French Onion Gruyère Focaccia Bread
Soft homemade focaccia topped with sweet caramelized onions, melted Gruyère, fresh thyme and flaky salt.
Creator: Leslie Stokes
This post is sponsored by KitchenAid and Target. All opinions are my own.
I’ve always been a little intimidated by homemade bread. Sourdough, especially, seemed like a project I wasn’t ready to take on. But after making this focaccia, I think focaccia might become my newest obsession.
I made the dough with my KitchenAid® Artisan Plus Mixer, and the dough hook handled the kneading. The hardest part was waiting for the dough to rise. Then I pressed it into an oiled pan, added caramelized onions, Gruyère and fresh thyme, and baked it until the edges were golden and the cheese was bubbly.
The bread comes out soft and airy inside, with those crisp, olive oil-coated edges that make focaccia so good. Tear off a warm piece and dip it into creamy tomato basil soup, and you’ll understand why I’m already thinking about making another pan.
Why This Focaccia Is Easy to Make
Focaccia is a great place to start if bread baking feels intimidating. The dough is supposed to be soft and sticky, so you don’t need to shape a perfect loaf. The mixer kneads it, and the pan gives it its shape.
There are two rises, but most of that time is hands-off. While the dough rises the first time, you can caramelize the onions. Once it’s puffy in the pan, all that’s left is the best part: drizzling it with olive oil, pressing in the dimples and adding the toppings.
What the Focaccia Dough Should Look Like
This dough will feel stickier than you may expect, especially if you’re new to focaccia. After kneading, it should look stretchy and begin pulling away from the sides of the mixer bowl, though it may still cling to the bottom. It does not need to become a firm, dry ball.
I found it easiest to use lightly oiled hands and a flexible scraper to move the dough. Resist the urge to keep adding flour just because it feels tacky; that moisture helps give the finished bread its soft, airy texture.
The French Onion Topping
The caramelized onions make this feel like French onion soup in bread form. Give them time to turn soft and deeply golden over medium-low heat. Cooking them too quickly can leave some pieces browned while others are still sharp and firm.
Gruyère melts beautifully over the onions and brings that familiar French onion flavor. Fresh thyme and a little flaky salt finish the top. Let the cooked onions cool before adding them to the dough so they don’t weigh down or heat the second rise.
How to Serve It
For dinner, I cut the focaccia into 12 rectangles so each piece is easy to hold and dip. If you’re serving it with soup, tear one piece open while it’s still warm to show the fluffy center and melted cheese.
It’s wonderful with creamy tomato basil soup, but you could also serve it alongside a salad, a pasta dinner or a fall gathering spread.
Storage and Reheating
Focaccia tastes best the day it’s baked. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days or refrigerate for up to four days. Reheat pieces in a 350°F oven for about 5–8 minutes, until warm and the edges crisp up again.
You can also freeze individual pieces for up to two months. Wrap them well, then thaw and reheat in the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the onions ahead of time?
Yes. Cook the onions up to two days ahead, refrigerate them in an airtight container and let them come closer to room temperature before topping the dough.
Do I need bread flour?
Bread flour gives the focaccia a pleasantly chewy structure and is my first choice for this recipe.
Why isn’t my dough filling the pan?
It may need a short rest. Stretch it gently toward the corners, wait 10 minutes if it springs back, then stretch it again. It will also relax and spread during the second rise.
How do I know it’s done?
The edges should be golden brown, the cheese should be melted and the center should look baked through rather than wet or doughy. Let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting into it.
Tips for the Best Focaccia
- Oil the baking pan generously. This helps the bottom and edges turn crisp and makes the bread easier to remove.
- If the dough springs back as you stretch it, let it rest for 10 minutes, then try again.
- Wait until the dough looks visibly puffy after the second rise before dimpling it.
- Press the dimples deeply with oiled fingertips.
- Let the bread rest for about 10 minutes after baking so you can lift and cut it without compressing the center.
I hope this recipe helps you! Don’t forget to follow along on social media for more Meal Prep + healthy recipes!
French Onion Gruyère Focaccia Bread
Equipment
- My Stand Mixer https://on.ltk.com/+8AAFUxRkOxKeQs2j4qYscQ
Ingredients
Focaccia dough
- 1⅔ cups warm water about 105°F
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 4 cups bread flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for the bowl, pan and top
French onion topping
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 large yellow onions thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves plus more for serving
- 1½ cups freshly shredded Gruyère cheese
- Flaky salt for finishing
Let's Make It
- Add the warm water, instant yeast and honey to the bowl of a stand mixer. Let stand for about 5 minutes, until the yeast begins to look foamy.
- Add the bread flour, 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Attach the dough hook and mix on low until a shaggy dough forms.
- Increase to Speed 2 and knead for 6–8 minutes. The dough should look smoother and stretchy, pulling from the sides of the bowl while remaining soft and a little sticky at the bottom.
- With lightly oiled hands or a scraper, transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 60–90 minutes, until roughly doubled.
- Meanwhile, make the topping. Melt the butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and pepper. Cook for 25–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and deeply golden. Stir in the thyme and let cool.
- Pour about 2 tablespoons olive oil into a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan and spread it across the bottom and sides. Transfer the risen dough to the pan and gently stretch it toward the corners. If it springs back, let it rest for 10 minutes and stretch it again.
- Cover and let rise for another 30–45 minutes, until visibly puffy. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Drizzle the dough with a little more olive oil. With oiled fingertips, press deep dimples across the surface. Distribute the cooled onions and shredded Gruyère over the dough. Add a little more thyme and a pinch of flaky salt.
- Bake for 22–27 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the center is baked through. If the cheese browns too quickly, loosely tent the bread with foil for the last few minutes.
- Let rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Lift out, cut into 12 rectangles and serve warm.
Recipe Notes
- The dough should be sticky. Use oiled hands to handle it instead of adding a lot of extra flour.
- A metal pan helps the bottom and edges brown well.
- Caramelize the onions during the first rise to make the most of the waiting time.
- Freshly shredding the Gruyère helps it melt evenly.
Meal Prep in 1 Hour
You can use any two of the meals in this series to get your meal prep done in just about and hour, give or take!
Having your breakfast and lunch ready for the week helps you stay on track with your nutriton, saves you time and money! I truly beleive that meal prep does not need to be over complicated, take too much time or be boring!
I always get asked- “do you ever get tired of eating the same thing all week?” and the answer is, no! Not when the food taste good! I give plenty of variety in these preps and keep it simple!
As always, thanks for being here and remember, don’t over complicate the process! Take a deep breath, you got this!
