Quick & Flavorful Summer Focaccia Bread Recipe to Impress

Summer focaccia bread brings vibrant Mediterranean flavors right into your kitchen, crafting ordinary ingredients into an extraordinary culinary experience.

Soft, pillowy dough becomes a canvas for colorful seasonal produce and aromatic herbs.

Each golden-crusted slice promises a delightful balance of crispy exterior and tender interior.

Fresh vegetables nestled across the surface create a beautiful mosaic of textures and tastes.

Regional baking techniques contribute to the bread signature dimpled landscape, inviting olive oil to pool and intensify its rich flavor profile.

Mediterranean traditions shine through this simple yet magnificent bread, connecting generations of home cooks.

The magic happens when carefully selected ingredients merge with passion and technique.

Summer Focaccia Bread That Tastes Like Sunshine

• Create Summer Magic: Transform simple ingredients into a stunning focaccia that captures the essence of warm, sunny days with minimal effort.
• Texture Triumph: Enjoy a delightful contrast of crispy, golden exterior and soft, pillowy interior that melts in your mouth with each heavenly bite.
• Flavor Explosion: Experience a burst of herb-infused goodness with aromatic oregano and basil that elevates this bread from ordinary to extraordinary, making it perfect for casual gatherings or solo indulgence.
• Stress-Free Baking: Embrace the low-maintenance recipe that requires minimal hands-on time, with a long refrigeration process that develops deep, complex flavors while you relax or go about your day.

Ingredients Used in Summer Focaccia Bread

Main Ingredients:

• Flour: Foundational ingredient for creating the bread's structure, choose all-purpose or bread flour for best results.
• Yeast: Provides rise and flavor to the bread, active dry yeast works well and ensures proper fermentation.

• Water: Warm water activates the yeast and helps develop gluten, temperature is crucial for dough development.
• Olive Oil: Adds rich flavor and helps create a soft, tender texture with a golden crust.

• Sea Salt: Enhances overall flavor and helps control yeast activity, provides a delicate finishing touch.
• Oregano, Basil: Fresh or dried herbs that bring aromatic Mediterranean notes to the summer focaccia.

Baking Instructions for Summer Focaccia Bread

Step 1: Create Dough Base

Whisk flour, salt, and yeast in a medium bowl. Pour warm water and stir until a soft, sticky mixture forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8-24 hours.

Step 2: Prepare Baking Pan

Select an 8-inch cake pan. Pour olive oil into pan and spread evenly across bottom and sides. Remove chilled dough and gently shape into a soft ball.

Step 3: Let Dough Rise

Place dough ball in the center of oiled pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to rest at room temperature for 2 hours until dough expands and nearly fills the pan.

Step 4: Preheat and Prepare

Heat oven to 450°F. Remove plastic wrap from pan. Drizzle remaining olive oil over dough surface.

Step 5: Create Focaccia Texture

Press fingertips into dough, creating deep dimples across entire surface. Reach all the way to pan bottom while making indentations.

Step 6: Add Herb Topping

Sprinkle fresh chopped oregano, basil, and sea salt across dough surface.

Step 7: Bake Focaccia

Slide pan into preheated oven. Bake for 22-25 minutes until bread turns golden brown and develops a crispy exterior.

Step 8: Cool and Serve

Remove from oven. Let focaccia cool for 10 minutes. Slice and enjoy warm.

Tips for Perfect Crust on Summer Focaccia

• Chill for Perfection: Refrigerate the dough overnight to develop deeper, more complex flavors and improve the bread's texture.
• Oil Your Pan Generously: Use plenty of olive oil in the cake pan to create a crispy, golden-brown crust that's both crunchy and soft.
• Create Signature Dimples: Press your fingers firmly into the dough to make deep, distinctive dimples that will catch herbs and olive oil.
• Customize Your Herbs: Experiment with fresh summer herbs like rosemary, thyme, or lavender to match seasonal produce and personal taste.
• Watch the Baking Carefully: Check the focaccia around 20 minutes to prevent over-browning, ensuring a perfect golden color and crisp edges.

How to Store and Reheat Focaccia Bread Correctly

• Refrigeration: Store leftover focaccia in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for up to 3 days, keeping it fresh and preventing moisture loss.
• Freezing: Slice the bread, place parchment paper between layers, and freeze in a freezer-safe bag for up to 1 month to preserve its delicious texture and flavor.
• Reheating: Warm slices in a preheated oven at 350°F for 5-7 minutes, or toast briefly in a skillet with a drizzle of olive oil to restore the crispy exterior and soft interior.

