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.
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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
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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
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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.
Emmeline says
Oh this looks so amazing!! I just watched the first episode of Salt Fat Acid Heat on Netflix the other day and I've been craving focaccia ever since. *saving to make after all the Christmas baking*
Pam says
Thanks, Emmeline! Of course, it's so quick and easy you could squeeze it in around the other baking!
ali randall says
I love this idea of using a cast iron skillet and the no kneading part is the best part. We all love homemade breads in my house. This recipe is a keeper!
Pam says
We love our iron skillets around here, Ali! Thank you.
Daniela says
Who knew making focaccia was so easy? It's one of my favorite breads, so I'm excited now that I know how to make it. Great recipe!
Pam says
Thanks, Daniela! Hope you'll enjoy making it as much as we did.
Tayler Ross says
You just can't beat homemade bread, and this recipe looks fantastic!
Pam says
Thank you, Tayler.
Tara says
So simple to make it in a pan! I love this recipe it is so tasty!
Pam says
It really is yummy, Tara. Thank you!
Dave Betz says
I have made this twice in my 12 inch cast iron and it is just like what my grandma from Sicily used to make. Might be better. Certainly faster with my Kitchenaid and doughhook. Thanks for the fantastic recipes!
You keep writing and I will keep baking, Yummy!!
Pam says
Wow, Dave! Your comnment just made our day. Heck, it made our month! It just warms our hearts to know that we can connect people to their memories through our recipes. That's what we strive for.
Genie Burns says
Do you think this would work to make the dough in a bread machine and then put it in the cast iron pan?
Pam says
Genie, I don't see why it wouldn't be fine, but in all honesty we have never worked with a bread machine. Let us know how it turns out!
michelle says
Just made it! Delish! I was a little nervous when it was mixing. I wasn't sure if it was mixed enough.
Came out just like the picture!
Pam says
oh, awesome! Doesn't it just smell divine too?
James Crawford says
Have made this multiple time my 5 yo can not get enough. Love it
Pam says
We love comments like yours, James! Thanks for letting us know.
Cheryl says
Is it best to use all purpose flour or can I use bread flour?
Pam says
We've not tried using bread flour, but a quick search says it should be okay.
Genevieve says
I was intimidated make any kind of bread, but it was easy and amazing! Impressed everyone, including myself! Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe!
Pam says
Yay! It's a great recipe for beginning bread bakers. Thanks for taking the time to comment and leave a star rating.
Larry says
It’s in the oven now. I’ll let you know how it comes out. This Doug was so soft and smooth I was thinking of trying it for a pizza dough. What do you think.
Pam says
That would probably work, Larry, if you spread it out thinly. If you try it let us know how it works out.
Jason stoner says
I have made this bread numerous times and it’s a great recipe. I am thinking about converting the recipe to use a sourdough starter. Do you think I can simply replace the yeast with let’s say 3/4 cup sourdough starter? Any tips here is much appreciated!
Pam says
So sorry, Jason, but we have no experience with sourdough. If you try it, we'd love for you to come back and give everyone a report on how it turns out.
Martha Olney says
Easy enough but mine didn’t come out nice and chewy as I expect focaccia to be. It was a very light bread like crumb.
jessie says
Should it be like a packet of dry active yeast, instant, or fresh yeast? It doesn't say in the recipe
Pam says
Yes, Jessie - dry active yeast. We will make a note in the recipe. Thanks!