This Black Pepper Focaccia is destined to become a household favorite. Focaccia is straightforward to make — it requires minimal hands-on time but a bit of patience for rising. Freshly cracked black pepper gives the bread a lively, savory kick. Enjoy it plain, serve it with appetizers, or slice it for sandwiches.
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Why you’ll love this recipe
- This easy recipe takes only about 20 minutes of active prep; the rest is rise and bake time.
- Focaccia is forgiving and ideal for beginners or kids — it’s a great bread to practice with.
- This light, crusty Black Pepper Focaccia is wonderful on its own as a snack, appetizer, or sandwich bread.
- It freezes well, so you can bake a batch and save portions for later.
Ingredients
Simple, quality ingredients make this focaccia shine.
- Freshly ground black pepper: Use a coarse grind if you like visible peppercorn pieces in the bread.
- Olive oil: Focaccia uses a generous amount — choose a flavorful extra-virgin olive oil you enjoy.
- Flaky sea salt: For finishing the top of the focaccia to add texture and bright flavor.
See the recipe card below for exact quantities and full instructions.
Substitutions & Variations
This focaccia is easy to customize. A few ideas:
- Rosemary or other herbs: Tuck fresh rosemary, thyme, or sage into the dough when you dimple it for an aromatic twist.
- Cherry tomatoes: Halve and press them into the dough before baking for a bright, juicy topping.
- Pesto: Dollop or drizzle fresh pesto over the dough while dimpling to make a pesto focaccia.
How to Make Black Pepper Focaccia
Focaccia is very forgiving — give the dough room and time to rise and you’ll be rewarded with airy, flavorful bread.
- Step 1: Combine the dough ingredients, cover, and let rise 2–3 hours until doubled.
- Step 2: Transfer the dough to a well-oiled 13×9-inch pan and cover for the second rise.
- Step 3: After the second rise the dough should fill or nearly fill the pan.
- Step 4: Drizzle generously with olive oil, press dimples all over with your fingers, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Bake until golden and crusty.
- Step 5: After baking, drizzle with a little more olive oil, cool briefly in the pan, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling or slice to serve.
Expert Baking Tips
- Expect a shaggy dough: This is a high-hydration dough — it will be loose and sticky. You don’t need to knead it vigorously; folding and gentle handling are enough.
- Allow plenty of rise time: Room temperature affects rising. Warmer rooms shorten rise time, cooler rooms lengthen it. Aim for the dough to double during each rise for a light focaccia.
- Be generous with olive oil: Oil on the pan and on top of the dough soaks in and keeps the focaccia moist while adding rich flavor.
- Freeze extras: Baked focaccia freezes well; slice and freeze portions for easy reheating later.
- Serving ideas: This focaccia pairs well with soups, salads, or hearty pasta and makes excellent sandwich bread.
Storage
Room temperature: Store focaccia in an airtight container for 2–3 days. It will dry a bit but reheats well — a short zap in the microwave or a warm oven with a drizzle of olive oil restores softness.
Freezer: Once cooled, slice and pack portions in airtight, freezer-safe bags (one serving per bag is convenient). Freeze up to 3 months. Reheat briefly in the microwave or warm oven; add a little olive oil if desired.
Recipe FAQs
No — this is a high-hydration dough and will be wet and shaggy after mixing. That texture is normal and produces an open crumb.
Not necessary. You can perform gentle folds if you like, but this is designed as a low-effort, set-it-and-forget-it recipe.
More Easy Focaccia Recipes
- Sourdough Discard Focaccia
- Caramelized Shallot Focaccia
- Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Focaccia
- Sourdough Discard Tomato Focaccia
If you tried this Black Pepper Focaccia or any other recipe, please leave a star rating and share your experience in the comments. Happy baking!
Black Pepper Focaccia
Jessica Vogl
Pin Recipe
Equipment
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9×13-inch baking pan
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silicone basting brush
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Cooling rack
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups warm water
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeastone envelope
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 8 Tablespoons olive oil
- flaky sea salt for topping
Instructions
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In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook (or a large mixing bowl), combine warm water and honey, then sprinkle yeast on top. Let sit 5 minutes until foamy. If it does not foam, the yeast is inactive and should be replaced.
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Add flour, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Mix on low until combined and no dry spots remain — the dough will be shaggy.
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Transfer dough to a large oiled bowl, cover, and let rise at room temperature until doubled, about 2–3 hours depending on room warmth.
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Brush a 13×9-inch pan generously with olive oil (about 3 Tablespoons) and set aside.
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After the first rise, gently deflate and fold the dough around the bowl a few times, then transfer it to the prepared pan. Cover and let rise again in a warm, dry spot until doubled, about 1½–2 hours. The dough should expand to fill the pan.
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Preheat the oven to 450°F toward the end of the second rise. Drizzle the dough with about 3 Tablespoons olive oil, press dimples all over with your fingers, and sprinkle flaky sea salt on top.
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Bake 25–35 minutes until puffed, golden brown, and crusty. Remove from oven, drizzle with 1–2 more Tablespoons olive oil, cool in the pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool fully. Slice and serve.