Italian Herb and Garlic Focaccia

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Easy Italian Herb and Garlic Focaccia bread is made with garlic and herb infused olive oil and is a soft and chewy bread that’s great with soups and pasta or for making a sandwich.

A plate with slices of focaccia bread stacked on top of it.

Focaccia is one of those breads that I rarely make.   I’ve had it in restaurants and I’ve had friends that have made it.

I’ll be honest; there have been some that I’ve liked and some that I think have been hard and dry.   I’ve made focaccia myself exactly two times and both times it was flat and dry.

What is Focaccia Bread?

Focaccia bread is a popular Italian flatbread known for its soft and chewy texture.  It’s often flavored with olive oil, salt, and herbs. It has a dimpled surface that is created by pressing fingertips into the dough before baking.  This helps to hold the olive oil and seasonings. Focaccia can be served as a side dish, used as a base for sandwiches, or enjoyed on its own. It’s a versatile bread that can be customized with various toppings, vegetables, herbs, and even cheese.

I love garlic so when I saw a recipe for a garlic infused focaccia bread I wanted to try it.  The first time I made this bread I used a pan bigger than the recommended size and it turned out thin and dry.   The next time I made it was perfection.

 

Everything you need to make this delicious Italian Herb and Garlic Focaccia

Let’s talk about the recipe.  I found one that used Italian seasonings and loads of garlic which sounded delicious.  I also found that most Focaccia recipes use a ton of olive oil.  I wasn’t sure about using that much but since so many recipes called for it I went along with it.

Can I use different herbs?

You can use any combination of Italian herbs and seasonings you’d like.  The first time I made this recipe I used oregano and rosemary.  This time I used Italian seasonings, oregano, and parsley.  You can use oregano, rosemary, thyme, parsley, Italian seasonings, basil, or sage.   Use your favorite combination of herbs.

Focaccia bread is great with soups like Stuffed Pepper Soup or Italian Wedding Soup.  I really like it with my pasta dishes though.  Baked Chicken Parmesan is one of those meals that just screams for a hearty piece of bread to go with it.  It’s also great with my Slow Cooker Bolognese that can be served on a variety of pasta noodles.

A bowl of bread dough.

Ingredients:

  • olive oil (use a good quality olive oil as you will be able to taste it)
  • garlic cloves (feel free to use more than the recipe calls for if you like the flavor)
  • dried oregano
  • Italian seasonings
  • sea salt
  • black pepper
  • yeast
  • honey
  • all purpose flour

Focaccia is actually pretty easy to make.  The dough is mixed together and then only kneaded for about a minute before letting it rise.   Once it has risen it’s stretched it out and put in a pan.   Then it rises while the oven is preheating and that’s it.   It was a pretty easy process overall.

To make the garlic and herb infused oil place the olive oil in a small skillet over medium low heat.   Add in the garlic cloves, oregano, Italian seasonings, sea salt, and black pepper.   Heat on medium low, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.   Your oil should be very fragrant.

To make the bread combine the warm water, yeast, and honey in a large mixing bowl.  Let it sit for 5 minutes or until the yeast activates and begins to get foamy.  If your yeast does not get foamy it may be old and you should try a different packet.

How do I know my Yeast is good?

Before starting check the expiration date.  Do not use expired yeast as it will not rise as well. Yeast should be light beige to tan color and have a soft texture. If it appears dry, crumbly, or has turned grayish or dark in color, it’s likely gone bad.   When you dissolve your yeast wait 5 to 10 minutes. If it becomes foamy and starts to bubble, the yeast is still active. If it doesn’t react, it may be inactive and should be replaced.

Once the yeast has activated add half of the infused olive oil and the flour to the mixture.  Mix it until it has combined into a rough dough.  Turn onto a floured surface and knead the dough for 1-2 minutes.

A pan of bread dough with olive oil drizzled over top of the dough.

Spray a mixing bowl with cooking spray and place the dough in the bowl.  Cover the top of the bowl with plastic wrap or a bowl cover.  This keeps the dough warm and moist.  You can use a kitchen towel but it allows a lot of air in and cools the dough quickly.

After an hour preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Pour a few tablespoons of infused olive oil into a 9 x 13 or a 10 x 15 baking pan.  Do not use a larger pan or your focaccia will be thinner and on the dry side.

Place the dough in the baking pan and stretch to fit to the size of the pan. Using your fingers poke holes all through the dough so there are plenty of craters. Drizzle the remaining infused olive oil on top of the bread. Set aside and let rise for 20 minutes.

Bake the focaccia for 20 minutes.   Remove from oven and sprinkle with sea salt.   Then cut it into squares and enjoy.

A pan of golden brown focaccia bread with herbs on top.

The Focaccia smelled amazing as it was baking.  There were smells of fresh baked bread as well as oregano and garlic.   When I looked in the oven the olive oil had seeped into the bread and was making it a wonderful golden brown color.  When I pulled it out of the oven it looked perfect!

The taste test was the real moment of truth.   The verdict?   Delicious!   This Focaccia was so much better then my previous version.  The middle was soft and there was a lot of flavor from the olive oil, garlic, and oregano.   I had several pieces straight out of the oven.

Later on that night I decided that this focaccia would make a great base for a pizza.   So I made my husband and I several focaccia pizzas.   I simply took the focaccia and topped it with marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni.  It was so amazing.   I’m definitely going to be making this focaccia bread again soon!

A hand holding a slice of focaccia bread.

If you’ve tried my Italian Herb and Garlic Focaccia or any other recipe on Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. I love hearing from you! You can FOLLOW ME on:

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A plate with slices of focaccia bread stacked on top of it.

Italian Herb and Garlic Focaccia

I love the oregano, garlic, and olive oil flavors in this tasty Focaccia Bread.
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 18 pieces
Author: Hezzi-D

Ingredients

  • 1/2 c. olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 c. warm water
  • 1 packet yeast
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 2 1/2 c. flour

Instructions

  • In a small skillet combine the olive oil, garlic cloves, oregano, rosemary, sea salt, and black pepper. Heat on low for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • In a large bowl combine the warm water, yeast, and honey. Allow to sit for 5 minutes.
  • After 5 minutes add in the flour and 1/4 cup of the olive oil mixture. Mix until combined then turn onto a floured surface.
  • Knead the dough for 1 minute.
  • Put the dough in a bowl sprayed with cooking spray and cover with a dish towel. Allow the dough to rise for 1 hour.
  • After an hour preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
  • Pour 2 tablespoons of the olive oil into a 9 x 13 jellyroll pan and spread out.
  • Place the dough in the pan and stretch to fit to the size of the pan. Using your fingers poke holes all through the dough. Drizzle the remaining olive oil on top of the bread. Set aside and let rise for 20 minutes.
  • Put the focaccia in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cut into squares.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Inspired Taste

Pin Image:   Text title, A plate of sliced focaccia bread.

 

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13 Comments

  1. Focaccia pizza is a wonderful idea. Love the herbs and garlic in this recipe. Wonderfully done! thank you for participating this month!

5 from 4 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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