Name: Easy Rustic Olive Bread Recipe
Prep time: 150 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 180 min
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)

This Easy Rustic Olive Bread recipe uses salty kalamata olives to add a depth of flavor to this rustic bread recipe!

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!

What is there to say about bread? I find homemade bread to be wonderfully luxuriant, which is funny because it is such a simple thing to make, and a humble staple in our diet.

Looking at olive bread recipes? Here is a great one that you will enjoy sharing with others! I adore this kalamata olive bread recipe and can’t wait to bake a fresh loaf for our friends and family on Easter.

Want to know how to make olive bread that is delicious? Well, okay, then. Just as good bread makes a meal, good flour is what makes the bread! I love baking with Bob’s Red Mill products, and for this recipe I used their Organic All-Purpose Flour.

I love that I can always achieve the perfect texture using this flour – consistency is key!!

I spent some time perfecting this olive loaf recipe for you, which meant that I had several loaves of this bread to eat my way through over the past few days.

Slices and loaf of olive bread on a wooden table.

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).

I like to store my olive loaf bread by placing it on a small cutting board, then wrapping the bread and the board loosely in a large flour sack towel. This keeps the bread from drying out while still allowing enough air to pass through to prevent the bread from molding. Use this link to order these white flour sack dish towels from Amazon.

How to Make Olive Bread

Here are all the steps to make this easy, homemade olive bread recipe.

Olive bread dough ingredients being mixed together in a bowl.

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.

Fold in the chopped olives.

Dough hook forming the dough in a mixing bowl.

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.

Rustic olive bread dough after first rise.

After the first rise, you can see a larger dough ball below.

Dough that has been punched down after first rise.

Punch the dough down.

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.

Olive loaf dough on top of a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet.

Allow to rise for another 60 minutes.

Olive bread with flour on top of the dough.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and place a second baking sheet on the bottom rack. Dust the loaf with flour.

Slits cut into olive bread dough before baking.

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.

See, this is an easy olive bread recipe!

Up close view of olive loaf and slices on a serving tray.

Up close view of a slice of olive bread.

Look at that delicious texture! This kalamata bread is great to dip into olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

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!

Slice of Olive loaf being dipped into oil and vinegar mixture.

Yummy! You can also enjoy this olive bread loaf with butter or cream cheese.

More ideas with Bob’s Red Mill products:

Homemade tortillas made with Masa Harina
Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole with Bulgur (instead of meat!)
Herb & Honey Loaf with Artisan Bread Flour