This Olive Bread Recipe is SO easy to make! It's a no knead recipe that you literally combine in a bowl and let the yeast do all of the work. Add in black olives, fresh rosemary, and a little salt and that's it! The crispy crust and tender crumb make this the best homemade olive bread recipe - ever. Let's bake!
For more bread recipes, try my honey oat bread and no knead cinnamon sourdough bread!Â
Quick story time - Lately, I've been really into reading about all of the ingredients that are in our food. My toddler had a stomach bug over the weekend and my husband went to the grocery store to get him some bread to make toast. I read the bread's the ingredients list and was astonished by how much "stuff" was in it - preservatives, colors, blah blah blah. You get the gist. So, I decided to make my own homemade bread for my baby boy.
If you follow me on instagram, I made this olive loaf from scratch on stories yesterday. It was so much fun, I decided to share the recipe! Now, I make no knead bread in my house ALL of the time. It's FAR better than the store bought stuff and with a little butter - ugh. You really can't go wrong.
All you need are a large mixing bowl, a cast iron dutch oven, and some plastic wrap. Make everything the night before and enjoy delicious bread in the next morning!Â
Why You'll Love this Recipe!
- Beginner Friendly! This recipe calls for only simple ingredients, no kneading, and no fancy techniques required!
- No stand mixer needed!
- Full of flavor!
- Only 8 ingredients!
- Egg Free and Dairy Free Friendly Recipe!
What You'll Need
Bread Flour - bread flour has a higher protein content, which means that the flour provides more structure to the bread. Because we're not kneading the bread to develop gluten, we want as strong a structure as possible so that the bread isn't flat. You can use all purpose flour, but bread flour will yield better results.
Active Dry Yeast - active dry yeast is best for no knead bread recipes because they require a long proofing time. If you'd like to use instant yeast, you can. However, I advise to bake the bread after letting the dough rise after it's doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.
Kalamata Olives - you can use whatever olives you like! I like briny kalamata olives or black olives because they're sweeter and less bitter than the green olives. That briny flavor paired with fresh rosemary are what make this recipe so good!
Fresh Rosemary - you can't go wrong with fresh rosemary in a rustic bread recipe. It adds a ton of herbaceous flavor and goes so well with the olives. It's a must!
Equipment needed:
- 5 or 7 Quart Dutch Oven
- Bread Lame or Sharp Knife (you can even use kitchen shears)
- Large Bowl
Pro Bread Baking Tips
- For the perfect crust, be sure to use a tight-fitting lid to trap the steam in the dutch oven pot. If the steam escapes, the bread's crust will be softer.
- Use a kitchen scale to measure the dough ingredients! The metric measurements are provided in the recipe card. Using gram measurements is the best way to get consistent results - this is true for all baking recipes!
- Make sure your yeast is still good! If your yeast becomes bubbly while dissolving it in the warm water, it's good. If it doesn't get frothy, foamy, and bubbly - you'll need to head to the grocery store for a fresh pack!
How to make Olive Bread
- Combine warm water (water temperature should be about 105-110 degrees F), honey, and active dry yeast in a large bowl. Gently whisk together and allow the yeast to become foamy and bubbly, about 5-10 minutes.
- Add bread flour and gently mix together with your hands or a danish dough whisk until a shaggy dough forms. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 1 hour. (Image 1)
- Sprinkle garlic powder, chopped olives, kosher salt, and chopped rosemary on top of the dough. Press the add-ins into the dough and mix everything together until fully incorporated (you can use your hands or a wooden spoon for this).
- Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise on the counter for about 10-12 hours.
