This easy No-knead focaccia bread recipe requires just minutes of hands-on prep (literally 5 minutes!), a large bowl, a spatula, and few pantry ingredients and you are good to go! It yields a flavor-packed bread(thanks to our homemade Pesto sauce) with a crisp outer part and super fluffy tender, and slightly chewy crumb.
What is Focaccia?
Focaccia (pronounced Fuh-Kaa-chuh) is a classic Italian bread. The name focaccia is derived from the Roman “panis focacius,” which means “hearth bread” indicating that it was originally baked in coals back in Roman times. It is considered a flatbread and the texture is similar to pizza dough. It’s baked with a generous amount of olive oil in the pan which creates a crisp edge and gives incredible flavors. It can be made in different ways by changing up the toppings that sit in the classic dimples on top. There are 2 ways of making this bread, kneading and without kneading. I have already shared 2 Focaccia recipes, Focaccia in skillet and pepper Foccacia bread, with the kneading method on the blog. So thought let me share the no-knead version with you all as this recipe is very close to my heart.
What is the no-knead method?
No-knead bread is a method of bread baking that uses a very long fermentation time instead of kneading to form the gluten strands that give the bread its texture. The dough of this bread is generally very wet which gives a beautiful crust. It’s one of the simplest methods that barely takes any work at all, to create unbelievably tasty bread! In this method, the dough is allowed to rise, covered, for 18 to 24 hours until doubled in size. The no-knead bread dough is generally placed to proof in the refrigerator. Cold, refrigerated dough is the secret to making delicious focaccia! Allowing the dough to rest 18 to 24 hours in the fridge yields the best results. If you don’t have 18 hours on hand and to speed up the process, you can proof the dough in Instant Pot on yogurt function. I will show you both the methods in our step-by-step process and recipe card. The beauty of this recipe is you can customize the toppings according to your liking. I love pesto-flavored bread, so I have added homemade pesto sauce as a topping. Pesto takes this No-knead Foccacia bread to the next level.
Why you’ll make this recipe?
Ingredients required
Yeast – I have used instant yeast granules to make this recipe. This yeast does not require activation and can be added in with the other dry ingredients. You can also use active dry yeast. But in that case, you need to proof the yeast in warm water before adding it to the dry ingredients. Sugar – It helps in activating the yeast. All-purpose flour – I used all-purpose flour for this homemade focaccia bread. You could alternatively use bread flour or even a 50:50 combination of the two. You may need to slightly adjust the amount of water used based on the flour. Salt – a must in bread making, it adds flavor to the bread and without it, you will find the bread can be a little bland. Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Extra virgin olive oil is the key to authentic focaccia. It might seem like a lot of oil, but I promise it makes a difference. Make sure to use high-quality extra virgin olive oil – it gets absorbed into the bread, and adds loads of flavor. Water – Use lukewarm water (around 100-110ºF/38-43ºC) to activate the yeast. You don’t want to use hot water because you can kill the yeast. Toppings – I used pesto as a topping. You can use red Pesto too
Step by step process
Step 1: Prepare the no-knead focaccia dough In a large bowl, add in the flour, salt, sugar, and instant yeast. Mix everything well. Then add the lukewarm water and mix it into a wet and shaggy dough using a spatula or wooden spoon. This no-knead focaccia dough is naturally wet and sticky this is normal. So don’t worry. Step 2: Allow the dough to rest Grease a large bowl with 1 ½ tablespoon of olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl and turn the dough over slightly so it’s coated with oil on all sides. Cover the bowl with its lid or plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 18 hours for a slow rise. Tip – You can allow it to rise for up to 24 hours. Instant pot proofing
Grease the inner pot of instant pot with 1 ½ tablespoon of olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl and turn the dough over slightly so it’s coated with oil on all sides.Cover the instant pot with a glass plate or glass lid. Press yogurt button and set the time to 4 hours. The dough will double in size
Step 3: The Second proofing Now take a 9×13 inch baking dish and grease it with 2 tablespoon of olive oil. You will think it’s a lot of oil, but trust me it makes a huge difference. Tip – If you don’t 9×13 inch baking dish, you can use a small baking dish and split the mixture between 2 trays. The baking time will vary. Take out the dough from the refrigerator. Now slowly add the dough to the oiled baking tray. Gently help it take the shape of the pan without knocking too much air from the dough, then cover and set it aside for a further 1 hour for a second rise. Step 4: Add Toppings and bake Preheat the oven @ 425 degrees F(220 degrees C) Gently spread the pesto sauce on the focaccia dough. Now slowly, use your fingers to ‘dimple’ the bread (refer to a video). Now drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil all over the dough. Bake the focaccia @ 425 degrees F(220 degrees C) on the middle rack for between 35 to 40 minutes, or until it’s slightly puffed up and golden brown. Remove it from the oven, allow it to cool slightly in the pan, and then on the cooling rack for 10 minutes before slicing and cutting it. When you are ready to eat, cut into desired-sized pieces. Enjoy the world’s best No-knead Pesto Focaccia bread! 🙂
Check the expiration date of the yeast: one of the most significant issues people have when making homemade bread is using ‘dead’ yeast.Allow the focaccia to rest and cool down for 5-10 minutes on a cooling rack before slicing.Using a larger pan: I have used a 9×13 inch baking pan for this recipe. If you want to make thin focaccia and decide to use a far larger pan, make sure to reduce the baking time accordingly.You can bake this bread in a cast-iron skillet too. Make sure to preheat your cast-iron pan in the oven first.The wet dough is the key to get the perfect crusty bread. This is a high hydration bread dough that is very wet and sticky. Unlike many bread recipes, it doesn’t need to hold its shape. So don’t reduce the amount of water.Make sure to use a generous amount of oil to grease the pan so that the dough doesn’t stick. You can use Parchment paper too to prevent the dough from stickingWhen handling the dough, ensure to add a little olive oil to your hands and fingers. The dough is super sticky and it will stick to your hands and fingers otherwise.All ovens are different so cook time can slightly change. Check the color for 30 minutes.
More Easy baking recipes
Thandai Melting Moment Butter CookiesEggless Chocolate Lava CakeNo Knead BreadInstant Pot Olive Oil Rosemary No Knead BreadNo knead Pumpkin Bread (Instant Pot)
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