This French Onion Soup-inspired Caramelized onion and gruyere focaccia is an excellent appetizer or addition to a grazing board. The no-knead dough requires overnight proofing, which makes it tastier and easier to digest. The base recipe needs just 5 ingredients that you probably have in your pantry right now!
Based on my Standard No Knead Focaccia Recipe. Make sure to also try my Fig and Onion Focaccia, Za’atar and Olive Focaccia, Tomato Focaccia, focaccia pizza and Jalapeno Cheddar Focaccia.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
The recipe comes together with basic pantry staples, fresh ingredients and gruyere cheese.
- Flour: This recipe uses 100% white all-purpose flour (unbleached preferred). However, feel free to sub in some whole wheat flour (up to 25% of the total flour amount). You can also use bread flour too. You can use my whole wheat focaccia recipe as a base. Baking for one? Try my Small Batch Focaccia in muffin form! Or my small-batch cherry tomato feta focaccia.
- Yeast: I like to use Instant yeast when making no knead bread, but active dry yeast will work just fine too. Just make sure to bloom it in the water for a few minutes before making the dough. You can also use fresh yeast but do adjust the quantity. When using fresh yeast instead of dry, use double the amount by weight.
- Olive Oil: It wouldn’t be a focaccia without olive oil. This recipe uses quite a bit of oil. You can reduce the amount slightly but keep in mind a traditional focaccia is supposed to be slightly oily. Good quality olive oil is a must. Or try my butter croissant focaccia instead!
- Cheese: As this is a French onion soup inspired flavor profile, Gruyere cheese works best. I like it because it melts really well and has a nice flavor to it. It also caramelizes nicely in the oven. If you don’t have gruyere you can use a sharp white cheddar instead.
- Onions: When making caramelized onions, use white or yellow onions. Don’t use red onions. The process takes time to make good quality caramelized onions, so take your time. It’ll make all the difference.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make this Caramelized Onion Gruyere Focaccia
1. Mix: To a large mixing bowl, add the flour, salt, yeast, olive oil and room temperature water (Image 1). Mix with a wooden spoon until all the flour is hydrated. The mix should be shaggy but not sloppy (Image 2).
2. Rise: Drizzle some olive oil over the surface of the dough, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a tight-fitting cover and refrigerate overnight (Images 3-4).
3. Deflate. The next day, 2 hours before you want to bake the focaccia, take the bowl out of the fridge and uncover it. Using your hands deflate the dough slightly and transfer the dough to a buttered and oiled baking tray (9×13) or sheet pan (Images 5-6).
4. Shape: Shape the focaccia loosely by grabbing each end and folding it over like you would a letter. Flip the dough over so the seams are on the bottom (Image 7). Cover the tray with a tea towel and set aside for 1.5-2 hours in a warm place (Image 8).
5. Make caramelized onions. Set a non stick pan on medium heat and add the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the sliced onions (Image 9). Keep stirring until the onions have softened (but not browned), about 4-6 minutes (Image 10). Turn the heat on low and continue to caramelize the onions for 30-40 minutes, or until the onions are soft and lightly browned (Image 11). Add the balsamic vinegar, stir, and set aside to cool (Image 12).
6. Dimple. Preheat your oven. The dough should now have spread covering the surface of the baking tray (Image 13). Drizzle more olive oil over the dough and start dimpling with your fingers, covering the entire surface (Image 14). This creates valleys and mountains in the dough and you should also see some air bubbles forming.
7. Dress. Nestle in your caramelized onions, cheese and thyme leaves in the dough. Press the ingredients down (Image 15).
8. Bake. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown (Image 16)!
French Onion Focaccia Video Tutorial
Expert Tips
- Don’t Hurry the process. Allow the dough to rise in the fridge for at least 18 hours (and up to 2 days) and you’ll need 2-4 hours for the second rise. The timing will depend on the temperature in your kitchen and how active the dough is. That being said, plan ahead! Try some of my other no-knead recipes like no-knead white bread and no-knead whole wheat bread.
- Butter the pan: Buttering the pan before oiling it helps prevent the focaccia from sticking to the pan! This is a great hack!
- Skip the dough altogether: I get it, sometimes we need a quick fix. You can make this recipe with store-bought pizza dough or even bread rolls.
- Short on time? Make the dough in a stand mixer with a dough hook and knead on medium speed for 6-8 minutes. Let the dough rise for 1 hour and then proceed with the baking steps.
- Let it cool slightly! Don’t cut into the piping hot focaccia right away after it’s finished baking. If you cut too soon, the steam can make the dough gummy. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes first. I know it’s hard, but trust me, it’ll be worth the wait.
