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    Milk and Pop » Recipes » Bread

    Caramelized Onion Focaccia

    Published: Dec 17, 2019 · Modified: Oct 25, 2023 by Tatiana Kamakura · Leave a Comment · This post may contain affiliate links

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    Topped with parmesan cheese and onions, this Caramelized Onion Focaccia has an easy step-by-step method and is perfect for both summer barbecues and winter holidays.

    Sliced caramelized onion focaccia, showing its crumble.

    If no-knead bread is what you’re looking for, my famous no-knead pumpkin brioche is a must try! I also have a sourdough focaccia for those who bake with wild yeast.

    Jump to:
    • 🥖Why bake this focaccia
    • 📃Ingredients and substitutions
    • 🥣How to make it
    • ✔️Expert tips
    • 🙋🏻‍♀️Question you might have
    • 🍞More no-knead bread
    • 📖 Recipe

    🥖Why bake this focaccia

    • This is a no-knead flatbread recipe great for beginner bakers - just as easy as my polenta biscuits!
    • Onion Focaccia is a great bread for barbecues and holidays;
    • It has the delicious umami flavor of parmesan - like these Brazilian cheese bread bites;
    • This recipe can be made ahead - like these no-knead focaccia rolls!

    📃Ingredients and substitutions

    Ingredients of the dough: flour, yeast, olive oil, salt, sugar and water.
    Ingredients for the toppings: parmesan, butter, brown sugar, sliced onions, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar.

    Parmesan. I love using parmesan for this focaccia, but you can choose other cheese if preferred. I have tried with mozzarella, brie and cheddar, and they all worked great and produced delicious results.

    Flour. I use all-purpose only flour for this recipe.

    Onions. Red, yellow and sweet onions all work for this recipe.

    This caramelized onion topping is a simplified version of my famous red onion chutney, but made with fewer ingredients. I've already paired this focaccia with it, and trust me, it's absolutely drool-worthy.

    🥣How to make it

    Hands mixing dough.

    Step 01. Start by mixing together water, sugar and salt, flour and yeast, until dough is formed. I use my hands for it, but you can use a spoon.

    Dough formed.

    Step 02. When there are no more dry visible spots and dough is formed, let it rest for 30 minutes, covered. Dough will look shaggy, and feel sticky.

    Olive oil poured over the edges of the dough.

    Step 03. Pour around the edges 1 tablespoon of olive oil. That will help you with the stretches and folds.

    Hand stretching and folding dough.

    Step 04. Start to stretch and fold the dough. Pull up on one side of the dough, fold it back down on itself. Repeat it 4 to 6 times through all the sides of the dough. Let the dough rest covered for 20 minutes.

    You’ll repeat the stretch and fold 3 times more, giving it 20 minutes between each.

    Onions, butter, pepper and salt.

    Step 05. While the dough rests, we’re caramelizing the onions. In a heavy-bottom pan, over medium heat, cook onions with butter, salt and pepper until half the size (around 10 minutes).

    Caramelized onions with brown sugar and balsamic vinegar.

    Step 06. Add brown sugar and balsamic vinegar, and simmer for 20 minutes. Reserve. It should be lukewarm to room temperature by the time the dough is ready.

    Hands opening focaccia dough.

    Step 07. After the last stretch and fold, let the dough rest for another 20 minutes. Line a rectangular 9x13 inches baking sheet, and open the focaccia over it, using your hands. Cover the dough and let it rise while the oven preheats (425 degrees Fahrenheit).

    Focaccia dough with caramelized onions, parmesan and olive oil.

    Step 08. Distribute parmesan and caramelized onions evenly through the dough, topping it with the remaining olive oil.

    Hand poking topped dough.

    Step 09. Using your fingertips, poke dimples all over the dough. Bake focaccia for 20 to 25 minutes, or until bread is golden brown at the top and bottom.

    ✔️Expert tips

    Do not add more flour than what’s asked, or you’ll risk getting a dense focaccia. Resist the temptation!

    If the topping is getting too brown before baking is complete (that can happen because of the parmesan and onions), you can cover it with foil until the focaccia finishes baking. Or you can start baking it with foil, and removing foil after 10 minutes.

    I like to poke the focaccia after adding the toppings, so they’ll stick more to the bread after baking.

    🙋🏻‍♀️Question you might have

    Why is my focaccia dense?

