / 31.8 x 22.9 x 2.5 cm). A 9-inch (23 cm) round springform pan works well if you want a slightly thicker focaccia.
Start by combining warm water, yeast and honey in the mixer bowl. Cover and let sit 10 minutes until foamy — if the mixture doesn’t foam and smell yeasty, your yeast may be inactive and should be replaced.
Add the flour, olive oil and salt, then mix slowly with the dough hook. Once the flour begins to come together, increase the speed to medium. When the dough is combined, knead on low in the mixer for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for another 5 minutes until smooth.
Lightly grease the mixer bowl with olive oil, return the dough to the bowl and turn it to coat. Cover and leave in a warm place for about an hour or until doubled in size.
Punch the risen dough down, shape it into a rectangle roughly the size of your pan and transfer it to a tray lightly drizzled with olive oil. Cover and let it rise again for 45–60 minutes; it should fill the pan when ready.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Drizzle the top with a little more olive oil and use your fingers to press dimples across the surface. Scatter flaky sea salt, chopped or sliced olives and your chosen herbs over the dough.
Bake for about 20 minutes, until the top is golden. Slice and serve warm.
What to serve with focaccia
Focaccia is delicious dunked in soup or served alongside pasta or a simple salad. It also makes a great base for sandwiches or as part of a bread board.
Freezing and storing instructions
Focaccia is best enjoyed warm and fresh. Store leftovers at room temperature for 1–2 days; the texture will slowly firm up over time.
To keep longer, wrap the focaccia tightly in two layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to a month. Thaw at room temperature and reheat briefly in the oven, air fryer or microwave to refresh the crust.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below — I’d love to hear how it turned out.
Recipe
Olive and Herb Focaccia
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon honey (or 1 tsp sugar for vegan)
- 2 ½ cups plain/all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for greasing
- 1 teaspoon salt
Topping:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
- 2 teaspoons dried herbs or 2 tablespoons fresh chopped herbs
- ¼ cup olives, sliced or chopped
Instructions
- In a stand mixer bowl combine warm water, yeast and honey. Cover and let sit 10 minutes until foamy.
- Add flour, olive oil and salt. Mix with a dough hook on low until incorporated, then increase to medium. When combined, knead on low for 5 minutes in the mixer, then turn out and knead by hand another 5 minutes until smooth.
- Lightly grease the bowl with olive oil, return the dough, turn to coat, cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled.
- Punch the dough down, shape into a rectangle and roll or press to fit a 9×13 inch (20×30 cm) tray lightly oiled. Cover and let rise 45–60 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Brush the dough with olive oil, press dimples across the surface, then top with flaky sea salt, olives and herbs. Bake 20 minutes or until golden. Slice and serve warm.
Notes
Flour: Plain/all-purpose flour is used here; bread flour yields a chewier texture.
Herbs: Use any combination you like — basil, oregano, rosemary and parsley all work well.
Toppings: Swap olives for sun-dried tomatoes, pesto or other favourite toppings.
Vegan option: Replace honey with sugar.
Water: Use warm, not hot, water—comfortable to the touch but not scalding—to activate the yeast.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is a guide only and calculated using automated tools; actual values will vary by ingredients used.
This post was originally published on 10 April 2020 and has been updated with clearer instructions and new photos.