How to Make Focaccia: Easy No-Knead Italian Bread Recipe

Warm 2 cups (480ml) of water until it's between 100 and 110F - a finger dipped in should feel pleasantly warm, not hot. Pour it into a large bowl. Add one packet (2 1/4 tsp) of active dry yeast and 1 tablespoon of honey to feed the yeast. Whisk briefly to combine, then set it aside for about 5 minutes until you see a foamy cap on the surface. If it doesn't foam, your yeast is dead and you'll need to start over with a fresh packet - the bread won't rise without live yeast.

In a separate bowl, measure 5 cups (600g) of all-purpose flour. A kitchen scale gets you closer to John's exact ratio than measuring cups do - flour packs differently every time you scoop. Add 1 teaspoon of fine salt and 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme. Salt in the dough is what gives focaccia its flavor; without it, the bread tastes flat. Pick your herb based on what you have - oregano, Italian seasoning, and herbes de Provence all work. Whisk the dry ingredients briefly to distribute the salt and herbs.

Pour the foamy yeast water into the flour bowl and fold everything together with a spatula. Push down through the center, scrape up the sides, and rotate the bowl as you go. Keep folding until there are no dry pockets of flour at the bottom or edges. The dough will look shaggy, wet, and sticky - that's correct. Don't be tempted to add more flour. The high hydration is what gives focaccia its airy, open crumb after baking.

Pour 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup, 60ml) of extra-virgin olive oil into your original empty bowl. Transfer the shaggy dough back into the oiled bowl and gently turn it so the entire surface is coated. The oil keeps the dough from drying out and gives focaccia its signature crisp, golden crust later. Cover the bowl and leave it to rise for 2 hours at room temperature until doubled, or pop it in the fridge for 12 to 18 hours for a more flavorful overnight rise.

Once the dough has doubled, lightly oil your clean hands. Reach under one side, lift the dough, and fold it over itself toward the center. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. Do four folds total. This is not kneading - you're not working the dough, just building a bit of structure so it holds together when you transfer it to the pan. The dough should feel jiggly and alive under your hands.

Pour a generous glug of olive oil into the bottom of your pan. John uses two 8-inch square pans for a thick focaccia, but you can also use one 9x13-inch sheet pan or two 9-inch rounds. Divide the dough between the pans if needed. Use your fingers to stretch the dough toward the corners of each pan. The gluten will spring back at first - that's fine. The dough still has a second rise of 1 to 2 hours, and you'll stretch it again every 30 minutes until it reaches the corners.

After the second rise, drizzle the top of the dough generously with more olive oil. Oil your fingertips and press straight down into the dough to create the signature focaccia dimples across the entire surface. The divots catch oil and toppings and help the bread bake evenly. Scatter on whatever toppings you want - halved cherry tomatoes, pitted Kalamata olives, crumbled feta, thin slices of red onion or yellow squash. Finish with a few sprigs of fresh rosemary and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Toss vegetable toppings in a little olive oil so they don't burn at high heat.

Bake at 450F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top is deeply golden and the edges are crisp. Pull the pan out and let the focaccia cool for about 5 minutes so it's not screaming hot. Then transfer it to a wire rack right away. This is the same move as a good skillet cornbread - leaving the bread in the hot pan steams the bottom and ruins the crisp crust you just baked. Slice into squares or strips and serve warm. Focaccia keeps 3 days at room temperature wrapped in plastic, or 2 months in the freezer wrapped tight to avoid burn.