Roasted garlic rosemary focaccia bread is crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and full of garlicky flavor! Focaccia is my go to party appetizer. I like to serve it up with a cheese plate and wine, and my guests rave every time!
Focaccia is an oven baked, Italian yeast bread that is similar to pizza dough. Olive oil is the star with focaccia, so use the good stuff if you’ve got it! Traditional focaccia has a long rise time, but my recipe is a short cut and only requires two hours of rise time.
Focaccia Topping Ideas
Roasted garlic and rosemary are a classic flavor combination and what I used in this recipe. However, focaccia is easily customized and it’s fun to experiment with other flavors!
Some of my favorites to mix and match:
- Sliced tomatoes
- Sliced zucchini
- Pesto
- Parmesan
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Olives – kalamata are my favorite here!
- Artichokes
- Carmelized onions
Ingredient Line Up
This recipe requires minimal ingredient!. Even better, they are staple ingredients that you likely already have on hand.
- All purpose flour
- Salt – Kosher or sea salt
- Dry, active yeast
- Sugar
- Olive oil
- Roasted garlic
- Chopped rosemary or other desired ad ins
How to Roast Garlic
Roasting your own garlic is very simple!
- Toss peeled garlic cloves in a few tsps olive oil
- Bake in a parchment lined baking pan at 400°F for about 20 minutes
That’s it! It will make your house smell absolutely wonderful!
Roasted Garlic Rosemary Focaccia Tips
- This is the time to use high quality olive oil if you’ve got it! Olive oil is the base of this bread, and it truly makes a huge difference when you use the good stuff!
- Bake your focaccia in a smaller pan (6″ or 7″) if you want a thicker bread! Use a larger pan, such as 9″, for a thinner, crusty bread.
- The dough will be sticky and try to resist stretching to fit the pan. Use slightly damp fingers to gently press the dough into place. This prevents the dough from sticking to you!
- If your dough is too sticky to work with, add more flour 1 tbsp at a time. Keep in mind the dough should be slightly wet.
- Double the recipe and bake in a rimmed baking sheet if making for a crowd!
Roasted Garlic Rosemary Focaccia
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt plus more for topping as desired
- 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1/4 cup chopped roasted garlic
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
Instructions
- In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Set aside and let the yeast proof for 5-10 minutes.
- Whisk the flour, salt, roasted garlic, and rosemary together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
- Slowly add in the yeast mixture and knead on high for five minutes.
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, and knead for an additional 3-5 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to a clean bowl greased with olive oil. Cover with a clean towel and let rise for an hour and a half or until doubled in size.
- Punch the dough down and knead for one minute.
- Transfer the dough to an olive oil greased 8” baking pan. Use wet fingers to gently press the dough into the pan. Cover with a clean towel and let it rest for 30 more minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375F.
- Use your fingers to create dimples in the dough. Brush the dough with additional olive oil and sprinkle on flaky sea salt and additional rosemary if desired.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!
Tag @icingonthebakeblog on Instagram or leave a comment below!
Sounds delicious Kristen.