Freshly baked focaccia, crisp taralli, and crunchy ciabatta—these breads immediately transport me to Italy. I love authentic Italian food. It doesn’t always have to be an overloaded pizza; a simple, well-made focaccia is perfection to me.
With this focaccia recipe you’ll fall in love with the Puglian flatbread. It’s airy, fragrant, tender and delicious. Different regions of Italy offer many variations—filled or sweet focaccia, versions with olives or onions—but I prefer the purest form: olive oil and herbs, sometimes dotted with small tomatoes. The dough gets a little salt; seasoning matters. I like to add a few teaspoons of an air-dried vegetable and Mediterranean herb mix for extra aroma and color.
The preparation is straightforward: make a savory yeast dough with olive oil and the vegetable-herb mix, let it rise, shape it into a large flat loaf, press dimples into the surface, and top with an olive oil-herb mixture and halved tomatoes. Bake until golden. The air-dried vegetable pieces add not only aroma but also attractive flecks of color in the crumb.
The perfect focaccia herbs: thyme, rosemary, basil and oregano
I use three distinct blends of 100% air-dried organic vegetables and herbs—each contains tomatoes, carrots and peppers. The classic mix adds parsnip, celeriac, lovage and parsley; an Asian version includes onions, coriander, chili and lemongrass; the Mediterranean mix features garlic, rosemary and oregano. These blends are convenient and, for many parents, easier to introduce to children than fresh herbs.
In Italy, focaccia is traditionally eaten for breakfast, though I prefer it for barbecues, buffets or dinner. If you use dry yeast, one packet is fine. If you let the dough rise overnight in the fridge, you can reduce the amount of yeast. Focaccia is naturally vegan, but adding melted cheese makes a delicious vegetarian variation.
Recipe Card
Focaccia with herbs and tomatoes
15 mins
25 mins
3 hrs
1 tray
286kcal
Ingredients
For the yeast dough
- 500 grams (about 4 cups) flour, best type 550
- 8 grams dry yeast
- 1 pinch sugar
- 300 milliliters (about 1.3 cups) lukewarm water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Mediterranean vegetable-herb mixture
For the topping
- 250 grams (about 2 cups) tomatoes, cherry or date varieties recommended
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Mediterranean vegetable-herb mixture
Instructions
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For the pre-dough, crumble the yeast with the sugar into lukewarm water and stir until dissolved. Place the flour in a large bowl, form a well in the center, pour in the yeast water, cover and rest for 10 minutes.
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Add salt, olive oil and the herb mix to the bowl and stir briefly. Knead vigorously for 5–10 minutes (or use a dough hook) until the dough pulls away from the bowl. Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place for about 2 hours.
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Roll the dough out to the size of a baking sheet and place on a tray brushed with oil or lined with parchment. Let rise another 30 minutes. Press small dimples into the dough with your fingers or the back of a spoon. Arrange halved tomatoes and spread the oil-herb mixture over the dough. Let rest 10 minutes while preheating the oven to 200°C (top and bottom heat). Bake about 25 minutes until golden brown.