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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"Well, now you are making me feel like a REAL BAKER!!! I tried making foccacia a few months ago using someone else's recipe and it was a BIG FAIL. This recipe of yours, as are all your other recipes is perfect! Thank you, Mel! I've never made such delicious "fancy-feeling" bread and the rosemary and flaked salt on top are ideal! " - Mandy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ More reviews →
Good bread is one of my favorite foods, especially 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 not easy. And that can be right. Some breads are difficult to make. But, this easy focaccia is different. It is virtually foolproof. If you can put some ingredients in a bowl and stir them all together then you've got this!
The only hands-on time needed is a couple of minutes to mix the flour, yeast, salt, and water 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 and 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!
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!
If you love no-knead bread recipes check out my Easy No-Knead Vegan Dinner Rolls. They are so good and ridiculously easy too!
Mel x
Ingredients
Here is what you need at a glance, along with some important ingredient notes & substitution ideas:
- Flour - You can use all-purpose flour or bread flour in this recipe. If you are in the UK you need to use strong flour. I have only tested this recipe with white flour. It might not work the same with wholewheat or spelt flour.
- Olive oil - I recommend using a good quality extra virgin olive oil for the best possible flavor.
- Yeast - You can use quick/fast action yeast or active dry yeast.
- Salt - I use fine sea salt in my recipes. If you use a salt that is not fine you will need to weigh it rather than use teaspoon measures as the volume is different. It's important to use the correct amount of salt in bread recipes because it can affect how the yeast works. I also like to sprinkle this focaccia with some good quality flaky salt for extra texture and flavor. Maldon Salt is my favorite for finishing bread/dishes.
- Rosemary - You can use fresh or dried. Fresh gives the best flavor though.
Let's 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:
- 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.
- Cover and leave at room temperature for about 8 hours. It will have risen and be full of air bubbles.
- Transfer the dough into the prepared pan. Just scrape/spoon it out with a silicone spatula or spoon.
- Dimple it with your fingers then pour over olive oil, sprinkle flaky sea salt and herbs and bake.
It really is that easy!
No Knead Bread Rising Tips
Because you aren't kneading the bread, time is needed to develop the gluten. The sweet spot is about 8 hours in a 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 is 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 fridge's 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.
Flavor Variations
Go with the rosemary and sea salt option or switch things up. Some ideas include:
- Whole cherry tomatoes (poke them whole into the top of the dough) or large tomato slices & fresh basil.
- Roasted garlic cloves with rosemary or thyme.
- Pitted olives.
- Caramelized onions and fresh thyme.
- Melty vegan cheese.
- Roasted red pepper, swirls of pesto and vegan parmesan.
Serving Suggestions
This No Knead Rosemary Focaccia is wonderful served warm or cool and is great to serve at family dinners and holiday meals. It's also wonderful served as an appetizer with some good extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping.
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 or Spicy Chickpea Smash) and makes the most wonderful paninis.
Recipe
No Knead Focaccia
Author:WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Ingredients
- 4 cups (500 grams) 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)
- 1 tablespoon (10 grams) instant yeast or quick rise yeast , (if you only have active yeast see recipe notes)
- 2 teaspoons (10 grams) fine sea salt
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil , divided
- 1¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (450 mls) water , (cold straight from the tap/faucet. Don't warm it up).
- 2 tablespoons rosemary , fresh or dried
- flaky sea salt for scattering
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, yeast, and salt then add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the water. Mix well until you can no longer see any dry flour and you have a wet, slightly lumpy-looking messy dough. Make sure to scrape right into the bottom of the bowl. (See my picture in the 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 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven, lift out using the paper as handles, and place on a wire rack. Leave to cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting.
NOTES
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j says
Works perfectly every time...we all love it!
CC says
Hello,can I use all purposes gluten free flour?
Thank you!
A Virtual Vegan says
No sorry. This recipe will only work with all purpose flour, bread flour or 50/50 whole wheat flour all purpose/bread. It needs the gluten to be successful. I would advise looking for an already gluten-free focaccia recipe rather than trying to adapt this one. Hope that helps!
CC says
Thank you,it does!
I wanted to try yours because it looks delicious and like the one I used to eat in Italy when I was a kid! :)
Lakshmi says
Hi! Is there any way to do this without the yeast please? There’s still no yeast anywhere it would seem!!!
