This post may include affiliate links.
This quick focaccia bread recipe makes the most delicious soft loaf with a crispy crust in about 3 hours: no overnight rest required! This same-day loaf tastes like it came from a fancy bakery and is perfect as a side dish or for focaccia sandwiches.
As someone who cares deeply about the value of cooking homemade bread and insanely delicious food, I am always excited when I find a recipe that tastes like I got it from a professional bakery but is easy to make at home. Enter: this quick focaccia recipe!
My entire family is obsessed with this bread (in fact, my daughter just begged me to make a loaf as I’m writing this!). The problem is, most focaccia recipes require overnight rests. But this quick focaccia bread needs only one bowl (no stand mixer), a same-day rise, after about 3 hours you get a loaf that tastes like it’s from a fancy bakery! I’d call that a win.
Tip: This bread is especially good for making focaccia sandwiches. I created it it to be slightly thinner than a classic overnight focaccia so it’s the right thickness for a sandwich.
Why You’ll Love This Quick Focaccia
I’ve made my regular focaccia bread recipe dozens of times, but this quick focaccia recipe is the recipe I use when I want fresh bread today, not tomorrow (which let’s be honest, is always!). Here’s what I love about it:
- Same day focaccia bread, in just 3.5 hours. I never want to plan bread in advance, so this recipe makes it easy to whip up when I want it.
- Incredible flavor. It’s soft on the inside, crisp on the outside with a rosemary and shallot topping.
- It’s a forgiving and easy method. This is such an easy bread recipe: it’s great for beginners and works for any level.
Ingredients You Need
This is what you need, in addition to water and kosher salt:
- Bread flour: This is a higher protein flour that gives focaccia its signature chew. I definitely recommend finding bread flour for this recipe.
- Active dry yeast: This is what makes the beautiful rise, along with a high hydration dough.
- Olive oil: You’ll need it in the dough, in the pan, and in the brine: for classic Italian flavor!
- Fresh rosemary and shallot: This seasons the top of the dough and tastes a little like an Everything Bagel.
Pro tip: Do not skip the generously oiling the pan! It cooks the bottom crust, which is the reason focaccia is so tasty.
How to Make This Easy, Quick Focaccia (An Overview)
Here’s the basic flow, but jump to the full quick focaccia recipe below for quantities:
- Mix the dough. Stir together the dough into a sticky consistency, then fold it over itself a few times with wet hands to form it into a ball.
- Rise 2 hours. Let the dough rise in the bowl for 2 hours until doubled and bubbly.
- Stretch into the pan and rise 1 hour. Turn the dough into a well-oiled 9 x 13-inch pan and gently press it toward the edges. Rise the dough for 1 hour in the pan to get puffy while the oven preheats.
- Brine, dimple, and top. Pour over an olive oil brine, press in dimples with your fingers, and garnish with rosemary and minced shallot.
- Bake at 425°F until golden, 20 to 22 minutes.
Expert tip: When you dimple the dough, press your fingers all the way down to the bottom of the pan. If you do it too shallow, it will even out after baking.
Tips for the Best Focaccia Bread
- Find a warm spot for rising. A sunny counter or an oven with just the light on works well.
- Use a metal pan. Metal conducts heat better than glass or ceramic.
- A pizza stone is helpful for the bottom crust. Setting the pan on a preheated stone is what makes the best crispy crust.
Topping Variations
Rosemary and shallot is what I like best, but this quick focaccia is ripe for any fun toppings. You could try sundried tomatoes and Parmesan, thinly sliced red onion, chopped olives and oregano, or even Everything Bagel seasoning.
Ways to Serve Quick Focaccia
This easy focaccia bread disappears fast around here — my kids are literally obsessed with it (true story!). A few favorite ways to serve it:
- For sandwiches: This bread is absolutely perfect for sandwiches, since it’s slightly thinner than my overnight focaccia. Slice it in half for an incredible Burrata Sandwich, Caprese Sandwich, or my new Focaccia Bread Sandwich.
- As an appetizer: Serve for dipping into Whipped Goat Cheese or a plate of olive oil, vinegar and herbs.
- With soup: It’s made for dunking into a hearty Minestrone Soup or White Bean Soup.
- With pasta night: Add it alongside a Vegetarian Lasagna for an Italian-style feast.
- Alongside salads: A warm square next to a crisp Caesar Salad or Chopped Salad.
- As focaccia pizza: Use it as the base of a pizza or try my Best Focaccia Pizza.
Storage Instructions
To store, cool this quick focaccia bread and store it a sealed plastic bag for up to 3 days at room temperature. It has a nice soft texture when stored in plastic. You can also freeze pieces in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
Dietary Notes
This quick focaccia recipe is vegetarian and vegan (dairy-free and egg-free).
Quick Focaccia Recipe (Same Day!)
This quick focaccia bread recipe makes the most delicious soft loaf with a crispy crust in about 3 hours: no overnight rest required! It tastes like it came from a fancy bakery.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Rise Time: 30 hours
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf (16 servings) 1x
- Category: Baked, Baked Good
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean
- Diet: Mediterranean Diet, Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the dough
- 420 grams bread flour (3 cups)
- ½ tablespoon active dry yeast
- ½ tablespoon kosher salt
- 354 ml warm water (1 ½ cups)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Olive oil, for the pan
For the brine
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ tablespoon water
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the topping
- 1 rosemary sprig, leaves chopped
- ½ shallot, minced
Instructions
- Mix the dough: In a large bowl, stir together the bread flour, active dry yeast, and kosher salt. Add the warm water and olive oil, then stir with a wooden spoon or dough whisk until a sticky dough forms.
- Fold: With wet hands, lift the bottom of the dough and wrap it over the top a few times, making a loose ball, and incorporating any dry flour. Leave the dough in the mixing bowl and cover it with a clean dish towel.
- First rise: Let the dough rise in a warm spot for 2 hours, until doubled in size and bubbly (it will jiggle when shaken).
- Transfer to the pan: Using your hands, generously grease the bottom and sides of a metal 9 x 13-inch baking pan with olive oil. With oiled hands, turn the dough into the pan. Gently press and stretch the dough to fill the pan (the corners can remain rounded). Try to keep an even thickness throughout and not deflate the dough.
- Second rise: Cover the pan with a dish towel (pulling it taught to make sure it is not touching the bread) and let it rest in a warm spot for 1 hour.
- Preheat: 30 minutes into the second rise, preheat the oven to 425°F, with a pizza stone on the center rack.
- After the 1 hour rise, make the brine: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, water, and kosher salt. Pour the brine over the puffy dough. Lightly press your oiled fingers all the way down into the dough to create deep dimples, then sprinkle evenly with the rosemary leaves and shallot.
- Bake: Place the pan in the oven, setting it on the pizza stone. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until the top is deeply golden brown.
- Cool: Let the focaccia cool completely in the pan or on a wire rack before cutting. Store for up to 3 days in a sealed plastic bag with the excess air squeezed out.
