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Garlic Parmesan Focaccia Bread is crisp, yet soft and chewy inside with the most perfect hint of garlic and Parmesan cheese. This easy homemade bread is perfect for sandwiches, dipping in soup, or serving with your favorite pasta dish.
I used to be so afraid of making homemade bread, it was a bit stressful. Trying to get the perfect texture so it wouldn't end up a dense, hard rock was always a challenge. Then I stumbled upon a recipe while with my grandma. We used to sit and read cookbooks together, marking recipes we wanted to try.
Focaccia bread was one of those recipes I marked. I made it once and it was so easy and so good. Then I got brave and started adding my own favorite flavors like garlic and Parmesan! Now this easy homemade bread is a staple in our house.
This post was originally posted on 4/23/2020 and updated on 9/01/2021.
Garlic Parmesan Focaccia Bread Ingredients
- Unbleached All Purpose Flour
- Active Dry Yeast
- Sugar
- Salt
- Dry Minced Garlic
- Warm Water
- Olive Oil
- Shredded Parmesan Cheese
- Dried Parsley
Substitution Suggestions
- All Purpose Flour: You can substitute with whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour. The bread will turn out a little darker with a little nutty flavor.
- Dry Minced Garlic: Fresh garlic or garlic powder can be used.
- Olive Oil: Olive oil is the best oil to use for this recipe for its taste. However, you can substitute with vegetable or canola oil if needed.
- Shredded Parmesan Cheese: I prefer Parmesan cheese, but I've also made this with cheddar and it was good too.
- Dried Parsley: Dried rosemary, thyme or blend of herbs will work. Use your favorite flavors!
How to Make Easy Homemade Garlic Parmesan Focaccia Bread
- First, combine the unbleached all purpose flour, yeast, sugar, salt and minced garlic in a large mixing bowl and mix it together well.
- Then, add the warm water and olive oil and mix until a soft dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in a warm area for 30-45 minutes until the dough has doubled in size.
- Next, grease a 9x13 baking dish with olive oil. Once the dough has doubled, turn it into the greased dish and spread out to edges of pan. Dimple the dough with your fingertips.
- Drizzle about a tablespoon or so of oil on top of the dough. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, parsley and a little extra salt. Cover again with plastic wrap and set aside.
- Now preheat your oven to 375°F. Let the bread rest while the oven preheats.
- Once the oven is preheated, bake the bread uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Let the bread rest 10 minutes before slicing and devouring.
Tips for Focaccia Bread
- Use fresh yeast. The bread won't rise with old expired yeast. I like to keep all my extra yeast in the freezer so it stays fresh longer.
- Using olive oil to grease the baking dish helps add a little extra flavor of olive oil to the bread, and it makes the bottom and sides nice and crisp.
- I like to use a rubber or silicone spatula so the dough doesn't stick to it as much.
- Grease your hands with a little bit of olive oil when spreading it into the baking dish and dimpling with fingertips.
What is Garlic Parmesan Focaccia Bread best served with?
Focaccia bread is great with flavored olive oil for dipping as an appetizer. Or use the bread to make little sandwiches. It also is great served along side a soup or stew for dipping and cozy pasta dishes. It really would go well with almost any meal, here are some of our favorites:
- Baked Rigatoni Casserole
- Crock Pot Beef Stew
- Cheesy Spaghetti Bake
- Easy Zuppa Toscano Soup
- Beef Barley Stew
FAQs About Focaccia Bread
Regular bread is soft and fluffy and usually made in a loaf pan. Focaccia bread is baked flat in a baking dish, but still has a soft interior and a texture closer to a pizza dough.
Focaccia bread has as similar texture to pizza dough and can be topped with any herb or cheese before baking along with vegetables to create fun bread masterpieces.
Focaccia bread stored on the counter out of sunlight will last 3-4 days in an air tight container or zip top bag.
Other Homemade Breads we LOVE:
- Easy Drop Biscuits
- No Knead Dinner Rolls
- Homemade French Bread
- Easy Dinner Rolls
- Garlic Cheese Drop Biscuits
- Easy Homemade Bagels
Garlic Parmesan Focaccia Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 2¼ teaspoons dry active yeast , 1 package
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt, plus more for topping
- 1 tablespoon dry minced garlic
- 1½ cups warm water
- ¼ cup olive oil, plus more for topping
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and garlic. Mix together well.
- Stir in the warm water and olive oil until it is all completely mix together. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm area for 30-45 minutes and until doubled in size.
- Once the dough has risen, turn it over into a olive oil greased 9x13 baking dish. Spread and push the dough to the edges of the dish. Using your fingertips, dimple the dough. .
- Drizzle with about a tablespoon of extra olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, parsley, and extra salt. Cover dough and place back in warm area.
- Preheat the oven 375°F.
- Once the oven is preheated, uncover dough and bake for 30 minutes.
- Let the bread rest and cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
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