Wait! What? Focaccia you don’t need to knead? Yes! This No Knead Focaccia with Rosemary & Sea Salt is virtually fool proof. As long as you are able to stir some ingredients together in a bowl & turn on the oven you can do it. And nothing, and I mean nothing, can beat the smell & taste of fresh focaccia straight from the oven! ♡
Good bread is one of my favourite foods, especially when it is fresh from the oven and slathered in my Easy Vegan Butter. And as much as I love it and want to start introducing some more bread recipes to the blog, I realize that when it comes to yeast and bread baking a lot of people have some kind of irrational fear. I guess it stems from the fact that there is so much room for error. Everything is so variable with traditional bread making and no matter how good a recipe is, it takes practise to be able to get good results.
This Miracle No Knead Focaccia with Rosemary & Sea Salt is different though. It is virtually fool proof. If you are able to put some ingredients in a bowl and stir them all together then you’ve got this. There is nothing more to it than that.
Fresh homemade focaccia, here we come!
HOW TO MAKE MIRACLE NO KNEAD FOCACCIA WITH ROSEMARY & SEA SALT
You can see my step by step pictures above which show the whole focaccia making process but basically all you do is:
- Put the dry ingredients into a bowl
- Mix then add olive oil and water and mix again
- Stir, cover & leave for around 8 hours
- Scrape the dough out and into a pan
- Drizzle with olive oil & sprinkle with rosemary and sea salt
- Bake
It really is that easy. The only hands on time needed is a couple of minutes to mix the flour, yeast, salt and water together with a spoon, and later, a couple of minutes to scrape the dough into a pan and drizzle with olive oil then sprinkle with rosemary and salt. No kneading, no shaping.
All you need is a large bowl, a spoon, an 8 x 8 pan (or similar) and some patience.
Patience is everything when you make bread. It is impossible to get immediate results but every minute spent waiting is so worth it. I promise!
The rosemary infused bread smell that permeates your house while this little miracle bakes is the stuff of dreams. It smells amazing! When you break into that salt and rosemary scattered crust you will find a soft and fluffy interior that is just begging you to eat it. All of it. Now.
HOW TO SERVE
This Miracle No Knead Focaccia is wonderful served warm from the oven or completely cooled. It makes the perfect accompaniment to soups, stews, pasta dishes and casseroles. It is also great used to make sandwiches (try it with my White Bean & Artichoke Sandwich Filling) and makes the most wonderful paninis. Leftovers, if wrapped up well, are still soft the next day but it is best eaten on the same day.
ARE YOU READY TO MAKE BREAD?
You have to leave the mixed up dough to rest for at least seven hours but up to nine will be ok. You can mix it up before you go to bed at night then bake it in the morning, or you can mix it up in the morning, head off to work, then bake it when you get home. Either way, you are this close to fresh Rosemary and Sea Salt Crusted Focaccia perfection!
If you aren’t a bread maker, then hold tight because you are about to become one!
If you give this recipe a try be a ☆ and let me know! Leave a comment and don’t forget to tag a picture #avirtualvegan on Instagram!
Miracle No Knead Focaccia with Rosemary & Sea Salt
Ingredients
- 500 g | 3¾ cups plus 4 ½ teaspoons all purpose flour or bread flour cups measured by spooning the flour into the cups and levelling off with the back of a knife - do not scoop and do not compact the flour down by pressing on it as you fill the cup (in the UK use strong bread flour)
- 10 g | 1 very full tablespoon instant yeast or quick rise yeast . NOT regular active yeast
- 10 g | 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 450 mls | 1¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons | 15.2 U.S oz COLD water not warm water
- 60 mls | 4 tablespoons good olive oil for drizzling Just drizzle as much as you feel comfortable with on top - I like a bit more ;O
- 2 tablespoons fresh or dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon of sea salt flakes or crystals
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, yeast and salt then add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Add the water and mix well until you can see no more dry flour and you have a wet, slightly lumpy looking mess. Make sure to scrape right into the bottom of the bowl. (See my picture in the collage near the top of my post above for reference).
- Cover with cling wrap or a clean shower cap and leave on the kitchen counter for a minimum of 7 hours and a maximum of 9 hours. Do not refrigerate and do not leave anywhere really warm. Just normal room temperature is fine.
- About 20 minutes before the time is up preheat your oven to 400°F and line an 8 x 8 square pan (a cake tin or brownie pan) with parchment paper. See recipe notes for tin alternatives.
- When the oven is at temperature, scrape the dough out of the bowl and into the pan. I use a dough scraper but a silicone spatula or spoon will be fine. It will be clingy and sticky but that is normal.
- Once it's all in the pan, flatten it out so it's as even as you can get it all over, then using a finger dipped in olive oil, make dimples all over the top.
- Drizzle over the olive oil (be as generous as you feel comfortable with) and sprinkle on the rosemary and salt crystals.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 37 - 40 minutes.
