Whole Wheat Focaccia Bread is light, fluffy perfection with the added benefits of whole grains. Ready for soup, sandwiches, and more! Plus, it’s faster with the help of our best friend, the Instant Pot. Read on for the details on how to use the Instant Pot to rise bread faster!
My first experience with GOOD focaccia bread was at an upscale burger joint. I’ve never tried any of their burgers because all I can see when I look at the menu is:
FOCACCIA TURKEY SANDWICH WITH PESTO AND TOMATOES
It is amazing. The focaccia bread is so soft and pillowy; not at all like the heavy sub sandwich bread that you typically get with a restaurant sandwich.
To make things even better, I always ask for the addition of avocado and bacon and to this day, it’s my favorite restaurant sandwich of all time.
My husband and I used to go to this restaurant every weekend. Then a Thai restaurant moved in and I haven’t been to that ol’ burger joint ever since.
What’s a girl to do when she gets one night a week out on the town and has to choose between Red Curry and a Focaccia Turkey?
You leave the Red Curry to the pros and you remake your favorite Focaccia Turkey at home, that’s what you do!
And guess what, this focaccia bread tastes even better AND just so happens to be better for you too. Are you ready for this?
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS EASY FOCACCIA BREAD WITH WHOLE GRAINS
- It’s sporting whole grains but not at the sacrifice of that endearing pillowy lightness.
- Good quality olive oil seeps into the crevices and crisps the focaccia bread just right. You won’t get that coveted “just out of the oven” experience if you don’t make your own focaccia!
- Herb-y, salty topping. Go for flaky sea salt. Those crisp, salty bites are perfection!
- Versatile! Dip it, make sandwiches, serve in a bread basket with a side of EVOO and balsamic vinegar . . . it’s fantastic no matter what.
- Quick! Well, quick-ER. We’re using the Instant Pot here to help quick rise the bread so we can enjoy it any night of the week.
HOW TO MAKE WHOLE GRAIN FOCACCIA BREAD
- Place the bread ingredients in the bowl of a mixer
- Knead the dough, adding extra flour if needed to clear the sides of the bowl
- Place dough on parchment paper
- Lift the dough into the pressure cooker pot
- Place the lid on top and adjust to the low yogurt setting
- After 20-25 minutes the dough will be doubled in size and puffy
- Brush sheet pan with olive oil
- Put dough on pan
- Press dough towards the edges of the pan
- Flip it over
- Again press the dough towards the edges of the pan
- Dimple the bread with fingertips
- Cover dough and let rise until doubled (about 40 minutes)
- Top with Italian seasoning and flaky sea salt
- Bake to golden perfection
SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR DETAILED COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
TIPS FOR MAKING SUCCESSFUL WHOLE GRAIN FOCACCIA BREAD
- My number one tip for making whole grain anything is to use White Whole Wheat Flour. This flour is lighter in color and flavor and results in light fluffy bread when used right.
- If you love bread making, invest in a good quality mixer. I’ve owned both a Kitchen Aid and a Bosch Mixer and I’ll say it ’til I die: “BOSCH IS THE GREATEST MIXER OF ALL TIME!!!” My mom still has a full functioning Bosch mixer from when she got married in 1954. That is a-maze-ing! I highly recommend the Bosch Universal Plus Mixer. Not once has it failed me.
- While kneading the dough don’t be scared to add extra flour (a tablespoon or 2 at a time) until it clears the edges of the bowl. You want the dough to be tacky to the touch, but not so sticky that it’s leaving residue on your hands.
- Use Maldon Flaky Sea Salt. It’s like little crystals of crunchy flavor bombs that won’t melt in the oven. They are plain delightful and every pantry should have a box!
- The flavor of your focaccia bread will be greatly impacted by the oil you use. I use olive oil or extra virgin olive oil and typically have Bertolli or Pompeian on hand. If you live near a company that specializes in infused olive oil, just think of the flavors you could create here! I highly recommend Mountain Town Olive Oil Co. Get a bottle of their Traditional 18 Year Balsamic Vinegar while you’re at it!
HOW TO STORE, REHEAT, AND FREEZE FOCACCIA BREAD
- To Store: Let it cool completely then place in a bread bag and close it tight with a twist tie. Store at room temperature for 4-5 days.
- To Reheat: You want to heat and crisp it quickly so it doesn’t dry out in the process. I like to place it on a sheet pan under a preheated broiler for 2-3 minutes. Watch that it doesn’t burn!
- To Freeze: Place in a freezer-safe ziplock bag, press out the air, and seal shut. Use within a month. Any longer and it may develop freezer burn.
VARIATIONS
- This recipe was inspired by a Rosemary and Meyer Lemon Focaccia from the cookbook Love and Lemons Everyday. It’s full of vegetarian recipes and is absolutely beautiful. For their version, after the dough has risen, top it with finely minced rosemary and thin-skinned, thinly sliced Meyer lemons.
- Top with sundried tomatoes and dried basil and add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar after it’s cooked
- Minced garlic and parmesan
- Pepper jack cheese and crispy bacon
HOW TO RISE DOUGH FASTER IN THE INSTANT POT
Did you know you can use the Instant Pot to speed up the rise time for your favorite yeast bread recipes? I’ve used this feature several times with recipes such as Whole Wheat No-Knead Bread, Jalapeno Cheddar Bread, Rosemary Asiago Bread, and more.
