One Hour Focaccia Bread Pizza
Elevate your next pizza night with this quick Focaccia Bread Pizza! The homemade focaccia crust is soft and fluffy on the inside, crispy around the edges, and is easily customized with your favorite toppings!
It doesn’t get better than pizza night, does it? Typically we order out or I make flatbread pizza because it’s quick and easy, but this quick focaccia bread pizza is my new secret weapon.
This recipe originally included store-bought focaccia bread, which is totally acceptable, but homemade is always best.
I decided to utilize my trusty one-hour focaccia bread recipe as the base for this Focaccia Bread Pizza, because it’s gotten rave reviews and is so easy to make.
The focaccia pizza dough bakes up super soft and fluffy on the inside, but gets nice and crispy around the edges.
You can top your pizza with any sauce, cheese, and toppings you like, so feel free to get creative! 🙂
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Focaccia bread pizza is soft and fluffy in the middle, with golden brown, crispy edges.
- This recipe is the fastest, easiest way to make homemade pizza. It’s ready in one hour from start to finish!
- It’s easy to customize with your favorite sauces, cheese(s), and toppings.
Recipe ingredients
The focaccia bread ingredients are simple pantry staples, and the toppings may be swapped out with your favorite sauce, cheese(s), and toppings as outlined in the ingredient notes below.
- All purpose flour. Make this recipe whole grain by substituting the all purpose flour with whole wheat white flour, or use half whole wheat flour and half all purpose flour.
- Yeast. Use fresh, fast acting instant yeast for this recipe, which comes in handy 1/4 ounce packets (2 1/4 teaspoons).
- Marinara sauce. I used my homemade marinara sauce, but you may use your favorite store bought marinara or pizza sauce. Pesto sauce or white sauce may also be substituted!
- Cheese. I used a combination of fresh mozzarella and parmesan cheese, which are easily substituted with your favorite cheeses.
- Pepperoni. Substitute the pepperoni with sausage, chicken, salami, or bacon. Or, make it vegetarian with your favorite veggies!
- Basil. The fresh basil is completely optional, but it adds a nice fresh flavor and color to the pizza.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to make pizza with focaccia bread
There are a few steps involved in this focaccia pizza recipe, but they’re quick and easy to follow using the handy step by step photos and instructions below.
Pro tip: I highly recommend using a cast iron skillet as it gets hotter and results in crispy, golden brown edges. A 9″ cake pan, oven proof skillet, or 8×8″ baking dish will work if you don’t own a cast iron skillet.
See the recipe card below for full instructions.
- Bloom the yeast. Combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
- Make the dough. Working with the paddle attachment, turn the mixer to low and add 1 cup of the flour and all the salt. Mix just until combined, then add the olive oil and optional rosemary.
- Add the rest of the flour. Gradually add 1/2 cup of the remaining flour, then add just enough of the remaining 1/4 cup until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Prep your work surface. Lightly dust your work surface with flour. Transfer the dough to the floured surface and sprinkle with more flour.
- Let the dough rise. Shape the dough into a flat disk and place in a greased cast iron skillet. Cover with a clean towel. TURN OFF THE OVEN and place the skillet in the oven for 20 minutes to rise.
- Preheat the oven. Remove the skillet from the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Brush the focaccia dough with olive oil. You should have about 2 tablespoons of oil left.
- Par bake the focaccia. It needs just 10 minutes in the oven to lightly brown the top.
- Add your favorite pizza toppings. Add the marinara sauce, followed by the parmesan blend, sliced mozzarella, and pepperoni.
- Bake. You’ll know the focaccia bread pizza is done when it’s crisp on the edges.
Recipe FAQs
If the focaccia dough did not rise, the culprit is the yeast or the temperature of the water.
Fresh yeast will foam as it blooms in the lukewarm water and sugar. If the temperature of the water is too cold, it will not activate the yeast, and if it’s too hot, it will kill the yeast.
Marinara, pizza and pesto sauce are all great options for focaccia pizza.
Top the sauce with grated or fresh mozzarella, parmesan cheese and your choice of toppings such as pepperoni, sausage, salami, veggies or torn basil!
You’re looking for the edges of the focaccia to be crispy and golden brown. I suggest using an offset spatula or butter knife to lift the edge away from the pan to check for doneness.
Serving suggestions
This focaccia pizza recipe may be served as a side dish or main dish.
