Garden Herb Focaccia with Roasted Garlic & Herb Oil
You're going to absolutely love this foolproof focaccia recipe! It uses a high-hydration dough that ferments overnight in the fridge (trust me, this is where the magic happens), creating the most incredible crispy-outside, pillowy-inside texture. The roasted garlic becomes sweet and buttery, and that herb oil? It's restaurant-quality delicious. Everyone who tries this asks for the recipe!
Equipment
- Digital kitchen scale highly recommended for best results
- Large mixing bowl 4+ quarts
- Medium mixing bowl for herb oil
- Metal 9x13 inch baking pan metal conducts heat better than glass
- Bench scraper or large spoon for mixing
- Clean kitchen towel
- Plastic wrap
- Small saucepan for herb oil
- Fine mesh strainer optional
- Sharp paring knife
- Aluminum foil for roasting garlic
- Small serving bowls for oil
Ingredients
High-Hydration Focaccia Dough
- 400 g 3⅓ cups bread flour (King Arthur recommended)
- 375 g 1⅝ cups lukewarm water
- 7 g 2¼ tsp instant yeast
- 10 g 2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 30 ml 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 g 1 tsp honey
Roasted Garlic
- 2 whole garlic bulbs
- 45 ml 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Pinch of sea salt
Herb Dipping Oil
- 120 ml ½ cup premium extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 15 g 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 8 g 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 8 g 1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
- 2 g ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 3 g ½ tsp sea salt
- 15 ml 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
For Finishing
- Flaky sea salt Maldon preferred
- Fresh herb sprigs for garnish
- Edible flowers optional but stunning
- Cracked black pepper
Instructions
Day 1: High-Hydration Focaccia Dough
- In your large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and yeast until evenly distributed.
- Add water, honey, and 2 tablespoons olive oil to the flour mixture.
- Using a bench scraper or large spoon, mix until you have a very shaggy, wet dough (it will look messier than traditional bread dough - this is correct!).
- Let dough rest 15 minutes to allow flour to hydrate.
- Wet your hand and grab one side of the dough. Stretch it up and fold it over to the opposite side.
- Rotate bowl 90° and repeat the folding process 3 more times (4 total folds).
- Rest 15 minutes, then repeat the entire folding sequence 3 more times (4 total sets of folds).
- Generously oil a large bowl and transfer dough to oiled bowl.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate 18-72 hours (24 hours minimum for best flavor).
Day 2: Roasted Garlic
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Cut the top ¼ inch off each garlic bulb to expose the individual cloves.
- Drizzle each bulb with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
- Wrap each bulb individually in aluminum foil, sealing tightly.
- Roast for 40-45 minutes until cloves are golden brown and soft when pressed.
- Remove from oven and let cool completely.
- Once cool, gently squeeze the roasted cloves out of their skins. Set aside.
Herb Dipping Oil
- In a small saucepan, gently warm olive oil over low heat (do not let it simmer).
- Add sliced garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
- Remove from heat immediately and stir in fresh rosemary, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt.
- Let cool completely to room temperature, then stir in fresh lemon juice.
- Strain through fine mesh if desired for smooth oil, or leave rustic with herbs. Set aside.
Final Assembly and Baking
- Remove dough from refrigerator 30 minutes before shaping to take off the chill.
- Generously oil your metal 9x13 inch baking pan with 2-3 tablespoons olive oil.
- Turn the cold dough into the oiled pan - it will be very soft and extensible.
- Gently stretch dough to fit the pan, creating dimples all over with oiled fingertips.
- If dough springs back, let rest 15 minutes and try again.
- Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let rise 45-60 minutes until puffy and jiggly.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450°F (230°C) - high heat is essential for proper crust.
- Just before baking, dimple the dough all over again with oiled fingertips, creating deep wells.
- Drizzle generously with herb oil (about 3 tablespoons), allowing it to pool in the dimples.
- Scatter roasted garlic cloves, fresh herb sprigs, and flaky salt over the surface.
- Add edible flowers if using.
- Bake 25-30 minutes until deep golden brown with crispy edges and internal temperature reaches 200°F (93°C).
- Cool in pan for 10 minutes to set the structure.
- Transfer to cutting board and drizzle with additional herb oil while still warm.
- Sprinkle with more flaky salt and cracked black pepper.
- Serve warm with remaining herb oil for dipping.
Notes
Here's my secret for perfect focaccia every time: don't be scared of how wet the dough looks initially - that's exactly what creates those gorgeous air pockets! I always make the dough on Sunday evening and bake it Tuesday for the best flavor development. The longer fermentation is totally worth the wait.
For the most Instagram-worthy presentation, I scatter those edible flowers right when it comes out of the oven while the oil is still glistening. And here's a pro tip I learned the hard way: use a metal pan, not glass - the difference in browning is dramatic! Save any leftover herb oil in the fridge; it's incredible drizzled over pasta or grilled vegetables later in the week.
Nutrition
Calories: 221kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 6gFat: 7gSodium: 520mgFiber: 1.1gSugar: 1.3g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
