Rosemary and Olive No Knead Focaccia Bread with paper thin slices of Meyer lemon is an easy yeast bread you’ll come back to again and again. With only a quick hand mixing and 40 minutes to rise, you can have it on the table, (or in your mouth!) in just over an hour.
This focaccia (“foh-KA-cha”) bread recipe is near and dear to my heart, it’s one of the first yeast breads I learned to make, and is still a favorite because it’s simple and foolproof. Sometimes I make it plain, sometimes just with the rosemary and salt…I’ve topped it with everything from pine nuts to cherry tomatoes, and I’m still experimenting after so many years.
Make it once and it’ll become a family institution…my kids used to beg for rosemary bread like it was candy.
Who doesn’t crave homemade bread? The smell alone drives me nuts. It’s so frustrating that most of us don’t get the chance to experience that thrill much anymore, but guess what ~ with this quick and easy focaccia recipe you can reconnect with your inner baker any time you want.
The shaggy dough is mixed up right in a bowl, just like a batter, no kneading required. It only needs to rise for 4o minutes in a warm spot. Since I finally got an Instant Pot, I used that, and it works like a charm. I set it on the low ‘Yogurt’ setting for 40 minutes and the dough puffs up beautifully. Even here in sunny Southern California I have trouble finding a warm enough place to let dough rise, our houses are mostly un-insulated and so drafty, so the Instant Pot is a life saver.
The bread gets hand patted out onto an oiled baking sheet, topped with flavorful goodies, and popped into a hot (425F) oven for about 20 minutes. Yum. The combination of flavors and that wonderful crusty texture is pretty great. I especially love the burst of citrus when I bite into one of those lemon bits.
Meyer lemons are awesome, so grab them when you see them, you won’t be sorry. They’re smaller, sweeter, and thinner skinned than regular lemons, from China originally, as a cross between a lemon and either a mandarin orange or a common orange, nobody knows for sure. What is for sure is that these lemons are incredibly delicious.
Be sure to slice your lemon paper thin, and remove any seeds. I like to use my mandoline slicer for the job.
Where’s the best place to let my dough rise?
The ideal temperature for bread dough to rise, not surprisingly, is at body temperature, about 98.6F ~ yeast is a living organism, after all. Dough will rise at a variety of temperatures, even in the refrigerator, but it will be a much slower process. Here are some good spots for rising dough~
- in an appliance like a proofing box, or an Instant Pot that can maintain a specific temperature. The yogurt setting (on ‘low’) works perfectly in the Instant Pot.
- in front of a sunny window where the sunbeams can shine right on the covered dough.
- in an oven that’s been heated to 150F, then turned off.
- in an oven with the oven light on. Some people like to add a 9×13 pan half full of boiling water to the bottom shelf.
- in a microwave where you’ve boiled water for several minutes just before putting your dough inside.
- in a warm spot in the basement near a furnace.
- on top of a running dryer ~ I used to put my youngest daughter there when she was a baby to get her to sleep ;)
- under your down comforter ~ it works!
- overnight in the refrigerator. Bring it back to room temperature before proceeding.
Ingredients
- 2 tsp (one packet or 1/4 ounce) dry yeast, make sure it's fresh!
- 2 cups warm water (105-110F)
- 2 tsp table salt
- 4 cups all-purpose or bread flour (I usually use all-purpose)
- extra virgin olive oil, about 1/4 cup plus extra for oiling the bowl and baking pan
- fresh rosemary leaves (approximately 4 Tbsp)
- 1 Meyer lemon, sliced paper thin, seeds removed
- 1/2 cup pitted oil cured, Kalamata, or other flavorful black olives, not the kind in the can.
- kosher or sea salt for sprinkling over the top
Instructions
- Mix the yeast and the warm water in a large bowl. Stir in the salt and 2 cups of the flour and mix into a soft sticky dough.
- Add the remaining 2 cups of flour and mix well, the dough will still be somewhat sticky and shaggy.
- Oil a clean bowl and transfer the dough to the oiled bowl. Cover with plastic and let sit in a warm spot for 40 minutes. I put mine in my Instant Pot that I had preheated on the Yogurt setting. Your kitchen counter will typically not be warm enough for rising dough, see notes above for suggestions)
- Set the oven to 425F
- Turn the risen dough out onto an oiled baking sheet. Press it out gently with floured fingers into a rectangle, about 10x15, approximately.
- Using your fingers, dip them into the olive oil and then make little dimples all over the dough. The oil will pool in the little indentations. Don't skimp here, that oil will flavor the dough and give it great texture as it bakes, too.
- Top with the sliced lemons, rosemary leaves, and olives, pushing them into the dough just gently. Dab a little more olive oil on top if you think you don't have enough. Shower lightly with sea salt.
- Make sure your oven is at the correct temperature, and bake for about 20-22 minutes, until the bread is just golden. Rotate the baking sheet halfway through if the bread is baking unevenly.
- Let cool slightly before slicing and devouring.
Make it your own ~
- This bread is easy to make your own, there are lots of different toppings to try, so experiment with what you like.
- You can mix dried herbs right into the dough for an herb bread.
- Try this with half whole wheat flour for a nutrition boost.
- If you don’t have Meyer lemons you can use regular lemons if you can get small, thin skinned ones. Thicker skinned lemons will be too bitter.
Don’t forget to pin this Rosemary And Olive No Knead Focaccia Bread!
