Zaatar focaccia bakes up fluffy, chewy, and richly layered with olive oil. Golden dimples cradle savory za’atar, delivering bold flavor and tender crumb in every bite!
A Quick Look At The Recipe
This is a brief summary of the recipe. Jump to the recipe to get the full details.
Prep Time
1 hour 45 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Total Time
2 hours 15 minutes
Servings
8 servings
Difficulty
Easy to Intermediate (great beginner yeast bread with straightforward steps)
Calories *
294 kcal per serving
Technique
Bloom the yeast, mix and knead the dough, rise, press into a pan, dimple, drizzle with olive oil, and bake.
Flavor Profile
Fluffy, tender crumb with lightly chewy edges and a savory, herbaceous olive oil topping.
* Based on nutrition panel
I let the dough rest the full time when it resisted stretching in the pan, and that tip made all the difference. The gluten relaxed and it spread perfectly. I also added a generous final drizzle of olive oil right out of the oven—so good with hummus! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lauren
Why You Will Love This
- Fluffy with crisp edges. The generous olive oil gives you that golden bottom and lightly crisp exterior, while the inside stays soft and tender.
- Simple, pantry-friendly dough. Just yeast, water, flour, salt, and olive oil—no complicated shaping required.
- Big flavor with little effort. Za’atar adds earthy, herbal depth without needing additional toppings.
- Perfect for everything. Serve it as a side, dip it in hummus, or use it like I do for sandwiches.
Table of Contents
We’re heading into a long weekend with no real plans, which honestly feels like a luxury. When life starts looking like a jumbled mess of calendar reminders and travel dates, I find myself gravitating back to bread. It slows me down. You can’t rush yeast dough—you have to work with it.
I’ve made plenty of focaccia over the years, including this classic no knead focaccia, nutty whole wheat focaccia, and even lemon focaccia, but this za’atar version has quickly become a favorite!
What is zaatar focaccia?
Zaatar focaccia is an olive oil-rich Italian flatbread topped with zaatar, a Middle Eastern spice blend made from dried herbs, sesame seeds, and sumac. The dough is soft and fluffy inside with crisp, golden edges, and the zaatar bakes into the dimpled surface, infusing the bread with earthy, lemony, nutty flavor.
This version follows traditional focaccia technique—yeasted dough, double rise, olive oil in the pan—but incorporates zaatar for a Mediterranean twist.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Active dry yeast: Blooming it first ensures it’s active and ready to lift the dough properly.
- Warm water: Aim for about 110–115°F. Too cool and it slows the rise; too hot and it can kill the yeast.
- Olive oil: This is not the place to skimp. Olive oil flavors the dough, coats the bowl, lines the pan, and finishes the bread. It’s what gives focaccia that signature texture. I prefer extra virgin olive oil for its richer flavor and peppery finish!
- All-purpose flour: Creates a soft, fluffy interior. You’ll add a little extra while kneading if needed. For a slightly chewier texture, you can substitute bread flour for all-purpose flour in equal amounts.
- Salt: Balances the dough and enhances the za’atar flavor.
- What does zaatar taste like? A Middle Eastern blend often made with thyme, sesame seeds, and sumac. The herb base can include oregano or marjoram, depending on the blend. It’s fantastic on meat and vegetables, but especially good baked into olive oil on bread.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations for Za’atar Focaccia Bread
- Add some heat. Sprinkle a pinch of red pepper flakes over the olive oil before baking. The warmth plays beautifully with the earthy za’atar.
- Top with feta. Add sliced olives, rosemary, and feta cheese before baking for a briny finish.
- Make sandwich slabs. Slice the cooled focaccia horizontally and use it for pressed sandwiches. It’s especially good stuffed with roasted vegetables, grilled chicken, or layered with hummus and greens.
Professional Tips
- Don’t rush the stretch. If the dough snaps back when pressing it into the pan, walk away for 5–10 minutes. Gluten relaxes with time, and it will eventually stretch easily without tearing.
- Be generous with olive oil. Focaccia isn’t shy about oil. The olive oil in the pan helps create that golden, lightly crisp bottom, and the drizzle before baking ensures flavor in every bite.
- Dimple deeply. Use your fingertips to press firmly enough to create real wells in the dough. Those pockets hold the olive oil and za’atar so the flavor doesn’t just sit on top.
How to Make Zaatar Focaccia
Use these instructions to make the perfect zaatar focaccia every time! Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Bloom the yeast. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the yeast and 1/2 cup warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes until the yeast begins to foam.
Step 2: Form the dough. Add the remaining 1 1/4 cups warm water, 2 tablespoons olive oil, flour, and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon, spatula, or dough hook until a shaggy dough forms.
Step 3: Knead until smooth. On a lightly floured surface, knead by hand 5 to 7 minutes, adding flour as needed, until the dough is smooth, soft, elastic, and only slightly sticky. Alternatively, knead with a dough hook on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes until smooth.
Step 4: First rise. Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a clean large bowl. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in the bowl, turning to coat in oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel and let rise 1 hour until doubled in size.
