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Caramelized Onion Focaccia Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 54 reviews

This Fluffy Caramelized Onion Focaccia is a flavorful Italian bread featuring deeply caramelized yellow onions, fresh thyme, and a garlic-infused olive oil. The focaccia is soft inside with a golden, dimpled crust, making it perfect as a snack, side dish, or for sandwiches. It’s baked in a 9×9 baking pan to achieve a beautifully airy yet moist texture with a savory sweetness from the onions and a subtle herb aroma.

Ingredients

Scale

Caramelized Onions

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp salted butter
  • 4 cups diced yellow onions
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped

Dough

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (measured correctly as per notes)
  • 1 1/4 cup lukewarm water
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, finely shredded
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp instant yeast
  • 3/4 tsp salt

Topping & Finishing

  • 1–2 tbsp fresh thyme
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 whole garlic cloves, crushed
  • Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. Caramelize the onions: Melt the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onions and pour in 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook until onions soften, about 5 minutes. Remove cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and stir frequently for about 1 hour until onions are deeply golden and caramelized. Scrape onions into a bowl and mix in chopped fresh thyme.
  2. Make the dough: In a large bowl, combine flour, lukewarm water, parmesan, olive oil, sugar, instant yeast, and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon until fully combined and a dough forms.
  3. First rise: Lightly oil hands and a large bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.
  4. Prepare garlic oil: Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a skillet, add crushed garlic, and cook for 5 minutes until fragrant and starting to brown. Remove and discard garlic cloves. Set the garlic-infused oil aside to cool.
  5. Preheat oven and prepare pan: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Pour half of the garlic oil into an unlined 9×9 metal baking pan and set aside.
  6. Shape the dough: After the dough has doubled, lightly oil your hands. Stretch the top section of the dough upwards and fold it toward the center; repeat on all four sides. Transfer the dough seam side down into the prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise again in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour.
  7. Check dough readiness: The dough should be jiggly with large bubbles and nearly fill the pan.
  8. Add dimples and season: Pour the remaining garlic oil over the dough. Use your fingers to press down deeply creating dimples all over the dough surface. Sprinkle with fresh thyme.
  9. Bake the focaccia: Place the pan in the oven and bake for 12-18 minutes until the top is golden brown and an internal temperature of at least 190°F (88°C) is reached.
  10. Add caramelized onions and cool: Remove focaccia from oven, spoon the caramelized onions evenly on top, and let cool in the pan on a wire rack. Once cool, sprinkle with flaky sea salt and extra fresh thyme if desired. Slice and serve.
  11. Storage: Best served the day of baking. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or wrap tightly in plastic and foil and freeze up to 1 month. Reheat in microwave or oven until warmed through.

Notes

  • For best flour measuring, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping directly to avoid dense dough.
  • Be careful during caramelization to stir often and keep the heat medium-low to prevent burning the onions.
  • Adjust baking time depending on oven accuracy; watch for a golden crust and use a thermometer for internal temperature.
  • Fresh thyme adds the best flavor but can substitute with dried thyme if needed at a reduced quantity.

Keywords: caramelized onion focaccia, Italian bread, homemade focaccia, garlic oil focaccia, thyme focaccia

Find it online: https://cheflenacooks.com/caramelized-onion-focaccia-recipe/