Rosemary Garlic Focaccia (Rustic Italian Bread Loaf)

This Rosemary Garlic Focaccia is a soft, golden Italian pan bread baked in a casserole dish. Infused with olive oil, garlic, and rosemary, it’s light, flavorful, and perfect for serving with soups, salads, or your favorite Italian meal.

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The Perfect Italian Loaf

In Aunt Rosa’s kitchen, the scent of freshly baked bread is as common as the sound of laughter. Every Sunday afternoon, she slides a golden pan of focaccia from the oven — warm, crisp around the edges, and glistening with olive oil.

Sprigs of rosemary peek through the dimples like tiny green jewels, and roasted garlic perfum the whole house. Can you smell it from here? (Really, is anything as lovely as the scent of rosemary?)

Today, we’re baking her Rosemary Garlic Focaccia, a simple Italian flatbread that tastes like it came straight from the heart of the old country. It’s soft inside, crisp outside, and finished with fragrant olive oil, salt, and rosemary — the very definition of comfort.

My Focaccia Journey

If you follow me on my Out of the Box Baking site, you know that I’m relatively new to bread-making. Cookies? Cakes? Cupcakes? Scones? I’ve baked those for years. But bread has been more of an elusive dream.

Kind of like writing those Bella-themed books. Something I wasn’t sure I could do.

Only, now I’ve discovered lots of great bread recipes that make it easy. And this is one of my all-time favorites, not just because of the lovely Rosemary addition.

I feel sure you’ll love this delicious bread, too. (If you do, please let me know in the comments.)

What are we waiting for? Let’s join Aunt Rosa in the kitchen and bake some Rosemary Garlic Focaccia!

No sourdough starter? No problem!

This recipe calls for sourdough starter. If you don’t have any, don’t fret! This focaccia can also be made using traditional yeast. Just skip the starter and follow the classic version below — it’s every bit as golden, fluffy, and delicious.

At a Glance

Skill Level: Intermediate
Flavor Profile: Savory, herby, and delightfully aromatic
Options Included: Add roasted tomatoes, olives, or caramelized onions
Best For: Side dish, sandwich bread, or dipping in olive oil

Rosemary Garlic Focaccia Ingredients

You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here’s a peek at what you’re going to need to make this loaf. These are simple ingredients you might already have on hand in your kitchen.

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For the Dough:

• 240 grams active sourdough starter or discard (about 1 cup)
• 390 grams warm water (about 1½ cups plus 2 tbsp)
• 1 packet (2¼ tsp) instant yeast
• 550 grams bread flour (about 4 cups)
• 1½ teaspoons salt

For the Topping:

• ¼ cup high-quality olive oil (plus extra for brushing)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1½ teaspoons dried rosemary (or 1 tablespoon fresh, chopped)
• 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Instructions

Wondering how you’re going to make this bread? It’s so easy! Here’s how you’re going to do it:

Combine wet ingredients:
In a large bowl, mix warm water, sourdough starter (or discard), and yeast. Let it rest for about 5 minutes, until the mixture begins to bubble slightly.

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Form the dough:
Add flour and salt. Stir until combined — the dough will look shaggy and loose. Cover and let rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes.

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Stretch and fold:
Over the next hour, perform three rounds of stretch and folds, 15–20 minutes apart. This builds structure and airiness.

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Prepare the pan:
Line a casserole dish with parchment paper and drizzle with olive oil. Place the dough on the sheet, drizzle another tablespoon of oil on top, and gently stretch the dough toward the edges. It may pull back — that’s okay. Cover and let rise for another hour.

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Preheat oven:
Set to 425°F (220°C).

Infuse your olive oil:
While the dough rises, combine olive oil, garlic, and rosemary in a small pan. Warm gently for 1–2 minutes to bloom the flavors (don’t brown the garlic).

Dimple and season:
Once risen, use your fingertips to press dimples all over the surface.

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Brush generously with the rosemary-garlic oil, letting it pool in the dimples. Sprinkle with flaky salt.

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Bake:
Bake 25 – 30 minutes until golden brown and crisp at the edges.

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Finish:
Brush with a little more olive oil if desired, then cool slightly before slicing into squares.

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How to Serve

Serve warm with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. It’s the perfect side for soups (like Rosa’s famous Chicken & Gnocchi), pastas (especially the ones that call for Rosa’s Sunday Gravy), or even her famous Rosemary potatoes, which is what I made on the day I baked this loaf. You can also slice it horizontally for sandwiches or use it as a dipping bread for balsamic vinegar and oil. Trust me when I say this is going to be your go-to from now on.

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No-Sourdough Version: Classic Italian Focaccia

I promise an alternate plan for those of you who don’t happen to have sourdough starter on hand. You can simply replace it with a traditional yeast dough base. Here’s the adjusted formula:

Ingredients (No-Starter Version)

• 1¾ cups warm water (about 100°F)
• 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
• 1 tablespoon sugar or honey (to help activate the yeast)
• 4 cups bread flour (or all-purpose if that’s what they have)
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• ¼ cup olive oil (plus extra for brushing)

Topping (same as before):

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1½ teaspoons dried rosemary (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
• 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Instructions for Yeast-Only Version

1. Activate yeast:
   In a large bowl, combine warm water, sugar (or honey), and yeast. Let sit for 5–10 minutes, until bubbly.
2. Mix dough:
   Add flour, salt, and olive oil. Stir until combined. The dough should be slightly sticky.
3. First rise:
   Cover and rest in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
4. Shape and second rise:
   Transfer to an oiled baking sheet, stretch gently toward the edges, cover, and let rise again for 30–45 minutes.
5. Dimple and top:
   Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine olive oil, garlic, and rosemary. Dimple the dough with your fingertips, brush with the infused oil, and sprinkle with sea salt.
6. Bake:
   Bake 20–25 minutes until golden and crisp. Cool slightly before slicing.

How to Store

Keep leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 4. Reheat briefly in the oven to restore that crisp crust.

Variations

• Focaccia alle Olive: Add sliced black or green olives before baking.
• Focaccia ai Pomodorini: Press halved cherry tomatoes into the dough before dimpling.
• Cheesy Focaccia: Sprinkle Parmesan or mozzarella over the top before baking.

A Note from the Storybook Kitchen

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There’s a reason Italian grandmothers and aunties have been baking focaccia for centuries — it’s the bread that brings everyone to the table. With each golden dimple and every glistening drop of olive oil, you can taste the love that goes into it.

Serve it warm, pass it around, and let your kitchen smell like an Italian Sunday afternoon.

Thanks for stopping by! If you bake this Focaccia and love it (as I do) please leave a review! And before you go, why not save some pins to your Pinterest boards?

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About the Baker

Janice Thompson is at home behind the computer or in the kitchen, baking up breads and sweet treats! She enjoys spending time with you, her readers and fellow bakers, and welcomes you to visit Storybook Kitchen often!