Roasted-vegetable sheet-pan focaccia
Roasted Beetroot & Goat Cheese Focaccia (Australian-Inspired)
A modern Australian cafe favorite — earthy roasted beetroot and tangy goat cheese, added partway through the bake so the cheese stays creamy, on an airy focaccia.
- Total
- 4.4 hr
- Hands-on
- 30 min
- Hydration
- 80%
- Skill
- intermediate
By FocacciaRecipe editorial · Updated 2026-07-05 · In editorial development; independent bake-test pending
The short version
Roast beetroot until tender and dry, bake a plain dimpled focaccia for the first 12 minutes, then add the beetroot and goat cheese and bake 8–10 minutes more so the cheese stays creamy.
Why this works
Raw beetroot bleeds and stays hard, so it is roasted first; adding it and the delicate goat cheese partway through the bake keeps the cheese soft and creamy rather than dried and cracked; a par-bake sets the crumb so the toppings do not sink.
The schedule
~40m hands-on of 4.2h total · same day
- Mix & fold · 40m
- Bulk ferment · 2h
- Proof · 1h
- Bake · 22m
- Cool · 10m
Terracotta is active work; olive is unattended rising; red is the bake.
Ingredients
Method
- 1
Mix the dough
Whisk flour and yeast. Add water and 40 g oil, then salt. Mix to a shaggy, very sticky dough.
Look for: Wet and sticky, pulling off the bowl in strands.
- 2
Bulk ferment with folds
Do 3 sets of stretch-and-folds over 90 minutes, then rise until doubled and bubbly.
Look for: Domed, bubble-dotted surface that jiggles when nudged.
- 3
Roast the beetroot
Toss beetroot with 15 g oil and 1/4 tsp salt, wrap loosely in foil or use a covered tray, and roast at 200°C/400°F for 30–35 minutes until tender. Uncover for the last 10 minutes to dry the surface, then cool.
Look for: A knife slides in easily and the surface is dry, not weeping juice.
Avoid: Roast beetroot first — raw beetroot stays hard and bleeds pink water into the crumb.
- 4
Pan and proof
Oil the sheet pan. Stretch the dough to the edges, resting if it resists. Proof until puffy, about 1 hour.
Look for: The dough relaxes to fill the pan and springs back slowly.
- 5
Dimple and par-bake
Dimple the dough with oiled fingers, drizzle lightly with oil, and bake at 230°C/450°F for the first 12 minutes with no topping.
Look for: The top is just beginning to set and pale-gold, the crumb starting to firm.
- 6
Add beetroot and goat cheese partway
Pull the pan, quickly press in the roasted beetroot and dot the goat cheese between the pieces, then return to the oven for 8–10 minutes until the base is crisp and the cheese is warm and creamy.
Look for: The goat cheese should soften and blush golden at the edges but not dry out or crack.
Avoid: Add the goat cheese partway, not at the start — a full bake dries and cracks it.
- 7
After baking
Cool a few minutes, then drizzle with honey (or balsamic glaze), scatter toasted walnuts, fresh thyme and a little rocket.
Look for: The greens stay fresh and the walnuts crunchy against the creamy cheese and earthy beetroot.
What good looks like
- Crumb: Airy and open, with earthy-sweet beetroot and creamy pockets of goat cheese.
- Crust: Crisp oil-fried base; soft warm cheese on top.
- Height: About 3 cm tall.
- Color: Golden edges; goat cheese blushed gold, beetroot deep and glossy.
If something went wrong
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Pink, watery crumb | Beetroot added raw and bleeding | Roast and dry the beetroot first before it touches the dough. |
| Dry, cracked goat cheese | Cheese baked the full time | Add the goat cheese partway through the bake so it warms without drying. |
| Toppings sink into the dough | Added before the crumb set | Par-bake 12 minutes first so the surface can support the topping. |
Storing & reheating
Storage: Best fresh. Store cooled up to 2 days (contains goat cheese).
Freezing: Freeze the plain baked focaccia; the roasted beetroot and cheese are best added fresh.
Reheating: Warm in a 190°C/375°F oven 5–6 minutes; add greens and honey after.
Contains wheat/gluten and DAIRY (goat cheese); TREE NUTS if walnuts are used.
Tools & ingredients for this focaccia
Some links are affiliate links; as an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Core pantry
- Bread flour (opens Amazon) ↗ — High-protein bread flour or Italian “00” both work.
- Fine sea salt (opens Amazon) ↗ — Fine sea salt for the dough.
- Instant yeast (opens Amazon) ↗ — Instant (or active dry) yeast keeps for months.
- Extra-virgin olive oil (opens Amazon) ↗ — Use a good EVOO you like the taste of.
- Honey (opens Amazon) ↗ — Any good honey; hot honey for spicy bakes.
- Nuts (opens Amazon) ↗ — Buy in small amounts; store cool.
Fresh — buy local
- Beetroot (opens Amazon) ↗ — A common item; buy fresh or from your pantry.
- Cheese (opens Amazon) ↗ — Buy fresh from a good cheese counter or deli.
- Fresh herbs (opens Amazon) ↗ — Fresh is best; a windowsill pot works well.
You don’t need to buy everything here — many items are already in most kitchens. Fresh produce, cheese and herbs are best bought local and in season.
Frequently asked
- Can I use pre-cooked (vacuum-packed) beetroot?
- Yes — pat it very dry and roast it briefly to firm the surface, otherwise it can weep into the dough.
- Why add the cheese partway?
- Goat cheese is delicate; a full high-heat bake dries and cracks it. Adding it partway lets it warm and soften while staying creamy.
Keep baking
In these collections
Source: https://www.focacciarecipe.com/recipes/beetroot-goat-cheese-focaccia · © 2026 FocacciaRecipe.com
In editorial development — this recipe has not yet completed physical bake-testing.