Easy Pesto Focaccia Bread
This pesto focaccia bakes up pillowy and open inside with a crackly, olive-oil-crisped crust and green pools of basil pesto in every dimple. A generous pour of high-phenolic extra virgin olive oil in the dough and pan gives the crumb its tenderness and a gentle peppery note you can taste. It is Mediterranean baking built on the cornerstone fat of the Mediterranean diet.
Recipe Success Tips
Use a fresh, flavorful olive oil
The oil is a lead ingredient here, not a lubricant, so use one you would happily taste on its own. High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil stays smooth through the bake and leaves a gentle peppery note in the crumb.
Keep the dough wet
A sticky, high-hydration dough is the secret to the airy, hole-filled crumb. Resist adding flour; use wet hands when you fold and shape instead.
Dimple with confidence
Press your fingers all the way to the bottom of the pan. Deep dimples hold the oil and pesto, giving you those green, glossy flavor wells.
Swirl the pesto, do not drown it
Spoon the pesto into the dimples and drag it lightly across the top. A thin, even layer browns nicely, while a thick blanket can steam and stay pale.
Rest before baking
The 20-minute rest after shaping relaxes the dough so it puffs evenly and bakes into a pillowy interior.
Finish raw for the boldest flavor
Save the Ultra High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil for a drizzle after baking. Used raw on the warm bread, its peppery character comes through at full strength.
Ingredients
12
servings
- 1/2 cup High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 4 cups (500 g) Bread flour
- 1 2/3 cups Warm water
- 2 tsp Instant yeast
- 2 tsp Fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup Basil pesto
- 1/3 cup Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
- 1 tsp Flaky sea salt, for finishing
Kitchen Tools You'll Need
Large mixing bowl
9x13-inch metal baking pan
Silicone spatula or dough scraper
Measuring cups and spoons
Kitchen scale
Wire cooling rack
How to Cook Easy Pesto Focaccia Bread
Mix the dough
1
In a large bowl, whisk together the bread flour, instant yeast, and fine sea salt.
2
Add the warm water and 3 tablespoons of the High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, then stir with a spatula until no dry flour remains. The dough will be wet and shaggy, which is what gives focaccia its open crumb.
3
Cover the bowl and let it rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
Fold and rise
4
With a wet hand, lift one edge of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over the center. Turn the bowl a quarter and repeat three more times.
5
Cover and let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled and bubbly, about 1.5 to 2 hours. For deeper flavor, refrigerate overnight and bring back to room temperature before shaping.
Shape and dimple
6
Pour 2 tablespoons of the High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil into a 9x13-inch baking pan and spread it across the bottom and up the sides.
7
Scrape the dough into the pan and gently stretch it toward the corners. If it resists, let it rest for 10 minutes and try again.
8
Drizzle the remaining High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil over the top, then press your fingertips straight down all over the dough to make deep dimples. The oil pools in the wells and crisps the crust as it bakes.
9
Spoon the basil pesto into the dimples and swirl it lightly across the surface. Scatter the Parmesan on top if using, then finish with flaky sea salt.
10
Let the shaped dough rest uncovered for 20 minutes while the oven heats to 220C (425F).
Bake and finish
11
Bake until the crust is deep golden and the edges are crisp, 22 to 25 minutes.
12
Lift the focaccia out of the pan onto a wire rack. For a savory finish, drizzle a little Ultra High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil over the warm bread; its bold, peppery character stays vivid because it never meets the oven heat.
13
Cool for 10 minutes, then cut into pieces and serve warm.
Recipe Notes
Homemade or a good store-bought basil pesto both work well. For a brighter, summery version, swirl in a spoonful of this bright lemon pesto alongside the basil.
Focaccia loves variation. Skip the pesto and press whole garlic cloves into the dough for a classic garlic focaccia, or scatter the top with woody sprigs for a fragrant rosemary focaccia.
If you want to go deeper on technique, our take on Samin Nosrat's ligurian focaccia walks through the overnight rise and the signature brine in detail.
High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil does the baking here because it stays smooth and balanced through the oven. Keep the bolder Ultra High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil for the raw finishing drizzle, where its peppery character is meant to shine.
Focaccia is best the day it is baked. Keep leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, and warm slices in a 180C (350F) oven for 5 minutes to revive the crust. To freeze, wrap cooled pieces tightly and freeze for up to 1 month.
Nutrition Facts per Serving
Nutrition Facts
Serving size 1 piece
Calories
320
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g22%
Saturated Fat 3g15%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 5mg2%
Sodium 380mg17%
Total Carbohydrate 32g12%
Dietary Fiber 2g7%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 6g
Calcium 60mg5%
Iron 2mg10%
Potassium 70mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Pesto focaccia is a classic Italian flatbread made from a high-hydration, olive-oil-rich dough that is dimpled and topped with basil pesto before baking. The pesto melts into the wells, giving you pillowy bread with pockets of herby, garlicky flavor and a crisp, golden crust.
Yes. A good jarred basil pesto works beautifully. If you have time, homemade pesto tastes fresher and lets you control the garlic and salt, but this recipe is forgiving either way.
Use a fresh extra virgin olive oil you enjoy tasting, since it flavors the whole loaf. A smooth, balanced high-phenolic oil bakes cleanly and leaves a gentle peppery note in the crumb, while a bolder oil is lovely drizzled raw over the finished bread.
No. This is a no-knead dough that comes together with a spatula and a few stretch-and-folds by hand. The wet dough and the long rise do the work of developing structure for you.
Density usually comes from too much flour or too short a rise. Keep the dough wet and sticky, use wet hands instead of adding flour, and let it rise until it looks visibly bubbly and doubled before shaping.
Yes. You can mix the dough and refrigerate it overnight, which deepens the flavor, then shape and bake the next day. Baked focaccia is best the day it is made but reheats well in a warm oven.
Focaccia is built on olive oil, the cornerstone fat of the Mediterranean diet and a source of monounsaturated fats and polyphenols. Enjoyed as part of a balanced, Mediterranean-style meal alongside vegetables and greens, it fits comfortably into an everyday eating pattern.
It shines next to soups, salads, and antipasti, or torn into pieces for a cheese board. It also makes an excellent sandwich bread; split a slab and fill it with fresh mozzarella, tomato, and greens.
You can adapt it with a quality one-to-one gluten-free bread flour blend, though the crumb will be a little tighter and less open. Look for a blend that contains xanthan gum for the best structure.
A raw drizzle of good olive oil over the warm bread adds fresh, peppery aroma and a glossy finish that the baked-in oil cannot provide on its own. Because the oil never meets oven heat, its brightest flavor notes stay vivid.
