Roasted Garlic Focaccia is a fluffy, airy Italian bread topped with roasted garlic, cherry tomatoes, Italian herb seasonings, and olive oil. It's a flavorful, versatile side that pairs perfectly with our bread dipping oil recipe.
Why You'll Love This Roasted Garlic Focaccia Recipe
You'll love this Roasted Garlic Focaccia recipe because it's effortless to make and delivers incredible flavor. The combination of fluffy dough, roasted garlic, and juicy cherry tomatoes creates a mouthwatering and satisfying experience.
- Make-ahead friendly: The dough can be prepped in advance, making it easy to bake fresh focaccia when you're ready.
- Customizable toppings: Roasted garlic pairs well with many add-ins, so you can easily adapt the bread to what you have on hand.
- Great for sharing: This focaccia slices cleanly and travels well, making it ideal for gatherings or family meals.
Ingredients Overview
This Italian focaccia recipe is so simple to make, and you probably have the ingredients in your pantry already. You'll need flour, olive oil, salt, a whole garlic bulb, active yeast, and water. That's it, for one of the quickest and fluffiest breads you'll ever make!
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Roasted Garlic Focaccia
To make focaccia, mix the dough ingredients and let it rise until doubled, then shape it on a baking sheet and dimple the surface. Top with roasted garlic, tomatoes, or herbs, brush with olive oil, and bake until golden brown.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400℉. Cut the top off a head of garlic and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Wrap with foil and baked for 35-45 minutes until browned and fragrant.
Step 2: In a large bowl combine the warm water with ¼ cup of flour. Stir to dissolve. Sprinkle the yeast on top and set aside to get foamy, about 10-15 minutes.
Step 3: Stir in the rest of the flour, olive oil, and salt. Mix in until a dough forms.
Step 4: Turn out on a very lightly floured surface. Knead for 5-7 minutes until smooth and stretchy.
Step 5: Place in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel.
Step 6: Allow to rise until a little over doubled (60-90 minutes depending on the ambient temperature).
Step 7: While the dough is rising, prep the toppings. When the garlic is cool enough to handle, use a blunt knife or peel and squeeze out the roasted cloves. Try to keep them as intact as possible. Slice the tomatoes in half. Finely chop the rosemary.
Step 8: Add some olive oil to a 9"x13" baking pan. Spread out evenly and place the dough in the pan. Turn over several times to completely cover in oil. Stretch the dough out with your fingers to fit into the corners. Cover again and allow to rise until 1.5 times the size (30-60 minutes). While rising, heat the oven to 450°F.
Step 9: Using oiled fingers, push your fingers down into the dough and make lots of deep dimples.
Step 10: Press pieces of the roasted garlic into some of the dimples. Press the halved tomatoes in,cut side up. Sprinkle with chopped rosemary and salt.
Step 11: Drizzle the top with a few tablespoons of olive oil and bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly golden brown and very firm.
Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack and cooling at least another 20 minutes before cutting and serving.
Pro Tip
For easier removal, fit the loaf pan with parchment paper (or aluminum foil) with some overhang on the long sides of the pan. You can easily lift the focaccia out of the pan with the overhang!
Roasted Garlic Focaccia Serving Suggestions
Serve garlic focaccia as a side dish with soups, salads, or to make panini. Use as an appetizer with dips or spreads. For a truly indulgent experience, top with melted cheese, fresh basil pesto, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. No matter how you choose to serve it, its sure to be a hit.
Substitutions and Variations
Some useful tips and substitutions when making this recipe:
- Experiment with different toppings, such as sun-dried tomatoes, olives, or fresh herbs.
- Add grated Parmesan cheese or mozzarella cheese for a cheesy twist.
- Salty Kalamata olives instead of the cherry tomatoes makes a fabulous focaccia variation.
- Drizzle with balsamic vinegar or honey for a sweet and tangy flavor.
Tips for Success
Helpful tips to help you when making this recipe:
- Use warm, not hot water: Warm water helps activate the yeast without killing it, leading to a better rise.
