Easy Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia (No-Knead)
This classic Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia has a soft, airy interior with crispy, oil-soaked edges. Topped with fresh rosemary, briny green olives and thinly sliced garlic. Naturally vegan and easy to make!
Whether you eat it alone, dip it in my super-fresh Zhoug Sauce or serve it with my reader-favorite Turnip Soup, the blank canvas of this dough is paired with umami and salty flavors for a most delicious bread recipe that bakes in 20 minutes.
Let me show you how it’s done with the easy, step-by-step instructions below.
Ingredients for Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia
- All-purpose flour – Forms the base of the dough, giving the focaccia its structure and soft, chewy crumb. I haven’t tried it with gluten-free flour, but you most certainly can if you’re gluten-intolerant. You can substitute with bread flour to give the bread some chewiness.
- Warm water – Hydrates the flour and activates the yeast, starting the rising process.
- Instant yeast – Leavens the dough, creating an airy texture and light interior.
- Olive oil – Mixed into the dough and on top for a rich flavor and crisp, golden edges. Substitute with vegetable oil, canola oil or sunflower oil.
- Coarse salt (and extra for topping) – Season the dough and finish the focaccia with a salty crunch on top.
- Green olives – Adds savory bites that balance the richness of the olive oil. I love the brininess of green olives but if you prefer black olives, go for it!
- Garlic – Garlic is to be sliced, not minced. Slices are less intense and sharp than minced garlic. And slices soften as they bake, infusing the bread.
- Fresh rosemary – Scattered over the top to infuse the focaccia with classic herbal aroma and flavor. If you prefer other herbs, go ahead and substitute with your favorite, like fresh basil, fresh thyme or fresh oregano.
Full ingredient measurements and step-by-step instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
Step-by-Step How to Make Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia
1. Mix the flour, yeast, and 1 tsp of salt in a large bowl. Stir.
2. Make a well in the center and add warm water and 2 tbsp/30 ml olive oil. Stir, slowly incorporating the flour into the water until a sticky dough forms.
2. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface. The dough will be sticky. Use a pull-and-fold method (step-by-step instructions below) until it sticks to itself, not your hands. This will likely take about 5-6 minutes.
4. After finishing the stretch and fold method of the dough, place the dough into an oiled bowl and cover with a clean dish towel.
5. Let the dough rise in a warm place until it’s doubled. I like to stick mine in the oven without turning on the heat. This will take about 60-90 minutes.
6. Slice the garlic thinly and chop the rosemary.
7. After the dough has doubled in size, add 2 Tbsp olive oil to a 9X13-inch pan. You could also line with parchment paper for easy clean-up, but this does make the bread edges a bit softer. Stretch the dough to fit the pan. Cover and let the bread rise until it’s 1.5 times its original size. This will take about 30-60 minutes.
8. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Scatter the garlic slices, olives, and rosemary over the dough. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with flaky salt. Add a little oil to your fingers, then push a few dimples into the dough. Push the olives and garlic slices into the divots.
9. Put into the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes until golden brown. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Let the bread cool for another 15 minutes before slicing and serving. This helps keep it moist.
How to Stretch and Fold the Dough Instead of Kneading It
- Lighly wet your fingertips with water.
- Grab a portion of the dough and lift it slowly upward. Stop when you feel resistance before it rips or thins.
- Fold the lifted section back over the center of the dough, like folding a nice, soft blanket.
- Turn the bowl a quarter of a turn and repeat this stretch and fold method four more times, once on each side of the dough. Then it’s ready for the bowl for the first rise.
Tips for the Best Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia
- The water for the yeast should be lukewarm, under 115 degrees. If it’s too hot, it will kill the live yeast.
- Aim for a wet, sticky dough. Be careful not to add too much flour.
- This may be a no-knead bread, but it still needs structure that you’ll get by performing the stretch-and-fold method that’s outlined in the above section.
- Sliced garlic is less intense than minced garlic. Alternatively, roast the garlic slices for a sweeter flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
To keep the homemade Focaccia bread as fresh as possible, wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. For the best results, eat within 3 days. You can freeze this Rosemary Focaccia bread as well by storing it in a freezer-safe container.
