That flat, dimple bread you get from your favorite Italian restaurant, yes that's focaccia. And you can make your own at home with this homemade Pesto Focaccia recipe that results in a loaf that's so light and fluffy with a crispy golden crust and swirled with pesto throughout.
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About this Bread
Pulling straight from the dictionary definition, focaccia bread is “a type of flat Italian bread made with yeast and olive oil and flavored with herbs”. Yes, a flat bread but it still has some rise and a fluffy, airy center.
Focaccia is often cut and served in squares as a side dish, but a focaccia sandwich is nothing to turn your nose up at either. Whether you’re soaking up the last bit of pasta sauce in your bowl with bread, or dipping in oil and vinegar, the luscious Pesto Focaccia loaf is addicting.
This Pesto Focaccia is made extra delectable with a train of fresh pesto mixed throughout. Flaky sea salt and parmesan on top are the perfect way to finish of this loaf before serving up .
I am warning you, however, it is a bit of a labor of love. Not in the sense that you have to be slaving in the kitchen for a while (in fact this recipe is super easy!), but it does require two rising times for two hours each. Every second of the wait though, is so worth it.
Serve this Pesto Focaccia alongside this Healthy One Pot Pasta, Pappardelle with Homemade Italian Roma Tomato Sauce, or with this Baked Feta Spaghetti Squash Casserole for a hearty dinner you're family will love.
Recipe Ingredients
- Active Dry Yeast - To give our Pesto Focaccia rise. We will “wake up” the yeast with warm water.
- Mike’s Hot Honey - Regular honey will work too but I like the unique flavor kick Mike’s hot honey gives to this Pesto Focaccia.
- Pesto - Any kind will do. If you shop at Costco the Kirkland brand pesto is top notch. I am also a fan of Trader Joe’s Kale Cashew Pesto. Or make your own using my Goat Cheese Pesto Recipe!
- Olive Oil - To coat the outside of the focaccia. Be generous with it!
- Flaky Sea Salt - Get the big tub of Maldon Sea Salt. You’re going to want to top EVERYTHING with this stuff.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make This Recipe
There are quite a few steps to this Pesto Focaccia recipe, but I promise they are not difficult. I've broken the steps up into three sections to make it easier to follow: initial rise, second rise, and bake.
initial rise
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together lukewarm water, active dry yeast, and hot honey. Let it sit for 5 minutes until the yeast has dissolved and the water is creamy. (note: this is a good way to determine if the yeast is still good. Check the expiration date!)
- Then, add the flour and green goddess seasoning to the bowl and stir together until all of the liquid is absorbed by the flour. Mix with a rubber spatula until a shaggy dough forms.
- In a clean mixing bowl, use a rubber spatula to spread 2 tablespoons of pesto and 1 tablespoon of olive oil all around the bowl.
- Place the dough ball into the bowl with the pesto/olive oil mixture and cover it with plastic wrap or a towel. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 2 hours. It should double/triple in size.
second rise
- Use the butter to generously coat a baking dish (note: you can use parchment paper, butter that, too). The bread will stick to any places that are not covered in butter! Be sure to coat the whole thing. Pour another tablespoon of olive oil into the pan and spread around.
- I learned this trick from Alexandra Stafford: Keep the dough in the bowl and using a fork in each hand, gather up edges of the dough farthest from you and lift up and over into the center of the bowl. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the process. Do this 2 more times; you want to deflate dough while also forming it into a rough ball.
- Transfer the dough to the buttered pan. The bread will spread to the edges of the pan. Let the dough rise again in a warm spot for about 1-2 hours.
bake
- When the bread has filled the pan and risen, preheat your oven to 450°F and spread the remainder of the olive oil and another tablespoon of pesto on the top of the bread.
- Then, it’s time to ‘dimple’ the focaccia. Use your fingers (like you’re aggressively typing or playing an instrument) to create deep depressions in the dough (try to touch the bottom of the pan on each impression).
- Sprinkle the bread with sea salt before baking. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the focaccia is puffed and golden brown.
- Top with fresh parmesan and my homemade Goat Cheese Pesto for dipping / spread on top!
