Crispy air fryer focaccia: super quick and without turning on the oven

Sometimes you want to make a delicious focaccia, but turning on the oven for a whole pan seems too much work, especially during the hottest time of year. The air fryer is perfect in these cases because it allows you to obtain a golden-brown focaccia on the outside and soft on the inside even when preparing a smaller batch, perfect for a quick dinner or appetizer.

When I'm craving freshly made bread or focaccia, but maybe there's only two of us, the air fryer becomes a little ally: it heats up quickly, doesn't heat up the entire kitchen, and allows me to cook smaller portions without waste.

Why you should make crispy focaccia in the air fryer in summer

During the summer, one of the main advantages of using an air fryer is that it allows you to avoid using a traditional oven. When it's hot outside, you're less inclined to turn on the oven to avoid raising the temperature in your kitchen.

Cooking in the air fryer is quicker and allows for easier handling of even small quantities. Furthermore, the focaccia retains a lovely texture: the surface becomes crispy and lightly golden, while the inside stays softer, just how you like freshly baked focaccia.

Since I got the air fryer, I've been using it a lot, and it's been a wonderful discovery, even for leavened products. It's just as good as a traditional oven, especially considering how much more convenient it is.

How to get a focaccia that's crispy on the outside and soft on the inside

The secret to good air fryer focaccia is finding the right balance between crispiness and softness. The size of the dough is important: too thick a layer risks uneven cooking, while a thinner focaccia allows the heat to be distributed more evenly.

Even the container you use can make a difference: a pan suitable for the air fryer helps maintain a regular shape and facilitates cooking. The final result also depends on the power of the appliance and the quantity prepared, so it can be useful to check the browning during the last few minutes.

I adjusted the amount of dough so that it cooks in one batch in the air fryer, but you can also prepare more dough and cook the focaccia in two batches.

Crispy Air Fryer Focaccia Recipe

• 200 g of 00 flour
• 160 ml of water
• 2 g of fresh brewer's yeast
• 8 g extra virgin olive oil + for brushing
• 6 g of salt
• 1 pinch of a spoon of sugar
• Dissolve the brewer's yeast in a little of the water taken from the total, with the sugar.
• Place the flour in a bowl, add the yeast and begin to knead, gradually adding the water.
• Add the oil and finally the salt. You should obtain a smooth dough. Cover and let it rise until doubled in size.
• Spread the dough in an air fryer-safe pan. Let it rise for 30 minutes, then poke holes in the dough and brush with oil. Garnish with rosemary, if desired.
• Bake in an air fryer at 200°C for about 13-14 minutes.

How to enrich focaccia in the air fryer

Crispy air-fried focaccia lends itself to countless customizations, just like the oven-baked version. The simple version with extra virgin olive oil and salt remains a classic, but you can add other ingredients for an even more delicious and filling result.

I often make it with cherry tomatoes, olives, herbs, or seasonal vegetables like zucchini and peppers to transform it into a complete meal. The key is not to overfill the surface, so as to maintain the characteristic crust that makes crispy focaccia so special.