Step 5: Press into the pan. Brush a large rimmed baking sheet (about 11 by 17 inches) generously with olive oil. Punch down the dough and transfer it to the baking sheet. Gently press it evenly to the edges. If it resists, let it rest 5 to 10 minutes and try again—the gluten will relax.
Step 6: Second rise. Cover the baking sheet with two upside-down cooling racks and top with a damp kitchen towel. Let rise 30 to 45 minutes until puffy.
You should see visible bubbles forming beneath the surface.
Step 7: Dimple and top. Heat the oven to 450°F. Use your fingertips to make indents all over the dough. Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle evenly with za’atar spice.
Finish with flaky salt before baking for extra texture.
Step 8: Bake until golden. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until golden brown. Drizzle with more olive oil just before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Zaatar focaccia is similar nutritionally to other olive oil-based breads. It contains carbohydrates from flour, heart-healthy fats from olive oil, and small amounts of fiber and antioxidants from zaatar spices.
While it is not a low-carb bread, it can absolutely fit into a balanced diet when enjoyed in moderate portions alongside vegetables and protein.
Store fully cooled zaatar focaccia in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also store it in the fridge, though it may dry slightly! Wrap baked and cooled focaccia tightly and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature and warm briefly in the oven if desired.
It’s excellent dipped into hummus, used for sandwiches, or served alongside soups and salads. It also makes a great side dish for Mediterranean-style meals. For holiday tables, I often pair this with whole wheat dinner rolls when I want variety!
Recommended Focaccia Recipes
No-Knead Breads
Yeast Breads
Yeast Breads
Yeast Breads
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below! I love hearing from you and your comments make my day!
Zaatar Focaccia
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast, 1 packet
- 1 ¾ cups warm water, about 110 to 115 degrees F, divided
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon za'atar spice
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine yeast and 1/2 cup warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
- Add remaining 1 1/4 cups warm water, 2 tablespoons olive oil, flour, and salt. Stir until a dough forms.
- Knead 5–7 minutes by hand or 3–4 minutes with a dough hook until smooth, soft, elastic, and slightly sticky.
- Place dough in a bowl coated with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Turn to coat, cover, and let rise 1 hour until doubled.
- Brush a large rimmed baking sheet (about 11×17 inches) with olive oil. Press dough evenly to the edges, resting briefly if it resists stretching.
- Cover and let rise 30–45 minutes until puffy.
- Heat oven to 450°F. Dimple dough with fingertips, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with za’atar.
- Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown. Drizzle with more olive oil before serving.
Notes
- Technique: If the dough resists stretching in the pan, let it rest 5–10 minutes before pressing again.
- Flavor Tip: A generous drizzle of olive oil after baking enhances the za’atar flavor.
- Storage: Store airtight at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!Before You Go
I hope you enjoyed this fluffy, olive oil-rich bread. If you love experimenting with different breads, you’ll also enjoy browsing all my bread recipes and trying something like whole wheat pita bread or strawberry focaccia next!
I let the dough rest the full time when it resisted stretching in the pan, and that tip made all the difference. The gluten relaxed and it spread perfectly. I also added a generous final drizzle of olive oil right out of the oven—so good with hummus!
I thought this focaccia was perfect! My father-in-law brought za’tar seasoning back from Israel, and I was looking for some fun ways to use it. The bread is light and full of flavor, and it is easy to make. And I found the dough to be a dream to work with.
Your outstanding blog has served as a source of inspiration and an indispensable guide. I eagerly await your upcoming posts to broaden my understanding. Thank you for generously sharing your valuable knowledge!
Hi there! I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting us know and happy baking! ~gvd team
This recipe was very easy and pretty delicious. I would have liked a little more flavor in the dough, maybe some carmelized red onion or roasted garlic. The focaccia base is fantastic. The za’atar just didn’t carry enough bang for me (though I’ve been accused of over-seasoning when it comes to herbs and garlic). The texture was great, and the effort was well worthwhile. I’ll definitely make it again. I subbed in a blend of fresh milled hard red (traditionally “whole”) wheat and soft white (whole “pastry”) wheat for a little over half of the flour and made a double batch. Big hit with the whole family.
Gorgeous and mouthwatering pictures. Love the browning effect and texture of your focaccia. Going to try this on the weekend and maybe turn it into a bread pizza of sorts with some veggie toppings. I love zaatar on pita, salads, raw veggies and marinades, but have never really tried this. Good quality Za’atar does add a punch to any dish, but only if it is a quality zaatar as you mentioned. Some brands add ground wheat or peanuts for weight. Few people realize that best flavor comes from pure mixes with real zaatar herb, sumac, and sesame, and little of sea salt. That’s why I get mine from https://www.eatzaatar.com which offers blends directly from a zaatar farm in Lebanon.
whoooo you ARE a busy bee! I’m glad you got this weekend to relax! But also I have 0 clue how you do it because I don’t have half the stuff going on that you do and I cannot keep up with it all!
Carbs Twins 4 Life!!! I love this with the Za’atar spice!