Skillet Focaccia Bread with herbs and Parmesan is fragrant and crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. It's ideal for a first-time bread baker.
This focaccia bread will have your mouth watering as it bakes and aromas of yeast, herbs and parmesan fill your house. It's the easiest yeast bread we've ever made, and it comes together more quickly than any we've made.
Jump to:
Skillet Focaccia Bread is super versatile
We love parmesan, and have included it in the bread dough and sprinkled a little additional on top. But, if you're not a fan, feel free to leave the parmesan out, and off.
As far as herbs go, use what you like and what you have. We always have fresh rosemary growing in the yard, so we've sprinkled the top of our bread with rosemary, and used a blend of Italian seasonings in the bread itself.
But again, versatility is the middle name of this focaccia bread, so leave the herbs out, or add your personal favorites.
It really is quick and easy
This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. For our full privacy and disclosure policy click here.
I used my stand mixer, so there's no kneading. If you don't have one, I highly recommend them. This link takes you to a full page of choices on Amazon, and all are rated 4 star or above. If you knead by hand, it should take only about 5-7 minutes.
This Skillet Focaccia rises for about 20 minutes in a warm oven. I've used regular yeast and the rapid rise type, and had equal success with both.
There is no second rise time as in lots of bread recipes. This photo shows it after the rise in the warm oven, brushing with butter, and sprinkling with parmesan and rosemary.
What to serve with Skillet Focaccia Bread
Oh my goodness, it's really so good all you need is a glass of wine and a little cheese. I could fill up eating it that way, but I know I shouldn't. It is our top recommendation to go with Italian Sausage Soup (southern style). Here are some other ideas:
- Make a sandwich with your focaccia bread
- Serve it with soup or stews
- It's outstanding with pasta, or any dish with an Italian twist
- Make a plate of antipasto bites like proscuitto, olives, nuts and cheeses and wedges of crispy focaccia
- This delicious Greek Salmon
- One of our favorite ways to enjoy it is with a little dish of good quality extra virgin olive oil for dipping; flavor the oil any way you like such as a dab of pesto, freshly ground black pepper, dried herbs and/or some red pepper flakes
- It goes perfectly with a nice salad
Sign up here for our weekly updates.
Cast Iron Skillets give Focaccia the crispy edges
What? No iron skillet? If you've been around here long you know we love ours and cook in them often. Hot Fudge Pudding Cake and Savory Dutch Baby are two of our recipes that just wouldn't be the same in another pan.
Browse around Biscuits and Burlap and find lots more.
If you'd like to order your own this link will take you to a page of choices on Amazon - and again they're all rated four star or above.
If you make this easy Focaccia bread be sure to snap a photo and tag us on Instagram so we can see it too.
📖 Recipe
Cast Iron Focaccia Bread
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¾ cup warm water
- 1½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 2 cups flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning optional
- 3 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 175 degrees.
- Dissolve sugar in warm water. Add yeast and stir until dissolved and let sit 3-4 minutes.
- Add flour (using only 1-¾ cup if kneading by hand), olive oil, salt, Italian seasoning, 2 Tablespoons parmesan.
- Mix on low speed with stand mixer, fitted with dough hook until well mixed and then move to medium speed.
- Mix (or knead by hand on surface floured with additional ¼ cup flour) until dough pulls away from sides of bowl and forms a ball.
- Pat dough to cover bottom of 10 inch iron skillet which has been coated in olive oil.
- Turn oven off and place skillet in oven for 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven, turning the temperature up to preheat to 375 degrees for convection, or 400 for traditional oven.
- Brush with additional 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Make indentations on surface with fingertip and then sprinkle with additional 1 Tablespoon of Parmesan. Sprinkle with additional herbs if desired.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. If desired, sprinkle with coarse kosher or sea salt and brush with additional olive oil.
Jessie says
Did anyone actually make it before rating it or did they just rate the pretty picture? Very bland and only moderately risen though i followed the recipe to a tee... Not like a foccacia at all.
Pam says
Well, Jessie, we at least thank you for the two stars and the compliment on the photography. If you read the comments you will see that several readers said they've made it numerous times. One reader even compared it to his grandma's from Sicily. If you keep looking I'm sure you'll find a recipe that suits you better.
Janet V Ross says
made it, loved it. No salt on top next time. Maybe "everything" seasoning
Herb Zahn says
Made it several times and it has turned out very well for me. Yum!
Luke says
Have to agree with the other two star review. Followed the instructions exactly, no substitutions or deviations and it didn't turn out too great. Rather bland, dense and didn't rise much. Shame, but I guess you definitely can't cut corners. Maybe it's because I've never had true Sicilian focaccia. 😉
Alana says
Easy to make and very delicious. This was my first use of the skillet.
Tracy says
I made this for dinner this evening and it was delicious! I followed the recipe as written and chose as my spice. I had no problems whatsoever. I dipped it in marinara sauce as an appetizer. I will make this again.
Tracy says
Edited: I made this for dinner this evening and it was delicious! I followed the recipe as written and chose dill as my spice. I had no problems whatsoever. I dipped it in marinara sauce as an appetizer. I will make this again.
Lou Ann Kidd says
5 stars for sure! I've tried several different recipes and this is the best one of them!! This will be my go-to from now on! Love the kosher salt sprinkled on top after baking.
Pam says
Thanks Lou Ann!
Pam says
Thanks!