Focaccia Pizza Recipe

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/5/23
Tested by Tara Omidvar
Focaccia Pizza slices on a parchment paper lined cutting board

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Rest/Proof Time: 95 mins
Total: 2 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Yield: 1 pizza

This focaccia pizza is the perfect combination of Italian focaccia bread and toppings, and it takes just minutes to throw together. All you need is about 1 1/2 hours to let the dough rest and proof. There's minimal kneading required to develop the gluten, and the process is incredibly easy when using a stand mixer.

We've included some simple, great-tasting toppings, but feel free to create your pizza with your favorites. Add pepperoni or ground meat to your pizza, or add sliced olives and thinly sliced vegetables. The possibilities are endless, but you should plan on no more than 4 toppings in addition to the sauce and cheese. With a good balance of toppings, your focaccia pizza is hearty enough for dinner.

"If you're a big fan of pizza and focaccia like me, this recipe is for you. The dough is perfect, soft inside and crunchy outside. Toppings are basic, yet flavorful. You can definitely add any other desired toppings to this focaccia. I served mine with some homemade pesto sauce, which I totally recommend!" —Tara Omidvar

Focaccia Pizza Recipe/tester image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Focaccia:

  • 1 cup warm water

  • 1 teaspoon honey

  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast

  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided

  • 1 teaspoon fine salt

  • 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided

For the Toppings:

  • 3/4 cup homemade or store-bought pizza sauce, or to taste

  • 6 to 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced or ciliegine

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste, optional

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil, for drizzling

  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

  • 24 small basil leaves, or several large leaves cut into thin ribbons

Steps to Make It

Make the Dough

  1. Gather the focaccia dough ingredients.

    Focaccia Pizza dough ingredients in bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the warm water, honey, and yeast until combined; let stand for 5 minutes. Alternatively, use a large bowl and mix by hand.

    Warm water, honey, and yeast in a stand mixer

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. Add 2 1/4 cups of the flour, salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil—mix to create a shaggy dough, scraping down the bowl occasionally. 

    Dough in a stand mixer

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. Switch to the dough hook; add enough of the remaining 1/2 cup flour to make a sticky dough, mixing on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, or knead with hands on a lightly floured surface. The dough should be sticky, so try to avoid adding too much flour.

    Dough in a stand mixer

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. Grease a large bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl, covered, and let it rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

    Dough in a bowl, covered with plastic wrap

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  6. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil to a rimmed 10 x 15-inch, or 9 x 13-inch sheet pan. 

    Oil in a baking sheet

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  7. Place the dough in the pan and let it rest for 15 minutes—this will relax the dough, making it easier to stretch and form to the pan. 

    Dough in an oiled baking sheet

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  8. Gently stretch the dough to fit in the pan. Cover it loosely and let it rise for 20 minutes longer. Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 450 F.

    Dough in a baking sheet

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Bake the Pizza

  1. Gather the toppings and the risen dough.

    Focaccia Pizza ingredients

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. Dimple the dough all over with fingertips, transfer to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.

    Baked Focaccia dough in a baking sheet

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. Remove the par-baked focaccia from the oven. Evenly spread the focaccia with pizza sauce to taste. Top evenly with sliced mozzarella cheese, freshly ground black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes, if using.

    Focaccia with sauce and cheese on top, in a baking sheet

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. Return the focaccia to the oven and bake until the cheese melts and the crust is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes longer.

    Focaccia pizza in a baking sheet

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. Remove the pizza to a rack. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons of olive oil.

    Focaccia Pizza on a cooling rack

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  6. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and scatter the fresh basil evenly over the pizza. Slice and serve immediately.

    Focaccia Pizza slices on a parchment paper lined cutting board

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Tips

  • You can make this focaccia dough 1 day in advance and refrigerate it until you're ready to bake. After mixing and kneading, put the dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it. After 1 hour, punch it down. Re-cover the bowl and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Let the dough come to room temperature and proceed with the recipe.
  • If you have leftover pizza sauce, freeze it in a freezer container—use it to make another pizza, as a dip, or use it to flavor soups, meatloaf, burgers, and other recipes.

Recipe Variations

Use your favorite combination of toppings, but try to keep the number of toppings—not including the sauce and cheese—down to no more than 4. Too many toppings make a pizza heavy and take longer to bake. Here are some popular combinations:

  • Pepperoni, peppers, mushrooms, and sliced olives.
  • Hawaiian style: pineapple and ham.
  • Sausage and spinach or kale.
  • Artichoke, mushrooms, and olives.
  • Ground beef, bell peppers, and red onions.
  • Four cheese: mozzarella, provolone, Parmesan, and blue cheese or gorgonzola.
  • A white pizza using alfredo sauce in place of the pizza sauce, topped with cheese of your choice and marinated artichokes.





How to Store Focaccia Pizza

  • Refrigerate leftover cooled focaccia pizza in a covered container or wrapped in foil and eat within 2 days.
  • To freeze focaccia pizza, wrap slices in plastic wrap and then foil and freeze for up to 2 months.
  • To reheat the pizza, place a foil-lined baking pan in the oven and preheat to 375. Place the leftover pizza in the hot cast iron pan and cook for about 10 minutes, or until hot. Add a few minutes if the pizza is frozen.

Is focaccia a type of pizza?

Focaccia is similar to pizza in that it is a yeasted dough with toppings. Pizza dough is typically made with yeast, water, and flour, while focaccia dough includes olive oil. Pizza is made with less yeast, resulting in a flatter, more flexible crust. More yeast in focaccia dough makes for a thicker bread.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
498 Calories
26g Fat
49g Carbs
17g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 498
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 26g 33%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Cholesterol 33mg 11%
Sodium 778mg 34%
Total Carbohydrate 49g 18%
Dietary Fiber 3g 9%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 17g
Vitamin C 4mg 20%
Calcium 258mg 20%
Iron 3mg 18%
Potassium 230mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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