How to Make Homemade Rosemary Focaccia: The Simple and Fragrant Recipe

Rosemary focaccia is one of the most loved baked goods in Italian cuisine. Soft, fragrant, and with its unmistakable aroma, it’s perfect as an appetizer, savory snack, or side dish. Making it at home is simple and doesn’t require professional tools — just genuine ingredients, a bit of patience, and plenty of fresh rosemary.

In this guide, you’ll discover how to make homemade rosemary focaccia with an easy recipe suitable even for beginners.

Ingredients for a 30×40 cm baking tray

• 500 g type 0 flour
• 300 ml lukewarm water
• 7 g dry brewer’s yeast (or 20 g fresh)
• 10 g fine salt
• 30 ml extra virgin olive oil (plus extra for the surface)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Fresh rosemary to taste
• Coarse salt to taste

Variant with Beer

Dissolve 10 g fresh brewer’s yeast in 300 ml room-temperature light beer, add 500 g type 0 flour, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, and 10 g salt. Knead until you get a soft, elastic dough. Cover and let rise for about 2 hours. Spread the dough in an oiled tray, make the classic dimples, and let rest for another 30 minutes. Season with oil, coarse salt, and rosemary, then bake at 220°C for 18–20 minutes.

How to Prepare the Focaccia Dough

Activate the yeast In a bowl, mix the yeast with the sugar and half of the lukewarm water. Let it rest for 10 minutes until a light foam forms.

Knead the ingredients In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Pour in the activated yeast, the remaining water, and the oil. Knead for 10 minutes until you get a smooth and elastic dough.

First rise Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cloth. Let it rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, until the volume doubles.

How to Shape and Season the Focaccia

Shape the dough Generously oil a baking tray and spread the dough with your hands (no rolling pin needed). Let it rest for another 30 minutes, covered with a cloth.

Prepare the emulsion Mix 2 tablespoons of oil with 2 tablespoons of water and brush the surface of the focaccia.

Add the rosemary Sprinkle fresh rosemary needles over the surface and add a handful of coarse salt.

Baking the Focaccia

• Bake in a static oven at 220°C for 20–25 minutes, until golden.
• Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly before cutting into squares.

Tips for Perfect Focaccia

• For a more rustic version, you can use whole wheat flour instead of type 0.
• For a taller and fluffier focaccia, let it rise a second time for 1 hour after spreading.
• Add black olives or cherry tomatoes for tasty variations.

Homemade rosemary focaccia stays soft for 1–2 days in a paper bag. You can also freeze it already cut — just warm it in the oven for a few minutes to make it fragrant again.

Making rosemary focaccia at home is simple and within everyone’s reach. Just a few ingredients, a bit of patience during rising, and the aroma of fresh rosemary will do the rest. Perfect for any occasion, it always wins everyone over with its deliciousness.