Cheese-Stuffed Focaccia

If You Love Garlic Bread, This Is Your Upgrade

If your comfort food is carb, this cheese-stuffed focaccia is about be a staple. Herb-infused, golden-edged, and oozing cheese—it’s everything you want from winter baking.

Cold weather makes me want carbs and cheese. Not tea, not soup, not a cozy sweater—but carbs and cheese. So when I got my hands on Golden Steer’s Table 40 seasoning blend, it wasn’t going into a dainty salad. It was going straight into something hot, melty, and very much on-brand for my winter eating habits.

This focaccia was the obvious answer. It’s stuffed with mozzarella and Fontina—because one cheese just didn’t seem like enough—and folded over like a giant cheesy envelope of comfort. The top? Crispy. The inside? Fully committed to the cheese pull life. And thanks to Table 40’s mix of tomato, oregano, basil, and thyme, it tastes like you spent hours on it. (You didn’t.)

It bakes in a sheet pan, slices like a dream, and if you serve it with warm marinara on the side, people might start asking you to bring it to every gathering from now until spring. That’s your warning.

Why this Recipe Works

• Table 40 seasoning brewed into the dough gives bright herb flavor and umami depth without fuss.

• Cheese blend (mozzarella + Fontina) offers melt and stretch without becoming greasy.

• Sheet‑pan format + overnight rest gives you crisp edges and an airy interior.

• Marinara dip balances richness and makes it hand-held and shareable.

Tips for Cheese-Stuffed Focaccia

• Don’t skip the overnight rest. The cold ferment gives the dough better flavor, better structure, and a life purpose. Don’t rush it.

• Use bread flour, not all-purpose. Bread flour has the higher protein content you need to get those chewy edges and that signature focaccia bounce. Don’t substitute unless you enjoy disappointment.

• Weigh your ingredients. Cups are cute until you’re wondering why your dough feels like cement. Use a scale and thank yourself later.

• Oil the pan like you mean it. This isn’t the time to be stingy. A well-oiled pan = crispy, golden crust. A dry pan = sadness and regret.

• Dimple with purpose. Don’t just poke the dough for fun. Press all the way to the bottom in some spots to create those signature craters. Bonus: they trap olive oil and flavor.

• Cheese blend matters. Mozzarella brings the stretch, Fontina brings the melt and flavor. Skimping here ruins the whole show. This is not a “whatever’s in the fridge” moment.

🌱 A Bite of Sustainability

Using a sheet‑pan format means less waste than individual bakeware. One dough recipe feeds many and leftovers freeze well. Incorporating Table 40 seasoning means fewer individual spice jars open—one blend, multiple herbs. And when those cheese‑filled slices stretch out, you’re using smarter ingredient proportions—less waste, more “yes, please” moments.

Ingredients & Why They Matter

Dough

• 500 g (3 ⅓ cups) bread flour — builds structure for cheese pockets.

• 10 g (2 tsp) kosher salt — balances and strengthens gluten.

• 2 g (½ tsp) instant yeast — slow ferment for flavor, not speed.

• 375 g (1 ½ cups + 1 tbsp) warm water — high hydration = airy crumb.

• 1 Tbsp Table 40 seasoning — infuses herb‑tomato flavor throughout.

• 3 Tbsp olive oil — helps crust crisp up and adds richness.

Cheese Filling

• 1 ½ cups low‑moisture mozzarella — classic cheese pull.

• 1 cup Fontina — creamy, mild melt.

• ½ tsp cornstarch — prevents separation, keeps cheese cohesive.

• 1 tsp Table 40 seasoning — ties cheese and dough flavor.

Topping & Dip

• Olive oil & flaky sea salt — finish for crunch + flavor.

• Sprinkle Table 40 — visual and extra herb hit.

• 1 ½ cups good‑quality marinara + 1 Tbsp olive oil (+ optional pinch Table 40) — simple dip to balance richness.

How To Make Cheese-Stuffed Focaccia

Delicious cheese‑stuffed focaccia infused with Golden Steer’s Table 40 Italian seasoning—herby, melty, and perfect for cool‑weather carb cravings.

Make the Dough (Day Before)

1. In a large bowl, whisk together bread flour, kosher salt, instant yeast, and 1 tablespoon of Table 40 seasoning.

2. Add warm water and mix with a wooden spoon until no dry patches remain. It’ll look like a shaggy mess—perfect. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

3. Perform 3 sets of stretch and folds over the next hour, resting 20 minutes between each. (Pull the dough from one side and fold it over to the other side. Rotate the bowl and repeat.) Lightly oil the bowl, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight for 12 to 24 hours. The dough should double and look bubbly.

Prep the Filling

In a bowl, combine the mozzarella, Fontina, cornstarch, and 1 teaspoon of Table 40 seasoning. Toss well and refrigerate until ready to use.

Shape the Dough (Day Of)

Oil a 9 x13 or 10×15 sheet pan generously. Turn the cold dough onto a lightly greased baking sheet and using a pastry cutter, cut in half. Place one piece in the oiled 9 x 13 plan and gently stretch it toward the edges. Do the same for the other dough in the baking sheet, gently stretching it to the same size. Let rest for 20 minutes, then stretch again to fill the corners. Cover loosely and let it sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours until puffed.

Add the Cheese

Preheat oven to 425°F. Scatter the cheese filling down the center third of the dough in the pan. Gently lift the dough on the baking sheet and place on top of the dough with the cheese filling. Dimple the dough all over with oiled fingers, pressing some all the way to the pan. Press the seams gently to seal.

Bake It Off

Brush the top with olive oil. Sprinkle with more cheese, flaky sea salt and a final pinch of Table 40 seasoning. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until puffed, deeply golden, and crispy at the edges.

Make the Marinara Dip (Optional but Highly Recommended)

In a small saucepan, warm the marinara over low heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil and an optional pinch of Table 40 seasoning for added depth. Serve hot with your focaccia and try not to eat the whole pan in one sitting.

Cheese, Please

This focaccia satisfied every comfort food craving I had. Carbs? Check. Cheese? Check. Sauce? Obviously. And yes, I got to play with my food in the process, which somehow made it taste even better. If you bake it, tag me on Instagram @the.sustainable.kitchen—I want to see that cheese pull.