No-Knead Focaccia
This is my viral, no-knead focaccia recipe. Focaccia is a super soft and fluffy bread, perfect for sandwiches, scooping up sauces or as a side dish. I can almost guarantee it will quickly become your favorite focaccia recipe ever. It's practically fool-proof! It requires minimal hands-on effort yet yields golden perfection. The whole process is nothing short of miraculous.
Ingredients
- 500 ml warm water
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 Tablespoon sea salt NOT table salt
- 2 teaspoons instant dry yeast see note below if using active dry yeast
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 550 grams bread flour
Click between "US Customary" or "Metric" button above to switch between conversions. For precise results, it's recommended to weigh your dry ingredients using a digital scale in grams as measuring in cups can have uncertainties.
Instructions
Make the dough
- To a large mixing bowl, add water, sugar, salt, instant yeast and oil. Whisk together, then add the flour. Use a Danish dough hook or the neck of a wooden spoon to mix for at least 1 minute until a wet, sticky, shaggy dough is formed. Cover with a tea towel and allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes.Note: Instant yeast can mixed directly with dry ingredients and active dry yeast must be dissolved in warm liquid first to be "activated" before use. Measure out water from the recipe, stir in the active yeast with a pinch of sugar. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until its foamy or bubbly. Then, add to the rest of the ingredients, mix and proceed with the recipe.Note: This recipe uses sea salt, which has larger, coarser grains compared to fine table salt. This affects the quantity of salt and the saltiness in the bread. If you don't have sea salt, reduce the salt measurement to 2 teaspoons.500 ml warm water, 1 Tablespoon sea salt, 1 Tablespoon sugar, 2 teaspoons instant dry yeast, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, 550 grams bread flour
Stretches
- Once the dough has rested for 10 minutes, it's time for the stretch and folds. For this recipe, I have recently adapted two types of stretches. STRETCH AND FOLD METHOD: This is the first type of stretch. First, wet your hands before proceeding as it will make it easier to handle the dough. Work your way around the dough like you are looking at clock. Perform a fold at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock by pulling the dough up and over to the other side of the bowl. Cover with a tea towel for 10 minutes.COIL METHOD: This is the second type of stretch. Wet your hands again. Gently loosen the edges of the dough by pulling it away from the sides of the bowl. Place your fingertips under the dough, so that you can pick it up in the middle. Allow the dough to unstick from the bowl and fold using its own weight, while you support the middle. Turn the bowl 90° and repeat to perform another coil fold. Do the coil method 3 more times, 10 minutes apart.
First rise
- Coat the entire focaccia and bowl with oil, about 3 Tablespoons. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a tea towel. Let it rise in a warm spot at room temperature for at least 1 to 1 ½ hours or in the refrigerator for anywhere between 2 hours or up to overnight. Read more about my alternative rising schedules in this blog post.Note: This first rise is called bulk fermentation. It allows the yeast to ferment the dough, developing flavor and helping the gluten structure form.
- Remove the plastic wrap. Move the bowl back and forth, opening up the bubbles and allowing the dough to breathe. Coat a generous layer of olive oil on the bottom of the pan (either a a 9"x13" inch aluminum, non-stick baking pan).
- Pour the dough into the pan. The dough may seem to "deflate" but don't fret. Fold the dough into thirds, rotate 90 degrees so that the dough is in line with the pan and flip over, revealing the smoother side on top. Gently spread the dough into the corners with your fingertips but don't force it. It will spread more in the second rise.
Second rise
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot at room temperature for at least 1 hour. The dough will continue to stretch and rise into the corners in this final proof. Note: If you followed the refrigeration sample schedule, you need to let the dough come to room temperature and this may take two hours but up to four hours until the dough no longer feels cold and springs back when you press on it.
Preheat the oven
- Preheat the oven to 450°F / 232°C.
- When the oven is done pre-heating, remove the plastic wrap and lightly drizzle the top of the dough with olive oil.
Bake
- Transfer the dough to your prepared pan. Coat your fingertips with some of the oil. This helps prevent sticking as you make your dimples. To do that, use your fingertips to press into the dough, creating soft indentations and bubbles on the entire surface. The dough should slowly spring back. We are looking for jiggly dough.
- Season with a generous pinch of sea salt and place into the oven for 22-25 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Depending on the strength of your oven, baking time may vary by a few minutes. Leave the focaccia in the pan for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool before slicing.
Notes
- Instant yeast can mixed directly with dry ingredients and active dry yeast must be dissolved in warm liquid first to be "activated" before use. First, heat up the water until its lukewarm, about 110°F. Stir in the active yeast and a pinch of sugar. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until its foamy or bubbly.
- Store leftovers at room temperature, wrapped completely in plastic wrap and a tea towel, up to two days. It makes amazing sandwiches the next day. Always toast leftover focaccia in the oven to revive the texture. If your focaccia has toppings like cheeses and meats, please consume same day. It should never be stored in the refrigerator as the environment is very drying.
- Overnight schedule sample (if you'd like to try an overnight rise): Once you've completed the stretch and folds, oil the bowl, place in the fridge, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate little as 2 hours to as long as overnight. After the first rise, transfer to a generously oiled non-stick baking tray and follow the rest of the recipe directions. Let it rise at room temperature for anywhere between 2 hours but up to 4 hours until the dough no longer feels cold and springs back when you press on it.
Nutrition
Calories: 180kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 5gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 582mgPotassium: 46mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1IUCalcium: 7mgIron: 0.4mg
The provided nutritional value above is an estimate per serving. 100% accuracy is not guarenteed. Please see Nutrition Information Disclaimer in our Privacy Policy.
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