- The next morning, the dough should look very bubbly. (Image 2) Gently remove the dough from the bowl onto a well floured surface. Begin stretching and folding the dough - simply grab on piece of the dough and stretch it upward until a flap forms - about 6-inches. Place that flap across the other side of the dough to create a bit of an envelope. Grab another side of the dough, stretch it up, and place it on top of the first flap. Repeat this four times. (Image 3)
- Place the loaf seam side down onto a piece of parchment paper.Â
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place a cast iron dutch oven into the the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Use a bread lame or a sharp knife to make about 3 2-inch slits down the center of the bread. (Image 4) Place the bread and the parchment paper into the preheated dutch oven and cover with the lid. (Image 5)
- Bake for 30 minutes, the remove the lid and continue to bake for another 20-30 minutes, until the top is golden brown. You can also use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness. It should read between 205-210 degrees F. Let the bread cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before cutting into it!Â
What to serve with Olive Bread
Bread and butter are incredible together, especially fresh out of the oven! Olive oil bread dip is great on top too! This no knead bread recipe make an exceptional sandwich bread, my favorite is my California Club Sandwich or having it for breakfast with a bacon, egg, and cheese!
You can also cut it up and make it into a garlic bread, or even garlic bread pizza - yum! The possibilities are limitless!
​Commonly Asked Questions
No-knead bread typically doesn't require a second rise since it relies on a long initial fermentation period. The extended fermentation allows the dough to develop gluten and flavor without the need for additional rising stages. After the initial rise, you can shape the dough and bake it directly for a crusty loaf with an open crumb structure.
Risen bread can typically sit for around 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking, depending on factors like room temperature and the recipe. It's important not to let it sit too long, as over-proofing can lead to a collapsed structure and dense texture in the final loaf. Monitor the dough closely and bake it once it has visibly risen and feels slightly puffy to the touch.
Yes, olive bread can be frozen successfully. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn, and it can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
Olive bread typically lasts for 2-3 days at room temperature when stored in a sealed container or wrapped in plastic wrap. For longer storage, you can refrigerate it for up to a week, or freeze it for 2-3 months.
Olive bread doesn't necessarily need to be refrigerated, especially if you plan to consume it within a few days. However, if you intend to keep it for longer than a couple of days, it's advisable to refrigerate in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
More Bread Recipes
Want more delicious and beautiful recipes? Subscribe to my newsletter, where you'll hear about new recipes FIRST and get tantalizing and exclusive perks!
Let's stay connected on social media and continue to cook together! Also, if you decide to make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and leave a comment below! Tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and hashtag #britneybreaksbread so I can see your creations! I hope that you love this recipe as much as we do!
No-Knead Olive Bread
Equipment
- 5 or 7 Quart Dutch Oven
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Danish Dough Whisk (optional)
Ingredients
- 4 cups Bread Flour
- 1 tsp Active Dry Yeast
- 1 ½ cups Water
- 1 tsp Honey
- 2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tbsp Fresh Rosemary (chopped)
- 1 cup Kalamata Olives (chopped)
Directions
- Combine warm water (water temperature should be about 105-110 degrees F), honey, and active dry yeast in a large bowl. Gently whisk together and allow the yeast to become foamy and bubbly, about 5-10 minutes.Â
- Add bread flour and gently mix together with your hands or a danish dough whisk until a shaggy dough forms. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 1 hour.
-  Sprinkle garlic powder, chopped olives, kosher salt, and chopped rosemary on top of the dough. Press the add-ins into the dough and mix everything together until fully incorporated (you can use your hands or a wooden spoon for this). Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise on the counter for about 10-12 hours.Â
- The next morning, the dough should look very bubbly. Gently remove the dough from the bowl onto a well floured surface. Begin stretching and folding the dough - simply grab on piece of the dough and stretch it upward until a flap forms - about 6-inches. Place that flap across the other side of the dough to create a bit of an envelope. Grab another side of the dough, stretch it up, and place it on top of the first flap. Repeat this four times. (It should begin to form a tight ball shape loaf)
- Place the loaf seam side down onto a piece of parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place a cast iron dutch oven into the the preheated oven for 30 minutes.Â
- Use a bread lame or a sharp knife to make about 3 2-inch slits down the center of the bread. Remove the dutch oven from the oven and carefully place the bread and the parchment paper into the preheated dutch oven and cover with the lid.
- Bake for 30 minutes, the remove the lid and continue to bake for another 20-30 minutes, until the top is golden brown. You can also use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness. It should read between 205-210 degrees F. Let the bread cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before cutting into it!Â
Rate + Review
What do you think of this recipe?