Summer Tomato Focaccia ~ an easy yeast bread that can be made in just about a hour. Top it with juicy rip cherry tomatoes and you’ve got a feast!
It’s always the same at this time of year, I race to make sure I’ve made all my summer favorites as the month of August marches on. The farmer’s market is at its absolute height right now, and the colorful heirloom tomatoes are finally here. They were a little late this season and I was starting to worry. My favorites are the teeny tiny ones, I use them for salads, salsas, and this focaccia bread.
I love my basic focaccia recipe, I’ve been making it for years and it always comes out perfectly. It takes a little over an hour to make from start to finish, and I can customize it for the season or the occasion. This is the high summer version. The little tomatoes burst open when you bite into it and their sweet juice, along with the rosemary, the Parmesan, and the salty bread is a real treat.
The soft sticky dough needs only 40 minutes to rise, and then you pat it out into a rough rectangle on a baking sheet. You dip your fingers in olive oil and poke it all over so there are luscious little pools of oil that flavor the bread. Then on go the tomatoes, some fresh rosemary, sea salt, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. There’s no second rise, it goes right into a hot oven.
This tomato focaccia is a great project for a beginning cook — the recipe is simple and straightforward but the result has got a real wow factor, and it feeds a crowd. You can top it with thinly sliced lemons, olives, sliced artichokes…the possibilities are endless.
More deliciously easy focaccia recipes on the blog ~
- Rosemary and Olive No Knead Focaccia Bread
- Whole What Skillet Focaccia with Pine Nuts
- Meyer Lemon and Rosemary Focaccia
Ingredients
- 2 cups warm water (110F)
- 2 tsp yeast (1 packet)
- 2 tsp table salt
- 4 cups bread flour
- olive oil
- fresh rosemary leaves (approximately 2 or 3 Tablespoons)
- 1 pint of tiny heirloom tomatoes (or any small tomato)
- grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling
- Kosher or sea salt for sprinkling over the top
Instructions
- set the oven to 425F
- Put the yeast in a large mixing bowl and pour in the warm water.
- Add the salt and 2 cups of the flour, mix into a soft and sticky dough.
- Add the remaining 2 cups of flour and mix well. (The dough will still be sticky)
- Cover and let rise for 40 minutes in a warm place.
- Press out the dough on a well oiled, or silpat lined baking sheet. Using your fingers, ease it into a rectangle, approximately 9×13, give or take.
- Put the olive oil in a small bowl and dip your fingers into the oil, and then all over the bread, poking the bread surface and leaving little pools of oil. Do this all over the bread. Don’t skimp; this will result in great flavor after the bread is baked.
- Arrange the tomatoes across the top, pressing them into the dough slightly, then scatter the rosemary leaves evenly across the surface. Sprinkle sea salt over all, and finally top with a dusting of Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until lightly golden.
- The rosemary will crisp up in the oven, so you may want to scatter some fresh leaves on top of the bread after baking to refresh the rosemary flavor and give it visual appeal.
Notes
Unless you are experienced with yeast, use an instant read thermometer (which every kitchen should have) to check the temperature of the water, it is essential to have it at the correct temperature or the yeast will not rise. You will need truly tiny tomatoes for this recipe. Even smaller than standard cherry tomatoes. If all you can find are cherry tomatoes, halve them before putting them on the dough.
33 Comments
Grace
August 13, 2019 at 4:15 pmHave you tried using whole wheat flour? Wondering if i get the same result? Thanks for you time and response.
Sue
August 13, 2019 at 6:00 pmI have made my focaccia many times with half whole wheat flour and it comes out great. I haven’t tried it with 100% whole wheat, so if you do, let me know how it turns out :)
Julie
July 27, 2019 at 3:32 pmThis is the BEST recipe ever. I make it every Summer when the tomatoes are vine ripe. Thanks, Sue.
Sue
July 27, 2019 at 6:04 pmOh thanks so much Julie, I love to hear that, my basic focaccia bread is dear to me, I’ve been making it for such a long time. Enjoy all the summer tomatoes :)
Marisa
July 14, 2019 at 8:43 amHi, can I make this dough a day ahead and store in the fridge? Looks delicious! Thanks!
Sue
July 14, 2019 at 9:30 amI don’t see why not, although I haven’t tried that Marisa. Let me know how it works out.
Tony
January 14, 2017 at 4:18 pmHilariously only I stumbled across your recipe while googling how to spell ‘focaccia.’ And when I saw the pictures and realized how simple the recipe was I knew I had to do it. Wow was I totally impressed! I’m not a huge baker but I’ve done a few herb breads but nothing as crunchy, dense, chewy and packed with cheesy, and sweet flavor! It will definitely be my go-to when I need to impress. I did however add a few ingredients like marinating the tomatoes in slivered basil, minced garlic, salt, pepper and tiny crememini mushrooms. Also, while spreading the dough I slipped in some of the Parmesan. I also left out a bit of the flour. I wasn’t expecting it to rise quite as much as it did though, but love the depth it took on and will reuse the dough recipe for deep dish pizza! Thanks a ton!
