This cast iron focaccia bread is easy to make, delicious, and incredibly versatile, and the entire family will love it. Change out the rosemary and basil for your favorite herbs, add cheese to the topping, a touch of coarse salt, or whatever you like. You won't even have to bother with kneading the dough!
For more easy bread recipes, try my rustic bread, Cheesecake Factory brown bread, and whole wheat bread.
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Making homemade bread can be a daunting and intimidating task, especially for new bakers. I've made many types of loaves over the years, and this focaccia bread is one of the easiest!
I always make it in the evening and then serve it with dinner the following night. My family loves it, and I love how simple it is to prepare.
🥘 Ingredients
- Yeast - I used active dry yeast for this recipe. Learn everything there is to know about how to activate yeast here.
- Water- You'll need both warm and cool water. The warm water should be around 110°F (43°C) for activating the yeast. The cool water should be 75°F (24°C)
- Sugar - A tiny bit of white granulated sugar is added to 'feed' the yeast.
- Olive Oil - Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is used both in the dough and drizzled on top.
- Flour - Plain, all-purpose flour is all you need here.
- Salt - A small amount of salt.
- Garlic - I love garlic, so I use a lot of it. You can reduce or adjust the amount if you like.
- Herbs - I enjoy using rosemary and basil, but you can use any of your favorite herbs.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Focaccia Bread
With no kneading required, this bread really couldn't get any easier. Go ahead and grab some mixing bowls, your stand mixer, your measuring utensils, and a cast iron skillet.
This recipe is for eight servings.
Make the Bread Dough
Step 1: Activate the yeast. In a medium bowl or your stand mixer bowl, combine 1 teaspoon of active dry yeast, 1 cup (237 milliliters) of warm water, and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Allow to stand for 5 minutes, or until foamy, while the yeast activates.
Step 2: Stir. Stir in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1½ cups (188 grams) of flour.
Step 3: Rise. Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
Step 4: Stir again. Stir in ⅓ cup (79 milliliters) of cool water, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the remaining 1¼ cup (156 grams) of flour. The dough will be wet.
Step 5: Mix. Transfer to a stand mixer with paddle attachment, and mix for 3-5 minutes on a medium-low setting (or mix by hand if you are not using a stand mixer).
Step 6: Chill. Transfer the mixed dough to a medium bowl lightly coated with olive oil, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 12 hours (up to 24 hours).
Bake the Bread
Step 7: Remove. Remove the bowl of dough from the refrigerator 2 hours before preparing to bake.
Step 8: Preheat. Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C/Gas Mark 6) and coat your cast iron skillet with olive oil.
Step 9: Transfer. Gently transfer the dough (bubbly and still wet in consistency) to the coated cast iron skillet.
Step 10: Top. Drizzle the top with olive oil, place 16 garlic cloves on top, and sprinkle herbs (1 teaspoon each of rosemary and basil) over the top of the dough.
Step 11: Rise. Allow the transferred dough to rise in the cast iron skillet for about 20 minutes before baking.
Step 12: Bake. Bake on the center rack at 400°F (205°C/Gas Mark 6) for 40 minutes, or until golden brown.
Step 13: Serve. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving.
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Let it rise. I always make my dough the night before I intend to serve it. The extra time in the fridge makes the bread extra flavorful.
- Experiment with toppings. Focaccia is incredibly versatile, so have fun trying out different toppings and combinations. Some great options are thyme, oregano, thin lemon slices, Parmesan cheese, or everything bagel seasoning.
- Use warm water. You should always use warm water when activating yeast. Ideally, it should be around 110°F (43°C). If the water is too cold, the yeast won't activate, and if it is too hot, it will kill it.
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🥡 Storing
Focaccia is best when enjoyed the same day it was made. However, you can wrap it tightly and store it at room temperature for up to one day.
Freezing
Let your bread cool completely, and then wrap it tightly in a layer of plastic wrap and aluminum foil. It can be frozen for up to three months.
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📖 Recipe Card
Cast Iron Skillet Garlic Herb Focaccia Bread
Ingredients
- 1 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water (110℉/43℃)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 4 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin - divided)
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (2 portions - 1 ½ c and 1 ¼ c)
- ⅓ cup cool water (75℉/24℃)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 16 cloves garlic (small, thin)
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, or your stand mixer bowl, combine the active dry yeast, warm water, and sugar. Allow to stand for 5 minutes, or until foamy, while the yeast activates.
- Stir in the first 2 tablespoon portion of olive oil and 1 ½ cups of the flour, then cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise for 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Stir in the cool water, salt, and the remaining 1 ¼ cup of flour. The dough will be wet. Transfer to a stand mixer with paddle attachment, and mix for 3-5 minutes on a medium-low setting (or mix by hand if you are not using a stand mixer).
- Transfer the mixed dough to a medium bowl lightly coated with olive oil, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 12 hours (up to 24 hours). Remove the bowl of dough from the refrigerator 2 hours before preparing to bake.
- Preheat your oven to 400℉ (204℃) and coat your cast iron skillet with olive oil. Gently transfer the (bubbly and still wet in consistency) to the coated cast iron skillet. Drizzle the top with olive oil, place garlic cloves on top, and sprinkle herbs (rosemary and basil) over the top of the dough.
- Allow the transferred dough to rise in the cast iron skillet for about 20 minutes before baking. Bake on the center rack at 400℉ (204℃) for 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Nutrition
Amber says
Do you need to cover this bread while cooking? I made a similar focaccia bread the other day and it was really brown at 15 minutes in a 400 degree oven. I would love to try your recipe because the one I made was not cooked in the middle by 15 minutes (the recipe said 12-15 minutes, lol). Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
I have never covered my cast iron skillet with the baking bread for this recipe. It has always turned out beautifully golden with no extra effort. Thanks for asking, enjoy!