This easy loaf pan focaccia is filled and topped with shredded mozzarella, marinara sauce, and pepperoni for thick crust pizza vibes on a fluffy loaf. No stand mixer, no kneading, just one bowl and a few stretch-and-folds for a same-day rise.
Loaf Pan Focaccia meets Pepperoni Cheese Pizza
Confession: I've never been much of a sheet pan focaccia person, because I always wanted more height, more chew, and more of that thick, pillowy interior you can really sink your teeth into. So I set out to build focaccia for all my fellow thick-crust-pizza lovers of the world! This loaf pan focaccia is the kind of loaded bread you can happily eat for dinner, especially with a generous dunk in extra marinara.
My first attempt at this recipe resulted in dough & cheese all over my counter and floor when I tried to cram the entire batch into a single loaf pan. Lesson learned: this dough is ambitious. Split evenly between two loaf pans, it makes two gorgeous loaves that are light and airy on the inside, with that unmistakable bakery-style bubble structure. I filled and topped mine with melty mozzarella, jarred marinara, and plenty of spicy pepperoni for classic American pizza flavors baked into a traditional Italian loaf.
A couple of things make this loaf behave the way it does. The dimples aren't just for looks, and pressing them in right before baking deflates any uneven gas pockets, giving the dough enough room to do its final rise without spilling over, while also creating little wells that hold all that good cheese and olive oil. And because this loaf is thicker than traditional focaccia, it bakes low and slow, giving the middle time to fully cook through without going dense or gummy, while a generous drizzle of olive oil keeps the top from burning.
If this one wins you over, my pizza focaccia leans into more traditional Italian flavors with an overnight rise in the fridge. And my pizza pull-apart bread gives you those same cozy cheese + pepperoni flavors in tear-and-share form.
Let's Bake Loaf Pan Focaccia Together!
For the full step-by-step directions, scroll down to the recipe card.
My Baking Tips for Beginner-Friendly Focaccia
- It looks like a lot of olive oil in the loaf pan, because it's doing double duty: preventing sticking and tearing on release, and giving you that glossy, classic focaccia crust. Just don't add extra, or you'll end up with a soggy bottom.
- While lining your loaf pan with parchment paper might seem like it'll help release more easily, the barrier between the dough and the direct heat of the pan prevents it from developing that beautiful crispy crust.
- I've tested this dough in metal, glass, and ceramic baking dishes, and metal is my go-to. It heats up faster and gives you that deep golden crunch on the outside. Glass or ceramic will still get you a great loaf if that's what you've got on hand.
Loaf Pan Focaccia (with Pizza Toppings!)
developed & tested by:
Equipment
Ingredients
Focaccia Dough
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet)
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1¾ cups warm water (between 105-115°F or 40-46°C)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1½ teaspoons salt (use fine sea salt or table salt)
Toppings
- 10 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 cup marinara sauce, divided
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 4 ounces pepperoni, divided
Instructions
Mix the Dough and Let it Rise
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the yeast, sugar, and warm water. Set aside for 10 minutes, until it's foamy on top. (If it's not foamy, check your yeast packet, as it might be expired.)
- Add the olive oil and stir it into the foamy yeast mixture.
- Add the flour, Italian seasoning, and salt, and mix for a minute with a large wooden spoon or silicone spatula until it forms a soft, sticky dough.
- Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and Fold 1: Use your hand to scoop a handful of dough from underneath, up one side, up out of the bowl as far as you can stretch it without tearing, then fold it over itself on top. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat another stretching of the dough up and folding over itself. Repeat rotating the bowl and stretching & folding the dough twice more, until you've completed four stretch-and-folds.Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and Fold 2: Repeat the process for four stretch-and-folds. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and Fold 3: Repeat the process for four stretch-and-folds. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and Fold 4: Repeat the process for four stretch-and-folds.
- Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel for 1 hour until it doubles in size and looks bubbly on top.
Shape, Fill, and Proof the Dough
- Spread 6 tablespoons of olive oil on the bottom and up the sides of two loaf pans (3 tablespoons in each pan).
- Separate roughly one quarter of the dough from your mixing bowl and press it into all the edges of a loaf pan. Repeat with another quarter of the dough in the second loaf pan.
- Top with half the marinara sauce (¼ cup on each), half the mozzarella (½ cup on each), and about 8-10 pepperoni slices on each.
- Separate the remaining dough in the mixing bowl and gently stretch the dough on top of the toppings in the two loaf pans. Top with the remaining marinara sauce, mozzarella, and pepperoni.
- Cover the two loaf pans with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature for about 2 hours, or until the dough has really puffed up and jiggles when you shake the baking dish.
Add the Toppings and Bake
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (230°C).
- Coat your fingers in olive oil (don't skip this, or else the dough will stick all over your fingers.) Use your fingers to press dimples into the dough, pressing almost to the bottom of the loaf pan.
- Drizzle the remaining four tablespoons evenly over the two loaves.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for another 20-25 minutes, or until the focaccia is puffed up and golden.
- Cool the bread for at least 20 minutes before slicing in the pan. Or you can remove the whole loaf from the pan by first running a knife around the edges and gently using a knife or spatula to release it from the bottom.
Notes
- Cheese: Use pre-shredded mozzarella, which has a lot less moisture than fresh mozzarella, so it won't add too much moisture to the dough. And I find mozzarella has one of the best melting-factors, providing that epic cheese-pull.
- Sugar: The tiny bit of sugar won't make the dough sweet, but I find that it helps jump start fermentation for the yeast.
- Equipment: I use two 8.5x4.5 loaf pans, and this recipe works in an 8x4 or 9x5 loaf pan as well, depending on what you have on hand.
- Storing: Store your cooled loaves wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge for a few days. I usually reheat slices in the microwave or toaster oven.
Nutrition
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