Sue
January 14, 2017 at 4:24 pmThis is so great to hear Tony ~ I’m glad you stumbled on the blog! I’ve got a few other focaccia recipes hanging around, hope you try them!
Jesse
August 23, 2016 at 4:12 pmI’ve made this twice and it’s great! Very easy to make and super tasty. Thanks for sharing your recipe – it’s probably going to be a regular dish for me :)
Sue
August 23, 2016 at 4:18 pmI’m so glad you liked it, Jesse, once you master this bread there are so many ways to top it, the possibilities are endless.
Mae
May 18, 2016 at 10:04 pmNo kneading require?!! Am I reading it right
Sue
May 19, 2016 at 7:47 amYup! Enjoy Mae!
Carly
February 22, 2016 at 1:19 pmI made this recipe this afternoon and although it tastes good, the outside is pretty crispy and the inside kinda dense. Am I doing something wrong? I’ve read a couple places that I might need less flour? And I am in Canada so I don’t know if that makes a difference…?
Sue
February 22, 2016 at 1:25 pmPerhaps you could have patted it out thinner Carly? It sounds like the inside didn’t get cooked all the way. Also check your oven temperature, it might not be accurate. I highly recommend an inexpensive oven thermometer to everyone, it really helps!
CAH // TheCarboholic
January 15, 2014 at 5:28 pmThank you so much for this recipe! I have made it countless times in the last month or two.
I typically top mine with garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary, and a light sprinkling of parmesan. The cheese gets all toasty, and the flavor is outrageous, especially for such an easy bread with little kneading and a short rise.
Not sure if it’s the climate here in Los Angeles, but I do find I need to hold back some flour for the dough to come together.
Thanks again!
Sue
January 15, 2014 at 5:37 pmSo glad you liked it! That focaccia recipe has served me well over the years.
Peter @Feed Your Soul Too
December 20, 2013 at 12:22 pmI really like the addition of the tomatoes. the color it adds is awesome. I featured it on my Friday Five – Flatbread & Pizza addition over @ Feed Your Soul Too – http://www.feedyoursoul2.com/2013/12/friday-five-flatbreads-pizza.html
sandi
August 24, 2013 at 8:18 amSue, help I have to make this for a wedding munchie thing in Frnce. NOW. A. can I do it and serve it room temp? and the yest I found seems to hve some bking powder. 1st batch going in for experiment with hubby. Apologise for dodgy key board. A is wonky
Sue
August 24, 2013 at 9:18 amHey Sandi— you can definitely serve it at room temperature. You will want to sprinkle on some fresh rosemary to make it look extra pretty…
vanillasugarblog
August 20, 2013 at 3:42 pmroasted tomatoes, roasted onions, and roasted rosemary are some of my favorite things on homemade focaccia.
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert
August 18, 2013 at 5:17 pmOh this is lovely! A bottle of wine – a little cheese – I could be so happy eating this focaccia. The tomatoes are wonderful!
Sosae
August 18, 2013 at 12:23 pmOhmy… I nearly fell over when I saw the first photo! (You should know, I never ever ever visit your site on an empty stomach, because that would be sheer torture…) :) This recipe looks fantastic. It’s on my list for this week.
Candace
August 18, 2013 at 11:03 amI could jump into the computer and eat a piece now, Sue! Have you used instant yeast (my yeast of choice) for this? Thanks for another great recipe!
Cheers!
ATasteOfMadness
August 18, 2013 at 10:53 amI love focaccia bread… I can’t believe I have never made any at home!! This looks great!!
Jessica Del Rosario
August 18, 2013 at 10:07 amGoing to make this today! Not sure if I missed it somehow, but what temperature should it be baked at?
Sue
August 18, 2013 at 3:43 pmSheesh! Still getting used to the Ziplist plugin — 425F, and I hope you like it, jessica!
Cuisine de Provence
August 18, 2013 at 4:10 amWow this foccacia looks so beautiful and guess what I just harvested from my kitchen garden? A big bowl of pretty little cherry tomatoes! Thanks for sharing this lovely recipe!
Tracy
August 17, 2013 at 8:13 pmWow this looks amazing! I’d love to have you share this or any of your amazing posts at our weekly Super Saturday Link Party. It starts Friday’s at 6pm, hope we see you there!
Tracy
Sulpicia
August 17, 2013 at 7:28 pmDelicious! Also, lovely pictures.
Anita
August 17, 2013 at 6:25 pmLooks lovely! What type of yeast is needed?
Sue
August 17, 2013 at 8:06 pmJust regular granulated Active Dry yeast is what I used, Anita.
Monique
August 17, 2013 at 11:56 amWe just just had this..It’s one of my faves..
Of course..bread:)
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
August 17, 2013 at 11:54 amI love focaccia and your is gorgeous with those summer tomatoes!