Focaccia with Caramelized Onions and Roasted Red Peppers
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Homemade focaccia with caramelized onions and roasted red peppers piled high with caramelized onions roasted red peppers, black olives, and sea salt, for a toppings-loaded twist on traditional focaccia. Deeply dimpled and perfectly salty, with a moist middle and crunchy-soft edges, you can slice this traditional Italian olive oil bread for sandwiches; dip it in olive oil; add it to a bread basket; or slather with red pepper pesto for an easy appetizer,
Key Ingredients
- Flour – I test most of my bread recipes with bread flour, because it promotes gluten development, creating a more elastic dough and a chewier, airier loaf. Feel free to experiment with replacing all or part of the bread flour with all purpose flour. You can also visit this guide to flour to learn more about my favorite flour combos and brands.
- Olive Oil – Both the bread dough and the topping rely heavily on olive oil. I recommend selecting a mild, pleasant-tasting extra virgin olive oil. And since focaccia depends on olive oil for its earthy flavor and moist texture, do a taste-test before drizzling to make sure you truly enjoy the oil you’ve chosen.
- Salt – You’ll need kosher salt for the bread dough, plus flaky sea salt or coarse sea salt for the crunchy topping. Diamond Crystal is my go-to for kosher salt; for texture, I like Halen Mon and Maldon.
- Yeast – Instant yeast works the fastest. If using active dry yeast, remember to prove it in the lukewarm water before combining it with the other ingredients, and do not let it come in direct contact with the salt or it will kill the yeast.
- Olives – For the topping, I used 60 grams (about 1/2 cup) of pitted, whole black olives. Feel free to replace the black olives with kalamata olives, green olives, or any other variety you’d like. If you have some olives left over, you can make my black olive and rosemary focaccia recipe, too.
- Roasted Red Peppers – I used jarred roasted red peppers from the supermarket because they come ready to use, with no prep work beyond draining and slicing. But if you want to roast your own you definitely can. See my jalapeño and roasted red pepper bread recipe to learn how to roast red peppers in the oven.
Helpful Tips and Tricks
- Pack your patience. It will take an hour for the onions to caramelize, so be patient! Continue cooking the onions over very low heat, stirring occasionally, until they soften and turn a deep shade of golden brown. If the pan seems dry at any point, add a splash of water to keep everything moving. And once you’ve mastered the art of the caramelized onion, you can make other caramelized onion recipes, like my lattice pastry with cheese and caramelized onions.
- Caramelize the onions in advance. For a shortcut, you can caramelize the onions up to 24 hours in advance, scoop into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until you’re ready to decorate your dough.
- Dimple the dough. Before baking, press your fingers deep down into the dough to create pockets for the olive oil to gather and pool. Focaccia should be rustic, so don’t worry if loaf looks imprecise; it’s all part of the charm.
- Allow for a long rise. A long, slow rise develops the dough’s flavor and texture. As a general rule of thumb I usually allow two hours for the first rise, followed by another hour for the second rise.
- Bake on a rimmed tray. Do not use a flat tray for focaccia. As it bakes, the olive oil will drip and run, filling the oven with smoke. (Trust me on this one—I’m speaking from experience!!)
Focaccia with Caramelized Onions and Roasted Red Peppers
- Total Time0 hours
- Yield10-inch loaf 1x
Caramelized onion focaccia with roasted red peppers, black olives, olive oil, and flaky sea salt.
Ingredients
Focaccia Dough:
290 grams bread flour (2 1/4 cups)
150 milliliters lukewarm water (2/3 cup)
60 milliliters extra virgin olive oil (1/4 cup)
7 grams kosher salt (2 teaspoons)
6 grams instant yeast (2 teaspoons)
Caramelized Onions:
30 grams unsalted butter (2 tablespoons)
2 medium onions, peeled and sliced into thin rings (about 200 grams sliced onion)
Topping:
120 milliliters olive oil (1/2 cup), divided
80 grams jarred roasted red peppers, drained and sliced into strips ( 1/2 cup)
60 grams whole black olives, drained and pitted (1/2 cup; about 15-20 olives)
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
Focaccia Dough:
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, lukewarm water, olive oil, salt, and yeast. With a bench scraper, bring the ingredients together until a soft dough forms.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured countertop and knead by hand until soft and elastic, about 8-10 minutes.
Form dough into a ball and place in a well-oiled bowl. Drizzle with even more oil.
Cover with clingfilm/plastic wrap. Allow bowl to stand in a warm place, covered, for about 1 1/2 – 2 hours or until dough doubles in size. Meanwhile, caramelize the onions.
Caramelized Onions:
Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the sliced onions and cook over low heat, tossing occasionally with a spatula, until onions turn soft, sweet, and golden brown, about 1 hour. Set aside to cool.
Topping:
Line a half-sheet rimmed baking tray with parchment.
Punch dough down.
Place on prepared tray and shape into an 8-9-inch circle. Cover with clingfilm/plastic wrap, then place a kitchen towel on top.
Allow dough to prove for 45-60 minutes more, or until puffy and well-risen.
Preheat oven to 400° F (205° C).
Peel away plastic wrap. With a pastry brush, brush dough generously with olive oil. Add the whole black olives, jarred roasted red peppers, and caramelized onions, covering most of the surface. With your fingers, push the toppings down and create deep dimples in the dough. Drizzle with half of the remaining olive oil. Sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt.
Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the top and bottom of the loaf both turn lightly golden brown.
Remove from oven. Drizzle with remaining olive oil. Sprinkle with additional flaky sea salt.
Slice with a serrated knife. Serve warm or at room temperature.
This focaccia bread tastes best on the day it is made, ideally while still warm. Wrap leftovers in foil and store at room temperature for up to 1 day. Do not freeze homemade focaccia.
Other Focaccia Bread Recipes You Might Enjoy
Chocolate Cranberry Focaccia
Fig and Rosemary Focaccia
Grape Focaccia with Chili and Capers
Apple Focaccia with Cheddar and Rosemary
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
