Quick Grilled Caprese Focaccia Recipe: Summer’s Cheesy Delight

Grilled caprese focaccia refines ordinary bread into a mouthwatering culinary experience that speaks directly to summer’s vibrant flavors.

Mediterranean ingredients dance together in this rustic creation, promising a sensory journey beyond traditional sandwich fare.

Each slice delivers a perfect balance of crispy exterior and soft, pillowy interior, creating textural magic with every bite.

Fresh herbs and high-quality ingredients elevate this dish from simple sustenance to a celebration of Italian-inspired cooking.

The grill adds a smoky dimension that intensifies the natural sweetness of ripe tomatoes and creamy cheese.

Strategic layering and careful technique ensure maximum flavor infusion throughout the focaccia golden-brown surface.

Rich, aromatic, and incredibly satisfying, this recipe represents comfort food at its most sophisticated.

Why Grilled Caprese Focaccia Feels Like Summer in Every Bite

• Grill with Ease: This recipe transforms traditional focaccia into a delightful outdoor cooking experience, making grilling bread simple and enjoyable for home cooks of all skill levels.
• Burst of Fresh Flavors: The combination of juicy cherry tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and aromatic basil creates a vibrant taste profile that captures the essence of summer in every bite.
• Texture Perfection: The focaccia develops a crispy, golden-brown exterior while maintaining a soft, pillowy interior, offering a satisfying contrast of textures that makes each slice irresistible.
• Versatile Crowd-Pleaser: Perfect for summer gatherings, casual dinners, or as a shareable appetizer, this grilled Caprese focaccia brings people together with its delicious and visually appealing presentation.

What You Need for a Great Grilled Caprese Focaccia

• All-Purpose Flour: Soft, fine flour that creates the perfect foundation for a light and airy focaccia.
• Kosher Salt: Essential for enhancing the bread's overall flavor and helping to control yeast activity.
• Warm Water: Helps activate the yeast and creates the right environment for dough development.
• Barley Malt Syrup or Honey: Natural sweetener that feeds the yeast and adds subtle depth to the bread.
• Active Dry Yeast: Key ingredient for making the dough rise and creating a soft, pillowy texture.

• Olive Oil: Rich, fruity oil that adds moisture, flavor, and helps create a crispy focaccia crust.

• Cherry Tomatoes, Fresh Mozzarella Cheese: Classic Caprese combination that brings fresh, bright flavors and creamy texture to the focaccia.
• Fresh Basil: Aromatic herb that provides a classic Italian taste and vibrant green color.
• Flaky Salt: Crunchy finishing salt that adds a delightful texture and enhances the overall flavor profile.

How to Make Grilled Caprese Focaccia with Ease

Step 1: Prepare the Dough Base

Mix flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.

Activate yeast by combining warm water with barley malt syrup or honey.

Wait until yeast becomes frothy and bubbly.

Blend yeast mixture with olive oil into flour mixture.

Stir until ingredients form a smooth, cohesive dough.

Step 2: First Dough Rise

Transfer dough to a clean, oiled bowl.

Cover with plastic wrap.

Let dough rise in warm location until it doubles in size.

• Room temperature: About 1 hour
• Refrigerator: Up to 12 hours

Step 3: Prepare Focaccia Toppings

• Halve cherry tomatoes
• Dice mozzarella into small pieces
• Coarsely chop fresh basil leaves

Step 4: Assemble Focaccia

Coat cast iron skillet with olive oil.

Spread dough evenly across skillet.

Create dimples using fingertips.

• Spread tomatoes
• Distribute mozzarella pieces
• Sprinkle chopped basil

Drizzle additional olive oil.

Dust with flaky salt.

Step 5: Second Dough Rise

Cover focaccia and let rise again.

• Room temperature: 45 minutes
• Refrigerated: 1 hour

Step 6: Grill the Focaccia

Preheat outdoor grill to medium heat (425-450°F).

Place skillet directly on grill grates.

Close grill cover.

Cook for 20-25 minutes.

Watch for dark-golden brown edges.

Step 7: Cool and Serve

Remove skillet from grill.

Cool on wire rack for 5 minutes.

Transfer focaccia from pan.

Garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Slice into wedges.

Serve and enjoy immediately.

Handy Tips for Next-Level Grilled Caprese Focaccia

• Activate Yeast Perfectly: Ensure warm water is between 100-110°F to wake up yeast without killing it, creating a foamy, active mixture.
• Dimple Technique Mastery: Use fingertips to create deep, irregular dimples in dough, which helps trap olive oil and creates crispy texture.
• Temperature Control: Maintain consistent grill heat around 425-450°F for even cooking and beautiful golden-brown crust without burning.
• Hydration Balance: Keep dough slightly sticky but not wet, which ensures a light, airy focaccia with perfect chewy interior.
• Fresh Ingredient Magic: Use peak-season cherry tomatoes and fresh mozzarella for maximum flavor and authentic caprese experience.

