Mini focaccia is the quick, easy, small-batch recipe you didn’t know you needed. Utterly delicious, this no-knead mini focaccia is thick, fluffy, chewy, flavorful, and very versatile. Simply the perfect meal or snack for 1 or 2 people.
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What's Small Batch Focaccia?
One of the most popular blogs I have is my no-knead focaccia. I’ve had so many readers reach out to me about the recipe. But the thing with it is that it serves a crowd.
So, I created a dialed-down version: this easy mini focaccia. It serves 1 to 2 people and can be doubled for 2 to 4 people. If you’re baking for 8 or more, use the original focaccia recipe linked above.
Why You'll Love Mini Focaccia?
There’s no kneading, so the recipe is ideal for baking beginners. Just like my easy one-bowl homemade cornbread and no-knead Dutch oven bread!
Small batch focaccia is just perfect for a quiet dinner at home for two people.
It hardly needs any work, and proofing doesn't take time because the dough is so small. So, it’s an easy and quick recipe.
Recipe Ingredients
Yeast: Instant yeast, or dried active yeast—all work for the mini focaccia recipe.
Flour: We don’t get bread flour easily here; that’s why I used all-purpose flour. Feel free to swap it for whole wheat or use a mix of both.
Olive oil: Use the best-quality oil you can find and use it with a free hand. Don’t be sparing. It makes all the difference in the world to the small focaccia recipe.
Toppings: Like all focaccia, this bread is a blank canvas. Garnish it to your palate. Make mini focaccia with sun-dried tomatoes, or add:
- Fresh thyme
- Olives
- Thinly sliced potatoes
- Brush generously with Italian seasoning and olive oil
How To Make
Step 1: Stir yeast and sugar in lukewarm water and let it sit till nice and frothy.
Step 2: Sift a cup of flour and some salt in a small bowl. Combine.
Step 3: Add the activated yeast to the flour and mix with a spatula just until there are no dry, white streaks visible and everything comes together.
Step 4: Spread olive oil on the surface of the small focaccia bread dough and rub it all over.
Step 5: Cover with plastic wrap (or kitchen towel) and then you can either refrigerate overnight or wait for it to double in size, in a warm place. (It takes about 1.5 hours, after which you can use the dough.)
Step 6: When the dough has risen (or the next day), oil your hands. Fold the dough over itself. Turn the bowl a quarter of the way and fold the dough over itself again. Do 3 more quarter turns of the bowl, folding the dough each time.
Step 7: Line the bottom of a cast-iron skillet or a baking pan with parchment paper. Pour 1- 2 teaspoons of olive oil into the prepared pan's center and then transfer the dough to it.
Step 8: Spread the dough and let it proof a second time for 1 to 2 hours on the countertop in a draft-free place.
Step 9: When the mini focaccia is puffy and doubled in size, Pour the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil on the dough and spread it all over. Dimple the dough using your fingers.
Step 10: Top with rosemary, cherry tomatoes, and sea salt flakes.
Step 11: Bake for 25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the bottom is crispy.
Final step: Serve warm and savor!
Pro Tips
- Always activate the yeast so you know it still works and don’t have to waste the entire batch.
- The water has to be lukewarm, not hot or cold, for the yeast to work.
- The mini no-knead focaccia bread recipe is very adaptable. You can proof the dough for anywhere from 1.5 hours to overnight. If you want to make it ahead, refrigerate the dough. If you’re baking focaccia the same day, keep it in a warm place until it doubles in size.
- How long it takes for mini focaccia to rise depends on how hot it is in your corner of the world. The hotter, the faster the rise.
- I would recommend proofing the dough for as long as you can. It makes a magical difference to the flavor. If possible, give it a good 12 to 14 hours in the fridge.
- Preheat your oven to maximum. For me, that’s 250 °C or 482 °F. Just after you slide the small batch focaccia into the oven, dial down the thermostat to 200 °C or 392 °F.
- You can bake the mini focaccia in a loaf pan or a jumbo-sized muffin tin. Just remember to oil the base.
How To Serve
A mini garlic confit focaccia or a simple mini tomato confit focaccia are brilliant ideas if you’re craving something fancier. I love to make a mini focaccia sandwich and serve it with:
📖 Recipe
Mini No-Knead Focaccia
Equipment
- 6" Cast- Iron Skillet
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1/2 +1/8 tsp Yeast I used dried active yeast
- 1/2 tsp Sugar
- 1 cup All-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 4 tsp Olive oil
Toppings
- Cherry tomatoes, Fresh rosemary, Sea Salt
Instructions
- Stir yeast and sugar in lukewarm water and let it sit till nice and frothy.
- Combine the flour and salt in a bowl.
- Pour over the yeast mixture and mix well with a spatula until a sticky dough is formed.
- Pour a teaspoon of olive oil on the surface of the dough and rub it all over.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 18-24 hours. Or place it in a warm spot for 1.5 -2 hours or until the dough doubles in size.
- When you're ready to bake, line the bottom of your cast-iron skillet or baking pan with parchment paper.Pour 2 teaspoons of olive oil in the center of the prepared pan.
- Oil your hands and gently bring the proofed dough in from the sides of the bowl.
- Fold the dough over itself. Turn the bowl a quarter of the way and fold the dough over itself again. Do 2 more quarter turns of the bowl, folding the dough each time.
- Transfer the dough to the prepared pan. Cover and place in a warm place for 1-2 hours or until the dough doubles in size and fills the pan.
- Preheat the oven to 250 C or 482 F.
- Pour over the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil on the dough and spread it all over. Dimple the dough using your fingers.
- Top with rosemary, cherry tomatoes, and sea salt flakes.
- Place the pan in the oven and reduce the temperature to 200 C or 392F.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the bottom is crispy.
- Let the bread rest in the pan for 5 minutes before turning it out on a cooling rack. Slice it warm or let it cool completely. Enjoy!
Nupur says
Hi! How do I adapt the recipe if I use instant dry yeast?
Natasha Minocha says
Hi Nupur, please add the equivalent amount of instant yeast in the recipe. Happy baking:)
Kimberly Hashagen says
Could you use a 6 inch by 3 inch deep cake pan ?
Natasha Minocha says
Hi Kimberley, yes that will work. Thank you for your interest in this recipe! Happy baking:)