Get ready to find a new Italian love with this Caprese Focaccia Bread. Topped with fresh tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and fresh basil leaves, this homemade bread is the perfect appetizer for kicking off any meal.
This is my favorite type of flatbread to make because it has all the flavors of a caprese salad, but on basic focaccia dough. Adding the fresh ingredients really enhances the flavor of traditional focaccia bread, and quickly made it one of my Italian favorites to whip up.
I've found that this is a great addition to an easy dinner recipe, or a fun way to introduce Italian food to family and friends. And yes, this Italian oven-baked bread can even be turned into a caprese sandwich recipe by slicing and adding meat or other ingredients between the pieces!
For more bread recipes, check out this Air Fryer Corn Bread and this Oat Bread Recipe. Such great flavors!
Ingredients
- Warm water - This is used to activate the yeast so that the dough will rise.
- Flour - The basis for the bread dough.
- Yeast - Needed to make the bread light and fluffy.
- Kosher salt - For flavor.
- Black pepper - For flavor.
- Dried basil - A delicious seasoning.
- Olive oil - To keep the bread from drying out.
- Ripe tomatoes - Cut them into small pieces to go on top of the bread.
- Fresh mozzarella - Fresh is key. I cube them for this recipe.
- Fresh basil - Chop this up into small bits.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Caprese Focaccia
Step One: Mix all the dough ingredients in a large mixing bowl using a wooden spoon or dough whisk.
Step Two: Don't knead, just mix until the dough forms and looks shaggy in texture. I use a wooden spoon.
Step Three: If needed, use your hands to incorporate the flour. Once it is all incorporated you can stop mixing.
Step Four: Cover the bowl with a clean towel. Let the dough rise for 2 hours. It should double in size.
Step Five: Press the dough into an oiled 9X13 pan. Let the dough rise in the pan for 45 minutes.Â
Step Six: Drizzle with the remaining oil.
Step Seven: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle the rest of the olive oil on top of the dough. Add the cheese, tomatoes, and basil. Using your fingers, make indents in the dough and then sprinkle the top with salt.Â
Step Eight: Put the dish in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Let the bread cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.Â
Top Tip
You can also drizzle balsamic glaze as a topping of the focaccia caprese bread - totally up to you. Some people also perfect pesto sauce or herbed oil for this baked focaccia.
Substitutions
- Tomatoes - Chopped tomatoes, halved cherry tomatoes, or halved grape tomatoes all work. If you don't want to use fresh tomatoes, you can use sundried tomatoes instead. I recommend using the ones packed in oil.
Variations
- Mozzarella slices - Fresh mozzarella cheese is a must for this recipe, but you can easily cube it or add slices of mozzarella, or both. I cut slices of mozzarella into small cubes.
- Homemade pesto - Adding a layer or dollops of pesto to this Italian bread adds great flavor.
- Italian flag - If you're feeling creative, you can make this bread look like the Italian flag by adding the food in a pattern to look like the colors!
See this Rosemary Parmesan Bread for another fresh and delicious bread recipe.
Equipment
To make the dough, you'll need to have a lightly oiled bowl, a wooden spoon or whisk, a clean towel to cover the greased bowl, and a 9X13 pan.Â
Storage
If you're lucky enough to have leftovers of this bread, store it in an airtight container or cover it with plastic wrap to keep it fresh. You can store it at room temperature or in the fridge.
This baked bread can also be frozen to save for later.
Common Questions
All you have to do is slice the bread thin and halve it, and then fill it with fresh flavors and ingredients. You can add meat, more cheese, fresh seasonings, and enjoy!Â
The easiest way is to just use your fingers. You can also use the end of a wooden spoon to make the dents. Just be sure that you don't push the handle all the way through the dough, just hard enough to make the indentation.Â
Related
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📖 Recipe
Caprese Focaccia
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 â…“ cups warm water
- 3.25 cups flour
- ½ tablespoon yeast
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 1 oz olive oil
Toppings
- ½ cup tomatoes chopped
- ½ cup fresh mozzarella cubed
- 2 tablespoon fresh basil packed, chopped
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt
Instructions
- Mix the dough ingredients in a large bowl with a dough whisk or wooden spoon. Do not knead. Just mix until a shaggy dough forms. Use your hands to incorporate the last of the flour, if needed.
- Cover the bowl and let rise for 2 hours.
- Press the dough into an oiled 9x13 pan.
- Let rise for 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400.
- Drizzle the remaining olive oil on top of the dough.
- Sprinkle the tomatoes, cheese, and basil on top of the dough.
- Make indents with your fingers. Sprinkle with salt.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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