Easy Vegan Focaccia Bread

There is nothing better than fresh bread. This easy Vegan Focaccia bread recipe is so easy, anyone can make it, and it doesn’t take days and days of resting and kneading. Mix the ingredients in the morning, and you’ll have fresh bread by dinner time with super minimal effort.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Super easy – Seriously, all you have to do is mix this dough and wait. The rest is focaccia magic.
• Light & fluffy – This focaccia bread is light and fluffy without lacking any of that delicious classic flavor.
• Make it your own – You can easily add fresh or dried herbs, vegetables, or cheeses to this bread. Get creative!

Ingredients

• Flour – I use all-purpose flour, but you could use whole wheat as well. I have not tried this recipe with gluten-free flour, but I suspect gluten-free bread flour may work.
• Water – The water temperature is very important here. It needs to be WARM, but not hot, to activate the yeast. Too cold will not activate it, and too hot will kill it. The water should be warm the the touch, but comfortable enough that you can hold your hand under the heat easily.
• Yeast – Instant or active dry yeast works best in this recipe.
• Sugar – A touch of sugar helps to feed the yeast during these shorter resting times.
• Salt – For flavor in the dough and as a garnish to finish it off.
• Olive oil – A high-quality extra virgin olive oil really makes a difference here.

How to Make Easy Vegan Focaccia Bread

Mix the Dough

In a large mixing bowl, add the warm water, sugar, salt, and yeast and mix briefly. Next, add the flour and olive oil and mix until the dough is stretchy but shaggy. This will be a bit of a dryer dough.

First Rise

Cover the bowl in plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and set it in a warm area of your home for 4 hours. The dough should be set in an area of your home without a draft, that is at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

After 4 hours, the dough will have nearly doubled in size and will look slightly bubbly (shown below).

Transfer it to a well-oiled 9 x 13-inch baking dish and stretch it to reach the sides if necessary.

Second Rise

Once in the 9 x 13-inch baking dish (Step 1 below), cover the dough with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Do not let the towel rest on top of the dough, it will stick.

Let rest another 40-45 minutes. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit at this time.

Once it has rested (Step 2), coat the top of the dough generously in olive oil (Step 3) and use your fingers to make deep dimples all over the bread (Step 4).

Time to Bake

Place the dough in a preheated oven (450 F) and bake for 20-25 minutes or until it is golden brown.

Remove from the oven, lightly spray with olive oil, and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.

Slice, serve, and enjoy!

How to Store Easy Vegan Focaccia Bread

• Room Temp: This bread will last 3-5 days at room temp in an air-tight container. Make sure the bread is fully cooled before storing it to prevent mold. When stored in a reusable linen bread bag, it may store for up to 7 days.
• Freezer: Freeze this bread in slices in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or air fryer for a crispier finish.

More Tips for Making Easy Vegan Focaccia Bread

• Not vegan? Instead of the final coat of olive oil, lightly brush butter on the bread before sprinkling the salt. Add crumbled feta or sliced mozzarella to the top of the dough before baking.
• Want more flavor? Add fresh or dried herbs right into the dough before mixing, or press into the top of the dough before baking.
• Gluten-free? I have not tried this dough with gluten-free flour, but I suspect it would work with gluten-free bread flour.

Looking for more delicious vegan bread recipes? Try this Easy No-Knead Bread or Apple Cinnamon Bread.