Easy Focaccia – No Knead, Overnight Recipe

If you are looking for an easy focaccia recipe that is similar to what you get in Italy, that requires no machine, no crazy kneading and can be used to make those yummy sandwiches or smeared with butter or pesto or serve with soups, then this is the recipe you got to try.

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Why you will love this recipe?

I have been on a hunt for perfect focaccia (pronounced as Fo-ka-ccha) since I ate in Florence, Italy.

A late breakfast, early lunch, we were tired from all the walking and hungry and this sandwiched place was highly recommended. We waited for our halloumi sandwiches and I cannot forget the taste. Since then I tried many recipes, worthy enough to share on the blog. This is it, my search for the recipe ends here atleast for a while.

Ingredients at a glance

Olive Oil – extra virgin, good quality

Water – room temperature

Salt – use sea salt, pink salt or the regular table salt, salt is used to control the rising in a yeast dough

Flour – regular all purpose flour

Yeast – instant yeast

For the Toppings

Olive Oil – generous drizzle

Salt – I love using sea or pink Himalayan salt

Olives, cherry Tomatoes, onions, bell peppers etc. – Use as desired, you can also create focaccia art

Seasonings – Rosemerry, oregano, basil, crushed red chilli etc.

How to make no knead easy focaccia?

For the Dough

This is a very simple recipe and doesn’t require stand mixer or extensive kneading. Just a spatula to mix all the ingredients and then wet hands for stretching, folding, dimpling.

Step 1 – Whisk water, oil, yeast and salt really well.

Step 2 – Add in flour and mix with a spatula or wooden spoon to a rough shaggy dough like mixture.

Step 3 – Cover, and let it rest for 30 minutes in a warmer place (Room temperature if summers, near a heated bowl of water or stove in winters.)

Step 4 – Remove the cover and with wet hands, stretch and fold the dough. Rest again for 30 minutes, covered.

Step 5 – Repeat the above step, this time with coil fold.

Step 6 – Repeat the above step again after 30 minutes.

Step 7 – After 30 minutes, place the bowl in refrigerator for 12-48 hours. My sweet spot is 36 hours.

For the Assembling

Step 1 – Grease a 9 inches square pan or similar size, well with olive oil. For thinner focaccia, I use 9×13 inches pan.

Step 2 – Dump all the mixture in it and let it proof for 1 hour until double in size.

Step 3 – Pour a generous drizzle of olive oil and do the dimpling with greased fingers.

Step 4 – Top with toppings of choice and seasoning.

Step 5 – Bake for 35-45minutes until golden brown.

Related Recipes

If you love making bread at home, you can try my no fail pizza or these easy delicious dinner roll.

You can also head over and check my tips to handle yeast here.

Serving Suggestions

1. Its a great recipe to serve with variety of condiments like pesto, butter or with variety of soups.
2. This is a great bread to make sandwiches from, my personal favorite is grilled halloumi, tomato slices and a good smear of basil pesto.

Variations – Thick vs Thin Focaccia

I find this recipe perfect for a 9 inches square pan, it can be sliced for sandwiches and think enough to dunk in soup or bread dipping oil.

If you wish for a thinner focaccia – consider making is 9×13 inches pan.

If you don’t have square or rectangular pan, you can bake it in a round pan 10 or 11 inches.

Storage

1. For short term – room temperature, covered for 1-2 days, refrigerate in an air tight box for upto 3 days.
2. For long term – You can totally freeze the baked bread well wrapped in foil and plastic bag for up to a month. To serve, pop it in the oven with foil in preheated oven for 15 minutes at 400 F.

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