Miso Chili Oil Focaccia Recipe — Savory, Crispy, Umami Bread

This miso chili oil focaccia has it all: a golden, crispy exterior and a soft, chewy interior topped with sweet corn, tomatoes, roasted garlic and umami-rich miso chili oil for a spicy kick. This dependable no-knead overnight focaccia is perfect for beginners and relies only on basic pantry staples.

With my oven finally working again, I’ve been baking and experimenting with breads nonstop. There’s something unbeatable about homemade bread. While I’ve been testing shokupan variations, this no-knead overnight focaccia remains my go-to: simple, hands-off, and reliably delicious. If you want an easy everyday bread that’s forgiving for beginners, this recipe is for you.

Since many of you loved the miso garlic butter focaccia, I created this miso chili oil version for those who enjoy heat. Let’s dive in.

Ingredients (+ Substitutions)

This recipe uses the same basic dough as my Miso Garlic Butter Focaccia and requires just a few pantry staples:

• Bread flour: high protein gives focaccia its characteristic chew. All-purpose flour can be substituted, but texture will be slightly different.
• Instant yeast: the rising agent.
• Salt: for flavor.
• Olive oil: prevents sticking and adds richness.
• Miso chili oil: I used my homemade miso chili oil; substitute your favorite chili oil if preferred.

For toppings you can use whatever you like. I used grape tomatoes, sweet corn and roasted garlic—corn adds a nice sweet contrast to the spicy miso chili oil.

Topping suggestions

• Mushrooms
• Scallions
• Onions
• Figs
• Spinach

How to Make Miso Chili Oil Focaccia

1. Night before: In a large bowl whisk together the flour, salt and instant yeast. Add the water and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until a wet, sticky, shaggy dough forms. A wetter dough yields a lighter, airier focaccia. Drizzle 1 tablespoon (10g) olive oil over the dough and rub it across the surface. Cover with a slightly damp tea towel and refrigerate overnight (12–15 hours).
2. Make the miso chili oil: If you don’t have some ready, prepare the miso chili oil ahead of time.
3. Following day: The dough should be wet and expanded. Grease or line an 11 x 8 inch pan and add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan. Lightly oil your fingers, pull the dough sides toward the center while rotating the bowl, then transfer the dough to the pan and flip it once so it’s coated in oil. Let the dough rest at room temperature for 2½–4 hours, until it spreads near the edges and appears doubled.
4. Prepare toppings: Select your toppings. I used halved grape tomatoes, roasted garlic and corn.
5. Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons miso chili oil over the dough. Lightly oil your fingers and dimple the dough by pressing down toward the pan bottom (don’t press all the way through). Allow bubbles to form—avoid popping them. Arrange tomatoes, corn and roasted garlic on top, drizzle additional miso chili oil as desired, and finish with a generous sprinkle of flaky salt.
6. Bake: Bake on the middle rack for 20–22 minutes, until the surface is deeply golden and crisp. Transfer the focaccia to a cooling rack and rest 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

Tips & Tricks for the best focaccia

• Use a scale: Weighing ingredients yields the most consistent results when baking.
• High hydration: A higher water-to-flour ratio creates a tender, moist crumb and crisp crust—key to classic focaccia texture.
• Cold fermentation and longer rise: Refrigerating overnight deepens flavor, improves texture and creates larger air pockets with minimal hands-on time.
• Folding the dough: Periodically folding the dough helps develop structure and traps air, contributing to a lighter, chewier crumb.

Ingredients

Focaccia

• 2 2/3 cup bread flour (324g)
• 1 1/8 tsp instant yeast (≈5g)
• 1 1/8 tsp salt (≈6g)
• 1 cup + 3 tbsp water (≈285ml)
• 2 tbsp olive oil (30ml)
• 2 tbsp miso chili oil (30ml)

Toppings

• 1/4 cup corn (≈45g)
• 1/4 cup grape tomatoes, halved (≈60g)
• 1 head roasted garlic

Instructions

1. Night before: Combine flour, salt and instant yeast. Add water and mix until a wet, sticky dough forms. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, rub it over the surface, cover and refrigerate 12–15 hours.
2. Make miso chili oil: Prepare ahead if needed.
3. Next day: Grease an 11 x 8 inch pan and oil your fingers. Fold the dough in the bowl to shape, transfer and flip to coat in oil. Let rest 2½–4 hours until it spreads to the pan edges.
4. Prepare toppings: Slice tomatoes, prepare roasted garlic and measure corn.
5. Prepare for baking: Preheat oven to 425°F. Drizzle miso chili oil over the dough, dimple with your oiled fingers, add toppings and sprinkle flaky salt.
6. Bake: Bake 20–22 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Cool 15 minutes before slicing.

Notes

• Helpful equipment: A kitchen scale, an 11 x 8 inch pan, and a cooling rack make the process easier and more consistent.
• Nutritional information disclaimer: Nutrition values are rough estimates from an online tool and should be treated as approximate.

Miso Chili Oil Focaccia

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5 from 41 reviews

• Author: Lisa Kitahara

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