Easy Focaccia Pizza

Get ready to elevate your pizza game with this easy Focaccia Pizza recipe starring a pillowy-soft, flavorful crust and all your favorite pizza toppings. With just 1 hour of proofing, the easy focaccia bread base will be ready to bake to golden perfection.

What’s not to love about homemade pizza? I’m taking this comfort food favorite one step further by kicking the crispy crust to the curb in favor of the ultimate homemade focaccia bread. If you love thick pizza dough, this recipe is for you!

The star of the show here really is the base of this easy, cheesy pizza. The fuss-free focaccia comes together in minutes and provides the perfect blank canvas for all of your favorite pizza toppings.

The thicker focaccia crust can handle a whole lot-o-toppings. So either keep it simple with homemade marinara sauce and tons of fresh mozzarella or pile on the pepperoni, fresh veggies and extra cheese.

Ready to spruce up your slice? Skip the thin crust in favor of thick and pillowy homemade focaccia pizza. Let’s dive into the details!

This recipe uses a similar ingredient lineup to my Parmesan black pepper focaccia recipe but with a few adjustments. For this focaccia pizza dough, we add a bit more flour and a little less liquid to make it sturdy enough to hold up well to pizza toppings.

• Warm water: The key to activating the yeast is using warm water, ideally between 105°F and 115°F. If it’s too hot, it can kill the yeast; too cold, and it won’t activate properly.
• Olive oil: Helps create that signature focaccia crust. 
• Salt: Beyond adding flavor, salt plays a crucial role in bread making. It slows yeast activity to prevent overproofing and strengthens the dough for a better texture.
• All-purpose flour: Just good ol’ all-purpose flour is all you’ll need. Bread flour works too if you prefer a chewier texture.
• Instant (rapid rise) yeast: Speeds up the proofing process, which is perfect for a quick focaccia dough. Tip: If you only have active dry yeast, dissolve it in the warm water and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until frothy before mixing with the other ingredients.
• Marinara sauce: Use your favorite store brand or make your own homemade marinara (it takes just 10 minutes!). No-cook tomato sauce would work great, too! Tip: If you have leftover sauce, freeze it in ice cube trays for easy portioning later.
• Shredded mozzarella cheese: Cheese that you grate by hand is the best for pizza. It melts better, and the flavor is richer and fresher than pre-shredded varieties. But let’s be honest, pre-shredded cheese is way more convenient, so opt for a whole milk variety.
• Your favorite pizza toppings!

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

This is the easiest focaccia dough to whip up. We’re talking an easy yeast bread that doesn’t require any kneading and is ready in under 2 hours. Yes, please! Let’s make this easy focaccia pizza:

1. Prepare the dough. 
   • Grease a 13×9-inch metal baking pan with 1.5 tablespoons olive oil.
   • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the warm water, 3 tablespoons olive oil, salt, flour and yeast. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute just until combined.
   • Scoop the batter (it will be very sticky) into the prepared pan. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 1 hour until it has puffed.

2. Bake the dough before adding your toppings. 
   • Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Poke the dough all over with your fingers then drizzle the top of it with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake the focaccia for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown then remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes still in the pan.

3. Add your toppings and bake just until the cheese is melted.
   • Transfer the focaccia bread from the pan onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Top the focaccia with the marinara sauce, cheese and pizza toppings. Return the focaccia to the oven for an additional 5 minutes until the cheese is melted. Slice and serve immediately.

To store leftovers, let your focaccia pizza cool completely. Then, place slices in an airtight container or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

To reheat pizza, you can either place it in a preheated oven at 350°F until it’s warmed through, or you can use a skillet over medium heat for a crispy crust. This is my favorite way to reheat pizza. Here’s how to do it: Make sure the pan is hot enough that water droplets sizzle when you flick them into the pan. Then, add your pizza slice and a few water droplets, and cover the pan tightly with a lid. The water will turn into steam, gently heating the toppings without drying them out. In just a minute or two, the cheese will melt, the crust will crisp up and your pizza will be as good as new.

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