This super simple focaccia is cooked in a cast iron skillet and topped with sundried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, red onion, and goat cheese. It's cooked in a cast iron skillet so that you get a super crispy crust with a soft, pillowy center.
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What is Focaccia?
Focaccia is an Italian flatbread with a light, airy texture and crispy edges! It's similar to pizza dough but much thicker. Focaccia is known for it's distinct dimpled top that can be stuffed with a variety of toppings.
It's super easy to customize by switching up the toppings for whatever you happen to be craving.
Focaccia has a simple yeasted dough that can be made the same day or left to rise overnight. I personally love letting the flavor develop in the fridge overnight, but if you're just really craving focaccia you can make it in about 3 hours total.
You might also like this homemade pizza dough or these classic dinner rolls!
Ingredient Notes
You just need a few ingredients to make this sundried tomato and olive focaccia!
Flour - Regular all purpose flour works great for focaccia! However, if you can find it I like to use bread flour to help the focaccia have the best structure and texture. If using bread flour, reduce the total amount by 3 tablespoons of flour.
Instant Yeast - The yeast is what helps the dough rise! I like using instant yeast (as opposed to active dry yeast) because you don't need to bloom it first.
Toppings - For this cast iron focaccia I did a combo of Mediterranean ingredients like sundried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, goat cheese, red onion, and oregano. But you can top your focaccia with whatever you like!
Olive Oil - You want to use good, high quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor!
Flaky sea salt - I always add flaky sea salt to the top of the sundried tomato focaccia for both flavor and looks! I love using Maldon Flaky Sea Salt because it has the best flavor and texture.
The complete list of ingredients and amounts is located in the recipe card below.
How to Make Cast Iron Focaccia
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine all of the ingredients for the dough and mix on low until fully combined.
Knead on low for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight (8-24 hours). The dough should roughly double in size.
The next day, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the bottom of a 10 inch cast iron skillet. Place the dough on top of the oil and use your hands to gently stretch the dough to the edges of the pan. Cover the dough again and let rest at room temperature for 2-4 hours or until the dough is super light and airy.
Same day option: Instead of placing the dough in the fridge overnight, let rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size. Then proceed with the remaining steps. Just limit the second rise to 30-60 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the top of the dough. Using your fingers, gently press straight down to create small dimples in the top of the focaccia dough.
Then top with the sundried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, sliced red onion, and goat cheese. Sprinkle the top with flaky sea salt if desired.
Bake at 425°F for 20-30 minutes or until the focaccia is golden brown and the edges are crisp.
Remove from the pan and let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh oregano if desired.
Recipe Notes
This recipe is designed for a 10 inch cast iron skillet but scales super easily! If you want to make focaccia for a crowd, just double the recipe and bake it in a 9x13 inch cake pan.
This cast iron sundried tomato and olive focaccia is delicious to enjoy on its own or in place of bread in any meal!
- The perfect side to pair with pasta or soup
- Slice in half and use for sandwiches
- Use as a base for flatbread pizza
- Dip in olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Recipe FAQ's
Focaccia is best eaten the same day but will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Bake at 350˚F for for 8-10 minutes or until warmed through.
Yes! Wrap tightly then place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and then reheat in the oven 350˚F for for 8-10 minutes or until warmed through.
This cast iron focaccia has a crispy chewy crust with a super soft and airy center. It's the best of both worlds!
Tips for Success!
For best results I always recommend using weight measurements (especially when baking) because it's the most accurate. Kitchen scales are super affordable and also reduce the number of dishes you have to do! However, all my recipes also include US customary measurements for convince. Use this chart to convert measurements for common ingredients!
Substitutions: In all my recipes, I've included substitutions that I know will work, but I cannot guarantee results if you substitute ingredients that I have not recommended. [For example, granulated sugar and honey are indeed both sweeteners but they have very different properties so they can not always be swapped 1:1. Using honey in a cookie recipe that calls for granulated sugar will yield a giant mess.] In the recipe card you'll find links to the specific ingredients/brands that I use.
A note on salt: I almost exclusively use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt because it's the best all-purpose salt for cooking and baking. If you're not using kosher salt, consult this handy guide for a conversion chart! When in doubt, if you're using table salt just reduce the amount by half for baked goods. When cooking, I prefer to under-salt because you can always add more! If you've over-salted, adding a little bit of acid (like lemon juice) can help.
More Recipes You Might Like!
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Recipe Card
Cast Iron Focaccia with Sundried Tomatoes & Olives
Special Equipment
Ingredients
Focaccia Dough
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cup water
- 2 teaspoons honey, substitute granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
Toppings
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup sundried tomatoes
- ¼ cup Kalamata olives
- ¼ small red onion, sliced
- 2 ounces goat cheese
- flaky sea salt
- fresh oregano
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine all of the ingredients for the dough and mix on low until fully combined.
- Knead on low for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight (8-24 hours). The dough should roughly double in size.
- The next day, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the bottom of a 10 inch cast iron skillet. Place the dough on top of the oil and use your hands to gently stretch the dough to the edges of the pan. Cover the dough again and let rest at room temperature for 2-4 hours or until the dough is super light and airy.
- Same day option: Instead of placing the dough in the fridge overnight, let rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size. Then proceed with the remaining steps. Just limit the second rise to 30-60 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the top of the dough. Using your fingers, gently press straight down to create small dimples in the top of the focaccia dough.
- Then top with the sundried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, sliced red onion, and goat cheese. Sprinkle the top with flaky sea salt if desired.
- Bake at 425°F for 20-30 minutes or until the focaccia is golden brown and the edges are crisp.
- Remove from the pan and let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh oregano if desired.
- Focaccia is best eaten the same day but will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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