This focaccia pizza is the perfect combination of Italian focaccia bread and toppings, and it takes just minutes to throw together. All you need is about 1 1/2 hours to let the dough rest and proof. There’s minimal kneading required to develop the gluten, and the process is incredibly easy when using a stand mixer.
We’ve included some simple, great-tasting toppings, but feel free to create your pizza with your favorites. Add pepperoni or ground meat to your pizza, or add sliced olives and thinly sliced vegetables. The possibilities are endless, but you should plan on no more than 4 toppings in addition to the sauce and cheese. With a good balance of toppings, your focaccia pizza is hearty enough for dinner.
“If you’re a big fan of pizza and focaccia like me, this recipe is for you. The dough is perfect, soft inside and crunchy outside. Toppings are basic, yet flavorful. You can definitely add any other desired toppings to this focaccia. I served mine with some homemade pesto sauce, which I totally recommend!” —Tara Omidvar
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3/4 cup homemade or store-bought pizza sauce, or to taste
- 6 to 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced or ciliegine
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste, optional
- 2 teaspoons olive oil, for drizzling
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
- 24 small basil leaves, or several large leaves cut into thin ribbons
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Gather the focaccia dough ingredients.
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In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the warm water, honey, and yeast until combined; let stand for 5 minutes. Alternatively, use a large bowl and mix by hand.
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Add 2 1/4 cups of the flour, salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil—mix to create a shaggy dough, scraping down the bowl occasionally.
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Switch to the dough hook; add enough of the remaining 1/2 cup flour to make a sticky dough, mixing on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, or knead with hands on a lightly floured surface. The dough should be sticky, so try to avoid adding too much flour.
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Grease a large bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl, covered, and let it rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
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Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil to a rimmed 10 x 15-inch, or 9 x 13-inch sheet pan.
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Place the dough in the pan and let it rest for 15 minutes—this will relax the dough, making it easier to stretch and form to the pan.
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Gently stretch the dough to fit in the pan. Cover it loosely and let it rise for 20 minutes longer. Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 450 F.
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Gather the toppings and the risen dough.
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Dimple the dough all over with fingertips, transfer to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
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Remove the par-baked focaccia from the oven. Evenly spread the focaccia with pizza sauce to taste. Top evenly with sliced mozzarella cheese, freshly ground black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes, if using.
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Return the focaccia to the oven and bake until the cheese melts and the crust is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes longer.
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Remove the pizza to a rack. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons of olive oil.
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Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and scatter the fresh basil evenly over the pizza. Slice and serve immediately.
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- You can make this focaccia dough 1 day in advance and refrigerate it until you’re ready to bake. After mixing and kneading, put the dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it. After 1 hour, punch it down. Re-cover the bowl and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Let the dough come to room temperature and proceed with the recipe.
- If you have leftover pizza sauce, freeze it in a freezer container—use it to make another pizza, as a dip, or use it to flavor soups, meatloaf, burgers, and other recipes.
Use your favorite combination of toppings, but try to keep the number of toppings—not including the sauce and cheese—down to no more than 4. Too many toppings make a pizza heavy and take longer to bake. Here are some popular combinations:
- Pepperoni, peppers, mushrooms, and sliced olives.
- Hawaiian style: pineapple and ham.
- Sausage and spinach or kale.
- Artichoke, mushrooms, and olives.
- Ground beef, bell peppers, and red onions.
- Four cheese: mozzarella, provolone, Parmesan, and blue cheese or gorgonzola.
- A white pizza using alfredo sauce in place of the pizza sauce, topped with cheese of your choice and marinated artichokes.
- Refrigerate leftover cooled focaccia pizza in a covered container or wrapped in foil and eat within 2 days.
- To freeze focaccia pizza, wrap slices in plastic wrap and then foil and freeze for up to 2 months.
- To reheat the pizza, place a foil-lined baking pan in the oven and preheat to 375. Place the leftover pizza in the hot cast iron pan and cook for about 10 minutes, or until hot. Add a few minutes if the pizza is frozen.
Focaccia is similar to pizza in that it is a yeasted dough with toppings. Pizza dough is typically made with yeast, water, and flour, while focaccia dough includes olive oil. Pizza is made with less yeast, resulting in a flatter, more flexible crust. More yeast in focaccia dough makes for a thicker bread.
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