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This Caprese Focaccia is the perfect appetizer to share with family and friends. Ripe tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and fresh basil are baked into an easy 2 ingredient dough to create a crispy, cheesy, golden brown bread that is ready in no time.

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Partially-sliced Caprese Focaccia on parchment paper.

A traditional caprese salad is made with perfectly ripe tomatoes, high-quality mozzarella, fresh basil, and a pinch of fine salt. This recipe takes that caprese charm and bakes it into a warm, fluffy focaccia bread. As if that wasn’t enough to sell you, this easy recipe takes just two ingredients to make the focaccia dough. No yeast means no wait time and a cast iron means a perfectly crisp crust.

Caprese focaccia in a cast iron skillet.

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Why you’ll love this recipe

Combines the fresh flavors of two Italian favorites.
2-ingredient dough that uses no active dry yeast – ready in no time!
Crispy outside, light and fluffy inside.
7 grams of protein per slice.
Just make the focaccia alone for sandwiches or add toppings for pizza!

What is 2-ingredient dough?

If you’ve ever made homemade bread, you know there’s usually a process involving instant yeast, a cup of warm water and lots of waiting. There will be no waiting today with this two-ingredient dough that’s been floating around the internet for years. It combines 2 pantry staples, greek yogurt and self rising flour, that’s it and you can make a focaccia worthy of a local shop on the Italian coast. Greek yogurt makes the bread soft and the acidity lessens the amount of gluten in the flour, ensuring the bread will be fluffy. Self-rising flour is prepared with baking soda which ensures the bread will rise. As if by magic (or science), you get a beautiful caprese focaccia dough.

Slices of caprese focaccia attached with melted cheese.

Quality ingredients make all the difference!

The best part of the caprese focaccia is the simplicity of its ingredients. Do your bread a favor and add the best fresh ingredients you can find. Fresh tomatoes, a high-quality extra virgin olive oil, flaky sea salt (Maldon is superior) a good quality mozzarella, and the freshest basil money can buy. With so few ingredients, using the highest quality matters and is totally worth the grocery store search.

Slices of caprese focaccia topped with tomatoes and basil.

Is the cast-iron is a must?

I love to give you options, but with this one, please use a cast-iron! You don’t HAVE to, but it makes the focaccia perfectly cooked and crispy on the bottom. A 8-inch cast iron is perfect for this but 10 inches will do fine! Anything larger will result in flatter bread with obviously more surface area to cover with ingredients but still delicious. The cast iron elevates this Italian bread to the way it’s meant to be with a crispy outside and fluffy middle. If you don’t have one, it’s ok to use a oven-safe pan, and either way the bread will be delish. The point is – if you have a cast-iron… trust me and use it!

Ingredients and Substitutes:

These are the main ingredients and substitutions. See the recipe card below for the full ingredients list and instructions for this caprese focaccia.

Self-Rising Flour: self-rising flour is a must. It is prepared with baking soda and salt and will ensure the focaccia will rise. I used Great Value and it was perfect.

Greek Yogurt

Olive Oil

Fresh Mozzarella

Cherry Tomatoes: fresh, ripe tomatoes with the best flavor. Grape tomatoes also work.

Fresh Basil: look for shiny, bright green leaves that smell the best.

Fresh Rosemary: you want very fragrant and dark green needles.

Flaky Sea Salt: this is a must! Adds a perfect saltiness to your bread. Maldon makes the absolute best.

How to make caprese focaccia

Step 1: make the dough

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl, combine the flour and yogurt.

Mix until well combined. It will be sticky!

Lay on a flour-coated surface and combine until formed into a ball.

Place the dough in a pre-seasoned 8-inch cast iron and press so that it reaches all sides of the pan.

Step 2: “dimple” your focaccia

Pour the olive oil over top and using your fingers press dimples all over the top of the dough without going through to the bottom.

Olive oil pooling into indents in dough.

Step 3: top with remaining ingredients

Top the dough evenly with chunks of cheese, tomatoes, fresh basil, rosemary, salt and pepper.

Cast iron skillet filled with uncooked caprese focaccia.

Step 4: bake

Place in the oven and bake for 25 -30 minutes until the dough is cooked through and edges are browning. Turn the oven to broil and broil for 2 minutes to crisp the dough and tomatoes.

Step 5: remove and serve

Remove from the heat and let rest for 2-3 minutes. The dough will continue to cook in the center while in the hot cast iron. Top with additional fresh basil and cut into 8 equal slices.

Cooked caprese focaccia in a cast iron skillet.

How to eat/serve your focaccia

Dip this bread into your favorite herbed oil and balsamic vinegar. Or, make into a caprese focaccia sandwich with grilled chicken, heirloom tomato slices, and pesto. Or, eat it on its own, straight from the cast iron.

Slices of caprese focaccia with cherry tomatoes and basil.

Recipe Tips

The 2-ingredient dough is super sticky. This is what you want! To make it easier to work with, flour your surface well and flour your hands before you start rolling into a ball. This will create a barrier between your hands and the dough.
Use the freshest ingredients for the best taste!
Don’t skip that flakey sea salt.

If you like this recipe be sure to check out some of our other easy baked goods!