- When done it will be starting to go golden brown in places on the top. If you want it a little crustier you can bake it for another 5 minutes but no longer as otherwise it will become dry.
- Remove from the oven, lift out using the paper as handles and place on a cooling rack.
- Leave to cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting.
Recipe Notes
I have included amounts in cups as well as weights but I would highly recommend using the weight measurements for the very best results. Cup measurements are too variable & there is a chance they could affect your results. Digital kitchen scales can be purchased really cheaply for around $10-$15 & they really do make all the difference for baked goods where accuracy is key to good results).
If you don't have an 8 x 8 square tin then you can use a 9 inch round pan instead. You could also use a slightly bigger pan but the bread will end up thinner so will need a bit less time to bake. 8 x 8 or 9 inch round are the optimum sizes for a decent depth and finish though.
Can u please convert grams to cups. Have no scales to weigh but would like to try this. Thanks
Done Robyn! I woke up to lots of emails about this today. I had no idea so many people do not have kitchen scales. For future reference though, using scales is a much more accurate way to do it and more or less guarantees good results. You can pick them up for only $10-$15. Have fun with the recipe!
I’m printing this recipe out and giving it to my husband. It looks so good!
Thanks Dianne. I hope he treats you to a homemade focaccia loaf very soon!
Girl, you have made me want to make bread! It reminds me of some bread I used to eat at the Macaroni Grill restaurants. It is soooo good, but I’m not sure it’s vegan so now I can make yours instead!
Yay! I am so excited that it’s made you want to bake bread. You really should. Bread making is one of the most satisfying kinds of cooking!
This bread looks amazing! You could put bakeries out of business..
Owning a bakery is a big dream of mine! Thanks Amy!
Will this work with whole wheat flour too? I have both whole wheat bread flour and whole wheat all-purpose flour. Recomendations?
I haven’t tried it with wholewheat yet. I have a feeling it would work but be a bit heavier. A mix of wholewheat and white would probably work out better and give it a better texture. I will make pasta for dinner on Monday and make it with 100% wholewheat flour and report back.
Yep, I’m ready to make bread! This focaccia looks so soft & fluffy….AND that rosemary is killin’ me! YUM!
Great! I’ll make bread bakers out of you all yet 😉 You have to try it. It’s awesome!
I adore homemade bread. There is NOTHING better! And a focaccia topping puts it over the top—love the salty bite with the rosemary. Your recipe looks delicious!!!
Thank you Sarah. You are right. Nothing is better. That smell while it bakes…..🤤
Thank you for this recipe! I made this the other day as written (plus a little thyme and roasted granulated garlic on top!) and it was delicious! I just wondered, in your pictures it looks like you mixed some oil into the initial dough but I don’t see that down below in the written recipe. Should there be some oil mixed in with the water? If so, how much?
So glad you enjoyed it! I did mix 1 tablespoon of oil into the dough. If you check the ingredients olive oil is on there twice, once for the dough, and once again for drizzling. It’s not essential you add the oil to the dough though as you found. It just makes the bread a little softer and means it will keep a bit longer if you have more willpower than us and don’t eat it all at once 😉.
OMG, this is the BEST bread EVER!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I know I will be making this again and again. I only used 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil on top, but this came out fabulous.For my seasoning, I used the Braggs seasoning and a bit of course pink sea salt. This smelled amazing baking in the oven. I served it with split pea soup. Such a lovely comforting meal. If anyone is wondering whether they should make this bread or not, YES, you most definitely should. It’s super easy and seriously tasty. I give this 5 stars!! 🙂
Wow Aimee. What glowing feedback. I am thrilled you enjoyed it so much. I bet it was awesome with your split pea soup! Thanks so much for stopping by to leave feedback. I really appreciate it! ☺️
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Hey, looks great! I live in Spain and can only find regular active yeast – how would I change the recipe?
You would need to let is rise twice. I would also use a little less yeast. Instead of a very full tablespoon, use a just full tablespoon. Follow the directions exactly until you scrape it into the baking tin, then instead of baking right away, cover it again with a damp cloth, or cling wrap, and let it rise again for about 40 minutes before baking it. I have never tried it personally but I think it should work that way. It might even be better with the 2nd rise. If you try it let me know how it turns out!
In the photos it looks like oil was added to the flour mixture with the water. The directions do not say to do that. Which way is correct?
Oil is added to the dough. The directions and the ingredients list do state that. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Hi Virtual Vegan,
Is this whole recipe “one” serving? In your nutrition facts, you say …per 1 serving. Doesn’t seem quite right to me for the calorie count. Can you help me out with this? I’m going to try this with gluten-free flour….sounds amazing! Thank you very much.
– Sheilagh
Hi Sheilagh, 1 serving is 239 cals and the recipe serves 9. I am unable to put the number of servings in the nutritional info table unfortunately. The calories are always for 1 serving and the number of servings is always stated on the recipe card just above where it says the prep time, cook time etc.
