Best Focaccia Toppings

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my Privacy Policy.

Focaccia bread is perfect for any occasion. Make it from scratch at home or buy it at the store, and then top it with your favorite toppings! From fruit, herbs, cheese, and veggies. You will find 13 of the best focaccia bread topping ideas here!

Five slices fo pear and blue cheese focaccia bread.

What I love about focaccia bread is how universal it is. You can enjoy it all day long and as part of any course! Cut it in half and make it into a sandwich, dunk it in your favorite soup, or top it and make it into pizza!

But why stop there? Serve focaccia bread as an appetizer with a simple olive oil and balsamic vinegar dip (my favorite!) Or take it up a notch and serve it with a sun-dried tomato pesto and goat cheese.

For any of these topping ideas, you can use store-bought bread or make it at home. Store-bought is faster, but homemade is richer! If it’s your first time making bread, try this foolproof no-knead focaccia bread recipe.

Vegan Swaps

It is easy to make all these recipes vegan or dairy-free. First, make sure you are using a vegan bread. If you are not sure, use my no-knead focaccia recipe.

Swaps

Butter – use vegan butter instead. I like the Earth Balance sticks.
Chocolate chips – use vegan chips. I can find them at my local Kroger, but they aren’t labeled vegan. You can often find them labeled as allergen-free.
Cream cheese – use vegan cream cheese. My favorite is Violife!
Parmesan, feta, goat, or blue cheese – I recommend the Follow Your Heart brand for the best flavor.
Honey – Use blue agave, maple syrup, or make your own vegan apple honey.
Nutella – Use the vegan version. I haven’t been able to find it in large grocery stores, so I order vegan Nutella online.
Mozzarella – I recommend Miyoko’s pourable mozzarella cheese for the best results!

Appetizer FocacciaTopping Ideas

Pear, red grape and blue cheese focaccia bread with red grapes scattered around.

Roasted Garlic, Rosemary and Goat Cheese Focaccia Topping

Warm up the bread in the oven. While it is still warm, scatter roasted garlic cloves, rosemary, and goat cheese. You can roast the garlic yourself. Or, to save time, check the cheese and antipasto section at most Kroger stores. This is where I get my garlic. It makes this recipe fast and easy!

Pears, Red Grapes, and Blue Cheese Focaccia

This is my personal favorite focaccia recipe. It is rich and decadent. You can serve it as an appetizer or a dessert. I added arugula to make it a main course.

First, thinly slice ripe red pears and halve red grapes. Scatter them over focaccia with crumbled blue cheese. Warm in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes until the cheese softens. Finish with a drizzle of agave or vegan honey.

Olive Tapenade Focaccia

Keep it simple and warm the focaccia. Then spread a thin layer of olive tapenade and sprinkle with feta. Olive tapenade can be salty, so stick to a thin layer. If you are not too sure about olives, try using pesto rosso. It is an Italian sun-dried tomato pesto. It has a similar richness, but not as strong as olives.

Greek-Inspired Focaccia

Start by sprinkling sliced or halved Kalamata olives over the bread. Then add halved cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onions, and crumbled feta cheese. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes. Top with a light drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette glaze. This recipe is simple and divine!

Main Dish Focaccia Topping Ideas

Focaccia bread topped with olives, basil and tomatoes.

Classic Margherita Pizza Focaccia

Start by spreading a thin layer of tomato sauce on top. I like to use San Marzano tomato sauce. It is sweeter and less acidic than other tomato sauces. Then add thinly sliced Roma tomatoes and baby mozzarella cheese. Bake the pizza until the cheese melts. Remove it from the oven and top with strips of fresh basil. Easy-peasy!

Pesto, Cherry Tomatoes, and Goat Cheese Focaccia

Start with your favorite pesto. Basil (Genovese) is the most well-known pesto. But there are so many more options! Try my lemon pesto, which is a Genovese with lots of lemon! Sun-dried tomato pesto will add an intense tomato flavor. Roasted red pepper pesto adds a smoky flavor that is perfect for fall or winter!

Then scatter halved cherry tomatoes over the top and sprinkle with goat cheese. If you’re not too keen on goat cheese, try feta instead.

Cream Cheese, Spinach, and Artichoke Focaccia

Begin by warming the focaccia bread. While it warms, heat a small amount of cream cheese in the microwave. Then mix in finely chopped spinach and artichoke pieces. Once the bread is warmed, spread the cream cheese mixture on top. It will create a creamy Mediterranean pizza!

Mushroom, Caramelized Onion, and Asiago Focaccia

This topping combination is perfect for fall! Sauté mushrooms and onions in heat-tolerant oil. Then spread the mixture over focaccia bread and sprinkle Asiago cheese on top. Warm it in the oven for five to ten minutes. While it warms, make a kale crunch salad, and you’ll have a perfect family dinner ready in 20 minutes!

Vegans use vegan Parmesan instead.

Dessert Topping Ideas

Focaccia bread with sliced figs on top. This picture is from Canva.

Caramel Apple Focaccia

For a decadent fall-inspired dessert, try this caramel apple recipe! While the bread is warming, slice the red apples. I find it easier to eat them if I cut them into thin slices. Once the bread is warm, spread the apples across the top, then drizzle with caramel sauce. Pop it back in the oven for 1 to 2 minutes to warm up the caramel.

Chocolate Chip and Banana Focaccia

Warm the bread in the oven. Then take it out and, while it is still warm, spread a thin layer of chocolate chips on top. The warmth from the bread should make the chocolate spreadable in 1 to 2 minutes. If the chocolate is not spreading, pop it in the oven for 1 to 2 minutes. After spreading the chocolate, add thinly sliced banana.

Note: chocolate has a melting point of 100 degrees. That is why we pop it in the oven briefly at a low temperature.

Cinnamon Sugar Focaccia

A combination of sugar and cinnamon gives focaccia a cinnamon bun flavor. Start by warming the focaccia bread. Add a thin layer of butter, then sprinkle the sugar-and-cinnamon mixture on top. You will have a perfect dessert. This can also double as a breakfast, or that’s how we ate toast in the ’80s!

Figs and Honey Focaccia

Figs and honey are a classic combination. Warm up the focaccia bread with thinly sliced figs and a drizzle of honey. I like to add a European flair by sprinkling blue cheese on top.

Strawberries and Nutella Focaccia

Warm the focaccia in the oven. While it warms, slice the strawberries into thin, lengthwise pieces. Once the focaccia is warm, take it out of the oven. Then, spread a thin layer of Nutella around the perimeter, leaving half an inch from the edge. Then, top with strawberries.

Storing and Reheating Instructions

Store focaccia wrapped in foil in the refrigerator for up to two days. Avoid storing it in plastic, as that will soften the crust.

Reheat it in the oven. This will help bring back the crust. Keep it wrapped in foil and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 15 minutes. For a crispier crust, uncover the foil for the last few minutes. If you have a convection oven, I recommend using that to reheat the bread.