What to Eat with Summer Focaccia Bread

• Pair with Crisp Summer Salad: Complement the focaccia's rich, herbal flavors with a light arugula salad topped with cherry tomatoes, lemon vinaigrette, and shaved parmesan.
• Match with Chilled White Wine: Select a crisp sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio to cut through the bread's olive oil richness and enhance its herbal notes.
• Serve with Mediterranean Dips: Create a spread of tzatziki, hummus, and olive tapenade to elevate the focaccia's rustic charm and provide delightful dipping options.
• Enjoy with Fresh Caprese: Pair the warm focaccia with a classic caprese salad featuring ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil leaves, and a drizzle of balsamic reduction.

Flavor Mixes to Try with Focaccia

• Mediterranean Veggie Focaccia: Top the dough with sliced cherry tomatoes, roasted bell peppers, kalamata olives, and crumbled feta cheese before baking for a vibrant Mediterranean-inspired version.
• Herb Garden Focaccia: Replace oregano and basil with fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage. Sprinkle additional chopped herbs on top after baking for an intense herbal profile.
• Garlic Parmesan Focaccia: Mix minced garlic and grated parmesan cheese into the dough before the final rise. Sprinkle extra parmesan on top before baking for a rich, savory experience.
• Spicy Jalapeño Focaccia: Fold diced jalapeños and shredded cheddar cheese into the dough. Top with sliced jalapeños and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for a fiery kick.

Summer Focaccia Bread Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.7 from 28 reviews

• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

Print Recipe

Description

Rustic summer focaccia bread celebrates Mediterranean flavors with herbs and garden-fresh tomatoes. Crisp olive oil-infused crust and fragrant rosemary invite golden moments of pure Italian culinary delight you’ll savor slice by slice.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Ingredients:

• 2 cups (480 milliliters) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (240 milliliters) warm water
• ¼ cup (60 milliliters) olive oil

Leavening and Seasonings:

• 1 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried basil

Finishing Salt:

• 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt (Maldon salt)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Craft a foundation for your focaccia by blending flour, salt, and yeast in a mixing vessel. Introduce warm water, stirring until a soft, tacky consistency emerges. Encase the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the mixture to rest and develop in the refrigerator for a minimum of 8 hours, extending up to 24 hours.
2. Once the dough has thoroughly chilled, delicately transform it into a rounded shape using your hands. Generously coat an 8-inch cake pan with olive oil, ensuring complete interior coverage. Nestle the dough ball centrally within the pan and seal tightly with plastic wrap.
3. Position the pan in a warm environment and permit the dough to expand for approximately 2 hours. The dough should gradually inflate, nearly consuming the entire pan’s surface.
4. As the rising period approaches completion, activate the oven and set the temperature to 450°F. Carefully remove the protective plastic wrap from the pan.
5. Cascade the remaining olive oil across the dough’s surface. Using your fingertips, create rhythmic indentations, pressing deliberately to generate characteristic focaccia dimples. Distribute the oregano, basil, and sea salt evenly across the textured landscape.
6. Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake for 22-25 minutes. Monitor the focaccia’s transformation, anticipating a golden-brown exterior with a crisp, inviting finish.

Notes

• Overnight Fermentation Enhances Flavor: Chilling the dough in the refrigerator for 8-24 hours develops deeper, more complex taste profiles and improves bread texture.
• Olive Oil is Key to Authentic Texture: Using generous amounts of olive oil creates a crispy exterior and soft, pillowy interior typical of traditional focaccia.
• Finger Dimpling Technique Matters: Pressing fingers deeply into the dough creates signature focaccia wells that trap olive oil and seasonings, adding visual appeal and extra flavor.
• Room Temperature Rise is Crucial: Allowing dough to expand at room temperature for 2 hours ensures proper proofing and helps develop a light, airy structure.
• Fresh Herbs Transform Simple Bread: Oregano and basil sprinkled on top provide a vibrant summer taste and aromatic Mediterranean-inspired experience.
• High Heat Creates Perfect Crust: Baking at 450°F guarantees a golden-brown, crisp exterior while maintaining a soft interior.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Snacks, Appetizer
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4
• Calories: 200
• Sugar: 0.5 g
• Sodium: 300 mg
• Fat: 8 g
• Saturated Fat: 1 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 28 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 4 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg