No Knead Focaccia Bread Art at the Table

no knead focaccia bread topped with halved tomatoes and olives on a platter

This no-knead focaccia bread art recipe is all about being simple – there’s no need to break a sweat with from-scratch dough! We’ve got you covered with a super-simple hack: just snag some store-bought frozen Rhodes dinner rolls, and and upgrade your focaccia game in the easiest way. Who says fabulous has to be complicated?

What is Focaccia Bread

Focaccia (pronounced fo-kah-cha) is a flatbread similar to a pizza dough that you can make either sweet or savory. It originates in the providence of Liguria in Italy. Liguria is the finest-known region for its classic focaccia, which is called “classica” in Genoa. Typically it is flattened to about 1/2 to 1 inch thick, with indentations throughout the whole surface. Focaccia bread has a lot of herbs and olive oil with cheese and other toppings as a garnish.

How To Make Focaccia

Like any other bread, focaccia is simply made with water, flour, yeast, and oil. First, you let the dough rise for several hours, and sometimes overnight. Second, stretch the dough into a large rectangular shape in a greased baking dish with olive oil. The last step is the fun part of making focaccia: drizzling olive oil on top of the dough and creating indentations with your fingers. Sprinkle the top with your go-to herbs and salt.

risen unbaked bread rolls in a baking dish

How to Keep Focaccia Fresh

Since this bread has tomatoes, olives, and cheese, we recommend consuming it on the same day. If you end up having leftovers (if that’s possible!) store them in an airtight container or bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. We like to reheat in the oven or air fryer.

unbaked no knead focaccia bread topped with tomatoes, olives, fresh herbs, and mozzarella

Why We LOVE this Focaccia Hack

As you read, focaccia definitely requires a few steps. Since we’re not all about making things complex in the kitchen, we love using frozen dinner rolls. Start off by thawing the bread in a greased 13×9 baking dish, once the bread rises (about 4-5 hours), comes the fun part! Add olive oil, make the indentations, and top with tomatoes, olives, herbs, fresh basil, and fresh mozzarella cheese. The beauty of this recipe is not having to wait overnight for this bread — there’s no kneading, and no need to keep using multiple dishes. Moreover, it’s made in one baking dish — you can’t beat that!

baked no knead focaccia bread with tomatoes, olives, fresh herbs, mozzarella, and herbs

Common Questions about No-Knead Focaccia Bread

Why is my no-knead focaccia dense?

Usually, dense focaccia comes from not letting it rise long enough! Give it plenty of time to rise to create the reliable texture.

Why is my focaccia not crackly on top?

The secret to a crackly top is plenty of olive oil and a hot oven! Dimpling the dough deeply and drizzling generously with oil before baking creates those crackly, craggly spots that make focaccia so irresistible.

Can I add toppings to no-knead focaccia?

Absolutely! We love tomatoes, kalamata olives, and mozzarella cheese. But you can go wild and add anything you like! Roasted red peppers, basil, capers, and onions all work well.

How do you know when no-knead focaccia is done?

Look for a golden brown top and bottom. The internal temperature should hit about 190°F (88°C), and those dimples should be beautifully crackly.

Sliced no knead focaccia bread art on a plate

the Ayyem kitchenServings: 8

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 20 mins

Frozen dinner rolls turned into a fancy roasted tomato and olive focaccia bread. Email

Ingredients

14-16 frozen Rhodes dinner rolls
8 oz cherry tomatoes quartered
4 oz pitted and sliced kalamata olives
4 oz fresh mozzarella cheese pearls/balls
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
2 tsp oregano
1 tbsp black sesame seeds
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large buttered 13×9 baking dish arrange 14-16 frozen dinner rolls, leaving approximately 1/2 inch space between each roll. Lightly brush each frozen roll with a little bit of olive oil. Cover with saran wrap and light rise for 4-6 hours.14-16 frozen Rhodes dinner rolls
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Once the bread has risen to double remove the saran wrap.
Now comes the fun part of making focaccia, drizzle with olive oil on top of the dough and creating indentations with your fingers.1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Top the bread with tomatoes, olives, fresh basil, and herbs. Give it a little sprinkle of salt and pepper to the top. Get creative and make a pretty design with the toppings!8 oz cherry tomatoes, 4 oz pitted and sliced kalamata olives, 4 oz fresh mozzarella cheese pearls/balls, 1 tbsp Italian seasoning, 2 tsp oregano, 1 tbsp black sesame seeds, salt and pepper
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until bread is golden brown. Careful not to overbake! Serve warm.