Herb Focaccia
A high, olive-oil-rich Italian flatbread with a dimpled top, fresh rosemary and thyme, and flaky salt.
Making Herb Focaccia Ahead
Best on the day. Keeps wrapped for 2 days and crisps up again in a 180°C oven for 5 minutes.
Herb Focaccia: The Method
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Mix the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add the water and 2 tbsp of the oil and stir for 2 minutes into a wet, shaggy dough. Cover and leave for 1 hour.
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Pour 3 tbsp of the oil into a 23 by 33 cm tin. Tip the dough in, stretch it towards the corners, cover and leave for 30 minutes.
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Heat the oven to 220°C / 430°F. Dimple the dough firmly with oiled fingers, drizzle with the last oil and scatter over the herbs and flaky salt.
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Bake for 25 minutes until deep gold. Turn out onto a rack.
A Few Pointers
- Use oiled hands, not flour.
- Dimple right down to the tin.
- If your oven runs hot, check at 20 minutes.
- Cool on a rack so the base stays crisp.
Behind the Recipe
The first cold weeks of autumn are when focaccia earns its place: a warm oven, the smell of rosemary, and bread that needs very little from you.
The dough is wet, much wetter than a loaf, which is where the open, airy crumb comes from. Do not add flour to make it easier to handle. Oiled hands are the tool, not flour. Stir it for 2 minutes in the bowl, cover, and let time do the kneading.
Pour most of the oil into the tin, tip the dough in and stretch it to the corners. If it springs back, rest it for 10 minutes and try again. Dimple the surface firmly with your fingertips, right down to the tin.
Scatter the herbs and flaky salt, and bake at 220°C for 25 minutes until deep gold. If your oven runs hot, check at 20 minutes. Tip it onto a rack, because a hot tin steams the base.
What to Put Next to It
Balsamic vinegar · Olive oil for dipping · Tomato soup · Red wine
Herb Focaccia FAQ
How long does Herb Focaccia take to make?
About 45 minutes of hands-on work — 20 minutes of preparation and 25 minutes of cooking — plus 1 hour 30 minutes of Rising, so allow 2 hours 15 minutes from start to finish. The recipe serves 8.
What are the key tips for making Herb Focaccia?
Use oiled hands, not flour. Dimple right down to the tin. If your oven runs hot, check at 20 minutes. Cool on a rack so the base stays crisp.
What should I serve with Herb Focaccia?
Balsamic vinegar; Olive oil for dipping; Tomato soup; Red wine.
How should Herb Focaccia be stored?
Best on the day. Keeps wrapped for 2 days and crisps up again in a 180°C oven for 5 minutes.
Is Herb Focaccia suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is vegetarian and no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Herb Focaccia?
About 260 kcal per serving, with 6 g protein, 32 g carbohydrate and 12 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
Herb Focaccia Nutrition Facts
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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