*The View from Great Island is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program ~ Your cost is the same, but I earn a small commission from Amazon which helps keep tvfgi in the kitchen!
29 Comments
charm
September 6, 2018 at 9:12 amdo you proof the yeast in warm water for a period of time before adding the flour and salt?
Sue
September 6, 2018 at 9:41 amI don’t for this recipe Charm, I just add it right in and proceed.
Sparks
May 19, 2018 at 9:50 pmOur freezer is a smaller upright, only 5’6″ tall. It’s always warm up on top, coils I guess, so that’s where I put my bread bowl for the rise. Works a charm.
Going to try this. If my DH can’t get over lemon slices on bread, that’s more for me!
Sue
May 20, 2018 at 6:59 amEnjoy, Sparks!
teresa
April 20, 2018 at 8:36 amThanks for sharing this recipie!! It is so quick & easy to make.
We loved the focaccia bread & the dough was also really great for making pizza!
Sue
April 20, 2018 at 8:37 amI’m so glad you liked this Teresa, it’s one of my trusted go-to recipes. I don’t think I’ve tried it for pizza, so thanks for the idea :)
Tina
March 7, 2018 at 9:36 amDear Sue! Thank you for this recipe. I always love to eat focaccia and this is a great combination of flavours. We all enjoyed it. Best wishes Tina
Sue
March 7, 2018 at 10:30 amHope you enjoy it Tina!
Meghan
March 5, 2018 at 1:01 pmOh my goodness, this looks amazing! Sitting here at my office, hungry, and thinking I need to make this as soon as I get home! xo, meghan
Sue
March 5, 2018 at 1:26 pmLuckily it’s quick enough that you can Meghan :)
Laura | Tutti Dolci
March 1, 2018 at 5:47 pmYou’ve outdone yourself with this focaccia, Sue! Heavenly! :)
Traci | Vanilla And Bean
February 27, 2018 at 1:52 pmIndeed, an institution! I’m SO with you on bread, in any form. It smells SO incredible. I adore focaccia, but absolutely love the toppings you’ve added here. Those lemons and olives together are brilliant! Delicious Sue and thank you for your excellent tips!
David M. Dunn
February 26, 2018 at 2:44 pmHave you tried making this with rosemary end-user olive oil? I think it would make the flavor pop.
Sue
February 26, 2018 at 3:18 pmI think your auto correct meant ‘infused’? And yes, that would be amazing! I think I’ll make some…
iluminameluna
February 26, 2018 at 11:57 amI’ve been watching bread making vids and also baking all sorts of breads but not foccacia! I think I’ll give this a go tonight!
One question: if I use half whole wheat, should I up the liquid by maybe a quarter cup? Most of the recipes with ww say to do so and it’s also been my experience. The quarter cup is what I’ve found works for 2 cups of ww, all things climate being equal. Sometimes it’s q cpl of tbsp less if the climate is very humid.
Thanks for the recipe!
Sue
February 26, 2018 at 1:12 pmIf you’ve been making bread lately this focaccia is going to seem like a breeze to you, I’m sure! Go ahead and up the liquid a little, but the one cup of ww flour won’t make too much of a difference, I don’t think. Maybe see how the dough feels, it should be nice and sticky.
Denise P
February 26, 2018 at 11:12 amThis looks so fantastic! I’m 5 weeks into a complete kitchen redo, and I haven’t been able to bake (or cook) anything in that time. I’m itching to get going again. (Still another 2 weeks to go probably, because of a delay on the cabinets.) This is going to the top of my things-to-bake list.
Sue
February 26, 2018 at 11:50 amI envy you, Denise, even though kitchen re-dos can be inconvenient, just think about the result! Whenever I’m traveling and away from my kitchen for any length of time I can’t wait to get back to it, hope your last 2 weeks flies by :)
Marsha N.
February 26, 2018 at 9:47 amLooks amazing! What other topping combinations would you recommend?
Sue
February 26, 2018 at 9:58 amI’m planning one with mushrooms and thyme, Marsha. Also artichokes, or bell peppers, marinated or fresh. Jalapenos would be great, too. I’ve done cherry tomatoes, pine nuts…I’m wondering if sausage or another meat would work, that’s still in the experimental stages ;)
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen
February 26, 2018 at 9:45 amI love focaccia Sue, sweet or savory! Love the combo of ingredients here!
Schatzi49
February 26, 2018 at 8:27 amSue, I’m going to try this but without the olives, just can’t eat them. Any suggestions for a replacement? I do have the Meyer lemonds
Sue
February 26, 2018 at 8:45 amI’ve made wonderful focaccia with just the lemons and rosemary, here. It’s basically the same recipe.
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
February 26, 2018 at 5:01 amWhat a beautiful bread and of course, no-knead is always good :) A great side for a big bowl of pasta!
Sue
February 26, 2018 at 6:50 amOh gosh, be still my heart ~ it’s actually chilly here in CA today, and I could use a bowl of that pasta!
Chris Scheuer
February 26, 2018 at 4:22 amI’m quite certain that once I started eating this, it would be the whole delicious meal!
Tricia @ Saving Room for Dessert
February 26, 2018 at 4:17 amI could eat my weight in this lovely bread. Olive and rosemary are perfect together and all that lemon! Yum! Sharing and pinning :)
Angie@Angie's Recipes
February 26, 2018 at 4:07 amOne of my favourite Italian classics! Love the lemon slices here..must be very refreshing!
Sue
February 26, 2018 at 6:36 amThey’re like little bursts of sunshine :)