Tomato Focaccia with Onion and Oregano
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Tomato focaccia topped with onion and oregano is a lovely bread to set on the table with an Italian meal. The cherry tomatoes roast into the surface while the onion slices brown around their edges, giving each focaccia wedge a generous amount of the topping. Olive oil coats the pan and bread to ensure a golden crust, and the middle gives that homemade focaccia chew.
My tomato focaccia bread recipe uses a straightforward yeast dough and everyday ingredients. You can cut the large round into wedges to serve with soup or pasta, or enjoy a piece on its own with a glass of wine. The tomato and onion topping gives it enough flavor that you don’t need butter or a dip, although there’s nothing stopping you from adding either.
Tomato Focaccia at a Glance
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Rising and Cooling Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 8 portions
Cuisine: Italian
Main Ingredients: Flour, yeast, cherry tomatoes, onion, olive oil and oregano
Best Cooking Method: Oven baking
Storage: Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.
Why You’ll Love It
- No special flour: The dough for cherry tomato focaccia uses all-purpose flour, so you don’t need to buy bread flour for this recipe.
- A savory bread for dinner: Serve it with a bowl of pasta or soup if you want something with more flavor than a plain bread roll.
- Fresh toppings: Cherry tomatoes and sliced onion are pressed straight into the dough without a separate cooking step.
- A large loaf to share: You can cut the loaf into 8 generous portions or into smaller pieces for an appetizer plate.
Ingredient Notes
- All-purpose flour (plain flour): Weigh out 780g if you have a scale. This recipe’s cup measure is relatively heavy, so weighing gives you a more reliable starting point.
- Active dry yeast: Use 2 standard ¼-ounce (7g) packets. If you buy yeast in a jar, that’s about 4 ½ teaspoons.
- Cherry tomatoes: Choose ripe tomatoes that still feel firm enough to slice in half neatly. I measure out the tomatoes after halving them. I used enough to fill a pint glass.
- Yellow onion: A large onion gives a generous topping. Peel it, halve it and slice it finely so it can cook with the bread.
- Olive oil: Extra-virgin olive oil is a good choice for focaccia with tomatoes, because you use some to finish the baked focaccia as well as for the pan and topping.
- Salt and oregano: I used fine salt in the dough and coarse sea salt for the topping. Add the dried oregano at the end.
How to Make Tomato Focaccia
The first rise happens in an oiled bowl, while the tomato and onion topping marinates separately. Then you stretch the dough into the pan, add the vegetables and give it a shorter rise before baking. This focaccia bread with tomatoes needs a little planning, but most of that time is waiting for the dough to rise and the loaf to bake, so there really isn’t a lot to it.
Tips for Easy Tomato Focaccia
- Keep the dough soft: A little stickiness is normal. Only add extra flour if the dough is too wet to gather together. Use a lightly floured surface for kneading.
- Give resistant dough a rest: If it springs back when you stretch it, wait a few minutes before trying again.
- Check the first rise: Look for the dough to double in volume. A cooler kitchen can mean a longer wait.
- Preheat during the second rise: The oven should be ready when the topped dough has finished rising.
- Judge the bread as well as the timer: Look for a golden crust and browned onion edges. Pan size and oven performance can affect the baking time.
Substitutions and Variations
- Grape tomatoes: Use these in place of cherry tomatoes and halve them before marinating.
- Tomato basil focaccia: Omit the dried oregano and sprinkle torn fresh basil over the baked bread just before serving.
- Tomatoes without onion: Omit the onion if you want a simpler topping. Keep the dough and baking method the same.
- Olives: Add a small handful of pitted, sliced olives with the tomatoes and onion. You can reduce the finishing salt if the olives are salty.
Handy Equipment
Check your food processor’s instructions for its maximum flour quantity and the blade approved for bread dough. The method below mixes the dough in 2 batches, which keeps each batch to 390g flour. You’ll also need measuring cups and spoons, a measuring pitcher, a knife, a cutting board, a spatula, plastic wrap and oven mitts.
- Food processor: Mixes the dough before the brief hand knead. Use the dough blade and stay within the manufacturer’s capacity limit.
- Round baking pan: A shallow 14- to 16-inch (36- to 41cm) pan gives the dough room to spread. The linked pan is 16 inches.
- Mixing bowls: Use the large bowl for the first rise and a smaller bowl for the tomato and onion topping.
- Digital kitchen scale: Weighs the flour and helps divide it evenly for processing.
- Slotted spoon: Lifts the marinated vegetables onto the dough.
Serving Suggestions
Serve focaccia wedges with soup, a green salad or a bowl of your favorite pasta. This Italian bread is also good with saucy chicken or fish, with extra pieces for mopping up the sauce.
My gnocchi with prosciutto and cherry tomatoes makes an Italian dinner pairing if you want to carry the tomato theme through the meal, or you might enjoy creamy scallop baked pasta or ricotta and Italian sausage lasagna.
