This kabocha squash focaccia has all the best flavors of fall packed into one delectable square of fluffy focaccia. It’s a thick focaccia, made with my easy focaccia dough recipe, that’s topped with fontina cheese, thin slices of kabocha squash, sage, lots of thinly sliced onions, and bacon. Once it’s out of the oven and still hot, it gets drizzled with honey and showered with chopped roasted hazelnuts and Parmesan cheese. It’s an incredible combo, and you can certainly tweak it to fit whatever you like, but this was a total hit. It’s great right out of the oven and still incredibly good as a quick snack the next day.
This kabocha squash focaccia has all the best flavors of fall packed into one delectable square of fluffy focaccia.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Kabocha squash – The star of the show. You can swap in any other squash you like, but I highly recommend getting a kabocha for this!
- Flour – Use “00” flour if you have it, but all-purpose works just fine too.
- Kosher salt – This recipe was developed using Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you’re using Morton’s you’ll want to use half the amount. (Be sure to check the recipe card for more details).
- Active dry yeast – Make sure it’s fresh. If the mixture doesn’t get foamy after 5 minutes, your yeast may be expired.
- Honey – Used in both the dough and as a finishing drizzle. It’ll help the yeast bloom as well as get the focaccia crust nice and golden brown.
- Olive oil – This recipe uses a lot of olive oil. Don’t be shy with it. It keeps the focaccia from sticking and gives the bottom its crisp, golden crust.
- Yellow onion – The thinly sliced onions get sweet and caramelized as the focaccia bakes.
- Fontina – Or really any other cheese you want for this. Gruyère would be really nice here as well.
- Fresh sage – The fresh sage pairs so well with the squash, but you could swap it out for rosemary or thyme in a pinch.
- Bacon – Optional, but it adds a salty, smoky contrast to the sweet squash.
- Hazelnuts – You could swap in walnuts or pine nuts if you want.
- Parmesan – To finish at the very end.
How to Make Kabocha Squash Focaccia
- Make The Dough
Whisk your flour and salt together. Then, in a separate bowl, mix the warm water, yeast, and honey together. Let it get foamy, then stir in the olive oil. Combine everything into a shaggy, sticky dough. No kneading required! - Proof
Let the dough rise overnight in the fridge (12–18 hours) for the best flavor, or about 5 hours at room temperature. - Shape Your Focaccia
Turn the dough into a well-oiled pan, fold it into thirds like a letter, and flip it seam side down. Stretch it to fill the pan, then dimple it all over with some well oiled fingers. - Top It
Layer on the fontina, onions, squash, sage, and bacon. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. - Bake
Bake the focaccia at 500°F for about 30 minutes, until golden brown and crisp on the bottom. - Finish and Eat
Move it to a cooling rack, then drizzle with honey and top with fresh sage, toasted hazelnuts, and Parmesan.
More Recipes to Try
Easy Focaccia – The no-knead dough that this recipe is built on. It’s a light, airy olive oil focaccia with a crispy, crackly crust.
Roasted Kabocha Squash Agrodolce – Got leftover kabocha? Roast it until caramelized and top it with a sweet-and-sour balsamic sauce with jammy onions, Castelvetrano olives, pine nuts, and fresh mint.
Squash Agnolotti – Little pillows of fresh egg pasta filled with roasted kabocha squash and ricotta.
Black Pepper Focaccia – A no-knead focaccia with a cacio e pepe twist, topped with freshly cracked black pepper and sharp Pecorino.
Radio Bakery’s Sausage and Chive Focaccia – The viral Radio Bakery focaccia made at home, topped with Italian sausage, bacon, crème fraîche, and lots of fresh chives.
Potato Pizza with Rosemary and Guanciale – A Roman-style sheet pan pizza layered with thinly sliced potatoes, fresh rosemary, and crispy guanciale.
Kabocha Squash Focaccia
Equipment
- One 9x13" sheet pan or two 6x9" mini pans
Ingredients
For The Dough:
- 500 grams flour (about 3½ cups), I use "00" flour, but all-purpose works
- 1½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ¾ tsp Morton's kosher salt
- 400 grams warm water (about 1½ cups + 3 tbsp)
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 2 teaspoons honey or sugar
- 4 tablespoons olive oil plus more for coating the pan and drizzling
The Toppings:
- ½ yellow onion (160g), thinly sliced
- ¼ kabocha squash (125g), thinly sliced
- 90 grams fontina sliced
- handful fresh sage a few leaves reserved for topping at the end
- 100 g bacon sliced into small strips (optional, but it goes SO well with the squash)
- 50 g hazelnuts toasted and chopped
- 1–2 teaspoons honey
- Parmesan grated
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Make the dough
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
- In a separate bowl, mix the warm water, yeast, and honey (or sugar). Let sit for about 5 minutes to activate the yeast. It should look foamy and bubbly. Stir in the olive oil.
- Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture and mix until no dry patches remain. The dough will be shaggy and sticky. That's expected, since we're not kneading it.
- Cover the bowl and let the dough proof:Overnight in the fridge (12–18 hours) for the best flavor and texture, orAt room temperature for about 5 hours if making it the same day.
Shape the focaccia
- Generously oil your pan. For added insurance against sticking, you can add a layer of parchment paper too.
- Turn the dough out onto the pan. To help build structure, fold the dough onto itself: grab one side, stretch it up, and fold it into the center. Repeat with the opposite side, folding the dough into thirds like a letter. Flip it over so the seam side is on the bottom.
- Gently stretch the dough to fill the pan. If it resists and springs back, let it rest for 20 minutes, then stretch it again.
- Using wet or oiled fingers, dimple the surface of the dough all the way down to the pan.
- Let the dough rise for 1 hour at room temperature, while you preheat your oven.
Top and bake
- Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C). If you have a pizza stone, preheat that in the oven as well.
- Top the focaccia dough with the fontina, sliced onions, kabocha squash, and sage, then add the bacon on top. Drizzle with more olive oil, making sure to coat the onions and squash, and season with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The top should be deep golden brown and the bottom super crisp. You can also check the internal temperature or the dough, which should be between 190°F and 210°F.
- Remove the focaccia from the pan and transfer it to a cooling rack to keep the bottom nice and crisp. While it's still warm, drizzle it with the honey, then scatter over the reserved sage (thinly sliced), the chopped hazelnuts, and some grated Parmesan. Slice and eat!
Did You Make This Recipe?
Leave a comment with your thoughts or share your version on Instagram by tagging @TheMostHungry. I’d love to see how you made it your own!
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Hi, I'm Rachel — the cook, photographer, and recipe developer behind Most Hungry.
This is my go-to spot for bold, approachable recipes rooted in Italian and Italian-American cooking, from hand-rolled fresh pasta to fall-off-the-bone ribs. Great food should be fun, doable, and absolutely delicious. Learn more about me →
FAQs
Do I need to peel the kabocha squash?
You don’t have to. Kabocha skin is totally edible and will get soft as it bakes. But, if the skin is thick, or bumpy you can peel it off. I usually do. If you do leave it on just be sure to scrub it well to remove any dirt or grit.
Can I use a different squash?
Yes. Butternut, delicata, or acorn squash will all work. They’re all a bit more watery than the kabocha, so you may need to cook them a little longer to get them golden brown and caramelized.
Can I make the dough the same day?
Yes. Let it proof at room temperature for about 5 hours. The overnight fridge proof will give you the best flavor and texture, but the same-day version is still very delicious.
Do I have to use “00” flour?
No. All-purpose flour works great. “00” flour gives a slightly lighter, airier texture, but you’ll get a fluffy, delicious focaccia either way.
How do I keep the focaccia from sticking to the pan?
You’ll want to use plenty of olive oil to coat the bottom and sides of the pan. For extra insurance, you can line the pan with parchment paper before oiling it.
How do I know when it’s done?
The top should be a deep golden brown and the bottom will be nice and crisp. If you have a thermometer, the inside should read between 190°F and 210°F.
Can I make it vegetarian?
Absolutely! Just leave out the bacon. The squash, onions, cheese, honey, and hazelnuts have plenty of flavor on their own.
How should I store leftovers?
Keep leftovers wrapped tightly or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for a few minutes to bring back the crispy bottom.
Can I freeze it?
Yes. Wrap slices tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat straight from frozen in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
