Zaatar Olive Focaccia Bread (Printable)

Fluffy focaccia with zaatar, olive oil, and Kalamata olives offering a savory Mediterranean touch.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dough

01 - 4 cups bread flour
02 - 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
03 - 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt
04 - 1⅓ cups warm water (approximately 104°F)
05 - ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for drizzling

→ Topping

06 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
07 - 2 tablespoons zaatar spice blend
08 - ⅔ cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
09 - 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

# How-To Steps:

01 - Dissolve active dry yeast in warm water and let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together bread flour and fine sea salt.
03 - Add yeast mixture and ¼ cup olive oil to flour mixture; stir until a shaggy dough forms.
04 - Knead on a lightly floured surface or using a stand mixer with dough hook for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
05 - Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
06 - Oil a 9x13-inch baking pan. Punch down dough and press evenly into pan. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
07 - Heat oven to 425°F (220°C).
08 - Dimple dough surface deeply with fingers. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Evenly scatter zaatar, halved olives, and flaky sea salt over the top.
09 - Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden brown with crisp edges.
10 - Allow to cool slightly, slice, and serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dough is forgiving enough for beginners but delivers that professional bakery texture that makes you feel like a real baker.
  • It comes together in under two hours total, which means you can go from craving to eating without planning your whole day around it.
  • Those crispy edges and fluffy center with every pocket of olive flavor feel indulgent but it's actually quite simple to nail.
02 -
  • Water temperature is the hidden key—if your water is too hot, you'll kill the yeast before it even starts, and too cold means nothing happens; the 40°C sweet spot makes all the difference.
  • Don't skip the dimpling step—those indentations aren't decoration, they actually catch the olive oil and toppings, creating flavor pockets that make every bite interesting instead of uniform.
  • Overproofing is real and happens faster than you'd think in a warm kitchen—if your second rise goes much longer than 30 minutes, the dough can lose its spring and bake up dense instead of fluffy.
03 -
  • If your dough feels too sticky after mixing, resist adding more flour—sticky dough actually bakes up lighter and fluffier; just work with slightly damp hands instead.
  • Make the dimples deep and deliberate—they're not just for looks, they catch the olive oil and create those irresistible flavor pockets that make people come back for more.
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