How to Store Tomato Focaccia
- Refrigeration: Because this bread has a moist vegetable topping, refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within 2 hours of baking. Eat it within 3 days.
- Freezing: Wrap individual pieces and seal them in a freezer bag or container. Freeze for up to 1 month.
- Thawing: Thaw wrapped pieces in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Warm pieces in a 350°F (175°C) oven until hot through. You can loosely cover the bread with foil if the topping is getting too dark.
- Make ahead: Bake the focaccia the day before serving, refrigerate it as above and warm it back up before bringing it to the table.
Tomato Focaccia FAQs
The indentations give the olive oil places to collect across the surface. Use your fingertips to make the dimples without tearing the dough.
Fresh cherry or grape tomatoes are the best choice for this recipe. Canned tomatoes contain more loose liquid and don’t hold their shape in the same way, so I don’t recommend those.
Yes. Use the same quantity of standard instant yeast and mix it with the flour. Divide it evenly between the 2 processor batches, and add half the total water to each batch. Instant yeast can shorten the rising time, so judge the first rise by the dough doubling.
Tomato Focaccia with Onion and Oregano
Ingredients
- 2 packets active dry yeast, ¼-ounce (7g) each
- ¼ cup (60ml) warm water
- 5 ½ cups (780g) all-purpose flour (plain flour), plus extra for kneading
- 2 teaspoons fine salt
- 2 cups (480ml) warm water, plus a little extra if needed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, for the rising bowl
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled, halved and finely sliced
- 1 pint halved ripe cherry tomatoes
- ½ cup (120ml) olive oil, plus extra for the pan if needed
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
Equipment
- Food processor with a blade approved for bread dough
- 14- to 16-inch (36- to 41cm) shallow round baking pan
- Large mixing bowl
- Small mixing bowl
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Measuring pitcher
- Digital kitchen scale
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Spatula
- Slotted spoon
- Plastic wrap or bowl cover
- Oven mitts
- Baking stone, optional
Method
- Dissolve the active dry yeast in the ¼ cup (60ml) warm water. Let it stand for several minutes until it begins to bubble, then stir in the remaining 2 cups (480ml) warm water.
- Divide the flour and fine salt into 2 equal portions. Stir the yeast mixture again and divide it equally between 2 containers. Fit the food processor with the blade its manufacturer approves for bread dough.
- Add 1 portion of flour and salt to the processor. With the processor running, pour in 1 portion of the yeast mixture. Process briefly, about 30 seconds or as directed by your machine’s instructions, until a soft, moist dough gathers together. If it stays extremely wet and won’t gather, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time. If it’s dry, add a little water. Remove the dough and repeat with the remaining flour, salt and yeast mixture.
- Combine the 2 portions on a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until the dough is smooth, soft and slightly sticky. Coat a large bowl with the tablespoon of olive oil, add the dough and rotate it to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
- While the dough rises, combine the onion, halved tomatoes, 4 tablespoons of the topping oil and ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt in a small bowl. Let the vegetables marinate while the first rise finishes.
- Grease the bottom and sides of a shallow 14- to 16-inch (36- to 41cm) round baking pan with 2 tablespoons of the topping oil, using a little extra if needed. Gently deflate the dough, add it to the pan and press it into an even round. If it springs back, let it rest for a few minutes before stretching again.
- Lift the onion and tomatoes from the marinade with a slotted spoon and scatter them over the dough. Press them gently into the surface with your fingertips. Spoon the oil from the marinade over the top.
- Let the topped dough rise uncovered for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F (220°C). If using a baking stone, place it on the rack before preheating.
- Gently dimple the dough again and sprinkle with the remaining ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt. Set the pan on the center rack or on the preheated stone. Bake for 20 minutes, rotate the pan from front to back and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown with browned onion edges. Allow a little longer if needed.
- Remove the focaccia from the oven. Drizzle or brush it with the remaining 2 tablespoons topping oil and scatter over the dried oregano. Let it cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Use approximately 4 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast if measuring from a jar.
- Weigh the flour if possible and adjust with small amounts of flour or water to make a soft, slightly sticky dough.
- Rising times vary with room temperature.
- Check your food processor’s flour limit and approved dough blade before mixing.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use within 3 days.
A Homemade Bread to Bring to the Table
A large round of cherry tomato focaccia is a lovely addition to an Italian meal, and you can cut smaller pieces when you’re serving it as an appetizer. Bring it to the table slightly warm, let everyone help themselves and enjoy the tomato, onion and oregano topping with whatever else you’re serving.
Other Bread Recipes to Try
My Japanese milk bread buns are soft rolls for sandwiches or to pair with dinner. Roti canai is a Malaysian flatbread with a very different shaping method, and you can browse my bread recipes collection for more baking ideas.
