This parmesan herbed focaccia is baked to a golden brown and is filled with garlic powder, thyme, oregano, and basil and topped with sharp parmesan cheese! It’s the perfect bread for dipping or for making a sandwich!

My name is Jennifer and I am a carboholic. [Hi, Jennifer]

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Admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery, right? Although, I’m not so sure I want to stop being a carboholic, because then I’d have to miss out on this best ever sausage stuffing and my gram’s creamy mashed potatoes and this light greek yogurt lemon pasta.

So…no thanks. I’ll pass.

I’m fine with having a problem, especially since this past weekend, I made my first loaf of focaccia! Parmesan herbed focaccia.

I’ve always loved making my own dough. Whether it’s pasta noodles, banana bread, or pizza dough, homemade is always 10,000,000 x better than store bought and it’s waaay more satisfying. I always feel so accomplished when eating my fresh noodles, hot-out-of-the-oven bread, or soft and chewy pizza crust. As much as I love making my own dough, for whatever reason, I’ve never really tried making savory breads.

I had no idea how easy focaccia was to make, and I’m so excited, because it is definitely one of my favorite breads. I especially love when you go out to eat and they serve it before dinner with olive oil for dipping. Forget dinner and let’s just have bread. Anybody with me?

You start by proofing your yeast. Technically, you don’t need to do this, as proofing your yeast, is really just a way of making sure that your yeast is still good and alive! I always do it anyway. Just in case and it only takes 10 minutes. If you’re really interested in reading more about yeast, King Arthur Flour has a really informative article!

So.

Proof your yeast in warm water and let sit for 10 minutes. If it gets all bubbly and foamy, then you’ll know it’s a winner!

While your yeast is proofing, get your dry ingredients together in a large bowl: flour, spices, and sugar. Stir together and set aside.

After the 10 minutes are up, stir vegetable oil into the water and yeast mixture and then pour this into the flour, spice, and sugar mixture. Stir until combined and then dump the dough out onto a well-floured surface.

Knead until smooth and only slightly sticky. I’d suggest about 5 minutes.

In an oiled bowl, place the dough and turn to coat all sides of the dough.

Cover with a warm, slightly damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for 30-40 minutes. I always stick my dough in the microwave. Is that weird? The dough should have gotten significantly bigger during this time.

In the last 10 minutes of rising, preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.

When the dough is done, remove the cloth, and punch down the dough.

Pour out onto a prepared baking sheet – I lined mine with a silicon mat, but a greased baking sheet will be fine, too.

Hint: Don’t make the mistake I did and try to make an oval shaped focaccia as pictured. I’ve found that a rectangle works much better! Especially for these turkey bacon bravo sandwiches that are coming on the blog tomorrow 😉 Just use your hands to gently push the dough into the correct shape.

The focaccia should be about a 1/2 inch thick. Brush gently with olive salt and add a generous sprinkling of salt!

Bake for 7 and a half minutes and top with parmesan cheese.

Bake for another 7 and a half minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool!

I couldn’t believe how little time the parmesan herbed focaccia took! From start to finish, this recipe takes about an hour with little work involved! 10 minutes is waiting for the yeast to proof, 30 to let the dough rise, and another 15 to let it cook! I got in a whole episode of Grey’s Anatomy AND made fresh bread. Heck yes, I’d call that a productive hour.

This parmesan herbed focaccia is slightly chewy, as focaccia should be, but it still has a nice golden crust and sooo soft on the inside. It’s filled with garlic powder, thyme, oregano, and basil for a truly herby taste, and it’s topped with salt and parmesan cheese for an extra salty kick!

If you’re new to the whole bread baking thing, this is parmesan herbed focaccia is definitely a great way to start! It’s perfect for dipping into olive oil, a touch of pepper, and parmesan OR remember…those sandwiches that are on the blog tomorrow! Make sure you come back to check them out…you won’t be sorry!