This Focaccia Bread recipe is easier than you think! Made with just a few ingredients and brushed with olive oil and Italian herbs, it’s the perfect complement to any meal!

Focaccia bread is a thick and slightly chewy flat bread that is great for dunking! It would go perfectly with this Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup, Creamy White Chicken Chili or Slow Cooker Chicken Tortellini Soup.

Focaccia Bread

Hello friends! It’s Ashley from The Recipe Rebel back again today with, yep, more comfort food!

Making homemade Focaccia bread might seem intimidating, but I promise you there are just a few ingredients and a few simple steps.

In fact, making flat bread is a great introduction to bread making because you simply roll it into a large circle and dimple it with a wooden spoon, instead of worrying about rolling perfect rounds for rolls or rolling up a loaf of yeast bread.

Focaccia is one of my favorite breads for dunking.

It just doesn’t get better than the golden, chewy exterior seasoned with Italian herbs, and the soft and fluffy interior. It’s the best of both worlds and pairs well with just about any soup, chili or saucy pasta you can think of!

How to make Focaccia bread:

1. Start by proofing your yeast in some warm water and sugar — your water should be warm to the touch but not hot. The ideal temperature is 110 degrees F, but I don’t usually stress and bust out a thermometer 😉
2. When your yeast is foamy, whisk in the oil and seasonings.
3. Place your bowl in the stand mixer and gradually add in your flour, kneading all the flour in with the dough hook on before adding any more.
4. When your dough is soft but not sticky, place in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
5. Punch the dough down, press it into a greased sheet pan (or whatever shape or pan you want, and make it thicker or thinner if you desire!), cover and let rise again for 1 hour.
6. Using your fingers, dimple the dough to create pockets. Brush oil and seasoning mixture completely over dough.
7. Bake just until golden. Slice and serve warm with your favorite soups, pastas or casseroles!

Can I use instant yeast in this Focaccia bread recipe?

You can absolutely use instant yeast in this Focaccia bread recipe!

In fact, you can probably substitute instant yeast for active dry yeast in almost any yeast bread recipe.

Both instant yeast and active dry yeast work the same way, and achieve the same resuls.

The difference is that active dry yeast has larger granules and needs to be dissolved and activated in warm water before adding to a recipe. Instant yeast has fine granules that can be mixed right into the dough.

You can swap the active dry yeast in this recipe for instant yeast and not change a thing — I still like to proof my instant yeast to make sure it’s not old or stale.

Proofing yeast is what happens when you dissolve it in warm water — it will become thick, foamy and bubbly if it’s working.

More easy yeast bread recipes:

• Perfect Naan Bread with Garlic Butter
• Quick and Easy Pizza Dough
• Best Beignets Recipe
• Perfect Soft and Buttery Rolls