It’s magical! After a lot of experimentation, here are my tips:
- Use the Yogurt setting on LOW. Warmth is good, but too much heat will kill the yeast and the bread will not turn out right.
- Use a sheet of parchment paper to transfer the dough in and out of the pot. This works like a charm and keeps the dough from sticking to the pot or getting hot spots.
- While any lid will do, I prefer to use the pressure cooker lid because it traps in the warmth and moisture better than a regular glass pot lid can.
- Don’t overfill the pot! The amount of dough in this focaccia bread recipe is the most I would put in a 6-quart pot. If the bread rises too high, it can actually press the valve up and lock the lid onto the pot. If you are worried about this, go ahead and use a glass lid instead.
Follow these tips and you can confidently start experimenting with your own go-to recipes! Have fun with it!
Whether you are a bread baking pro or this is new territory for you, you will FALL IN LOVE with this focaccia bread! It’s not finicky, it smells amazing, and it’s extremely versatile.
Once you start making your own focaccia, you will make it time and time again.
Just promise me right now, that one of those times you will turn it into the greatest sandwich of all time: THE GREAT FOCACCIA TURKEY.
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST FOCACCIA TURKEY SANDWICH
- Cut a square of bread, slice it in half (like a bun)
- Spritz the insides of the bread with a little oil and crisp the insides of the bread under the oven broiler or in a saute pan. You want it really crispy.
- Mix some pesto and mayo together and spread on both sides of the bread.
- Top it with leftover roast turkey, top with pepper jack cheese, and place it under the broiler a couple more minutes to melt the cheese.
- Top melted cheese with sliced tomatoes, avocado, and bacon. Put the bread top on and die happy.
SOUPS TO EAT WITH FOCACCIA BREAD
- Instant Pot Tomato Soup
- Instant Pot Magic Sunshine Soup AKA Turmeric Soup
- Instant Pot Cheesy Meatball Sub Soup
- Instant Pot Red Lentil Soup with Lemon
MORE WHOLE WHEAT BREAD RECIPES I RISE IN THE INSTANT POT
TOOLS/INGREDIENTS USED TO MAKE WHOLE WHEAT FOCACCIA BREAD
PrintWhole Wheat Focaccia Bread
Easy, Whole Wheat Focaccia Bread, perfect for dipping, sandwiches, or just eating straight off the pan. Use the Instant Pot to quickly rise the dough!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 3 cups white whole wheat flour
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons wheat gluten
- 2 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 tablespoon sugar or honey
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 ¾ cups warm water (about 110°F)
- ¼ cup olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons for brushing the pan
- Italian seasoning
- flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)
Instructions
- In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, add 2 cups whole wheat flour, 2 cups all purpose flour, wheat gluten, yeast, sugar or honey, salt, water, and ¼ cup olive oil.
- Start mixing dough at medium speed. Slowly add last cup of whole wheat flour just until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and let it knead for 5 – 6 minutes. If dough seems wet and is sticking to the sides of the bowl, sprinkle in a bit more flour, a tablespoon at a time, until it clears the sides. The dough should be soft and pliable and not leave a lot of sticky residue on your fingers when poked.
- Scrape the dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Grab the corners of the parchment paper and place it inside the pressure cooker pot.
- On the Instant Pot, select yogurt and adjust until it says “less”. Some models may say 24:00 when in this “less” mode.
- Place the lid securely on top and allow it to rise for 20 – 25 minutes until almost doubled and puffy.
- Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil onto a 10×15 inch pan and use a pastry brush to cover the entire pan.
- Punch down dough. Use the corners of the parchment paper to lift dough from pot and place dough onto the oiled pan.
- Press the dough to spread it to the edges of the pan.
- Flip the dough over and again press it to the edges of the pan. It’s okay if it doesn’t spread completely into the corners.
- Use your fingers to make indentations in the dough, about 3 inches apart.
- Cover with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise until doubled in size. This will take about 40 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Note: I like to set the pan on the stove top while the oven preheats. The warmth helps it to rise a bit quicker.
- When dough has doubled in size, gently remove the plastic wrap. Generously sprinkle the top with Italian seasoning and flaky sea salt.
- Bake for 15 – 18 minutes, until golden brown.
- Cut into squares and serve warm.
Notes
- White whole wheat flour is a lighter tasting wheat flour. I don’t suggest using red wheat flour for this recipe.
- I have not tried substituting all of the flour for all white flour or all white whole wheat, but I believe either would work.
- If you don’t have a 10×15 inch pan, this will likely work in a 9×13 pan, it will just be thicker and might need a few extra minutes of cook time.
- If not using the Instant Pot to quick rise the dough, place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with greased plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled, about 45 – 50 minutes.
- Use the leftovers to make my favorite Focaccia Turkey Sandwich (instructions for that in the post)
Another great recipe!!!! Thanks so much for sharing your talents!
Pamela, I’m glad you loved it! I make this one often during soup season.
Oh my. I.want.to.devour.this! Question:my Instant Pot smells like beans – no room for a second one so is there a way to get rid of the smell? Regardless, I’m going to try this recipe!
Cecilia, I haven’t found a fail-proof method, but I do feel like cooking potatoes does about the best job of anything at pulling the smell out. I don’t think it will hurt the bread though.