Flavored pan focaccia
Garlic, Cilantro & Nigella Focaccia (North Indian-Inspired)
The garlicky, herb-flecked aroma of a garlic naan — lots of minced garlic, fresh cilantro and toasty nigella seeds — on a tall, buttery focaccia.
- Total
- 11 hr
- Hands-on
- 20 min
- Hydration
- 75%
- Skill
- beginner
By FocacciaRecipe editorial · Updated 2026-07-05 · In editorial development; independent bake-test pending
The short version
Proof a 75% hydration focaccia dough (500 g flour, 375 g water, 10 g salt, 4 g yeast, olive oil), dimple with garlic-infused oil and nigella seeds, bake at 230°C/450°F for 20–24 minutes, then brush with garlic butter and shower with fresh cilantro.
Why this works
Blooming the garlic gently in oil (rather than scattering raw minced garlic that would scorch on top) gives sweet, even garlic flavor without bitterness; nigella seeds go on before baking so they toast; the cilantro and a final garlic-butter brush go on after so they stay fresh and fragrant.
The schedule
~30m hands-on of 11h total · same day
- Mix & fold · 30m
- Bulk ferment · 2h
- Proof · 8h
- Bake · 22m
- Cool · 10m
Terracotta is active work; olive is unattended rising; red is the bake.
Ingredients
Method
- 1
Bloom the garlic oil
Warm the 30 g olive oil with the minced garlic over low heat for 2–3 minutes just until fragrant and pale gold, then take off the heat. Reserve about a third for finishing.
Look for: The garlic should smell sweet and soft, never browned or bitter — pull it before it colors.
Avoid: Do not let the garlic brown; scorched garlic turns acrid and would burn further on top of the bread.
- 2
Mix the dough
Whisk flour and yeast; add water and 25 g olive oil, then salt. Mix to a wet, shaggy dough with no dry flour.
Look for: Loose and sticky, clinging to the bowl.
- 3
Bulk ferment with folds
Do 2–3 stretch-and-folds over the first 90 minutes, then let rise until nearly doubled.
Look for: Bubbly, airy and extensible.
- 4
Pan and proof
Oil a 30×40 cm sheet pan. Stretch the dough to the edges (rest and repeat if it resists). Proof until puffy, about 1 hour.
Look for: The dough fills the pan and jiggles when nudged.
- 5
Dimple, top and bake
Dimple with oiled fingertips. Spoon over two-thirds of the garlic oil, scatter nigella seeds and a pinch of flaky salt, then bake at 230°C/450°F for 20–24 minutes until deep gold.
Look for: The nigella seeds toast and the crust turns burnished; oil pools glossily in the dimples.
- 6
After baking
Stir the reserved garlic oil into the melted butter and brush it over the hot focaccia, then shower with chopped cilantro.
Look for: The bread drinks in the garlic butter and the raw cilantro stays vivid green.
What good looks like
- Crumb: Open, buttery and tender.
- Crust: Crisp oiled base; glossy, seed-flecked top.
- Height: About 3 cm tall.
- Color: Deep gold with toasted nigella seeds.
If something went wrong
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Bitter, burnt garlic | Raw minced garlic scattered on top, or oil over-browned | Bloom garlic gently in oil first and pull it before it colors; keep some for the after-bake brush. |
| Cilantro looks cooked and dull | Added before the bake | Add cilantro only in the after-baking step. |
Storing & reheating
Storage: Best the day it is baked. Refrigerate up to 2 days.
Reheating: Warm in a 200°C/400°F oven 4–5 minutes; re-brush with a little garlic butter and add fresh cilantro.
Contains wheat/gluten and dairy (finishing butter). Use plant butter to avoid dairy.
Tools & ingredients for this focaccia
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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.
- Seeds (opens Amazon) ↗ — Keep sealed; toast for flavor.
- Flaky finishing salt (opens Amazon) ↗ — For the crunchy finish.
Fresh — buy local
- Garlic (opens Amazon) ↗ — Fresh heads; infuse in oil rather than scattering raw.
- 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
- Is this garlic naan?
- No. Garlic naan is a thin leavened flatbread baked fast in a tandoor. This is a thick, high-hydration Italian focaccia that borrows the same garlic, cilantro and nigella flavors on a much airier crumb.
- What are nigella seeds?
- Nigella (kalonji) are small black seeds with a warm, oniony-nutty flavor often seen on naan and Indian breads. They toast beautifully on the surface of this focaccia.
Keep baking
In these collections
Source: https://www.focacciarecipe.com/recipes/garlic-cilantro-nigella-focaccia · © 2026 FocacciaRecipe.com
In editorial development — this recipe has not yet completed physical bake-testing.