    When making focaccia, it is important to not add more flour than necessary to the dough. It is a sticky, high hydration dough, but adding more flour will make a denser bread.

    Can I make focaccia ahead?

    Yes, you can! Make it the day before, and reheat in a preheated oven over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes before serving the next day. You can also make the dough ahead, let it rest overnight in the fridge, covered, and bake the next day.

    Can I use active yeast?

    You can use active yeast for this recipe. If so, use part of the water asked in the recipe card to proof it, so you don’t add more water then you should to the dough.

    Can I make this recipe in a round pan?

    You can make this focaccia using a round pan. If doing so, it’s better to use a large one.

    Caramelized onion focaccia on parchment paper.

    🍞More no-knead bread

    • no-knead sandwich bread crumb
      Lazy Man's Bread (No-Knead Sandwich Bread)
    • sliced pumpkin bread with pumpkins on the background
      No-Knead Pumpkin Brioche Bread
    • Sourdough Naan, after cooked, on a wooden board.
      Sourdough Naan (Sourdough Discard Flatbread)
    • a stack of sourdough tortillas
      The Best Sourdough Tortillas (with sourdough discard)

    If you tried this Caramelized Onion Focaccia Recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below!

    📖 Recipe

    Caramelized Onion Focaccia

    Caramelized Onion Focaccia

    Tatiana Kamakura
    Topped with parmesan cheese and onions, this Caramelized Onion Focaccia has an easy step-by-step method and is perfect for both summer barbecues and winter holidays.
    5 from 11 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Additional Time 2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 2 hours hrs 35 minutes mins
    Course Bread
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 12 slices
    Calories 220 kcal
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    Equipment

    • Baking sheet

    Ingredients
     
     

    Dough

    • 420 g all-purpose flour
    • 340 ml water room temperature
    • 7 g instant dry yeast
    • 5 g sugar
    • 5 g salt
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil

    Toppings

    • 60 g parmesan grated
    • 1 red onion sliced into half-moons
    • 40 g butter unsalted
    • 5 g salt
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper ground
    • 25 g brown sugar
    • 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil

    Instructions
     

    • Start by mixing together water, sugar, salt, flour and yeast, until dough is formed. I use my hands to do so, but you can use a spoon. This is a high hydration dough: it will feel sticky in the beginning.
    • When there are no more dry visible spots and dough is formed, let it rest for 30 minutes, covered with a damp tower or plastic wrap.
    • After 30 minutes, uncover dough and pour around the edges 1 tablespoon of olive oil. That will help with the stretches and folds.
    • Start to stretch and fold the dough. Pull up on one side of the dough, fold it back down on itself. Repeat it 4 to 6 times through all the sides of the dough. Let the dough rest covered for another 20 minutes.
    • Repeat the stretch and fold 3 times more, giving it 20 minutes between each.
    • While the dough rests between stretches and folds, start caramelizing the onions. In a heavy-bottom pan, over medium heat, cook onions with butter, salt and pepper until it shrinks to half its size, around 10 minutes.
    • Add brown sugar and balsamic vinegar, and simmer for 20 minutes more. Reserve. It should be lukewarm to room temperature by the time the dough is ready.
    • After the last stretch and fold, let the dough rest for another 20 minutes before opening it.
    • Line a rectangular 9x13 inches baking sheet, and open the focaccia over it, using your hands. Cover the dough and let it rise while the oven preheats to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
    • Distribute parmesan and caramelized onions evenly through the dough, topping it with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
    • Using your fingertips, poke dimples all over the dough.
    • Bake focaccia for 20 to 25 minutes, or until bread is golden brown at the top and bottom.

    Video

    Notes

    Do not add more flour than what’s asked, or you’ll risk getting a dense focaccia. Resist the temptation!
    If the topping is getting too brown before baking is complete (that can happen because of the parmesan and onions), you can cover it with foil until the focaccia finishes baking. Or you can start baking it with foil, and removing foil after 10 minutes.
    You can choose other type of cheese if preferred. Besides parmesan, I have tried with mozzarella, brie and cheddar, and they all worked great and produced delicious results.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1sliceCalories: 220kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 6gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 429mgPotassium: 70mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 123IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 72mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    5 from 11 votes (11 ratings without comment)

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    Hi, I'm Tati! Here at Milk and Pop, I’m all about making sourdough simple, doable, and fun. Whether you’re just getting started or trying to bake more consistently, I’ll help you fit sourdough into your real life, one loaf at a time.

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