Best Focaccia Bread with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

This focaccia is so fun to make! I absolutely love the therapeutic process of dimpling the dough with my fingers, and the result is spectacular—a thin, crispy crust with an incredibly soft, cloud-like inside. The sun-dried tomatoes add incredible flavor that shines through every bite.

The dough is very wet, which might seem unusual at first, but that's exactly what gives focaccia its characteristic airy texture. I use a simple "lift and slap" technique that's super effective and requires no kneading. You can follow along with the video below to see the entire process.

Best Focaccia Bread with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Ingredients

280 ml water(1 cup + 3 tbsp)
7 g fresh yeast(2⅓ tsp, or 4g dry yeast (1¼ tsp))
350 g bread flour(2¾ cups)
8 g salt(1¼ tsp)
1½ tbsp olive oil(for the dough, plus more for greasing and drizzling)
40 g sun-dried tomatoes(⅓ cup, chopped into smaller pieces)
to taste coarse salt(for topping, optional)

Instructions

1
In a bowl, combine 280 ml water with 7 g fresh yeast (or 4 g dry yeast). Mix well until dissolved. Add 350 g bread flour and 8 g salt. Mix until there's no more dry flour visible—just mix, no need to knead. The dough will be very wet.
2
Add 1½ tbsp olive oil and mix until completely incorporated. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
Timer Available:First Rest (30:00)
3
With a wet hand (water prevents sticking), stretch the 4 sides of the dough and fold them to the center. Lift the dough and slap it back into the bowl. Rest for another 30 minutes.
Timer Available:Second Rest (30:00)
4
Chop 40 g sun-dried tomatoes into smaller pieces and add them to the dough. Repeat the stretch-and-fold technique—stretch the 4 sides and fold to the center, then lift and slap. The dough should hold together nicely. Rest for 10 minutes.
Timer Available:Short Rest (10:00)
5
Generously grease a baking pan with olive oil. Transfer the dough into the pan and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Try to spread the dough gently—the 10-minute rest makes this easier. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
Timer Available:Final Rise (30:00)
6
Drizzle with olive oil again. Now for the fun part: dimple the focaccia with your fingers, pressing all the way down. This will better distribute the bubbles. Sprinkle with a little water and coarse salt (salt is optional).
7
Bake at 440°F (230°C) for 20 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack. You'll have a thin, crispy crust with an incredibly soft inside.
Timer Available:Baking (20:00)

Tips for Success

Wet Hands: Always keep your hands wet when handling this dough to prevent sticking. The high hydration is what creates the airy texture.
Generous Olive Oil: Don't skimp on the olive oil when greasing the pan and drizzling on top. It creates that characteristic focaccia flavor and crispy edges.
Dimpling Technique: Press your fingers all the way down to the bottom of the pan when dimpling. This distributes the air bubbles evenly and creates the classic focaccia texture.

Watch the Video Tutorial

See every step in action! Follow along with the complete video guide for perfect results.

Best Focaccia Bread with Sun-Dried Tomatoes