Olive Focaccia
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Jun 15, 2025 
This tender and soft, impressive yet rustic Olive Focaccia bread with roasted garlic and olives has a rich olive oil flavor and makes a wonderful addition to any meal!
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
Flavorful, rustic, and perfectly unfussy focaccia bread is one of my favorite breads to make at home. The last time I posted a focaccia recipe, I made a lemon-herb variety and decorated the top with red onions. In this focaccia recipe I’m mixing things up with some savory roasted garlic and tangy olive “buttons!”
Focaccia Bread with Roasted Garlic and Olives is lighter and more tender than most of the focaccia recipes I’ve played with… It has a rich olive oil flavor, but texturally, it’s more like soft country bread.
I’ve loaded it up with sweet roasted garlic and pressed kalamata olives deep into the surface to add briny contrast that you are going to love, too!
Why You’ll Love Olive Focaccia
- No fancy equipment – All you need to make this impressive olive focaccia is a mixer and baking dish!
- Bold flavors – This Italian rustic bread is loaded with bold olive and garlic flavors in every bite and topped with a rich crust.
- Versatile – You can enjoy this focaccia on its own dipped in some extra virgin olive oil, as sandwich bread or as a centerpiece in your next charcuterie board.
This easy Olive Focaccia recipe is perfect to make during a relaxing weekend afternoon and enjoy with a delicious family dinner.
Ingredients and Tips
- Water – You’ll need both warm water and cold dishes of water.
- Active dry yeast – Do not use instant dry yeast.
- Honey – For that note of subtle sweetness use honey or agave.
- Roasted garlic cloves – Make some easy roasted garlic cloves and make sure they’re smashed for this recipe.
- All-purpose flour – I suggest measuring by weight versus by measuring cup for accuracy.
- Kalamata olives – Buy pitted, but go through and double-check for pit remnants.
Recipe Variations and Dietary Swaps
- Tomatoes – Add some cherry tomatoes as a topping for a juicy twist.
- Cheese – Sprinkle some crumbled feta or grated parmesan cheese onto the bread before baking.
- Herbs – Mix fresh rosemary or thyme into the dough.
- Gluten-free – Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour with xantham gum.
How To Make Olive Focaccia
To make this impressively delicious Olive Focaccia bread all you need is a handful of simple and rustic ingredients, and most importantly, patience!
Find the full Olive Focaccia recipe with detailed instructions and storage tips in the printable form at the bottom of the post!
Tips For Success
- Don’t be afraid to let your fingers puncture the dough. This will create that iconic bumpy, rustic texture of traditional focaccia bread that looks like dimples.
- If you used a 11×15 dish, it might be more like 30-35 minutes. Keep an eye on the olive focaccia, especially as it reaches about 28 minutes or so in the oven.
Storage Notes
- Storing Leftovers – Store leftover focaccia wrapped in foil or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freezing Leftovers – Wrap slices in plastic and foil and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
I love to eat this Olive Focaccia bread straight out of the oven, and dip it into some rich olive oil and balsamic.
You can also enjoy it with some antipasto and as a sandwich bread with fresh mozzarella and prosciutto or sliced chicken.
Pair it with soup and don’t forget to add it to your charcuterie spread!
Focaccia With Olives
Video
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup hot water
- 1 packet dry active yeast
- 2 teaspoon honey
- 1 1/2 cup cold water
- 3 tablespoons olive oil + extra for the bowl and pan
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 tablespoons roasted garlic smashed
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cups pitted kalamata olives
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Pour the hot water and honey into the bowl of your electric mixer. Swirl the bowl around until the honey has dissolved and the water is just lukewarm. Add one package of dry active yeast and swirl around. Allow the yeast to foam for 10 minutes or so. Then add the cold water, 3 tablespoons oil, salt, and smashed roasted garlic. Using the bread hook attachment, turn the mixer on low and slowly add the flour. “Knead” on low for about 10 minutes.
- Pull the dough away from the sides and rub the bowl down with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Remove the plastic wrap and turn the mixer back on for 30 seconds.
- Thoroughly oil a 9×13 or 11×15 rimmed baking dish. Press to dough to the edges, don’t be afraid to let your fingers puncture the dough—this will created the bumpy, rustic texture of traditional focaccia bread.
- Once the dough is spread out, poke deep cavities in the dough and place an olive in each hole. Push the olives down far, otherwise they might pop out when the dough rises. Drizzle the top with more olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Cover the dough with a clean damp towel. Allow the dough to rise again for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the top is golden-brown. (If you used a 11×15 dish, it might be more like 30-35 minutes.)
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
You can make a huge flat loaf in an 11 X 15 inch baking dish, a slightly taller than average 9 X 13 loaf, or press it out free-form on a baking sheet.
The best method is to cut individual servings from the large loaf and wrap each piece in aluminum foil. Bake in a preheated oven for about 5 minutes, until the fluffy inner crumb is warm. Alternatively, you can sprinkle a little water over slices of bread, wrap in a paper towel, and microwave in 5-second bursts until warm.
Yep! Instead of Kalamata olives you can use green olives or black olives.
Yes. You can also bake this focaccia in a cast iron skillet or in a sheet pan.
This is delicious! Really quite easy, I followed the instructions as written. Will definitely make again!
SO good
This was really good…it probably needed more flour it was sticky….first time I ever made bread form scratch….will def make again!
What a perfect-looking loaf of focaccia! I’ve yet to try making any myself; that needs to change!
P.S. Thanks for the bread link love. :)
this looks so so good ! however, no standing mixer… can i do it by hand ? ( how i do my pizza dough etc ) thanks !!
This looks delicious! My two toddler daughters are absolutely crazy about olives, so I know they’ll love this!
That looks amazing, I’ve never made focaccia, just starting to get into baking but I’d love to give this recipe a try.
Gorgeous. I’m on a bread baking stint, so I will be adding this one to the list.
Made this today! Great recipe! Thanks. It was a winner.