Whole Wheat Focaccia: Easy No-Knead Recipe

Name: Whole Wheat Focaccia (Easy No-Knead Recipe)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 165 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 6 tablespoons, divided High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 2 cups Whole wheat flour; 2 cups Bread flour; 2 cups Warm water; 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) Active dry yeast; 1 tablespoon Honey; 2 teaspoons Kosher salt; 2 sprigs, leaves stripped Fresh rosemary; 1 teaspoon, for topping Flaky sea salt

Why We Love This Recipe

Swapping half the flour for whole wheat changes what this bread brings to the table. Whole grain keeps the bran and germ, so each piece carries fiber that refined white flour leaves behind, along with the nutty, mineral flavor that makes the crumb taste like something. Focaccia this hearty holds its own next to a bowl of soup or beans, and it fits comfortably inside a Mediterranean way of eating built on whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and good olive oil.

That olive oil is not a background player here. Six tablespoons of High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil go into the dough and the pan, and it is rich in polyphenols, particularly hydroxytyrosol, the compound behind the gentle pepper you notice at the back of your throat. That taste and those polyphenols are one and the same, which is why we reach for a fresh, early-harvest bottle. Ours is USDA Certified Organic, single-origin from Messinia in Greece, cold-pressed within hours of harvest and qNMR-verified by the University of Athens, and it was developed with Harvard-trained cardiologists.

Polyphenols are highest in fresh oil and fade with time, light, and heat, so a light raw drizzle of Ultra High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil over the warm bread carries more of those compounds straight to the plate. If you want to understand what they are and where the interest comes from, the polyphenol research is a good place to start. Olive oil has long been the cornerstone fat of the Mediterranean diet, and a loaf like this is one of the more pleasant ways to keep it in your week.

View Nutrition Facts

Recipe Success Tips

Keep the whole wheat at half

A fifty-fifty blend of whole wheat and bread flour is the sweet spot. Whole wheat brings the fiber and the nutty flavor, while the bread flour keeps the crumb open and light. Push past half and the loaf turns dense.

Weigh your flour

Whole wheat flour packs differently than white, so a measuring cup can be off by a lot. If you have a scale, use the gram weights. The dough should be wet and sticky, closer to a thick batter than a kneadable ball.

Taste the oil first

Warm a spoonful of the High Phenolic oil and taste it before it goes in. You want a fruity, smooth oil with a gentle peppery finish at the back of the throat. That pepper is the polyphenols, and it is exactly the flavor that carries through the baked crumb.

Warm water, not hot

Aim for water around body temperature, warm to the touch but not steaming. Too hot and you stall the yeast; too cold and the rise drags. If the mix is not foamy after five minutes, the yeast is old and worth replacing.

Dimple with confidence

Oil your fingertips and press all the way to the bottom of the pan. Those deep dimples hold pools of olive oil that fry the surface crisp and give focaccia its signature craggy top.

Do not skip the flaky salt

A final scatter of flaky sea salt just before baking gives each bite a little crackle and pulls the nutty, peppery flavors forward. Add it after the rosemary so it sits on top.

Ingredients

12

servings

6 tablespoons, divided High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cups Whole wheat flour
2 cups Bread flour
2 cups Warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) Active dry yeast
1 tablespoon Honey
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
2 sprigs, leaves stripped Fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon, for topping Flaky sea salt

Kitchen Tools You'll Need

Large mixing bowl

Sturdy spatula or wooden spoon

9x13 inch metal baking pan

Kitchen scale or measuring cups and spoons

Plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel

Wire cooling rack

How to Cook Whole Wheat Focaccia (Easy No-Knead Recipe)

Make the dough

1

In a large bowl, whisk the warm water with the yeast and honey. Let it stand for 5 minutes, until the surface looks foamy.

2

Add the whole wheat flour, bread flour, kosher salt, and 2 tablespoons of the High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Its smooth, fruity character works right into the crumb and gives the whole grain a rounder flavor. Stir with a spatula until no dry flour remains and you have a wet, shaggy dough.

First rise

3

Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the High Phenolic oil over the dough and turn it to coat. Cover the bowl and let it rise at room temperature for 1.5 to 2 hours, until doubled and covered in bubbles.

Pan and second rise

4

Pour the remaining 3 tablespoons of High Phenolic oil into a 9x13 inch pan and spread it across the bottom and up the sides. Scrape the dough in, fold it over on itself a few times, and turn it to coat in the oil.

5

Let the dough rest, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes while you heat the oven to 450 F. Oil your fingertips and press deep dimples all over the surface, right down to the bottom of the pan.

