Cherry Tomato Focaccia – A Simple Italian Bread Recipe

This cherry tomato and rosemary focaccia is golden brown, crispy on the outside, light and airy on the inside, and made with simple ingredients like bread flour, extra virgin olive oil, shallots and fresh rosemary. It’s the kind of Italian flatbread that makes you feel like a baker every time you pull it from the oven.

There is no kneading, no stress—just a dough that folds itself into shape. Whether you bake it the same day or let it rest overnight, you’ll get a chewy, flavorful loaf with a crisp crust. Top it however you like—and good luck waiting until it cools to take the first bite.

What is Focaccia?

Focaccia is one of Italy’s oldest flatbread types, often called “Genoese pizza.” It dates back to the Etruscans, who baked unleavened dough on hot stone slabs. Over time, focaccia evolved with olive oil, herbs, and eventually yeast, becoming a beloved staple throughout Liguria and beyond.

Focaccia vs. Pizza: What’s the Difference?

Though they’re both flatbreads, focaccia and pizza have several differences:

• Hydration: Focaccia dough is wetter, using 70–80g of water per 100g of flour, while pizza dough is drier and more elastic.
• Technique: Focaccia dough is barely mixed and folded instead of kneaded, making it low-effort and no-fuss.
• Texture: Focaccia has a light, spongy interior and a crispy crust due to its high hydration and gentle folding.
• Toppings: Pizza is all about the toppings. Focaccia celebrates the bread itself—olive oil and salt are often all it needs.

Ingredients

To make this tomato and rosemary focaccia bread, you will need the following ingredients:

• Bread flour
• Instant yeast (active dry yeast)
• Coarse sea salt
• Honey
• Extra virgin olive oil 
• Fresh rosemary
• Shallots
• Cherry or grape tomatoes

Full quantities are in the recipe card at the end.

How to Make Focaccia Step by Step

1. Prepare the Dough

Combine bread flour, instant yeast, and sea salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon or Danish mixer. Add lukewarm water, olive oil, and honey. Mix just until everything is hydrated. No kneading is needed.

Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm place for 1 hour.

Fold the dough inside the bowl 6–8 times with wet fingers. Cover and rest for 30 minutes. Repeat this folding process three more times at 30-minute intervals.

2. First Rise – Choose Your Fermentation

Cold fermentation (recommended): Drizzle with olive oil, cover, and refrigerate for 12–24 hours. This slow process deepens the flavor.

Room temperature fermentation: Let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled in size.

3. Second Rise

Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined 9×13-inch baking sheet generously coated with olive oil. Fold it gently and place seam-side down. Cover and let it rise again until puffy. If it’s cold, place the pan in the (turned-off) oven with the light on.

The fermentation time will depend, among other factors, on the room temperature. The higher the temperature, the faster the fermentation. The lower the temperature, the slower the fermentation. If your room temperature is low, say 72F (22C) or below, find a warm place (the oven off, with the light on and the door closed, for example).

4. Add Toppings

Dimple the dough with wet fingers. Add halved cherry tomatoes, julienned shallots, and rosemary leaves.

Whisk together rosemary-infused oil and a bit of water until emulsified. Brush it all over the dough and sprinkle with coarse salt (I used Maldon salt flakes.)

5. Bake the Focaccia

Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) with a pizza stone inside for at least 30 minutes.

Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until golden and the internal temperature reaches 200°F (93°C).

Remove from the oven and rest on a wire rack for about 15 minutes or until completely cool. The crust should be golden brown with a chewy texture inside.

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