This Easy Rustic Olive Bread recipe uses salty kalamata olives to add a depth of flavor to this rustic bread recipe!
Table of Contents
Why We Love This Olive Bread
- It is so easy to make this olive bread
- Only 7 Ingredients!
- You can make many variations of this bread – see the Variations section below.
- I find homemade bread to be wonderfully luxuriant.
- It is great to share! I adore this Kalamata olive bread recipe and can’t wait to bake a fresh loaf for our friends and family on Easter.
Recipe Ingredients
Kalamata Olives: These salty, tangy, and slightly bitter olives lend the bread a distinct Mediterranean character, adding bursts of flavor and a contrasting texture to the soft crumb of the bread.
Garlic Powder: Adds a mild and slightly spicy garlic flavor to the bread, complementing the richness of the olives and giving depth to the overall taste profile.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
Green Olive Bread: Swap the Kalamata olives with pitted, chopped green olives. These have a brighter, more briny flavor compared to Kalamatas.
Black Olive Bread: Swap the Kalamata olives with pitted, chopped black olives. Regular black olives, such as those commonly found in cans, are milder and less salty than Kalamatas.
Rosemary Olive Bread: Add 1-2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh rosemary to the dough along with the olives. The piney aroma of rosemary complements the salty tang of the olives beautifully.
Cheese and Olive Bread: Incorporate ½ cup of grated Parmesan or crumbled feta cheese into the dough. The saltiness of the cheese will enhance the overall savory flavor of the bread.
Sun-dried Tomato and Olive Bread: Mix in ⅓ cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes (drained if oil-packed) when adding the olives. The sweet and tart taste of sun-dried tomatoes pairs well with the olives and adds more Mediterranean flair to the bread.
How to Make Olive Bread
Here are all the steps to make this easy, homemade olive bread recipe.
Step #1: Stir together the yeast, flour, warm water, salt, garlic powder, and olive oil in the bowl of a stand mixer. Use a spatula to roughly combine the ingredients. Let rest for 15 minutes to activate the yeast.
Step #2: Fold in the chopped olives.
Step #3: Attach the dough hook and knead on medium for 5 minutes. Sprinkle in a bit more flour as needed if the dough won’t release from the sides of the bowl.
Step #4: Transfer the kneaded dough to an oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 60 minutes in a warm place.
Step #5: Punch the dough down.
Step #6: Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use your hands to shape it into a loaf. This can be a round loaf as shown here or a more oblong loaf as shown in the photo at the top of this post.
Step #7: Allow to rise for another 60 minutes.
Step #8: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and place a second baking sheet on the bottom rack.
Step #9: Dust the loaf with flour. Use a serrated knife to make three shallow cuts across the top.
Step #10: Place the baking sheet containing the dough on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Toss a half cup of water onto the hot baking sheet on the bottom rack and close the door. Bake for 30 minutes.
Step #11: Let cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing with a sharp knife.
See, this is an easy olive bread recipe!
Look at that delicious texture! This kalamata bread is great to dip into olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can. For every teaspoon of instant yeast, use 1.25 teaspoons of active dry yeast. You might also need to let it proof a bit longer.
Yes, you can make the dough, let it rise for the first time, then punch it down and refrigerate. When ready to bake, take it out, shape, let it rise a second time, and then bake.
Absolutely. Mix the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and then knead by hand on a floured surface until smooth and elastic.
This bread pairs wonderfully with cheeses, cured meats, olive oil for dipping, soup, or Mediterranean dishes like hummus and tapenade.
Storage
You can store this bread in an airtight container on your counter for 5-7 days. If you are going to refrigerate this bread you can do so in an airtight container and it will last up to 2 weeks.
To freeze this Olive Bread wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and ensure no additional air is trapped inside. Then place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month.
When serving after refrigerating or freezing be sure that the bread has reached room temperature and then you are good to go!
If, for some reason, you have extra bread to use up, I highly recommend warming the bread and smothering it with butter, toasting it and smearing it with cream cheese, or turning it into croutons for an easy panzanella (bread salad).
Yummy! You can also enjoy this olive bread loaf with butter or cream cheese.
More Delicious Breads to Try
- Herb & Honey Loaf
- Authentic Povitica Bread Recipe
- Easy Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pão de Queijo)
- Spiced Pear and Pistachio Bread
Easy Rustic Olive Bread Recipe
RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup lukewarm water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup pitted - chopped Kalamata olives
Instructions
- Combine the first six ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. Use a spatula to roughly combine the ingredients. Let rest for 15 minutes to activate the yeast.
- Fold in the olives.
- Attach the dough hook and knead on medium for 5 minutes. Sprinkle in a bit more flour as needed if the dough won't release from the sides of the bowl.
- Transfer the kneaded dough to an oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 60 minutes in a warm place.
- Punch the dough down.
- Then transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use your hands to shape it into a loaf.
- Allow to rise for another 60 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and place a second baking sheet on the bottom rack.
- Dust the loaf with flour and use a serrated knife to make three shallow cuts across the top.
- Place the baking sheet containing the dough on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Toss a half cup of water onto the hot baking sheet on the bottom rack and close the door. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing with a sharp knife.
VIDEO
NOTES
Nutrition
The wonderful people over at Bob’s Red Mill were kind enough to sponsor this Easy Rustic Olive Bread recipe. I love supporting local companies!
Made this bread yesterday, at the shaping stage I created a tout surface, but during the second rise the bread surface split and it deflated the loaf and it went pretty wide & flat. Still tasted nice though. How do you shape the bread, any idea what could have gone wrong?
Hi Ellen,
I’m not sure what went wrong, but here is a video that might help you tighten up the dough with this technique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww78_SfGyQE
– Linda
I’ve tried this for the first time with a tbsp of honey as I read from the comments. It came out perfect! Thank you so much for the recipe. I wonder if I can use the base of this recipe and add roasted garlic cloves instead of olives to make “rustic garlic bread” 🙂 Have you ever tried that? Thoughts?
Hi Anne,
I haven’t tried the garlic cloves, but it sounds delicious. Give it a try and let us know how you like it.
– Linda
I made this recipe last night and it was absolutely perfect. I would love to make this as a loaf in a bread pan tobise as sandwich bread. Any suggestions on pan size and bake time? Thank you for sharing such an easy, delicious recipe.
Hi Sherri,
You can make this in a loaf pan, but I’m not sure the size and bake time, but this link might help: https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-to-form-a-loaf-427573
If you give it a try, please come back here and let us know how it went and how you did it.
– Linda
I’m trying this today for the first time!? do you think I could add agave nectar or honey as a small sweetness or would it take away from the olives? Also. If so, when would I add?
Hi Donna,
Yes, you can add honey, I suggest adding 1 tablespoon and you can do it in step 1 when you combine all the ingredients, except the olives.
– Linda
I’m going to try this today and plan on using a bread pan. I can’t tell from this recipe if you used a bread pan. Did you? Thanks for the recipe, I’m excited to try it with my new stand mixer!
Also, do you do the second rise on the counter or in a covered bowl again? Thank you!
Hi Lisa,
No need for a bread pan. How did you like it?
-Linda