This Butternut Squash Focaccia with Caramelized Onions just makes me happy. So many of my favorites in one bread! There are recipes out there for focaccia topped with squash, but I found few that used it, or sweet potato, as the base for the dough itself. This one is a compilation of many after hours of research on how to adjust the moisture content. It turned out perfectly and tastes absolutely delicious!

I just love the golden color of the bread which is further enhanced by the deep, rich color of the slow cooked apple cider onions. You can enjoy it on its own, use it as bread for a sandwich or panini and even cut it into bite-sized appetizers and top it with a cranberry jam.

What makes this dough different from those I have posted previously here and here, is that the first rise is done slowly…in the refrigerator. Overnight. This is typical of many focaccia recipes, but my first attempt at such a dough.

The following morning, you remove the dough and form into your pan. Cover with kitchen towels in a warm place and let rise until double in size. This is when I caramelize the onions with apple cider, apple cider vinegar, salt and sugar along with a little oil and vegan margarine.

In the risen dough, be sure to make these little dimples or impressions to give your onions somewhere to go. The baking process continues cooking the juicy onions and to avoid them drying out, I added 1 tsp of vegan margarine to the caramelized onions so there was some additional moisture. The only cheese is the parmesan, so unlike pizza with a melting cheese, this one contains less moisture.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, sprinkle with sea salt and top with the onion mixture (and a sprinkle of GO Veggie! Parmesan Topping if you so desire (I did :). Bake for about 20-25 minutes, checking for doneness. Allow to cool on a rack for a few minutes prior to cutting and serving.

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