Keeping Grilled Caprese Focaccia Fresh After Grilling

• Refrigerate: Store leftover focaccia in an airtight container for up to 3 days, keeping it fresh and preventing moisture loss.
• Reheat in Oven: Warm slices at 350°F for 5-7 minutes, restoring the crispy edges and bringing back the original texture.
• Freeze Option: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then freeze for up to 1 month, ensuring maximum flavor preservation when thawed at room temperature.

Tasty Pairings for Grilled Caprese Focaccia

• Pair with Crisp White Wine: Select a light, refreshing Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc to complement the tomato and basil flavors, cutting through the richness of the mozzarella and olive oil.
• Match with Fresh Herb Salad: Create a simple arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette to balance the grilled focaccia's intensity, adding a bright, peppery contrast to the dish.
• Serve with Charcuterie Selection: Offer thinly sliced prosciutto or salami alongside the focaccia, providing a savory protein that enhances the Mediterranean-style bread's herbal and cheesy notes.
• Complement with Citrus Spritzer: Prepare a light, zesty drink mixing sparkling water, fresh lemon juice, and a hint of basil to refresh the palate between bites of the grilled focaccia.

Different Ways to Enjoy Grilled Caprese Focaccia

• Mediterranean Summer Focaccia: Replace cherry tomatoes with roasted red peppers and add crumbled feta cheese for a vibrant Greek-inspired version that bursts with Mediterranean flavors.
• Herb Garden Focaccia: Incorporate fresh rosemary, thyme, and oregano into the dough, topping with sun-dried tomatoes and goat cheese for an aromatic herb-packed experience.
• Spicy Jalapeño Caprese Focaccia: Mix diced jalapeños into the dough, sprinkle with pepper jack cheese, and add sliced fresh jalapeños on top for a fiery kick that complements the classic caprese ingredients.
• Pesto Vegetable Focaccia: Spread a thin layer of homemade basil pesto on the dough before adding zucchini slices, cherry tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella for a green and vibrant alternative.

Grilled Caprese Focaccia Recipe

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4.6 from 39 reviews

• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

Caprese focaccia brings Italian summer flavors to your table with layers of fresh mozzarella, juicy tomatoes, and fragrant basil. Grilled to golden perfection, this rustic bread combines classic Mediterranean ingredients for a delightful culinary experience you’ll savor.

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Ingredients

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Main Ingredients:

• 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour
• ½ cup (75 grams) cherry tomatoes
• 2 ounces (57 grams) fresh mozzarella cheese or ciliegine
• 2 sprigs fresh basil

Liquid and Seasoning Ingredients:

• ¾ cup (180 milliliters) warm water (100°F to 110°F)
• 5 tablespoons (75 milliliters) olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon barley malt syrup or honey

Dry Ingredients and Spices:

• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon flaky salt

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Instructions

1. Craft a soft, elastic dough by blending flour and salt in a spacious mixing vessel, creating a smooth dry ingredient base.
2. Activate the yeast by whisking warm water with barley malt syrup or honey, allowing the mixture to bloom and become frothy, which signals the yeast’s readiness.
3. Incorporate the yeast liquid and olive oil into the flour mixture, stirring until a cohesive, slightly sticky dough forms without any dry flour remnants.
4. Allow the dough to undergo its primary fermentation in an oil-coated bowl, covered securely, permitting it to expand and develop robust flavor profiles, either at room temperature or through a slow refrigeration process.
5. Prepare the topping ingredients by delicately halving cherry tomatoes, dicing mozzarella into precise cubes, and roughly chopping fresh basil leaves.
6. Transfer the risen dough into a cast iron skillet generously coated with olive oil, gently stretching the dough to completely fill the pan’s surface.
7. Create characteristic dimples across the dough’s surface using fingertips, then artfully distribute tomatoes, mozzarella, and chopped basil, drizzling additional olive oil and sprinkling flaky salt.
8. Permit a secondary rise, allowing the focaccia to become puffy and develop volume at ambient temperature.
9. Ignite the outdoor grill, establishing a medium direct heat zone for optimal cooking conditions.
10. Position the skillet directly on the grill grates, covering to ensure even heat distribution and enabling the focaccia to develop a golden-brown, crisp exterior.
11. Once edges transform into a deep golden hue and the bottom achieves a satisfying crunch, remove the skillet from the grill.
12. Rest the focaccia momentarily on a wire rack, permitting slight cooling and structural stabilization before garnishing with fresh basil leaves.
13. Slice into rustic wedges and serve immediately, celebrating the harmonious blend of crisp dough, melted cheese, and vibrant herbs.

Notes

• Quick grilling transforms traditional focaccia into a smoky, crispy summer delight packed with fresh Italian flavors.
• Perfectly dimpled dough creates pockets for olive oil and captures charred essence from direct grill heat.
• Mozzarella melts luxuriously between tomatoes and basil, creating irresistible Mediterranean-inspired street food vibes.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Appetizer, Snacks
• Method: Grilling
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4
• Calories: 320
• Sugar: 2g
• Sodium: 200mg
• Fat: 16g
• Saturated Fat: 3g
• Unsaturated Fat: 12g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 39g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 8g
• Cholesterol: 10mg