No Knead Focaccia

Completely foolproof No Knead Focaccia bread. It is so easy! Mix everything up in a bowl with a spoon, leave for a few hours, then bake!

Shockingly easy No Knead Focaccia. If you're not a bread baker, hold tight because you are about to become one!

Good bread is one of my favourite foods, especially when it is fresh from the oven and slathered in my Easy Vegan Butter or dipped in good olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

I realize that when it comes to yeast and bread baking a lot of people are wary because they think it's difficult. And that can be right. Some breads are difficult to make.

But, this easy focaccia is different. 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.

The rosemary infused focaccia 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.

Ingredients

Success tip - Use a good quality extra-virgin olive oil for the best flavour.

How to make No Knead Focaccia

All you need to make Easy No Knead Focaccia Bread is a large bowl, a spoon, a metal pan (like an 8 x 8 inch square, or an 8 x 12 inch, or a round 8 or 9 inch cake pan) and some patience.

Here's how it's done in a few easy steps:

1. Add everything to a bowl, starting with the dry ingredients and ending with the water. Mix it all up with a big spoon (I like to use a wooden spoon) to make a sticky, wet, slightly lumpy dough.
2. Cover and leave at room temperature for about 8 hours. It will be risen and full of air bubbles.
3. Transfer the dough into the prepared pan. Just scrape/spoon it out with a silicone spatula or spoon.
4. Dimple it with your fingers then pour over olive oil, sprinkle flaky sea salt and herbs, then 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.

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!

How long can you let no knead bread rise?

Because you aren't kneading the bread, time is needed to develop the gluten. The sweet spot is about 8 hours in an 20 °C (68 °F) kitchen but it's pretty flexible. You still get a good result if you bake it a little earlier or later.

If it's hotter where you are you can get away with less time. Use my progress pictures for a guide as to how it should look at each stage and judge accordingly when it's ready to bake.

You can extend the resting time if you need to by putting the bowl of dough in the fridge. You could probably get away with leaving it there for up to 24 to 48 hours dependent on your fridges temperature. The lower temperatures slow down the activity of the yeast which helps to delay things. If you try this though I advise keeping an eye on it the first time you do it, and baking it once it has just about doubled in size. Once you've done it once you'll have a good idea of how long you can get away with leaving it.

Variations

How to serve

This no knead rosemary focaccia is wonderful served warm from the oven or cool. It makes the perfect accompaniment to pasta dishes like spaghetti and Vegan Marinara Sauce, my Vegan Vodka Sauce Pasta, soups like Vegan Potato Soup, Easy Tomato Basil Soup, or Red Lentil Soup with Lemon. Or stews 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.

Storage, Freezing & Reheating Tips

No Knead Focaccia Bread is best on the day it's baked but leftovers can be wrapped and kept for a day or two. They are best warmed before eating though. I like to wrap them in foil then pop them in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes on about 350° F. Or if you are in a hurry you can microwave for 20 or 30 seconds.

The bread also freezes well. Wrap very well and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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If you try this recipe, let me know how you like it by leaving a comment and rating below! And be sure to join my mailing list for more deliciousness!

Recipe

No Knead Focaccia

Author: Melanie McDonald

4.97 from 128 votes

Completely foolproof No Knead Focaccia bread! It is so easy! Mix everything up in a bowl with a spoon, leave for a few hours, then bake!

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PREP TIME: 10 minutes minutes

COOK TIME: 37 minutes minutes

Hands off rising time 7 hours hours

Total Time 47 minutes minutes

Servings 9 servings

Ingredients

  

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• ▢ 500g (4 cups) 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)
• ▢ 10g (1 very full tablespoon) instant yeast or quick rise yeast . , (if you only have active yeast see recipe notes)
• ▢ 10g (2 teaspoons) fine sea salt
• ▢ 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil , divided
• ▢ 450mls (1¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons) COLD water not warm water
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh or dried rosemary
• ▢ flaky sea salt for scattering

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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, a clean shower cap or a wet dish towel and leave on the kitchen counter for a minimum of 6 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 (200°C) and line a cake pan or brownie pan with parchment paper. (any pan from 8 x 8 inch to 8 x 12 is fine or an 8 or 9 inch round cake pan - just ensure it's metal. Don't use silicone). You can even spread the dough out on a parchment paper lined regular baking tray if that's all you have.
• ▢
  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 fingers 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.
• ▢
  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.

NOTES

If you only have active yeast use part of the water from the recipe and 1 tablespoon of sugar to activate it then add it to the flour, salt and olive oil then continue as per the recipe instructions. 

Success tip - 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).

NUTRITION

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 435mg | Potassium: 74mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 14IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 3mg

Did you make this recipe?Rate it & leave feedback in the comments section below. I love seeing your remakes too. Tag @avirtualvegan on Instagram! 🌟