This focaccia with zucchini and potato is a flavorful side dish for lunch, dinner or a generous table spread. The preparation stays simple, but timing matters: it is the final finishing touch that determines whether the dish tastes fresh, crispy or full enough.
Serve it alongside fish, meat, vegetables or a salad. With a matching oil, vinegar, salt or topping, you give the dish more character.
Why this works and why you'll keep making it
Focaccia is forgiving: you don't need to knead it perfectly, you don't need to shape it, you just need to give it time. The zucchini and potato topping does the rest. The potato adds a soft filling and crispy edges, while the zucchini stays fresh and lightly sweet. A little lemon zest adds brightness, and an aromatic salt finishes it off without needing much else.
Ingredients (for 1 baking tray, 6–8 pieces)
For the dough
- 500 g wheat flour (e.g. all-purpose flour)
- 7 g dry yeast
- 10 g fine salt
- 350–380 ml lukewarm water
- 3 tbsp olive oil in the dough, plus extra for the baking tray and on top
For the topping
- 1 medium zucchini, sliced thinly
- 1–2 medium potatoes, sliced very thinly
- 1 lemon (zest + a squeeze of juice)
- 2–3 tbsp olive oil
- 1–2 tsp honey or maple syrup (optional, for extra golden color)
- Fresh herbs of your choice, for example thyme, oregano or dill
- Salt to finish, for example sea salt with rosemary and black olives
- Black pepper
Flavor note: a soft, rounded olive oil makes this dough extra supple. A splash of a Nicolas Vahé olive oil gives the focaccia just a little more depth without making it heavy.
Method
1) Make the dough (10 minutes of work, plenty of resting)
- Put the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add the water and stir with a spoon or your hand until you no longer see any dry bits.
- Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and mix through briefly. The dough may be sticky; that's how it should be.
- Cover the bowl and let it rise for 60–90 minutes at room temperature, until it looks noticeably lighter and airier.
2) Give the dough a second rise in the baking tray
- Grease a baking tray generously with olive oil. Really generously, because that is where the crispy edges develop. A good, fruity oil such as extra virgin olive oil adds flavor right away.
- Scrape the dough onto the baking sheet and fold it over itself a few times, as if you were folding a letter shut. Let it rest for 20 minutes.
- Then gently push the dough toward the corners with oiled fingers. If it springs back: wait 10 minutes and try again.
- Let the dough rise for another 30–45 minutes, until it is soft and bubbly.
3) Prepare the topping
- Soak the potato slices in cold water for 10 minutes. This washes away some of the starch and makes them crispier. Pat dry well.
- Mix the potato and zucchini with olive oil, lemon zest, a small squeeze of lemon juice, pepper and, if desired, honey.
4) Top, dimple and bake until golden brown
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (top/bottom heat) or 200°C (fan).
- Use your fingertips to make deep dimples in the dough. Drizzle a little more olive oil over the surface so it sinks into the dimples.
- Spread the potato and zucchini slices loosely over the focaccia. Don’t pile them too thickly; air in between bakes better.
- Sprinkle with an aromatic salt and herbs. A blend like Nicolas Vahé salt with rosemary and olive gives a savory, herby finish without any extra effort.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes until the edges are deep golden and the potato is crispy in some spots.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. That short wait makes the crumb more settled and the base tastier.
Serving tips: relaxed eating, lots of options
- As lunch: warm with a bowl of soup or a simple tomato salad.
- As a snack bread: cut into small pieces and serve a bowl of olive oil with lemon zest and pepper for dipping.
- As dinner: serve with roasted vegetables or a bowl of legumes with herbs and lemon.
On a calmly set table, this bread naturally comes into its own. Place it on a large, light-colored plate and let everyone tear off pieces. That relaxed way of sharing suits the calm look of a House Doctor setting beautifully.
Variations to keep playing with
- Extra green: add fennel seeds or extra fresh dill after baking.
- More kick: mix chili flakes into the olive oil before baking.
- Creamier: after baking, spread some soft cheese or thick yogurt over the warm focaccia and grate lemon over it.
- More bite: scatter a handful of roasted nuts or seeds over the dough just before baking.
- Faster on weekdays: make the dough in the evening, let it rise slowly covered in the fridge, and bake it the next day whenever it suits you.
Small flavor details that make all the difference
When making focaccia, oil, salt, and herbs make a big difference. A good oil adds flavor to the base and helps the edges bake up beautifully crisp. In the Nicolas Vahé oil collection, you’ll find lovely oils for bread, salads, and Mediterranean dishes.
For the finishing touch, a flavorful salt is just as important. Also check out the Nicolas Vahé salt collection if you like switching between classic sea salt, herb salt, or a salt blend with more character. Want to play more with aroma and flavor? Then the Nicolas Vahé herbs pair beautifully with this kind of bread recipe.
FAQ
Can I adapt this dish to my own taste?
Yes. Think of the dough as a base and play with herbs, citrus, and salt. Just keep the water-to-flour ratio roughly the same so the dough stays light and airy.
Which variations go well with this recipe?
Think of thinly sliced onion, fennel, or cherry tomatoes alongside the zucchini. A different salt blend or some extra lemon zest after baking also gives it an instant new twist.
How do I make this dish suitable for weekdays?
Let the dough rise overnight in the fridge. The next day, all you need to do is top it and bake it. Leftovers are delicious in the toaster or briefly in the oven.
In short: a small ritual that makes your day better
This focaccia doesn’t call for complicated steps, but for a little attention at the right moments: hands in the dough, a short wait, then that first bite with a crisp crust and soft inside. It’s exactly why cooking as a daily ritual can feel so good. You make something simple, and yet the flavor lingers. And tomorrow? You cut off another piece, warm it up briefly, and the kitchen feels calm again. For more flavor ideas and combinations, take a look at the Nicolas Vahé collection with flavor enhancers for every day — not as a good idea, but as inspiration to keep varying things.
Read also: Want to read more about this topic? Then also check out our article on baking your own focaccia.