Letting the dough of this Italian bread recipe rise is what gives it that soft and fluffy texture. Find a warm spot, cover the top of the bread with a clean tea towel, and let the fluffy focaccia dough rise. Having a first rise and a second rise is important to the texture of the bread. If you skip, the bread will be flat and dense.
You can. You can add flaky sea salt and a bit of black pepper, or even thin slices of cherry tomatoes right on top. A bit of garlic powder on the surface of the Focaccia bread is a simple way to add more flavor. You could also put some garlic butter and Italian herbs on top, too.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with a dipping sauce, like my zesty Zhoug Sauce, Vegan Walnut Pesto or my creamy Chipotle Sauce.
- Goes great with soups, like this creamy Turnip Soup, Vegan Tomato Soup, Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup or my Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup.
- Serve with this delicious Roasted Bell Pepper Salad instead of Zaatar Pita Chips.
- Makes a perfect side for my Cavolo Nero Pasta or my hearty Tomato Basil Pasta.
- Slice each piece in half and make it a sandwich, filling it with my super crunchy Chickpea Salad Recipe.
Storage, Freezing, Reheating
Storage: To keep the homemade Focaccia bread as fresh as possible, wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. For the best results, eat within 3 days.
Freezing: You can freeze this Rosemary Focaccia bread, as well, by storing it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Defrosting: When you’re ready to eat the Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia, thaw over-night in the refrigerator. Reheat at 350F in the oven after wrapping in foil for 10 minutes.
More Delicious Bread Recipes
Have you tried this? Why not leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter, and sign up for my newsletter!
Rosemary and Garlic Focaccia Recipe
Ingredients
- 3¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1⅓ cup warm water
- 2¼ tsp instant yeast
- 6 Tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 tsp coarse salt plus more on top
- ⅔ cup green olives sliced
- 5 garlic cloves sliced
- 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary chopped
Instructions
- Mix the flour, yeast, and 1 tsp of salt in a large bowl. Stir.
- Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface. The dough will be sticky. Use a pull-and-fold method until it sticks to itself, not your hands. This will likely take about 5-6 minutes.
- Place the dough into an oiled bowl and cover. Let the dough rise until it is doubled. This will take about 60-90 minutes.
- Slice the garlic into thin slices and chop the rosemary.
- After the dough has doubled in size, add 2 Tbsp olive oil to a 9X13-inch pan. You could also line with parchment paper for easy clean up, but this does make the bread edges a bit softer. Stretch the dough to fit the pan.
- Cover and let the bread rise until it is 1.5 times its original size. This will take about 30-60 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Scatter the garlic slices, olives, and rosemary over the dough. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with flaky salt.
- Add a little oil to your fingers, then push a few dimples into the dough. Push the olives and garlic slices into the divots.
- Put into the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes until golden brown. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Let the bread cool for another 15 minutes before slicing and serving. This helps keep it moist.
Notes
- The water for the yeast should be lukewarm, under 115 degrees. If it’s too hot, it will kill the live yeast.
- Aim for a wet, sticky dough. Be careful not to add too much flour.
- This may be a no-knead bread, but it still needs structure that you’ll get by performing the stretch-and-fold method. I’ve outlined this in the section directly above this one.
- Sliced garlic is less intense than minced garlic. Alternatively, roast the garlic slices for a sweeter flavor.
Fantastic foccacia. Crust turned out perfect and was soft inside. Served it with a tomato soup.
Thanks Jordan, I love it with any kind of soup, myself!
This garlic and rosemary focaccia is delicious and an ultimate new combination. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks that means a lot coming from a bread expert like you!
Delicious! Served this with a soup and salad and it was perfect!
I love it with salad too. Thank you Millie.
Wonderful focaccia! I make it very similar to yours. Goes so great with winter soups! Always a classic hit.
Hi Lora, what do you do different so our readers can know! Thank you.
Delicious focaccia. I tried other recipes before, but what I love about this one is that it’s not just delish but also easy to make qith a few ingredients. Thanks for sharing!
Happy to hear, thanks Sandy.