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There’s nothing quite like homemade bread, and this no-knead Focaccia Garlic Bread is no exception!
Serve this focaccia hot or cold. Enjoy it as a side dish for lunch or dinner, or halve it and make an epic sandwich filled with all your favorite toppings.
It takes a bit of time to prove, but the result is a delicious, cheesy loaf that is crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
Be sure to check out my plain focaccia bread recipe for a simplified version. And for more garlic bread options, don’t miss this Parmesan Garlic Bread or my Ciabatta Garlic Bread.
Recipe Tip
For a different version, top the first-time baked garlic bread with a layer of tomato sauce, then add the shredded cheese to make a delicious focaccia pizza! You can even add pepperoni and all your other favorite toppings!
Focaccia Garlic Bread Ingredients
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details!
- Plain white flour: All-purpose flour.
- Water: Use lukewarm water.
- Olive oil: I prefer a mild extra virgin olive oil, but use what you have to hand.
- Sea salt: To add flavor. I use flaky Maldon salt.
- Instant yeast: No need to activate.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted (if using unsalted butter, add sea salt to taste).
- Garlic: Adjust the amount to your liking.
- Parmesan: Buy a block of cheese and grate it yourself for the best results.
- Cheddar: Use mild or mature cheddar.
- Parsley: Adds a fresh, herby flavor.
How to Make a Garlic Focaccia
- Mix the ingredients for the dough. Let it rise for 1 hour.
- Pour the dough into a lined tin drizzled with olive oil. Stretch and fold the dough a few times. Let it rise again for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 210°C (410°F). Drizzle olive oil over the focaccia and dimple the bread with your fingertips. Sprinkle with sea salt. Prepare the garlic butter and top the bread with most of it. Bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove the focaccia from the oven, then top with the remaining garlic butter, Parmesan, and cheddar. Bake again until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
Possible Variations
- Plain white flour: Swap for bread flour or tipo 00.
- Instant yeast: Try active dry yeast. Activate it in the lukewarm water with a teaspoon of honey for 10 minutes before using.
- Cheese: Choose any combination of cheeses you like, such as Gruyère, mozzarella, Comte, Swiss, Brie, or provolone.
- Parsley: Use dried parsley, Italian seasoning, zaatar, sumac, red pepper flakes, or other fresh herbs like basil or oregano.
- Add-ins: Breadcrumbs, roasted tomatoes, pepperoni, caramelized garlic or onion.
How to Store Leftovers
Keep leftover bread in an airtight container in the fridge. Enjoy it within 2 days.
FAQs
Yes! Reheat it in the oven at 100°C (212°F) for about 5-7 minutes until it’s heated through.
The main difference is that instant yeast doesn’t need to be activated in warm water prior to use.
You can swap for your favorite gluten-free flour, but the taste and texture will be different.
This provides the crispiest bread without overbaking the cheese.
More Sides
If you make this recipe or any other recipe on Foodbites, then I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to leave a comment and rating below.
Focaccia Garlic Bread
Equipment
- baking tin 20 x 30 cm
Ingredients
Focaccia
- 250 grams flour, plain
- 225 grams water, lukewarm, 7.5 oz
- 10 grams olive oil
- 5 grams sea salt
- 3.5 grams instant yeast
Garlic butter
- 75 grams butter
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Cheesy topping
- 50 grams Parmesan
- 80 grams cheddar
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped, to garnish
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl using a wooden spoon. Scrape down the sides until you have a uniform, sticky dough.
- Cover the dough with a kitchen towel or cling film.
- Let it rise for 1 hour.
- Line your baking tin with parchment paper.
- Add 3-5 tablespoons of olive oil to cover the bottom of the tin.
- Pour the dough into the tin.
- Stretch and pull each side of the dough over the remaining dough a few times. You may need to put a tablespoon of olive oil on your fingers so it won't stick.
- Stretch the dough carefully into the edges of the pan (each corner).
- Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and rise for 1 hour.
- Turn on your oven to 210°C/ 410°F.
- Drizzle the focaccia with olive oil, and get some on your fingers.
- Press your fingertips into the top of the dough to make the characteristic focaccia dimples.
- Sprinkle generously with flaky salt.
- Melt the butter. Add minced garlic and chopped parsley.
- Pour ¾ of the melted butter and garlic mixture on the unbaked focaccia.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until the focaccia is golden brown.
- Remove from the oven.
- Spoon the remaining garlic butter over the baked focaccia.
- Top with the grated Parmesan and cheddar.
- Bake again until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Remove from the oven.
- Serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