Recipe FAQs
This is a great make-ahead recipe because you can prepare the focaccia dough and refrigerate it for up to 2 days. You can then bake it when you’re ready. Once baked, the focaccia can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Yes, you can freeze focaccia slices in freezer bags or freezer-safe containers for up to 6 months and reheat in the oven or toaster oven when want to enjoy it.
No-knead bread has many benefits (because of the long rise time) including enhanced flavor and texture, improved digestibility, and lower gluten content. Baking a no-knead focaccia does take some time and proper planning, but the results are well worth it.
Other Baking Recipes
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Caramelized Onion Gruyere Focaccia (French Onion Soup Style)
Equipment
- 9×13 Baking pan or large rimmed baking sheet – Affiliate link
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 4 cups All-purpose flour – 520 grams – Bread flour can be used
- 2 tsp Kosher salt – 10 grams
- 2 tsp Instant yeast – 7 grams
- 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil – 28 grams
- 2 cups Lukewarm water – 473 grams
- Extra olive oil for drizzling
Caramelized Onions
- 3 tbsp Butter
- 4-5 White or yellow onions (thinly sliced)
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Black pepper
- 1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
For Baking and Dressing
- 1 tbsp Butter – For greasing the pan
- ¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup Gruyere cheese (cubed) – 150 grams
- 2 tsp Fresh thyme – From 3-4 sprigs
Instructions
- Mix. To a large bowl, add 4 cups All-purpose flour, 2 tsp Kosher salt, 2 tsp Instant yeast, 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil and 2 cups Lukewarm water. Mix with a wooden spoon until all the flour is hydrated. The mix should be shaggy but not sloppy.
- Rise. Drizzle some olive oil over the top of the dough, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a tight-fitting cover and refrigerate overnight for at least 18 hours.
- Deflate. 2 hours before you want to bake the focaccia, take the bowl out of the fridge and uncover it. Using your hands deflate the dough slightly and transfer the dough to a buttered and oiled baking tray (9×13) or sheet pan.
- Shape. Shape it loosely by grabbing each end and folding it over like you would a letter. Flip the dough over so the seams are on the bottom. Cover the tray with a tea towel and set aside for 1.5-2 hours.
- Make Caramelized Onion. Set a non stick pan on medium heat and add 3 tbsp Butter. Once the butter has melted, add 4-5 White or yellow onions (thinly sliced), ¼ tsp Salt and ¼ tsp Black pepper. Keep stirring until the onions have softened (but not browned), about 4-6 minutes. Turn the heat down to low and continue to caramelize the onions for 30-40 minutes, or until the onions are soft and lightly browned. Add 1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar, stir, and set aside to cool.
- Dimple. Preheat your oven to 425F/220C. The dough should now have spread covering the surface of the baking tray. If not, you can help it stretch to the edges by carefully easing it to the corners. Drizzle more olive oil over the dough and start dimpling with your fingers, covering the entire surface. This creates valleys and mountains in the dough and you should also see air bubbles forming.
- Dress. Nestle your caramelized onions, 1 cup Gruyere cheese (cubed) and 2 tsp Fresh thyme in the dough. Press the ingredients down.
- Bake. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.
Video
Notes
- Flour: This recipe uses 100% white all-purpose flour (unbleached preferred). However, feel free to sub in some whole wheat flour (up to 25% of the total flour amount).
- Yeast: I like to use Instant yeast when making no knead bread, but dry active yeast will work just fine too. Just make sure to bloom it in the water for a few minutes before making the dough.
- Olive Oil: It wouldn’t be a focaccia without olive oil. This recipe uses quite a bit of oil. You can reduce the amount slightly but keep in mind a traditional focaccia is supposed to be slightly oily. Good quality olive oil is a must.
- Cheese: As this is a French onion soup inspired flavor profile, Gruyere cheese works best. I like it because it melts really well and has a nice flavor to it. It also caramelizes nicely in the oven. If you don’t have gruyere you can use a sharp white cheddar instead.
- Onions: When making caramelized onions, use white or yellow onions. Don’t use red onions. The process takes time to make good quality caramelized onions, so take your time. It’ll make all the difference.
- Don’t Hurry the process. Allow the dough to rise in the fridge for at least 18 hours and you’ll need 2-4 hours for the second rise. The timing will depend on the temperature in your kitchen and how active the dough is. That being said, plan ahead!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
This recipe was exactly as delicious as you would expect from the awesome-looking pictures. A good gruyere is worth the splurge to put it over the top. I loved that a little planning in advance means getting to let the dough sit in the fridge instead of having to knead it. Will absolutely make again! I’m excited to try some of the other no-knead focaccia recipes from this site.
So glad you enjoyed it.
Can’t wait to make this!!!!