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Make the BEST vegan focaccia with 7 ingredients and 5 minutes of kneading – Airy inside, chewy, with a crisp, golden crust and irresistible garlic-herb flavor (+ customizable toppings)!
What Is Focaccia?
Focaccia is a traditional Italian flatbread known for its airy crumb, dimpled surface, and crisp crust. While it’s typically vegan—made with simple, budget-friendly ingredients like flour, yeast, warm water, salt, and lots of olive oil—some recipes sneak in butter, eggs, or dairy (not to mention non-vegan toppings!).
That’s why I’m sharing this easy homemade version that’s 100% vegan and utterly delicious.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Focaccia is hands-down one of the easiest artisan breads for beginner bakers (though my easy no-knead bread is competition!). It’s quick to master but guaranteed to impress with its bakery-worthy look and taste. You can even make it in a mixer to skip the hand kneading.
This garlic focaccia version also features DELICIOUS garlic and herb-infused oil and an optional studding of olives—but once you have the base focaccia dough, it’s a totally customizable blank canvas for your favorite flavorings and toppings. However you make it, it’s a low-effort, high-reward, guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Craving more homemade bread? Try my vegan Irish soda bread, tomato bread, or basic sandwich bread recipe!
Ingredient Notes
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and substitutes.
- Yeast: I recommend using rapid-rise yeast (also called instant yeast). You can substitute fresh yeast, but you’ll need 3x the amount.
- Flour: Keep things simple with all-purpose flour, sub up to 50% with bread flour (for chew) or white whole wheat flour.
Focaccia Bread Seasonings and Toppings
Time to get creative—homemade vegan focaccia is a perfect canvas! Here are some topping ideas:
- Seasonings: Flavor the dough with dried/fresh herbs (like Italian seasoning or oregano), garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric (for color), red pepper flakes, etc.
- Fresh herbs: i.e., parsley, dill, chives, basil, green onion, etc.
- Vegetables: i.e., onion/shallots, halved cherry tomatoes or sliced larger tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant, olives, asparagus, leek, corn, thinly sliced potato, etc.
- Vegan cheese: Vegan shredded parmesan, vegan mozzarella, plant-based cheddar, etc.
- Protein: Chopped vegan tofu bacon, plant sausage slices/crumbles, vegan pepperoni, etc.
- Other: i.e., lemon zest, Maldon flaky salt, sliced jalapeños/ chilies, capers, etc.
- Sauces: Spread before or after baking with vegan pesto or pizza sauce/tomato paste.
- Garlic bread focaccia: Brush the baked flatbread with vegan parsley garlic butter.
Tip: Brush toppings with olive oil to prevent burning.
For sweet focaccia, add extra sugar, omit the garlic and herbs, and top with dried berries, nuts/seeds, and maple syrup (or maybe serve with my 2-minute blueberry maple syrup and powdered sugar).
How to Make Vegan Focaccia Bread
Step 1: First, mince the garlic and herbs. Then, prepare the garlic and herb oil by heating the oil in a saucepan over medium. Stir in the garlic and herbs and simmer for 1 minute, until fragrant and lightly browned. Reduce the heat if it browns too quickly.
Step 2: To prepare the focaccia dough, whisk the warm water (110- 115°F/44- 46 °C), yeast, and sugar and let it sit for 5-10 minutes to activate (aka bubble and foam).
Step 3: Mix 2 cups flour, ⅓ cup herbed oil, and the yeast mixture. Let it sit for 3-5 minutes. Cover the bowl with a warm, damp towel or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot (like a boiler cupboard) for 45 minutes or until it’s doubled in size.
Step 4: Spread ⅓ of the remaining herb oil across a 9×13-inch baking dish. Then, preheat the oven to 410°F/210 °C. Transfer the risen focaccia dough to the pan and gently spread it to every corner.
Tip: The dough is ready when puffy and it’s slow-filling when poked, leaving a slight dimple.
Step 5: Then use wet/oiled fingers to press dimples across the entire dough, pressing almost all the way to the bottom of the dough. Drizzle/spread the remaining herb oil over the top and dimple a little more.
Step 6: If using olives, add them in now. Bake the garlic and herb focaccia bread for 25-20 minutes, until golden and crispy on the top and bottom.
FAQs for Vegan Focaccia
Absolutely. Use a dough hook to knead the dough at a low-medium speed.
Dimpling not only creates pockets for the oil for a super crisp crust, but it also ensures the bread doesn’t rise too much, achieving the perfect texture.
Yes, traditionally, focaccia is made with only flour, yeast, water, salt, and olive oil – though some recipes use dairy-based butter and/or eggs within the dough or non-vegan toppings.
Sure – different pans will affect the thickness (i.e., 13×18 inch creates thin focaccia, perfect for making a ‘pizza’. A 9-inch square pan will make tall and thick focaccia). Adjust baking time as needed.
