Caprese Focaccia
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Caprese Focaccia with Pesto features a light Italian oven-baked bread topped with pesto sauce and filled with juicy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and fresh basil. This flavorful treat has the perfect texture and makes a perfect sandwich that the whole family will love!
Pesto Focaccia Bread
Have you ever made homemade focaccia bread? Let me show you how to make this mouth-watering recipe. It makes the best leftovers too!
We are big fans of focaccia and order it when dining out when it’s available. But it’s also really easy to make at home. After you try this one, try our Jalapeno Cheddar Focaccia, Sourdough Focaccia, or our most recent Focaccia Pizza.
Why This Recipe Works:
- SIMPLE TO MAKE – Homemade bread may seem difficult, but I promise that it is not. Now is the perfect time to follow my step-by-step directions.
- FULL OF ITALIAN FLAVOR – We love the flavor of this Italian classic full of juicy ripe tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. A great recipe to make during the summer months.
- DELICIOUS CRUST – The extra virgin olive oil in this caprese sandwich recipe makes it extra delicious. It’s light and airy and full of flavor.
- IMPRESSIVE – This caprese-style bread can be a perfect appetizer, a caprese focaccia sandwich, or a pesto caprese pizza. Either way, your guests or family members will love it!
Ingredients Used:
All of these ingredients are easy to find in your local grocery store.
- Yeast – I use active dry yeast. If using instant yeast, you won’t need to activate it.
- Granulated Sugar
- Water – Be sure to warm the water to 100-110 degrees f.
- Kosher Salt (or use sea salt)
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- Bread Flour – We’re using bread flour for a chewy texture.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese – Adding some shredded cheese to the actual dough makes this bread even more delicious.
Toppings:
- Olive Oil – You’ll need extra oil for prepping the bread.
- Pesto Sauce – store-bought or homemade pesto
- Fresh Tomatoes – You can use either thinly sliced Roma tomatoes or cherry tomatoes. If you have fresh garden tomatoes, use those!
- Fresh Mozzarella – We use fresh mozzarella balls.
- Fresh Basil Leaves – Add some fresh basil to the finished focaccia bread.
How to make Caprese Focaccia (step by step):
NOTE: Feel free to make this focaccia bread by hand instead of using a stand mixer. You’ll need a large mixing bowl and a little bit of muscle and patience.
Step 1
Activate the yeast. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes or until bubbly and active. Add the olive oil and stir with a silicone spatula.
Step 2
Add remaining ingredients. Attach a dough hook, and then add half of the flour, cheddar cheese, and kosher salt. Start the mixer on medium speed, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl.
Continue adding more flour until the dough pulls away from the bowl of the mixer and forms a ball. The dough should be slightly sticky to the touch.
Step 3
Let dough rest. Transfer the focaccia dough to a greased bowl. Use your hands to form the dough into a smooth ball. Place dough smooth side up in the well-oiled bowl and cover with a clean towel. Place the bowl in a warm spot in your kitchen and let rise until doubled in size.
NOTE: Many factors will affect how fast your dough will rise, including the climate (heat and humidity help dough to rise quicker) and the temperature of your home.
Step 4
Add oil to the pan. Use a 9×13 pan (or a quarter-sized baking sheet) and add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil.
Step 5
Add dough. Use your hands to spread evenly to all sides of the pan. Then add the dough and press down evenly. Cover with the towel and let dough rise for about 30 minutes or so.
Step 6
Dimple the dough. Use your fingers to press small holes in the dough, forming dimples all over the surface.
Step 7
Add sauce. Then spoon the fresh basil pesto sauce over the top of the focaccia dough, smoothing evenly to all sides.
NOTE: You can either purchase store-bought pesto sauce or make your own homemade basil pesto sauce.
Step 8
Add remaining toppings. Then add the tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese to the top of the sauce.
Step 9
Bake. Bake the pesto focaccia bread in a preheated 400-degree oven until golden brown on the bottom and top, about 30 minutes.
Step 10
Serve. Slice the focaccia caprese into about 12 equal-sized slices. Enjoy.
Storing and Freezing:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.
- You can freeze baked focaccia bread but I don’t recommend adding the toppings on this one because it will be watery after thawing.
Other Caprese Recipes:
Recipe FAQs:
You can use pre-made pesto for convenience, or you can make it from scratch using fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil.
Feel free to customize with additional seasonings like black pepper, a drizzle of balsamic glaze, or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for extra flavor.
It’s not necessary to par-bake the crust unless you like an extra crispy crust.
Yes, you can assemble the Caprese focaccia a few hours ahead, refrigerate, and then bake just before serving to ensure freshness.
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
Caprese Focaccia with Pesto Recipe
Ingredients
For the focaccia:
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 cup water (236 grams) – warmed to 100-110 degrees f
- 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (42 grams)
- 2 ⅓ cup bread flour (303 grams plus maybe 10 more) – possible a little more flour to right of consistency
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese (76 grams)
For the toppings:
- 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup pesto sauce
- 2 large Roma tomatoes – thinly sliced
- 6 oz. fresh mozzarella balls
- fresh parmesan cheese – optional
- fresh basil – to serve
Instructions
- Activate the yeast. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes or until bubbly and active. Add the olive oil and stir with a silicone spatula.
- Add remaining ingredients. Attach a dough hook, and then add half of the flour, cheddar cheese, and kosher salt. Start the mixer on medium speed, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl. Continue adding more flour until the dough pulls away from the bowl of the mixer and forms a ball. The dough should be slightly sticky to the touch.
- Let dough rest. Transfer the focaccia dough to a greased bowl. Use your hands to form the dough into a smooth ball. Place dough smooth side up in the well-oiled bowl and cover with a clean towel. Place the bowl in a warm spot in your kitchen and let rise until doubled in size.
- Add oil to the pan. Use a 9×13 pan (or a quarter-sized baking sheet) and add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil.
- Add dough. Use your hands to spread evenly to all sides of the pan. Then add the dough and press down evenly. Cover with the towel and let dough rise for about 30 minutes or so.
- Dimple the dough. Use your fingers to press small holes in the dough, forming dimples all over the surface.
- Add sauce. Then spoon the fresh basil pesto sauce over the top of the focaccia dough, smoothing evenly to all sides.
- Add remaining toppings. Then add the tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese to the top of the sauce.
- Bake. Bake the pesto focaccia bread in a preheated 400-degree oven until golden brown on the bottom and top, about 30 minutes.
- Serve. Slice the focaccia caprese into about 12 equal-sized slices. Enjoy.
Notes
- Many factors will affect how fast your dough will rise, including the climate (heat and humidity help dough to rise quicker) and the temperature of your home.
- You can either purchase store-bought pesto sauce or make your own homemade basil pesto sauce.
- It’s not necessary to par-bake the crust unless you like an extra crispy crust.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.
- You can freeze baked focaccia bread but I don’t recommend adding the toppings on this one because it will be watery after thawing.
