Easy No Knead Focaccia Bread
Light and airy focaccia with a crispy golden crust. Super delicious and easy to make at home.
This no-knead Focaccia Bread is super easy to make at home. It’s light and airy with a crispy golden crust. Great for sandwiches or as a side with your favourite soup, salad, or pasta.
Why you’ll love this focaccia bread
- No knead. Zero kneading required. Just two rounds of stretches and folds.
- Overnight ferment = more flavourful bread. Just prep the dough in the evening and pop it the refrigerator to cold ferment overnight (up to 3 days).
- Minimal oil. Less oil topping for a focaccia that’s light and airy with a crispy golden crust.
How to make focaccia bread
Step 1: In a large bowl, add the water and yeast. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes to activate the yeast.
Step 2: Once the yeast is bubbly and foamy, add the olive oil, flour, and salt. Stir together until combined and the flour is well incorporated. The dough will be shaggy and very sticky. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
Step 3: With wet hands, stretch and fold each corner of the dough up and over itself (for a total of 4 folds). Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
How to stretch + fold the dough
Stretch. With wet hands, grab one corner of the dough. Stretch the dough up out of the bowl.
Fold. Fold the dough over itself and press it to seal.
Rotate & Repeat. Rotate the bowl one quarter turn and repeat with the remaining three corners.
Step 4: Repeat the process of stretching and folding each corner of the dough up and over itself. Turn the dough over (seam-side down) and rub the surface of the dough with oil. Cover and refrigerate overnight, 12-18 hours (up to 3 days).
Step 5: Grease a 9×13-inch pan with butter and add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Transfer the dough to the pan. Turn it to coat all sides in oil then place it seam-side down. Cover and let rise at room temperature for 3-4 hours, until doubled in size.
Step 6: Meanwhile, make the herb oil. Heat the oil in a small saucepan until it reaches 100-110°F. Remove from heat. Add the herbs de Provence. Stir and set aside to cool.
Step 7: Drizzle half the herb oil over top of the dough and use your fingers to dimple the dough and spread it towards the edges of the pan. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 425°F.
Step 8: Spoon the remaining herb oil over top of the dough. Sprinkle with flaky salt, if desired.
Step 9: Bake for 30 minutes, rotating the pan 180° halfway through baking. The bread should be deep golden brown and the bottom should be crispy. Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 7 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and finish cooling on a wire rack.
Try these variations
- Italian Herb: Substitute Italian seasoning for herbs de Provence.
- Herb & Garlic: Add 2 cloves minced garlic to the herb topping.
- Garlic Confit: After dimpling the dough, top with slow roasted garlic cloves.
- Olive: After dimpling the dough, top with whole pitted kalamata olives.
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Looking for more no-knead bread recipes? Try my favourite No Knead Artisan Bread, or this No Knead Cranberry Walnut Bread (it makes the best apple + brie grilled cheese).
Easy No-Knead Focaccia Bread
Ingredients
- 1½ cups water, 110-115°F, 356g
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups bread flour, 408g
- 2 teaspoons salt
- flaky salt, optional (for topping)
For the herb oil
- ¼ cup olive oil, 100-110°F
- 2 teaspoons herbs de Provence
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the water and yeast. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes to activate the yeast.
- Once the yeast is bubbly and foamy, add the olive oil, flour, and salt. Stir together until combined and the flour is well incorporated. The dough will be shaggy and very sticky. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
- With wet hands, stretch and fold each corner of the dough up and over itself (for a total of 4 folds). Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
- Repeat the process of stretching and folding each corner of the dough up and over itself. Turn the dough over (seam-side down) and rub the surface of the dough with oil. Cover and refrigerate overnight, 12-18 hours (up to 3 days).
- Grease a 9×13-inch pan with butter and add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Transfer the dough to the pan. Turn it to coat all sides in oil then place it seam-side down. Cover and let rise for 3-4 hours, until doubled in size.
- Meanwhile, make the herb oil. Heat the oil in a small saucepan until it reaches 100-110°F. Remove from heat. Add the garlic and herbs de Provence. Stir and set aside to cool.
- Drizzle half the herb oil over top of the dough and use your fingers to dimple the dough and spread it towards the edges of the pan. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Spoon the remaining herb oil over top of the dough. Sprinkle with flaky salt, if desired.
- Bake for 30 minutes, rotating the pan 180° halfway through baking. The bread should be deep golden brown and the bottom should be crispy.
- Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 7 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and finish cooling on a wire rack.
