Easy Vegan Focaccia Bread
Easy Vegan Focaccia Bread- make and decorate delicious Focaccia bread with this easy-to-follow recipe!
Focaccia is a flat oven-baked Italian bread similar in style and texture to pizza crust. It’s naturally vegan and it can be served as a side dish or used as sandwich bread. My favorite way to eat it is dipped in olive oil. It’s also the ideal companion for soups and stews.
KEEP IN TOUCH! FOR MORE INSPIRATIONS, PROJECTS, AND FREE KNITTING PATTERNS, SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:
Easy Vegan Focaccia Bread
Mix the yeast, warm water, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. The ideal water temperature for yeast is 110 to 115. Many bakers will use their finger to test the temperature. This has never worked for me! I’ve found that the easiest way to achieve perfect water temperature every time is to use a candy thermometer. Water temperature is very important. If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast and it won’t rise.
After 10 minutes, the yeast should be frothy. If your mixture didn’t froth, the yeast packet may be old or the water might have been too hot/cold and you should try again.
Add the flour and olive oil and stir together until the dough has a shaggy texture.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Knead it for 5-10 minutes until it becomes smooth. Shape it into a ball and place it into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover it with a clean kitchen towel and place it in a warm location. Since it’s summer, I left my bowl on the kitchen counter, but you can also put it in the oven with only the oven light on. Leave the dough for 1 hour until it has doubled in size.
Once the dough has risen, place it on a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll it out until it is 1/2 inch thick. I used a large bowl to trace a circle and then cut the excess off. Place the dough on a lined baking sheet, cover it and let it rise for an additional 20 minutes.
The next step is to dimple the dough. Creating holes reduces the air in the dough and prevents the bread from rising too quickly. You can use your fingers, or the end of a wooden spoon.
Garnish the dough with your favorite herbs (fresh rosemary and basil are great), garlic, olives, sea salt, tomatoes, red pepper and/or red onions. Drizzle with olive oil and bake in a 400-degree oven for 20 minutes.
Easy Vegan Focaccia Bread
Ingredients
- 4 Cups All-purpose flour
- 1 Packet Active dry yeast 2 1/4 tsp
- 1/2 Tsp Sugar
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 1 1/3 Cups Water Heater to 110-115 degrees Farenheit
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Olive oil plus more for drizzling
Instructions
- Mix the yeast, water, and sugar in a large bowl. The ideal water temperature for yeast is 110 to 115 (use a candy thermometer to ensure correct temperature). Water temperature is very important. If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast and it won't rise. Let mixture sit for 10 minutes.
- Add the flour and olive oil and stir until dough is shaggy.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes until the dough is smooth. Shape it into a ball and place it into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover it with a dish towel and place it in a warm location. Since it's summer, I left my bowl on the kitchen counter, but you can also put it in the oven with only the oven light on. Leave the dough for 1 hour until it has doubled in size.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out until it is approximately 1/2 inch thick. Leave the shape as it or cut it into a rectangle or circle.
- The next step is to dimple the dough. Creating holes reduces the air in the dough and prevents the bread from rising too quickly. You can use your fingers, or the end of a wooden spoon. Garnish your bread with red onion, herbs and/or tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil.
- Bake in an oven preheated to 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
Looking for more Vegan Bread Recipes like this Focaccia bread recipe?
How to Make Bread in the Instant Pot
4 Easy Ways to Make Plant-Based Toast
I love seeing your finished projects! If you enjoyed making this Easy Vegan Focaccia Bread, or any of my other easy vegan recipes, I’d love to see yours on Instagram, just tag me @ginamicheleblog. Happy baking!