I hate to say it but I don’t think this recipe will work with gluten-free flour. It would need some substitutions and as I haven’t ever tried to make gluten free bread myself I can’t offer any ideas. I think adding some xanthan gum might help but can’t guarantee. Good luck though and let me know of it works out!
I have baked artisan bread in a slow cooker which eliminates any wait time. (Just mix and bake in crock) I love the looks of this recipe and was wondering if anyone has tried making it in a crock. I am going to try the crock method first, since I’m sure the oven method works just fine. Guess I’m just an impatient vegan. Love ALL of your videos , BTW! All nicely done. Even love the music selections! Debbie in Dakota
Thank you Debbie. I certainly haven’t tried it in a slow cooker and no-one else has mentioned that they have. I do wonder how successful it would be. The dough needs the 8 hours sitting around for the flavour and gluten to develop, so don’t put it right in the slow cooker after mixing. I think it also needs that initial burst of heat from the oven to give it it’s oven spring and fluffy texture. I think you will probably end up with a sub par result in the slow cooker. If you do try it though I would be interested to hear how it goes!
Hi, I live in a very hot place, room temperature is abou 34 degrees centigrade!!! Since your recipe says do not leave in refrigerator or anywhere hot , what do I do ???? Is refrigeration still an option ?? Or do I cut down on the time to maybe 2 hours or so ?? Pleeeese help , I’m desperate to try this amazing bread !!!!
You have a few options (none of which I have tried as we never have temperatures like that!) One, if you have a dark cool cupboard or closet you could put it in there to rise so that it stays a bit cooler. It will probably still be quite warm though so might happen quicker than overnight. Two, you leave it out at room temperature and make sure you are around to watch it the first time you make it so you get an idea of timings. Mix it up and instead of leaving it overnight or for 8 hours, just leave it for a long as it takes to swell and almost fill a 2.5 litre(ish) size bowl. The bowl I use is 2.5 litres and is almost full to the brim after the dough is left overnight. I do know that yeast isn’t happy when it gets too warm and can start slowing down again so there is a chance that it still might take a while to happen because of how warm it is.
The last option is that you refrigerate it. It will rise while in the fridge but it will be very slow. Again leave it until it nearly fills a 2.5 litre bowl. It might take 24 hours or more. Another option is to refrigerate it overnight, or during the day, then remove it from the fridge a couple of hours before you want it. Let it come to room temperature which will only take an hour or two in those temperatures, and during that time it will probably grow to the right size.
It’s certainly do-able, it will just take a bit of experimenting to find the best method and work out timings. Good luck and I hope it works out for you!
Thank you so much for the options !! Will try one of these, and let you know the result … good luck to me 😬
Hi,
Thanks a million for your suggestions!!! Hands down the best focaccia I’ve ever ever made !!! I used a 2.5 ltr (ish) bowl like you had suggested and kept it out to rise , and within 3 hours it was brimming. Next time will try the refrigeration idea , coz this bread is going to be a weekly affair at my place 😃
Awesome! I am so glad it worked out for you! 😀
Hi!
I made it with whole spelt flour and it worked great! It is realy delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
Nataša
That’s great and you’re welcome. I’m glad to hear it worked well with spelt flour!
Perfect first time! I paid attention to weights and measures and your excellent instructions. I can see this as a base for many varieties. Next batch with kalamata olives! Now I can brag I’m a breadmaker.
I am so glad it worked out for you Rob. It is the perfect base for experimenting. I have been tying out a few different flavour combinations myself so watch this space! Have fun with your variations..olives will be great in it. 🙂
I made this today and it was so easy and delicious! My sandwiches for work for the next few days are going to be amazing!
Your comment has made my day Susan! I am so very happy that you love the recipe. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave feedback!
This was really great! I did the bread mixture in my stand mixer and then let it rise in that bowl. I’d use a tad less water next time. Instead of the 1 Tbs. of sea salt, I used garlic salt and that sent it out of this world!
So glad you enjoyed it Caroline. I will have to try garlic salt next time I make it!
I made this last night – very easy and very, very good! I will cut back on the salt on top slightly next time, but that was my only issue. Right out of the oven the texture was perfect – crispy on top and tender in the middle. And the flavor was divine – thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it and thank you for taking the time to come back and leave feedback. I really appreciate it!
Just saw this on one of the board’s we both pin to and I had to come by and see it before I pinned it for myself. It looks and sounds awesome Mel! I do a few no-knead breads that are quite different to this (involving seeds or whole foods instead of flour), but the idea of an actual real-life focaccia is quite enticing. Never mind pinning, I will soon be making it!
Thank you so much Kellie. I make it at least once a week. It’s so easy and so good! I hope you enjoy it when you try it. 😀
made the Easy Tomato Basil Soup and Miracle No Knead Focaccia with Rosemary & Sea Salt Bread – AWESOME – thank you for sharing this wonderful recipes
Brilliant! So glad you enjoyed them both. They are such a good match!