Bake

6

Scatter the rosemary leaves over the top and press them lightly into the dimples, then sprinkle with the flaky sea salt.

7

Bake for 22 to 27 minutes, until the top is deep golden and the edges are crisp and pulling away from the pan.

Finish

8

For a bold, peppery finish, add a light raw drizzle of Ultra High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil over the hot bread. Let the focaccia cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it onto a rack and cut into pieces.

Recipe Notes

Make it your own

Rosemary and salt is the classic, but this dough takes to almost anything. Press in halved cherry tomatoes and thin garlic, or thinly sliced onion, before baking. For a softer, lighter loaf on a busy day, our same-day focaccia uses all white flour and comes together faster.

More focaccia to bake

If this one wins you over, the herb-forward version in our classic rosemary focaccia is a natural next bake, and for a tangy, long-fermented crumb try the simple sourdough focaccia built on a starter.

On the two oils

The dough and pan use the smooth, balanced High Phenolic oil because you want a lot of it and its fruitiness bakes in beautifully. The finishing drizzle is optional and raw, so that is where the bolder, more peppery Ultra High Phenolic oil earns its place. Either oil works for both jobs, so use what you have.

Storage

Focaccia is best the day it is baked. Keep leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, and rewarm slices in a 350 F oven for a few minutes to bring back the crisp edges. To freeze, wrap cooled pieces tightly and freeze for up to 1 month, then reheat straight from frozen.

Nutrition Facts per Serving

Nutrition Facts

Serving size 1 piece

Calories 220

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 8g10%

Saturated Fat 1g5%

Trans Fat 0g

Cholesterol 0mg0%

Sodium 240mg10%

Total Carbohydrate 31g11%

Dietary Fiber 3g11%

Total Sugars 2g

Protein 5g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make whole wheat focaccia with 100 percent whole wheat flour?

You can, but the crumb turns noticeably denser and heavier. A fifty-fifty blend of whole wheat and bread flour keeps the airy, open texture people love about focaccia while still delivering the fiber and nutty flavor of whole grain. If you want to go higher, try 60 percent whole wheat and add a splash more water.

Do I need to knead this whole wheat focaccia?

No. This is a no-knead dough. You stir it together until shaggy, let time and the long rise do the work of building structure, then fold it a few times in the pan. The dough is meant to be wet and sticky, so resist the urge to add extra flour.

Why is my whole wheat focaccia dense instead of fluffy?

The usual culprits are too much whole wheat flour, dough that was too dry, or a rise that was cut short. Measure by weight if you can, keep the dough wet and slack, and let it fully double before it goes in the pan. Water that is too hot can also weaken the yeast.

How much olive oil does focaccia really need?

A lot, and that is the point. This recipe uses six tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil across the dough and the pan. The oil in the pan fries the bottom and edges crisp, while the oil worked into the dough keeps the crumb tender and carries flavor through every bite.

Which olive oil should I use for focaccia?

For the dough and pan, reach for a smooth, fruity extra virgin olive oil you enjoy the taste of, since so much of it goes in. A high-phenolic oil adds a gentle peppery note that bakes in nicely. Save a bolder, more peppery bottle for an optional raw drizzle over the warm bread.

Is whole wheat focaccia healthy?

Whole wheat flour keeps the bran and germ, so this focaccia brings more fiber than a white-flour loaf, and it leans on extra virgin olive oil, a cornerstone fat of the Mediterranean diet. It is still bread and rich in olive oil, so enjoy it as part of a balanced meal rather than as a diet food.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes. After mixing, you can cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough overnight instead of doing the first rise on the counter. Let it come to room temperature and finish rising before you pan and dimple it. The slow cold rise deepens the flavor.

What can I add on top of whole wheat focaccia?

Rosemary and flaky salt is the classic, but cherry tomatoes, thin-sliced onion, garlic, olives, or other soft herbs all work. Press toppings into the dimples before baking so they stay put, and go easy so the surface still crisps.

How do I store and reheat leftover focaccia?

Keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Warm slices in a 350 F oven for a few minutes to bring back the crisp edges. For longer storage, wrap tightly and freeze for up to a month, then reheat from frozen.

Can I use active dry yeast and instant yeast interchangeably?

Yes. If you use instant yeast, you can skip the proofing step and stir it straight into the flour, though blooming it in the warm water and honey still works fine. Either way the dough should look foamy and alive before the first rise gets going.

Whole Wheat Focaccia (Easy No-Knead Recipe)

Why We Love This Recipe

Recipe Success Tips

Ingredients

Kitchen Tools You'll Need