Zaatar Focaccia

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!

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!

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

Recommended Focaccia Recipes

No-Knead Breads

No Knead Focaccia

Yeast Breads

Sourdough Focaccia Recipe

Yeast Breads

Strawberry Focaccia

Yeast Breads

Whole Wheat Focaccia

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!

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!