- Top simply with marinara sauce and mozzarella and serve as a side with spatchcock chicken, ricotta stuffed shells or white bean and kale soup.
- Serve as a main dish with fresh salads like spinach apple salad, massaged kale salad or butter lettuce salad.
- Pair your focaccia pizza with simple sides like air fryer broccoli, roasted asparagus, or sauteed swiss chard.
Recipe notes
- This focaccia pizza recipe may be customized using your favorite sauces, cheese and toppings such as pesto sauce, white sauce, sausage, salami, veggies and more!
- I used a 9″ cast iron skillet, but a larger one may be used as well. Just check for doneness sooner as the dough will not be as thick.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3 days.
More easy bread recipes you’ll love
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
One Hour Focaccia Bread Pizza
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup warm water heat in the microwave for 10 seconds and stir — it should be lukewarm to the touch
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast 1 packet
- 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour divided, plus more for sprinkling the dough
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon if using table salt
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary or other herbs, optional
- 4 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 5 tablespoons marinara sauce or store bought pizza sauce
- 6 tablespoons shredded parmesan or your favorite grated cheese, divided
- 5 ounces fresh mozzarella sliced
- 12 slices pepperoni
- 1/3 cup fresh basil torn
Instructions
- Place the warm water and sugar in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and stir well to combine. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and stir just a bit. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.3/4 cup warm water, 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar, 2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
- Turn the mixer on low speed, and add 1 cup of the flour and the salt and mix just until combined. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the rosemary, if using, and mix until incorporated.1 3/4 cup all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, 4 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- With the mixer on low, gradually add 1/2 cup of the remaining flour, then add just enough of the remaining 1/4 cup until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl (you may not need it all).
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Grease a cast iron skillet or 8 – 9" cake pan with 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil. Lightly flour a surface with flour. Remove the dough and place onto the floured surface and sprinkle the top lightly with flour.
- Gently shape the dough into a flat disk and place in the prepared skillet, then press the dough evenly in the bottom of the skillet and 1" up the sides. If the dough keeps shrinking back, allow it to rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten. Cover with a clean towel. TURN OFF THE OVEN and place the skillet in the oven for 20 minutes to rise.
- Remove the skillet from the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Remove the towel and brush the top of the bread with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.
- Par bake the focaccia the bread for 10 until the top is lightly browned.
- Brush the focaccia with the marinara sauce, followed by 1/4 cup of the parmesan blend, then top with sliced mozzarella and pepperoni. Bake for 7-10 minutes until the bread is crisp on the edges (use an offset spatula or butter knife to lift the edge away from the pan to check for doneness).5 tablespoons marinara sauce, 6 tablespoons shredded parmesan, 5 ounces fresh mozzarella, 12 slices pepperoni
- Remove from heat and top with remaining 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese blend and torn basil. Slice, serve and enjoy!1/3 cup fresh basil
Notes
- Pro tip: I highly recommend using a cast iron skillet as it gets hotter and results in crispy, golden brown edges. A 9″ cake pan, oven proof skillet or 8×8″ baking dish will work if you don’t own a skillet.
- Focaccia pizza may be customized using your favorite sauces, cheese and toppings such as pesto sauce, white sauce, sausage, salami, veggies and more!
- I used a 9″ cast iron skillet, but a larger one may be used as well. Just check for doneness sooner as the dough will not be as thick.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
**This recipe was originally published in March 2013. The recipe has been modified and the photos have been updated.
10 Comments on “One Hour Focaccia Bread Pizza”
This is genius! This pizza looks sooo good Marcie! That cheesy topping with the fluffy dough! YUM! Pass me a slice!
Thanks Katherine! My family devoured it — I barely got any. 😂
So glad I found this! I am making it tonight!
See you soon, I hope!
Candy
I used to make this recipe all the time and need to do it again! I hope you love it and hope to see you soon as well!
Mmm, I love this, I am pretty sure this will be going on the menu this week. Delicious idea!
I hope you enjoy it! It’s one of my favorite things to crank out fast!
I would have never thought to use focaccia as a base for pizza! I love this idea! And those fresh veggies sound like a perfect topping. I have a feeling we’re going to have to try this very soon…
It truly is one of my favorite things, and with all the great spring veggies, even better!
Pizza on focaccia bread sounds SUPER tasty. Especially with pesto, great combination.
Thank you, Kelly. For me, pesto with veggies is the only way to go on this pizza!