Walnut Focaccia — a simple, flavorful Italian bread with a nutty, slightly sweet character. It’s ideal for autumn and winter: serve warm for dunking into soups, to mop up a rich ragu, or spread with Gorgonzola and cured meats.
A classic focaccia is easy to personalise — top it with tomatoes, olives or fresh herbs, or fold flavours into the dough. This version uses finely chopped walnuts folded into the dough for texture and a lovely nutty sweetness.
Enjoy it straight from the oven with a drizzle of olive oil and flaky salt, or make sandwiches with Gorgonzola and cured meats for a delicious contrast.
Ingredients – what you need
The photo below shows the ingredients for this recipe and offers helpful notes on choosing them.
Notes on ingredients
- Italian 00 flour — preferred for an authentic texture; use all-purpose if you don’t have 00.
- Walnuts — use walnut halves and chop them finely so you get a mix of small and slightly larger pieces throughout the bread.
- Yeast — instant (fast-action) yeast is convenient because it can be added directly to the flour. Check your packet in case your yeast requires activation in water first.
Step by step photos and recipe instructions
Mix dry ingredients — finely chop the walnuts, then add them to a large bowl with the flour and stir to combine.
Add the yeast, sugar and salt on opposite sides of the bowl, then stir to blend.
Add wet ingredients — pour in the olive oil and warm water, then mix until a rough dough forms.
Knead — turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
First proof — lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough inside, rubbing a little oil on top as well. Cover and let it double in size in a warm, draft-free spot.
Shape the focaccia — oil a large baking tray and gently press the dough to fit the tray.
Second proof — brush a little oil on the dough, cover again, and leave until it has doubled in size.
Bake — when the dough has doubled, use your fingertips to make dimples all over the surface. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle sea salt flakes and fresh herbs if desired, then bake for 15–18 minutes until golden and crisp on top.
Recipe tips and FAQs
- Use warm water — warm water helps the dough rise faster. Cold water will slow the proofing; very hot water can kill the yeast.
- Toppings — rosemary or oregano work beautifully, but you can be creative with other herbs or coarse salt.
- Weigh your ingredients — a kitchen scale gives the most consistent results, especially for breads.
- Measuring with cups — if you must use cups for flour, spoon the flour into the cup and level it off with a knife rather than scooping, which compresses the flour and adds too much.
Focaccia is best the day it’s made, as it begins to dry out. Wrapped well, leftovers can keep a couple of days and reheat nicely in a hot oven.
Yes — use a dough hook on low to knead the dough if you prefer not to work it by hand.
More Italian breads and snacks
- Rosemary Focaccia Bread
- Focaccia Pizza
- La Piadina: Italian Flatbread
- Grissini – Italian Breadsticks
- Taralli Pugliesi (Italian Snack)
- Easy Pumpkin Bread Rolls
If you try this Walnut Focaccia, please rate it and share how it turned out in the comments — feedback is always appreciated!
Step By Step Photos Above
Most of our recipes include step-by-step photos and helpful tips to get great results.
Walnut Focaccia
By Emily
Ingredients
- 4 cups Italian 00 Flour (500g)
- 1 1/3 cups + 1 tbsp warm water (320ml)
- 1 cup walnut halves (100g), finely chopped
- 4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp fine salt
- Pinch sea salt flakes for topping
- Fresh rosemary or oregano for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Finely chop the walnuts so you have a mix of small and slightly larger pieces. Combine them with the flour in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the yeast, sugar and salt to separate sides of the bowl. Pour in the warm water and 4 tablespoons of olive oil, then mix until a rough dough forms.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Lightly oil a clean bowl, place the dough in it and rub a little oil on top. Cover and leave in a warm place until doubled in size.
- Once doubled, oil a large baking tray (about 10×15 in) and press the dough to fit. Cover and leave to double again, about 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F / 230°C.
- Remove the cover and dimple the dough with your fingertips. Sprinkle sea salt flakes, add rosemary or oregano if using, and drizzle a few tablespoons of olive oil.
- Bake for 15–18 minutes until browned and crisp on top. Cool slightly and serve (best the same day).
Notes
- 00 flour is recommended but all-purpose flour works in a pinch. If using cups, spoon and level the flour instead of scooping to avoid overpacking.
- Using a kitchen scale yields the most consistent results for baking and bread making.
- Use instant (fast-action) yeast unless your packet specifies activation in water first.
- Storage: best on the day it’s made. Leftovers keep up to 3 days if tightly wrapped; reheat briefly in a hot oven to refresh.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- Extra virgin olive oil is used unless stated otherwise.
- All recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven unless noted.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 32 g |
Protein: 6 g |
Fat: 11 g
Nutrition information is an approximation.
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