Easy No-Knead Garlic Focaccia

My Easy No-Knead Garlic Focaccia is chewy on the inside, golden and crisp on the outside, and packed with generous drizzles of olive oil. Exactly what you want from a good focaccia! The overnight rise is the secret that makes it pillowy with big airy pockets.

Hey team, Nick here! What I love most about this focaccia is how hands off it is. A slow rise in the fridge is what does the heavy lifting. You mix it let it rest then bake. I’ve added some simple folds in there to help develop the chewiness of the bread.

Oh and you better believe this thing is soaked in olive oil. It doesn’t just give it loads of flavor it gives it a crisp outside and a nice moist inside that isn’t dry. Funnily enough though it isn’t overly oily or greasy. The garlic also adds loads of flavor, but you can certainly leave it out if you like and add other flavorings or toppings.

I actually love pairing it with my garlicky tzatziki dip. Just slather it up. But it’s a great base for a sheet pan pizza which is exactly what my easy sheet pan pizza is made with! I actually think this would go with pretty much any meal. You just tear it up and dig in.

A high hydration sticky dough does the heavy lifting

This focaccia uses a high hydration dough. Almost 90% hydration! That extra water is what gives it the airy, chewy texture and crisp crust. The best part is you don’t have to knead it. Just stir it with a spoon and let the long, slow rise do the work.

• More water means the gluten stretches easily, so you get big air pockets
• The crumb stays soft, pillowy and tender
• Steam from the wetter dough bakes into a golden, crunchy crust
• The slow ferment develops deeper, more complex flavor

How to make the focaccia dough

• Mix the flour, salt, sugar and yeast powder in a large bowl using a spoon
• Add the water and mix using a tablespoon until a wet and sticky dough forms. I used my hands in the photos but found out a spoon does the same thing and no sticky dough hands!

• Drizzle with olive oil and cover with plastic wrap.
• Let it rest for an hour at room temperature. It’ll double in size.

Lift and fold for a chewy focaccia!

This focaccia is no knead, but a lift and fold step helps strengthen the dough. Each fold develops gluten, giving it that chewy texture, while the slow rise in the fridge builds flavor.

Picture the dough with four corners. With wet hands, lift one corner and fold it into the center. Turn the bowl and repeat three more times, then let it rest.

Cold ferment (important!)

Let the dough rest in the fridge for at least 8 hours and up to 72. The long, slow rise gives the bread a deeper flavor and helps form those little bubbles that bake into a soft, chewy focaccia crumb.

Don’t skip this step. It’s super important!

Easy shaping and baking

• Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil on your baking dish and rub it around to coat.
• After the slow rise, take the dough out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Move it into your baking tin and use your hands to gently stretch it out. The dough will resist and pull back, which is completely normal. Just stretch it as far as it will comfortably go, even if it doesn’t quite reach the corners.

• Cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm spot for 2 hours until it becomes jiggly when you gently shake the tin.
• Once it’s risen drizzle with more olive oil.

• Then use your hands to add dimples into the dough.
• Add the garlic and press into the dough

• Bake until golden on the top and crispy on the bottom.

Tip – Cover your focaccia while baking if you’ve added toppings like garlic or potato to prevent them from burning. Do this after the bread has been baking for 30 minutes.

Make it your own!

This recipe will bend to pretty much any type of topping combo your mind can come up with. Here are some of my faves:

• Olives – put on before baking.
• Sundried tomatoes – put on before baking.
• Fresh cherry tomatoes – put on before baking.
• Basil – weave into the dough and top with fresh basil after baking.
• Sliced potato – put on before baking and drizzle with plenty of oil.
• Pesto – weave into the dough and top before baking.
• Sliced fig – put on for the final 15 minutes of baking time.
• Onion – weave into dough.
• Sliced peach – put on before baking and drizzle with oil.
• Your favorite cheese! – put on for the final 15 minutes of baking time.

The topping options are endless and you combine toppings to come up with something tasty and unique!

Storing leftovers

Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months! Reheat in the oven or a sandwich press once it’s thawed at room temperature.