Easy Asparagus and Red Onion Focaccia Recipe

Sometimes you just need a decent bread recipe in your life that delivers on flavour, is super simple to make, and is a great tasting side dish, or potentially, a lovely snack or appetiser in its own right. This is exactly what this asparagus and onion focaccia is. 

Making bread will either have you running for the hills or it is your favourite thing to do. I don’t think there can ever be an in between. But while it can be complicated, it doesn’t have to be. Like with any recipe there are steps to follow and a process to adhere to. Follow the method correctly, and you will have lovely bread. 

However, a recipe like this asparagus and onion focaccia comes along, and when you bake it, makes you feel like a baker extraordinaire. It is simple to follow, easy to make, and tastes delicious. Packed full of flavour you can easily enjoy this with a dip of olive oil and balsamic vinegar or as a tasty side dish to a lovely pasta meal. The options are endless and you are going to love this recipe. 

Ingredients needed to make the Asparagus and onion focaccia

First of all, it is a good idea to ensure that you can get all of the ingredients together. Focusing on this first means that the cooking process will be simple. You will need:

Dough:

• 3 ¾ cups/450g all-purpose flour
• 1 ⅓ cup/314ml warm water
• 2 ¼ tsp/7g instant yeast
• 2 tbsp/30ml olive oil
• 1 ½ tsp/9g coarse salt

Topping:

• 6 tbsp/90ml olive oil, divided
• 4 oz/115g asparagus stems
• ½ medium/135g red onion
• 1 tsp/2g fresh ground black pepper
• ½ tsp/3g coarse salt

How to make the Asparagus and onion focaccia

Now that you have all your ingredients to hand it is time to make the asparagus and onion focaccia. 

• Makes: about 12 servings
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Rest Time: 2 hours
• Bake Time: 25 minutes

Place the flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add warm water.

Sprinkle the yeast over the water. Stir, slowly incorporating the flour into the water until a shaggy mass forms.

Stir in the olive oil and salt. Mix in until a sticky dough forms.

Turn out on a very lightly floured surface. The dough is very sticky: use a pull and fold method until it is mostly sticking to itself instead of your hands, 5-7 minutes.

Place in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Allow to rise until a little over doubled (60-90 minutes depending on the ambient temperature).

While the dough is rising, prep the toppings. Slice the onions into very thin semi-circles (less than ¼”/6mm thick). Slice the asparagus on a diagonal so they are about 1 ½ -2”/4-5 cm long.

Add 2 tbsp/30ml olive oil to a 9”x13”/22.5cm x 32.5cm. Spread out evenly and place the dough in.

Stretch out with your fingers to the corners.

Cover again and allow to rise until 1.5x the size (30-60 minutes). While rising, heat the oven again to 450°F/230 C.

Using oiled fingers, push lots of dimples into the dough. Drizzle the remaining ¼ cup/60ml olive oil over the top of the dough.

Gently press the onion semi-circles and asparagus pieces into the top of the dough. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and salt.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and very firm.

Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack and cooling at least another 20 minutes before cutting and serving.

Enjoy!

Recipe notes and tips

When it comes to any recipe, it is always a good idea to understand what notes and tips you can use to help you fully utilise the recipe and have success each and every time. If you want to make the most out of this super simple asparagus and onion focaccia then here are some recipe notes and tips to help.

• When you add Water should be lukewarm – under 115°F/46°C. Warmer water will kill off the yeast.
• For best results, use thick stemmed asparagus. Thin asparagus will cook and burn too quickly in the oven.
• Make sure you give the focaccia dough time to rest and rise. The more time it has to rise the better the texture and consistency the bread will be when it is baked. 

Variations to try

Like with a lot of recipes, once you have tried them out a few times you can look to make some changes and vary the recipe to suit your tastes and preferences. So I wanted to share with you some of them that you might want to try. 

FAQs

Like with any recipe, there are often questions that need answering. I thought I would share some of the common questions here, but if you have any comments or questions please don’t hesitate to contact me directly.

How should I serve the Asparagus and onion focaccia?

This can be served as it is, with a lovely dip of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. But, you could also enjoy it as a substitute for garlic bread with pasta dishes. Perfect for dipping, but just as tasty on its own. 

How do I store the Asparagus and onion focaccia?

The bread is best enjoyed on the same day but can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Can you make this Gluten-Free?

You can make this recipe gluten-free. You will need to use a combination of gluten free flour and xanthan gum to ensure that you get the right texture and consistency with the dough. If you find that the dough doesn’t rise, then there may be too much binder in the dough, so add a little extra flour and water. There are plenty of guides online to help you create a gluten-free version of this delicious bread. 

Is this a vegan recipe?

Yes it is! Most focaccia recipes use Olive Oil, as does this recipe. The rest of the ingredients are also vegan so this bread recipe is plant-based. But, do be mindful that some focaccia recipes sometimes use butter or eggs, which wouldn’t be suitable for a vegan diet. 

I hope you enjoy making and eating your asparagus and onion focaccia.

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