Sure! Slow proof the dough in the fridge for up to 3 days (then bring it to room temp for 2-3 hours before continuing) OR freeze the focaccia dough.
To freeze focaccia dough, let it rise, punch it down, coat it in olive oil, wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, bring to room temp, allowing it to double in size, then shape, dimple, and bake.
Pro Recipe Tips
- For the best flavor/texture: Cold proofing the dough in the fridge overnight (up to 3 days) adds flavor depth, an extra open, airy crumb, and a deeper brown crust.
- Use warm water: It needs to feel warm to the touch, not hot. Even better, use a thermometer and aim for 110 – 115°F/44 – 46 °C.
- Check the yeast: Ensure it’s in date/active for a fluffy, airy homemade focaccia.
- Oil the pan well: To prevent sticking.
- Don’t knead/proof the dough too long: It can lead to collapsed or dense focaccia.
- Use oiled fingers: When dimpling the dough, to avoid sticking.
How to Serve Focaccia Bread
There are several ways to enjoy this vegan focaccia bread, whether it’s alone as a snack or alongside a meal.
- To dip: i.e., in balsamic olive oil, pizza sauce, or alongside soups, and stews.
- As a side: With salads and pasta dishes (like vegan lasagna, vegan fettuccine alfredo, and quick 15-minute cherry tomato basil pasta).
- For sandwiches: Slice in half horizontally for a sandwich, or toast and top with mashed avocado, easy hummus, vegan pesto and veggies, etc.
- As pizza: Spread with pizza sauce and toppings before baking.
Use leftover herbed focaccia in a breakfast casserole, to make croutons and breadcrumbs, or for focaccia panzanella salad.
Storage Instructions
Store: In a Ziplock/Stasher/airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Freeze: Flash freeze until solid, then transfer to a Ziplock/Stasher for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for several hours.
Reheat: For 8-12 minutes in the oven at 300°F/150 °C, or 4-6 minutes in an air fryer.
Other Vegan Bread Recipes
Vegan Lunches
Basic Sandwich Bread Recipe
Vegan Appetizers
Jalapeño Cornbread
Vegan Side Dishes
Vegan Naan
Vegan Side Dishes
Vegan Cornbread Muffins
If you tried this vegan focaccia recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!
Vegan Focaccia (Garlic and Herb)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs (like rosemary, thyme, or oregano)
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups lukewarm water
- 2 ¼ teaspoons (1 packet) rapid rise yeast
- 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
- 5 cups all-purpose flour divided
- ¾ teaspoon salt plus more for garnish
- ⅓ cup your choice olives pitted and halved
Instructions
- In a sauté pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Stir in the fresh herbs and garlic, and heat for about 1 minute until fragrant and lightly cooked. Reduce the heat if the garlic begins to brown too quickly. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the lukewarm water, rapid rise yeast, and sugar. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes until bubbles form on the surface.
- In a large bowl, whisk 2 cups of flour with 1/3 cup of the herb oil and the yeast mixture. Let the mixture rest for 3 minutes.
- Add the remaining flour and salt, then mix by hand until a smooth dough forms. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes. Cover the bowl with a warm damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise for 45 minutes.
- While the dough rises, prepare a 9×13-inch pan by spreading 1/3 of the remaining herb oil across the bottom using a brush or paper towel.
- Preheat the oven to 410 degrees F (210 degrees C).
- Once the dough has risen, transfer it to the prepared pan and stretch it to fill the corners. Use your fingers to press dimples all over the dough. Spread the remaining herb oil on top and press the olives gently into the dough.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until lightly golden. For a crispier top, bake for an additional 5–10 minutes to your preference.
Notes
- For the best flavor/texture: Cold proofing the dough in the fridge overnight (up to 3 days) adds flavor depth, an extra open, airy crumb, and a deeper brown crust.
- Use warm water: It needs to feel warm to the touch, not hot. Even better, use a thermometer and aim for 110 – 115°F/44 – 46 °C.
- Check the yeast: Ensure it’s in date/active for a fluffy, airy homemade focaccia.
- Oil the pan well: To prevent sticking.
Made this focaccia bread twice already. It’s so delicious! And it was absolutely tasty and good after a week as well (if keeping in the fridge) thank you!
Right?! It’s the most yummy bread!
I enjoyed making this simple yeast bread recipe with my 11 yr old. First time making focaccia. We set the smoke alarm off a couple times as the olive oil was over flowing from the baking tray. I found the amount of olive oil to baste under the bread and again ontop excessive. Made the bread extra greasy.
Hint: undertook the garlic in the first step because it may burn on top while baking.
Thanks for your feedback with this recipe! So glad you and your 11 year old could make it together 🙂