Recipe FAQs
Focaccia is best eaten the day it’s made, but keeps well in the freezer! Slice into pieces and store in a ziplock or air-tight container, then reheat it on a baking sheet at 300°F in the oven for 10-15 minutes.
Day old Pesto Focaccia is great for Italian sandwiches! Load up with salami, pepperoni, provolone, tomato, some pepperoncinis and Italian dressing for a focaccia sandwich that’ll really knock your socks off.
Be generous with the olive oil. Your Pesto Focaccia will likely turn out dry if you try to skimp out on the olive oil at any step (in the dough bowl, in the pan, or brushed on top).
If the yeast, water, honey mixture bubbles and gets a yeast-y scent, it is still good. If your yeast mixture does nothing, you should toss it and get fresh yeast. Too hot of water can also damage the yeast. Make sure you use warm water, but not boiling.
Dimpling the focaccia does two important things: 1. It keeps it from rising into an enormous bread bubble when it bakes. Focaccia is a flatter bread, after all. And 2. It gives a space for the olive oil to drip into (as well as the pesto in the case of this Pesto Focaccia recipe). Think of the dimples as flavor wells.
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Recipe
Pesto Focaccia
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rubber Spatula
- 9x13 box pan
- 2 Forks
- cheese grater
- Meat Thermometer
Ingredients
- 1 packet active dry yeast
- 2 ¼ cup luke warm water
- 1 tbsp Mike's hot honey
- 5 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp Green Goddess Seasoning, Trader Joe's, or sub Italian seasoning
- 3 tbsp pesto, divided
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- flaky sea salt, for topping
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan, for topping
- Goat Cheese Pesto, optional, for topping
Instructions
First rise:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together lukewarm water, active dry yeast, and hot honey. Let it sit for 5 minutes until the yeast has dissolved and the water is creamy.
- Then, add the flour and green goddess seasoning to the bowl and stir together until all of the liquid is absorbed by the flour. Mix with a rubber spatula until a shaggy dough forms.
- In a clean mixing bowl, use a rubber spatula to spread 2 tablespoons of pesto and 1 tablespoon of olive oil all around the bowl.
- Place the dough ball into the bowl with the pesto/olive oil mixture and cover it with plastic wrap or a towel. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 2 hours. It should double/triple in size.
Second Rise:
- Use the butter to generously coat a baking dish (note: you can use parchment paper, butter that, too). The bread will stick to any places that are not covered in butter! Be sure to coat the whole thing. Pour another tablespoon of olive oil into the pan and spread around.
- I learned this trick from Alexandra Stafford: Keep the dough in the bowl and using a fork in each hand, gather up edges of the dough farthest from you and lift up and over into the center of the bowl. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the process. Do this 2 more times; you want to deflate dough while also forming it into a rough ball.
- Transfer the dough to the buttered pan. The bread will spread to the edges of the pan. Let the dough rise again in a warm spot for about 1-2 hours.
Bake:
- When the bread has filled the pan and risen, pre heat you’re oven to 450°F and spread the remainder of the olive oil and another tablespoon of pesto on the top of the bread.
- Then, it’s time to ‘dimple’ the focaccia. Use your fingers (like you’re aggressively typing or playing an instrument) to create deep depressions in the dough. Try to touch the bottom of the pan on each impression.
- Sprinkle the bread with sea salt before baking. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the focaccia is puffed and golden brown.
- Top with fresh parmesan and apaigeofpositivity: Goat Cheese Pesto for dipping / spread on top!
Nutrition
Notes
Looking for this in MyFitnessPal?
If you're using MyFitnessPal, search 'A Paige Of Positivity' and find PESTO FOCACCIA calories and nutrition facts. Disclaimer: for most accurate macronutrients and caloric breakdown, it is recommended that you input each ingredient into your MyFitnessPal food diary.
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. It’s my passion to create dishes that can be shared with others. Tell me something you loved or just say hi!
Courtney Paige says
I brought this to my family dinner and they LOVED it!! SO SO Flavorful and the texture is perfect.
Sydney Van Acker says
My goodness homemade bread is SO much tastier than store bought. This was such a fun and delicious baking project!
Lily says
So fluffy and delicious. Best served warm. No need for extras like butter or cheese, because this bread is a star in its own.