The Best Focaccia Pizza

This focaccia pizza recipe makes a thick, fluffy crust with crispy edges. It’s an easy sheet-pan pizza perfect for feeding a crowd or for family pizza night.

Oh hello, beautifully fluffy crust and melty cheese. Here’s a style of pizza to add to your repertoire: focaccia pizza! This is the exact opposite of the Neapolitan style pizza with a thin and chewy crust. Instead this pizza is built on focaccia bread: massively thick, pillowy on the inside, and crunchy on the outside.

I love this pizza because it’s reminiscent of a style of Roman pizza that Alex and I ate while in the city and loved! It makes a massive sheet pan, the equivalent of three pizzas. Oh, and it will make your entire house smell like a pizzeria. (I know from experience!)

5-Star Reader Reviews

“Omg this was one of the tastiest things I’ve ever cooked. Reminds me of the sheet pan pizza slices I’d buy when I studied abroad in Italy. 10/10 will make again.” -Sophie

“From the pillowy, flavorful crust to the fresh basil, this pizza is absolutely delicious! Every Friday is homemade pizza night at our house, and I will definitely use this recipe as a regular go-to. Thanks for the wonderful recipe :)” -Robin D.

Process Overview

Focaccia pizza is a style of pizza where you’ll make a homemade focaccia bread, then add toppings and bake it like a pizza. It’s similar to Bonci-style pizza that Alex and I had in Rome, though that style has a bubblier crust.

Most focaccia pizza recipes require making the dough in advance and resting it for 24 hours or more. But for my spin, I wanted a focaccia pizza you can bake in the same day (mainly because I hate thinking ahead!). This is considered a fast focaccia pizza: prep is a little over 2 hours: no advanced planning required!

This recipe is great for weekends and days off, or anytime if you work or watch kids from home. The tradeoff of this fast version is that the crust is slightly less bubbly than a traditional focaccia, but to me it’s worth it. You can also make my sheet pan pizza in half the time! Here’s a breakdown in the timing:

Make the dough	15 minutes, active
Rest the dough (Proof 1)	45 minutes, inactive
Press the dough into a sheet pan and rest	15 minutes, inactive
Rest the dough again (Proof 2)	1 hour, inactive
Bake the pizza	20 minutes

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s what goes into this focaccia pizza recipe, plus a few notes on why each ingredient matters:

All-purpose flour: Standard all-purpose flour actually works well here. While my standard homemade pizza dough is best with Tipo 00, an Italian finely ground flour, there’s no need to find it here.
Instant yeast or active dry yeast: Both work!
Oregano, garlic powder, and salt: These are baked right into the focaccia dough for an herby, aromatic base.
Olive oil: Since it’s based on focaccia bread, there’s a good amount of olive in the dough and to coat the pan.
Pizza sauce: I always use my homemade pizza sauce recipe, which comes together in 5 minutes and has incredible flavor
Smoked mozzarella + fresh mozzarella: This combination is the magic of this focaccia pizza! The smoked mozz brings a smoky flavor that’s absolutely irresistible.
Parmesan: Adds a salty, nutty finish.
Fresh basil: Added right after the pizza comes out of the oven.

How to Make Focaccia Pizza

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the process. The hands-on time is minimal, and again: you can complete this and bake day of: no need to wait overnight! Jump to the recipe if you’re ready to get started.

Make the Dough

Combine all the dough ingredients in a bowl and mix until the flour is incorporated and a shaggy dough forms. Knead the dough for about 8 minutes, until it is smooth, stretchy, and slightly tacky. You can also use the dough hook on a stand mixer on medium-low speed for 8 minutes.

First Rise (45 Minutes)

Shape the dough into a ball, then place it in a covered mixing bowl. Let it rest for 45 minutes until roughly doubled in size.

Stretch the Dough Into the Pan

Pour olive oil onto a standard 13×18-inch sheet pan and brush it up the sides. Place the risen dough in the pan and use oiled fingers to press it toward the edges. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and rest for 15 minutes. This rest lets the gluten relax, which makes it easier to stretch the dough all the way to the edges of the pan.

Dimple and Rise Again (1 Hour)

Press the dough back into the corners and here’s the fun part: cover the surface of the dough with deep indents with your fingers (like you would for focaccia bread). The dimples help the dough stay an even thickness as it rises. Brush the top with a little more olive oil, cover loosely, and let it rest for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 515°F.

Pre-Bake the Crust

Once the dough has completed its second rise, slide the sheet pan into the oven and bake the crust for 10 minutes without any toppings. This helps the bottom of the focaccia pizza stay crispy rather than soggy under the sauce and toppings.

Add Toppings and Finish Baking

Remove the pan from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 450°F. Working quickly (the pan will be very hot!), add the toppings. Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 8 to 10 minutes, until the mozzarella cheese is melted and bubbling. Sprinkle with torn fresh basil. Use a knife to cut into squares and serve.

Tips for Success

Use a food scale for the dough. Measuring flour by weight (grams) is far more accurate than cups. Here’s the food scale I use. It’s also what we use for our morning pourover coffee! If you don’t have a scale, use the spoon-and-level method: spoon flour into the measuring cup, then level it off.
Don’t skimp on the olive oil in the pan. A generously oiled baking pan is what creates that crispy, golden bottom.
Always pre-bake the crust. Baking the focaccia dough for 10 minutes before adding toppings prevents a soggy crust.

Topping Ideas

There are many ways to top a focaccia pizza! I almost always use my amazing Easy Pizza Sauce, which I guarantee you’ll be obsessed with, and I love using smoked mozzarella cheese and fresh mozzarella, which is an irresistible combination. (Try it! Let me know what you think). But if you prefer, go free form or we’ve got some other ideas:

Try our American-style cheese pizza
Go classic Italian with Margherita toppings
Opt for Pesto pizza or Greek pizza
Grab Goat cheese pizza or quirky Pickle pizza
Try garlicky Shrimp alfredo pizza
Try our fan favorite taco pizza with crumbled tortilla chips and ranch
Skip the red sauce and go for a white pizza or ricotta pizza
Make cozy spinach artichoke pizza

Storing Leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

For the best results, reheat slices in an air fryer for a few minutes, or a 375°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes directly on the oven rack or on a sheet pan. A covered skillet on the stovetop over medium heat works too.

Dietary Notes

This focaccia pizza recipe is vegetarian. For vegan, top with Vegan Pizza toppings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What pizzas can you make using focaccia pizza dough?

The focaccia dough in this recipe works as the base for almost any pizza style you like. It’s especially good with toppings you’d use with deep-dish style, Detroit-style flavors, or a hearty pan pizza with lots of toppings.

Try it with classic margherita toppings, a white pizza with ricotta and garlic, or a generous layer of pepperoni and mozzarella cheese. It’s also excellent as a flatbread-style pizza with pesto and vegetables.

What should you serve with focaccia pizza?

Because focaccia pizza is already pretty filling, I like to keep sides simple and fresh. A crisp arugula salad or Caesar salad is the classic pairing. Check out my full list of sides for pizza for more ideas.