If you love all things Italian and yearn for the taste of freshly baked Italian bread, you're in luck! I'm thrilled to share with you my vegan focaccia recipe. Not only is it straightforward to make, but the texture is really something special: soft and fluffy on the inside and crispy crust on the outside. And the best part is? You won't have to wait long to get your teeth into this delicious bread. I added juicy Italian San Marzano tomatoes to the traditional focaccia recipe to elevate the flavor (you can use any tomatoes you like). Sweet tomatoes go well with herbs like rosemary and basil and add a nice burst of flavor to every bite. Trust me, the smell of this focaccia alone will have your family and friends drooling and asking for more. The dough is made with simple ingredients like flour, yeast, water, and olive oil, and it is flavored with herbs like rosemary and basil. The key to making perfect focaccia is to let the dough rise for 1 1/2 hours in total. This gives the bread a nice structure and a great texture. Also, when you're shaping the dough, use your fingers to make little dimples. This will let the olive oil seep in and make a delicious crust. Once it comes out of the oven, the smell of rosemary, basil, and tomatoes will fill your kitchen, making you feel like you've been teleported right to Italy. The focaccia bread can be used to make delicious sandwiches or eaten by itself as a snack. And the best part is that traditional focaccia is originally vegan, so it's a great choice for people on a plant-based diet or anyone looking for a delicious meal. So, roll up your sleeves, and let's start making this delicious vegan focaccia bread. What Makes This Focaccia so Good Focaccia is a traditional Italian bread that is great for people who are just starting out in baking and want to learn more. This recipe is meant to be simple and easy, with little time needed for proofing. In fact, the dough only needs to rise twice, each time for 45 minutes, just like in Gennaro Contaldo's version. In comparison to many other bread recipes, you don't need any special tools or tricky shaping techniques to make focaccia. To make the signature dimples in the dough, you only need a 9x13-inch baking pan and your fingers. Focaccia is traditionally made with high-quality extra virgin olive oil. This is one reason why it tastes so good. This gives the bread a subtle, irresistible flavor that you can eat on its own or with your favorite toppings. Once it's cooked to a perfect golden brown, this soft, pillowy bread is great as a snack, a side dish, or even as a base for sandwiches. Vegan Focaccia Recipe Made with fresh basil, juicy San Marzano tomatoes, and aromatic rosemary, this dish is a flavor explosion just waiting to occur. And the best part is? It's all plant-based! So, whether you're a pro at vegan cooking or just want to try something new, this recipe is sure to be a hit. So, heat up your oven, and let's start baking because this focaccia is about to jazz up your world! Ingredients For vegan focaccia dough preparation, Warm water 1 ½ cups Maple syrup 1 tsp (for yeast activation) Instant yeast 7g 4 cups of flour mix (2 cups bread flour and 2 cups cake flour) (You can also use All-purpose flour) (500g) 2 tsp of Salt 2 Tbsp of Extra virgin olive oil For focaccia topping, ¼ cup of water combined with 1 tsp of salt 2 Tbsp of Extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 Tbsp after the focaccia is baked ½ tsp of flaky sea salt Rosemary, to your liking Basil, to your liking San Marzano tomatoes or other variety you prefer Instructions Start by heating the water to 98 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the perfect temperature for the yeast to activate. Mix the warm water with the maple syrup (or agave syrup) or cane sugar in a bowl. Then, add 1 package of instant yeast to the mixture and combine. Let it sit for a few minutes or until a foamy layer forms on top. This means that the yeast is working and ready to be used. Combine two flours and add salt and olive oil. Then add the yeast mixture and stir until a sticky ball of dough is formed. The dough should be too hard to handle with a spoon or spatula, and that's when you need to move on to kneading. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes on a floured surface. This helps the gluten in the flour grow, which is what gives focaccia its unique texture. Make a ball of the dough and wrap it in plastic wrap. Let it sit and rise at room temperature for 45 minutes. When the dough is done, it should have puffed up and grown twice as big. Make the water and oil toppings while the dough is rising. Mix the salt and water in one bowl. Add olive oil to a separate bowl. After 45 minutes, place the dough in a baking pan that has been greased and dusted with flour, and press it out to fit the pan. Then, pour the mixture of water and oil over the dough, cover it with a towel soaked in warm water and let it sit for 45 more minutes. Make dimples in the dough by pressing deep with your fingers. This will let the oil and water soak into the dough and give focaccia its unique texture. Add basil first by inserting it deep into the dough with sliced tomatoes on top of the basil and spread rosemary evenly. Sprinkle some flaky sea salt. Turn the oven to 400°F and bake the dough for 20-25 minutes. The crust of the focaccia should be golden brown and crunchy. Wait 10 minutes before cutting and serving the focaccia. Enjoy delicious and authentic focaccia bread with basil, tomato, and rosemary. Video Recipe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYvK5oeJCj0&ab_channel=Veganiac Don't keep this delicious focaccia all to yourself! Share the love by pinning the image below on your Pinterest board so that all your friends can see it. They will always be grateful to you, and they might even end up owing you a slice or two! :)   Tips For the best results, it's important to weigh all of the ingredients when making dough. You can use measuring cups instead of a kitchen scale if you don't have one. Before adding the 4 cups of flour, make sure to scrape off any extra flour and put it in a cup. Mix water, olive oil, and salt to make a simple and tasty topping for your bread. Dip your hands in cold water before you work with the dough so that it doesn't stick to them. Be careful not to tear the gluten strands when you stretch and fold them. This will make sure that the texture of the final product is good. Cover the dough with a wet, warm towel and set it aside for 45 minutes. This will give the dough a chance to relax, making it easier to stretch without ripping. It's important to take the focaccia bread out of the pan as soon as it's done. This will keep the bottom of the bread from getting steamy and losing its crisp crust.   FAQs How to store focaccia bread? You can store the leftover slices of focaccia in plastic wrap for up to days. You can also freeze your bread for about 1 month. How to defrost focaccia bread? If your bread is frozen, thaw it first. Then drizzle some drops of water on the bread. Bake it for about 7 to 8 minutes at 375 degrees Celsius. The sooner you freeze your bread after baking, the fresh it will be after defrosting. How to store the focaccia bread dough in the refrigerator? The dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. For this, you must make the dough into a ball shape and cover it with plastic wrap. Then place the dough in the refrigerator. Take out 30 to 60 minutes before use, let it rest, shape it and use it to make perfect focaccia.   Nutrition Serving: 12g Calories: 220kcal Carbohydrates: 35g Sugar: 6g Fiber: 1g Protein: 4g Fat: 8g Saturated Fat: 1g Sodium: 209mg Potassium: 108mg Conclusion The vegan focaccia recipe is easy to make. All you have to do is follow all the directions vigilantly. Make sure to accurately weigh all the ingredients because the accurate measurement is key to baking the best vegan focaccia bread. Like, comment, and share with others!