- Let the dough rise fully: Allow enough time for the dough to double in size so the focaccia stays light and airy.
- Roast the garlic first: Roasting mellows the garlic flavor and prevents it from burning during baking.
- Be generous with olive oil: Plenty of olive oil adds flavor and helps create a golden, crisp exterior.
- Dimple deeply: Press your fingers firmly into the dough so the surface holds oil and toppings evenly.
Storage Options
Here is how I store leftovers when making this recipe:
- Store leftover focaccia in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- To freeze, wrap the focaccia tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheat leftover focaccia by wrapping it in foil and warming it in a low-temperature oven until heated through.
Related Recipes
Frequently Asked Questions
Make sure your dough is well-hydrated and allowed to rise fully; avoid adding too much flour or underproofing to help achieve that soft, open crumb texture.
Pressing dimples into the dough helps it rise evenly and creates pockets that hold olive oil and toppings, enhancing flavor and texture.
Yes, you can experiment with toppings like fresh herbs, olives, or cheese to add flavor and variety to your focaccia.
Yes, good quality extra virgin olive oil intensifies flavor, keeps the bread moist, and gives the crust its classic golden shine.
The focaccia is done when the crust is golden brown and the dough sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Roll and Bread Stick Recipes
Get the Recipe!
Roasted Garlic Focaccia
Equipment
Ingredients
Roasted garlic:
- 1 head garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Dough:
- 1⅓ cup warm water 105-110℉
- 2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
- ¼ cup flour
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon coarse salt
Topping:
- ¼ cup olive oil divided
- 4 ounces cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt
Instructions
Roast the Garlic
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Cut the top off a head of garlic and drizzle with 1 tbsp/15ml olive oil. Wrap with foil and baked for 35-45 minutes until browned and fragrant.1 head garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil
Mix the Focaccia Dough
- In a large bowl combine the warm water with ¼ cup of the flour. Stir to dissolve. Sprinkle the yeast on top and set aside to get foamy, about 10-15 minutes.1⅓ cup warm water, ¼ cup flour, 2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
- Stir in the rest of the flour, olive oil, and salt. Mix in until a dough forms.3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 ½ teaspoon coarse salt
- Turn out on a very lightly floured surface. Knead for 5-7 minutes until smooth and stretchy.
- Place in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Allow to rise until a little over doubled (60-90 minutes depending on the ambient temperature).
Prepare the Toppings
- While the dough is rising, prep the toppings. When the garlic is cool enough to handle, use a blunt knife or peel and squeeze out the roasted cloves. Try to keep them as intact as possible. Slice the tomatoes in half. Finely chop the rosemary.
Assemble and Bake
- Add half the remaining olive oil to a 9"x13" baking pan. Spread out evenly and place the dough in. Turn over several times to completely cover in oil. Stretch out with your fingers to the corners.⅛ cup olive oil
- Cover again and allow to rise until 1.5x the size (30-60 minutes). While rising, heat the oven to 450°F.
- Using oiled fingers, push lots of dimples into the dough. Press cloves (or small bits) of roasted garlic into some of the dimples. Press the halved tomatoes in cut side up. Sprinkle with chopped rosemary and salt.4 ounces cherry tomatoes, 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, ½ teaspoon coarse salt
- Drizzle with the last of the olive oil and bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly golden brown and very firm.⅛ cup olive oil
- Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack and cooling at least another 20 minutes before cutting and serving.
Notes
- Use warm, not hot water: Warm water helps activate the yeast without killing it, leading to a better rise.
- Let the dough rise fully: Allow enough time for the dough to double in size so the focaccia stays light and airy.
- Roast the garlic first: Roasting mellows the garlic flavor and prevents it from burning during baking.
- Be generous with olive oil: Plenty of olive oil adds flavor and helps create a golden, crisp exterior.
- Dimple deeply: Press your fingers firmly into the dough so the surface holds oil and toppings evenly.
Kelly says
Easy to follow and turned out great!