A Virtual Vegan says
You would be able to use sourdough starter instead of yeast but the recipe would need tweaking (flour and water quantity) and the timings would also likely need to be adjusted by quite a lot. You'd be better off finding a recipe that already uses sourdough starter rather than adapting this one. That's the only thing that will work in a focaccia other than yeast.
Christine Mcmahan says
I’m going to leave the yeast out try it with my sourdough starter But I haven’t done it yet. I’ll post back after I try it.
Angela says
Since we’ve been in pandemic lockdown, I’ve made this every morning for my family. It’s super easy, and this recipe is going to be our go-to forever!
Here are my small savoury tweaks to this perfect bread:
I let it rise for closer to 10 hours. I mix it around 11pm, go to bed, and then bake between 8-9am.
I add one minced garlic clove to the olive oil that’s mixed in to the dough.
I add 1 tablespoon of onion powder and 1 tablespoon of dried rosemary directly in to the dry ingredients before mixing. And the other tablespoon of rosemary goes on top before baking. That way, not all the rosemary falls off when eating it!
I put 3 tablespoons, not 4, of oil on top before baking. I’ve tested both - not much of a difference between them, so why not save oil? I wouldn’t recommend anything lower than 3 though.
I bake for 37 minutes at 400 in a convection oven.
Thank you for this recipe. It’s something that we all look forward to every morning in these difficult times. Much love to you!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thanks so much Angela. Glad you're enjoying the recipe!
Lisa says
Can you make this with instant yeast? If so how long do you let it rise?
A Virtual Vegan says
It's made with Instant Yeast already!
Claire Maye says
This recipe is so easy - and it always works for me. My family love it. It has been our lockdown pleasure. Thank you for introducing me to such an easy way to make bread.
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you and your family are enjoying it Claire!
Shivangi says
Hi, it’s been 5 hrs but the dough has already doubled in size as the temperature here is around 35c. As I can’t bake it right now, Can I put it in the refrigerator for the next 4hrs to slow it down till I am ready to bake. Will it affect the baking process. Any precautions . Thanks
A Virtual Vegan says
When it's that warm yeast work crazy quick as you've found out! Yes you can refrigerate it. Cover it with a damp towel or cling wrap. It should be ok as long as it hasn't over-proofed already. Then pop it in the oven straight from the fridge.
If you make the recipe again and the temp is the same you could mix it up then leave it to proof the whole time in the fridge. Just take it out a little while before you want to bake if it hasn't increased in volume much.
Hope that helps!
Shivangi says
Thanks for the response. I checked the dough, it has flattened partially in the refrigerator, do I let it sit out for a while?
A Virtual Vegan says
If it's flattened then it is probably a bit over-proofed. I'd get it in the oven right away and keep your fingers crossed. Hopefully it will turn out ok. If you make this recipe again, because of the temperature where you are, be ready to bake it just before it's doubled in size which sounds like it will be at the 4.5 hour mark. Hope it turns out ok!
Andy says
This turned out better tasting than any bread I've ever made, but I did make many changes:
I used a mix of bread flour and all purpose.
To make the focaccia a little thinner, I split the recipe into two cast iron skillets, one 9 1/2 inch square, and one 9 inch round.
I did not use parchment paper. Instead I put some olive oil in the bottom of both skillets along with coarse corn meal to prevent sticking. The breads did not stick at all, and in the cast iron it resulted in a crispy, really tasty bottom crust.
That was so so so good. Thank you!
Elma says
Can I make this with my sourdough starter? How much to use? My starter is made from whole wheat
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm sure you could but you'd have to adjust the liquid, method a bit and likely the timings. It would be way easier to find a focaccia recipe that already uses starter rather than winging it with this one. Sourdough focaccia is actually on my list to do at some point though so watch this space!
Jessica says
This is my favorite! Sooooo good! I’ve made it twice now and plan on making basically weekly. Haha. And sharing with everyone I know! I did use wax paper at first (I don’t think I realized there was a difference between wax and parchment paper) and it basically baked into the bread. Now I know! Parchment paper works great. No issues. Definitely need to make when I share with others or else I’ll eat the whole thing myself! Mmmmmmm, amazing.
A Virtual Vegan says
Oooops! I think we've all been there at some point. So frustrating! I'm really pleased you're enjoying the recipe Jessica!
Sue W says
Oh my goodness!! This is so easy and sooooo good! I'm making loaves for my family and friends during the stay at home order. :) Thank you!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you enjoyed it Sue! I hope your friends and family do too!
Julie says
This was super easy and super delicious!’ Thank you!!!
Christine says
Do you think using 1/2 whole wheat flour would work ok? It’s a delicious bread and so easy! I’ve made it several times! However after the first time I used a bigger pan because it rose so high it was a little to thick. Thx
A Virtual Vegan says
You can use half whole wheat. Don't use anymore than that though. It won't be quite as light and fluffy but will still be good.
Marina C says
I didnt mix the dry ingredients... :( and added wrt and the yeast is not streaking the bread rather than growing in it, its not rising at all after 4 hrs. What can i do? Thank you
A Virtual Vegan says
It's more important that you mixed it all up well once the water was added. As long as you did that it will be fine and everything will be distributed. I don't know what you mean when you say the yeast isn't streaking the bread because you aren't able to see it once it's mixed. At this stage I'd just leave it.
This is one of my most popular recipe with millions of people making it and I've not had anyone have a bad result yet. It's so easy. Just be patient and wait it out. You're only half way through the rising time and as long as you measured all the ingredients correctly, haven't changed anything and mixed it well after adding the water it should be fine!
Marina c says
Its risen!!! I did mix it well after I realized i didnt mix dry. Thank you for the quick response im so excited to bake it and eat! Thank you ? stay safe
Julie says
I have been very eager to bake bread and my first sourdough starter didn’t survive! :(
Can’t wait to try this! I don’t have any metal pans, can I just use a glass tray and line with parchment?
A Virtual Vegan says
You can. It might need 5 or 10 minutes longer in the oven cooked in glass though. Just leave it in 'til it's nice and golden!
Chloe says
This recipe is delicious but the parchment paper sticks to the bread so when we made it we couldn’t eat the sides or bottom as it was impossible to separate. Any idea why this would be?
A Virtual Vegan says
This isn't something that's ever happened to me and I've never had a report of it happening to anyone else either. I think this is likely due to the brand of parchment paper you are using. Good parchment paper should be really non stick.I buy the Kirkland Non Stick Culinary Parchment from Costco. I've never had anything stick to it yet and I bake some really high hydration sourdough bread on it. If you've got membership it might be worth you picking some up next time.
Worth asking just in case, you didn't use wax paper by mistake did you?
Jessica says
I totally used wax paper the first go around. Oops! But made it again with parchment paper and no sticking!
Alice Toth says
This focaccia turned out fantastic! Thick, fluffy and soft! I made it with bread flour and instant yeast. Didn’t have rosemary so I used herbs de Provence instead, fantastic!!!! I can see making this a couple times a month because I was so easy!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you enjoyed it Alice! It's such a flexible recipe. You can top it with all sorts of things. My favourite way at the moment is whole cherry tomatoes pushed into the top of the dough. Raw very thinly sliced potato brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with herbs all over the top is lovely too!
Darlene Good says
looks wonderful, although have not tried it yet.
Question: I only have Pyrex pans-will they work?
Can't be buying right now...
A Virtual Vegan says
Bread is always best when baked in metal pans but Pyrex will do. It jusT won't get as crusty. It might take 5 - 10 mins longer to get golden too. Hope that helps!
Darlene says
baked as a thank you for our neighbor who's been buying our groceries-she asked for the recipe, so guess it was good-was a beautifully attractive loaf!
A Virtual Vegan says
That's great Darlene. I'm really pleased your neighbour enjoyed it!
Liz S says
We made this focaccia bread yesterday and it turned out amazing! We followed the recipe exactly, My teenage boys and I ate almost the entire loaf warm out of the oven. Sooo good! Glad I found your recipe!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you enjoyed it Liz! We have the same problem of it disappearing way too fast too!
Tracey says
Hi there! This looks amazing and I can't wait to try it. Can you freeze this? If so, how long will it keep in the freezer? Thanks so much!
A Virtual Vegan says
This bread is at it's very best fresh and warm from the oven. But you can freeze it too. Allow it to cool completely and put it in a plastic bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Let it defrost on the counter or in the fridge overnight. Then you can warm it in the oven if you want to. Pop it on a baking tray, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes.