Olive Focaccia

ByKatia
24 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more details.

Olive focaccia is incredibly flavorful and moist. It’s deliciously scented with fruity olive oil, topped with tasty olives, and perfect for sharing.

This recipe is so SIMPLE to make in one bowl, and no kneading is required.

Top view of a large focaccia with olives cut into six slices over a white background.
Jump to recipe

If you’ve never had Italian focaccia with olives, you’re in for a treat!

Join my newsletter for free weekly recipes!

In Italy, olive focaccia is a must, and it’s hard to resist the delicious smell of freshly baked focaccia when you pass by a bakery. And if you think it’s just like thick and heavy bread, you will be amazed by its chewy interior and lovely flavor!

Essentially, it’s so good you can’t stop eating it. 

There are several methods to make focaccia, but this is my go-to recipe when we crave focaccia with olives or have friends over.

It’s quick and easy. Mix all the ingredients with a spoon, and the dough is done. Plus, the brine made with olive oil, garlic, and salt adds flavor and moisture and takes this simple focaccia to the next level.

Trust me on this—don’t skip the brine.

Enjoy focaccia with olives alone, or serve it with a charcuterie board, cheese, or Italian antipasti. It’s perfect for any gathering and sure to impress!

Even a novice can make this foolproof olive focaccia recipe. Ready?

List of the ingredients

Top view of the ingredients to make focaccia with olives.

HOW TO MAKE Olive focaccia

(Note: this is a quick description with step-by-step photos; the full recipe is at the bottom of the page)

  • Mix water, yeast, and sugar in a bowl.
  • Mix flour and salt in a large bowl.
  • Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients, and add olive oil.
A jug pouring water and a bottle pouring olive oil over a glass bowl full of flour.
  • Stir until combined; you want to incorporate all the liquid.
  • Allow the dough to rise for about 1 hour.
A spoon mixing the focaccia dough in a glass bowl over a white background.
  • Pour the dough into a baking pan.
  • Stretch it out with your fingers (no rolling pin here!).
  • Make the brine with olive oil, water, salt, and garlic. Shake.
A baking pan with plain focaccia before baking and a jar filledl with olive oil brine.
  • Pour the brine over and poke dimples with your fingers.
  • Scatter with plenty of olives, oregano, salt flakes, and chili flakes if you wish.
Top view of a baking pan with focaccia, olive oil brine and black olives.
  • Bake until golden and crusty.
  • Enjoy, your focaccia with olives is ready!
A hand grabbing a slice of olive focaccia, a glass of wine in the background.

RECIPE NOTES & TIPS

HOW TO MAKE OLIVE FOCACCIA MOIST?

The brine is a must. It’s an emulsion of olive oil, water, and salt that you spread on the surface of the focaccia. It might seem to be a lot at first, but it’s not:

  • The brine evaporates during baking.
  • It moistens focaccia with olives, especially the holes you made with your fingertips.
  • It gives you a crust with a pronounced olive oil and garlic flavor.
Focaccia with olives cut into slices over a white background.

HOW LONG DOES FOCACCIA WITH OLIVES KEEP?

Focaccia is best the day it is made but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 or 2 days. You can also freeze it and then defrost it at room temperature.
Then pop it in the toaster and serve warm and crispy.

MORE PIZZA & BREAD RECIPES?

Looking for easy recipes? I’ve got you covered, from this super easy 1-bowl pizza dough that works beautifully with any topping to these delicious pizza recipes:

If you make this olive focaccia or have a question, let me know by leaving a comment. I would love to hear from you! x


And for more recipe updates, follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.

Top view of easy focaccia with olives cut into slices over a white background.
Print Recipe
5 from 11 votes

Olive Focaccia

Olive focaccia is absolutely delicious, moist with golden oil-scented crust and tasty olives. The recipe is easy to follow, and no kneading or stand-mixer is required. All you have to do is mix all the ingredients in one bowl with a spoon, and the dough is done.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Proofing time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 50 minutes
Course: Appetizers, Bread, focaccia, Pizza
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Focaccia with olives
Servings: 6
Author: Katia

Ingredients

Focaccia dough

  • 2½ cup (11oz/310 grams) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ tsp fine salt
  • 1 tsp active dry yeast
  • ½ tsp sugar
  • 1 cup + 3 Tbsp (285 ml) water, lukewarm
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil

Brine

  • 3 Tbsp (45 ml) water
  • 3 Tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
  • ½ tsp fine salt
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder, use more if you like

Topping

Instructions

  • Combine flour and salt in a large bowl.
  • Mix water, yeast, and sugar in a jug or in a bowl and let it rest until foamy (about 5 minutes)
  • Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients, add the oil, and mix with a spoon or a spatula to incorporate the flour (see notes below). Mix until no dry flour remains.
  • Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel, then let rest in a warm place for about 1 hour or until double in size.
  • Lay the parchment paper on a baking pan (mine pan is 9 x 13 inches), or simply grease with butter or oil.
  • When the dough is ready and fluffy, scrape the edge of the bowl and pour it onto the baking pan. Dust with some flour, and starting from the center, gently press it out with your fingers until it fits the pan.
  • Next, make the brine by whisking together olive oil, warm water, garlic, and salt. You can place all the ingredients into a jar and shake them vigorously. Pour the brine all over the focaccia and poke dimples into the surface with your fingertips. You want to fill the holes with the brine. 
  • Gently press the olives over the focaccia, then sprinkle with the oregano, salt flakes, and chili flakes (optional, but I love them). Then, let it rest for 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 430°F/220°C, and after 30 minutes of rest, bake the focaccia until golden and crusty, about 15-20 minutes. Let it cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

YEAST: You can use instant yeast instead of Active dry yeast. In this case, you don’t need to dissolve the yeast in water; you simply add it to the flour (and skip the sugar). Make sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
QUANTITIES: The recipe yields 6 square slices like the ones shown in the picture. But if you serve focaccia as an appetizer, you can turn those 6 servings at least into 24 bite-sized nibbles.
 
STORAGE: Focaccia is best the day it is made but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one day. Plus, it freezes very well.
 
MEASUREMENTS: I use both US cups and grams. The cups of flour are leveled: fill the measuring cup to the top, letting the flour flow over a little.  Then, use the back of a knife to level the top off.
 
FLOUR: All-purpose flour is perfect for focaccia bread, but you can also use bread flour or mix all-purpose flour and whole-grain flour; they work just fine.
WATER ABSORPTION: water absorption is the amount of water taken up by flour and may vary significantly depending on the type of flour, brand, and weather conditions. When you add water to the flour, start with the amount stated in the recipe. If the liquid is not enough to achieve that dough consistency as shown in the pictures above, just add gradually a little extra water until the flour has been incorporated.

Join my newsletter for free weekly recipes!

24 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Excellent recipe! Used bread flour, also added jumbo green olives stuffed with feta, and added onion powder and ground fennel to the brine. This turned out perfect pillow soft and crispy crust! Thank you!

    Reply

    1. That sounds so delicious! I love the idea of the olives stuffed with feta.
      Thanks so much for sharing your great feedback, Mick. x

  2. 5 stars
    OMGGGG
    I made focaccia for the first time. Very easy recipe, but I have to admit I couldn’t wait for the 30 minute rest. It rested as long as it took for the oven to reach to 430°F.
    It turned out fantastically delicious.
    😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋
    1/3 of the focaccia I sprinkled everything bagel middle third oregano and chilli flakes and the other third everything but chilli flakes and sprinkled regiano Parmesan all over. Yummmm

    Reply

    1. That’s amazing, Theodora! I would love a slice right now. : )
      I’m so glad you loved it, thanks so much for sharing. x

  3. 5 stars
    The recipe was easy to follow. I made it for the first time and came out grat. It could do with 10 more minutes for me, because my oven is old and difficult to control.
    Despite that it was great and will be making it again…

    Reply

    1. That’s wonderful! I’m so pleased it turnd out great – thanks so much for sharing your feedback. : )

  4. 5 stars
    Thank you for the great recipe. it easy to follow and taste great! this is my first time making bread and this is exactly the taste I love. thank you!

    Reply

    1. Fantastic, I’m glad you loved it! Thanks for sharing, Cheng! : )

  5. 5 stars
    I have made a number of different focaccia recipes and this is hands down the best one! the brine is genius. this is my new go-to recipe. I added anchovies as well and it was perfection!

    Reply

    1. So glad you loved this focaccia recipe, Carm. : )
      Thanks so much for your great feedback. x

  6. 5 stars
    Amazing. I added thin slices of fresh garlic with the other toppings.

    Reply

    1. Great to hear that, Ava!
      Thanks so much for sharing. : )

  7. 5 stars
    Whoa! Great recipe for a a quick and easy bread. During the 5 min wait This time around I minced up a few garlic cloves ran outside to pick some fresh rosemary and thyme from the garden while my 2 tablespoons of olive oil was heating up (on low). Cooked that all until fragrant and as I poured my foamy yeast I also incorporated the 2 tablespoons of infused herb garlic olive oil and proceeded with the 1 hour rise and recipe as follows The bread turned out great!

    Reply

    1. That sounds super delicious! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback and helpful tips, I appreciated.
      Have a great week. x

  8. I was wondering what other toppings as my husband doesn’t care for olives. Any suggestions?

    Reply

    1. Hi Terri, focaccia is a blank canvas for the most delicious toppings: cherry tomatoes, grilled vegetables, jarred peppers or artichokes, salami or ham… they all work well instead of olives.
      Enjoy x

  9. 5 stars
    Just had to come back a month later to say thank you again Katia for this amazing recipe. It is so easy and foolproof that my toddler and I make it almost every weekend now! My husband actually requests it and he is not a major bread fan, so that is HUGE praise for your recipe! I’ve also done it with whole wheat flour and it works out just fine (which is fantastic, as this is one of very few breads that our daughter will actually eat). We have fun trying different flavourings, too – she loves shaking out seasonings onto the dough.
    I’ve tried it on a silpat on a baking sheet (pressed out the dough more so it was a thinner bread), as well as a smaller sized Corningware casserole dish (a thicker fluffier bread that is great texture for little ones). This is honestly in my top 5 favourite recipes. I don’t like kneading dough so I never thought I’d be able to make bread this delicious. Thank you again for sharing!!

    Reply

    1. Emily, your comment made my day! 💛 Thanks so much, I didn’t even realised you’ve already shared your feedback one month ago, and that makes double happy! So glad you all love this recipe so much. Cheers!

  10. 5 stars
    This was soooo good! I halved the recipe and made it in a 10 inch cast iron pan which worked wonderfully. I also used instant yeast so I skipped the first rise and it worked fine. I will be making this again

    Reply

    1. Thanks for your lovely comment, Richard! I’m so glad it turned out sooo good. 🥰

  11. 5 stars
    Hi Katia,
    Made the No Knead Olive Focaccia today! It was so easy to put together and the flavour and bread texture amazing!! Thank you for this great recipe which i’ll definitely be making again. 5 stars

    Reply

    1. I’m so pleased! 🤩 Thanks for taking the time to share your lovely feedback. x

    2. 5 stars
      Made two batches, one with active yeast per the recipe, and the other with instant yeast based on Richard’s comment/feedback above. Both turned out wonderfully! Thank you so much for this no-knead recipe. Love it, and will definitely make it again and again!

    3. Yes, instant yeast works just fine, I’ll be adding a note to the recipe about it. I’m so glad it turned out wonderfully, and thanks for sharing your lovely feedback! 🤩

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating