SPAM + Pineapple Furikake Focaccia
SPAM has never felt unusual to me. It’s one of those ingredients that has always been around—especially in Pacific Island and Hawaiʻi kitchens—and one of my favorite ways to eat it is SPAM musubi.
That was the starting point for this focaccia.
I wanted to take some of the things I love about musubi—the salty-sweet SPAM, soy, furikake, and that combination of savory and slightly sweet—and see what would happen if I brought those flavors into something completely different.
Apparently, what happens is focaccia. 😂
I added pineapple because I wanted little bursts of acidity and sweetness against the salty SPAM, then finished the whole thing with furikake, scallions, and a light pineapple-soy glaze.
The result is a chewy, crispy-edged focaccia that’s salty, sweet, savory, and just a little sticky on top. It’s not trying to be SPAM musubi. It’s a focaccia inspired by the flavors and memories that make me love it.
And honestly? This is my favorite kind of baking—taking flavors I know and love and letting them show up somewhere unexpected.
SPAM + Pineapple Furikake Focaccia
Makes: One 9 x 13-inch focaccia
Prep: About 30 minutes, plus overnight fermentation and proofing
Bake: 22–28 minutes
Ingredients
Focaccia Dough
500 g bread flour
400 g water
5 g instant yeast
15 g honey
10 g fine sea salt
25 g olive oil, plus more for the pan and finishing
SPAM + Pineapple
340 g SPAM, cut into roughly ½-inch cubes
225–250 g pineapple, cut into small pieces
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For Topping
1–1½ Tbsp furikake
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Sliced chile, optional
Pineapple-Soy Glaze
2 Tbsp pineapple juice
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
Make the Dough
In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast, and honey. Add the bread flour, salt, and olive oil and mix until no dry flour remains. The dough will be quite wet and sticky—that’s what we want.
Cover and allow the dough to rest for about 15 minutes.
With wet hands, stretch one side of the dough up and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat around the dough. Cover and rest another 15 minutes.
Repeat this folding process two more times, resting 15 minutes between each set, for a total of three sets of folds.
Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for 12–24 hours.
Prepare the SPAM + Pineapple
Brown the cubed SPAM in a skillet over medium heat until golden and crisp around the edges.
Add the soy sauce and toss briefly until the SPAM is coated and the liquid has mostly cooked away. Transfer to a plate and let cool.
Pat the pineapple well with paper towels so you’re not adding unnecessary moisture to the focaccia. Add it to the skillet with the brown sugar and cook until the pineapple begins to caramelize and excess liquid has cooked away.
Season with a little black pepper and allow to cool completely.
Proof the Focaccia
Generously coat the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch pan with olive oil.
Transfer the cold dough to the pan and gently turn it so it’s coated in oil. Carefully stretch it toward the corners. Don’t force it—if it springs back, let it rest for 10–15 minutes and try again.
Cover and leave at room temperature until very puffy and bubbly, approximately 1½–2½ hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 450°F (232°C).
Top + Bake
Drizzle the surface of the dough with a little more olive oil.
With oiled fingers, press deeply into the dough to create those classic focaccia dimples.
Scatter the browned SPAM and caramelized pineapple over the surface, gently pressing some of the pieces into the dough while leaving plenty visible on top.
Sprinkle generously with the furikake.
Bake for 22–28 minutes, or until the focaccia is deeply golden, crisp around the edges, and cooked through.
Make the Glaze
While the focaccia bakes, combine the pineapple juice, soy sauce, and brown sugar in a small saucepan.
Simmer briefly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reduces slightly. You don’t want a thick syrup—just a concentrated, brushable glaze.
As soon as the focaccia comes out of the oven, lightly brush the surface with the pineapple-soy glaze. Don’t soak it; we’re adding another layer of sweet-salty flavor without sacrificing that crispy top.
Finish with sliced scallions and chile, if using.
Let the focaccia sit in the pan for 5–10 minutes, then carefully transfer it to a cooling rack so the bottom stays crisp.
Mackenzie’s Notes
Dry your pineapple. This matters. Too much pineapple juice on the dough can create wet spots and interfere with browning.
Brown the SPAM first. Don’t put it on straight from the can. Those crispy caramelized edges are part of what makes this so good.
Don’t go crazy with the glaze. Think finish, not sauce. The focaccia should still be crispy.
Give the dough the overnight rest. Besides making bake day easier, the long cold fermentation develops much better flavor.
And don’t be afraid of color. I want this focaccia properly golden and crispy around the edges, not pale and soft.