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This easy homemade olive bread recipe is made with no kneading required. The dough rises a few times, which gives this loaf height and greatly enhances the bread’s texture and flavor.
I am a huge fan of all things olives–I’m Lebanese after all! Olives are always on the table and in many Mediterranean recipes. How exciting to combine the briny flavor of olives in beautiful loaf of homemade olive bread. My olive bread recipe folds a combination of green and black olives into a beautiful, light dough that requires no kneading. You can bake perfect olive bread studded with bright Castelvetrano olives and salty kalamata olives, with a soft, airy crumb and a golden crust in a few simple steps.ย
Baking no-knead homemade bread is an uncomplicated process done without a stand mixer, especially with a loaf that requires primarily inactive time while the dough rests and gains complexity of flavor and texture. The bread rises and bakes over two days, so give yourself a day in advance to allow the initial rise to take place overnight. This step is very much worth it for its effect on the flavor and texture of the olive bread loaf. The baking experience (hands in dough, aromas throughout the kitchen) is as satisfying as the warm, fragrant loaf of fresh bread with a perfect crust and soft crumb interior that results.
Ingredient Notes
Ingredients to bake this wonderful loaf are very few, and pantry staples:
Yeast. Active dry yeast works best in this recipe, but you can substitute instant yeast if needed.
Water. Be sure the water is room temperature at about 75-80ยฐF; not too hot or too cold. Some bakers swear by using bottled spring water that contains natural minerals for a loaf of bread like this. I use it and love it for baking, but it’s not necessary!
Flour. My choice here is unbleached all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur). The protein content of this flour provides enough structure for the bread without using bread flour. While there are ways to incorporate a variety of flours such asย whole wheat flour,ย buckwheat flour,ย almond flour, andย coconut flourย to introduce unique characteristics into a simple loaf of bread like this, stick with the unbleached all-purpose to get the best results with this recipe.
โKosher salt. This is a coarse salt that is less salty than table salt or fine sea salt; if using either of these, reduce the amount to 1 1/2 teaspoons instead of 2 teaspoons.
Olives. Purchase a mix of green olives and black olives, such as Castelvetrano and kalamata. It’s easiest to buy the olives already pitted. Dry the olives by pouring off any storing liquid or oil and patting the olives with paper towel, then coarsely chop them.
Equipment Needed
The beauty of a no-knead dough is that it requires basic equipment only (no mixer needed!). Gather the following:
- Large mixing bowl
- Dough scraper
- Wooden spoon
- Clean kitchen towel or bread towel
- Bread proofing basket or basic colander
- Parchment paper and plastic wrap
- Dutch oven; enameled cast iron is ideal.โ Alternatively you can bake the bread on a baking sheet, but the crust will not have the same light, shattering golden crust.
- Instant-read thermometerย for checking water temperature
Having the right equipment, however basic, will make the bread-making process easier and more enjoyable!
How to Make Olive Bread
Long rise
- In a large bowl, stir to combine the water and yeast. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until combined, then use your hands to finish combining until no dry streaks of flour remain and any flour on the sides of the bowl is incorporated.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel and allow it to rest at room temperature for 45 minutes.
- Sprinkle the salt evenly over the top of the dough along with the coarsely chopped olives (add fresh or dried herbs now, if using). With the tips of your fingers, press the olives evenly into the dough.
- Cover the bowl of dough again with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel and set aside to rest overnight, or for a total of 10 hours.
Shape the dough
- Generously flour yourย work surface, then transfer the risen dough using aย dough scraper.
- Flour your hands and shape the dough into a rough square.
- Start creating the boule (ball) shape by folding the four corners up over the top of the dough to the center, pinching the seams closed.
- Flip the dough over (seam side down) and let it rest 5 minutes. Flip the dough back over (seam side up) and repeat bringing the four corners to the center again and pinching the seams closed.ย
- Flip the dough again (seam side down). Pull the ball toward you, creating tension and a tight round shape.ย
Second Rise
- Lightly flour a proofing basket or a colander lined with a clean bread towel or kitchen towel. Nestle the dough ball seam side up in the basket and dust it with flour. Cover with a towel and set aside to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Place the Dutch oven pot in the oven and preheat the oven and the pot to 450ยฐF.
Bake the Olive Bread
- Invert the risen dough onto the center of a sheet of parchment paper on the counter. Use the tip of a veryย sharp knifeย to slash theย top of the doughย to allow for expansion.ย
- Carefully remove the hot dutch oven from the oven to a rack on the counter. Use the parchment paper as a sling and place the paper together with the dough on it in the hot dutch oven with the parchment underneath the dough.ย
- Bake with the lid on for 25 minutes, then remove the lid on the Dutch oven and bake for another 20 minutes, until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped.
- Transfer your baked bread to aย wire rackย to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.
Helpful Tips
- Flavor Variations: Add ingredients such as fresh herbs (especially fresh rosemary), dried herbs or blends like za’atar, or roasted garlic to change-up the flavor profile of your olive bread.
- Temperature Check: Always be sure your water is lukewarm, around 110ยฐF, as this supports optimal yeast activity.
- Serving: Don’t cut into the loaf when it is hot from the oven; allow it time to cool and essentially finish baking while cooling. Then, use a bread knife or serrated knife to cut the loaf, anchored on a cutting board, into slices.
- Enjoy! Use slices of olive bread on a cheese board, for toast slathered with labneh, for fantastic grilled cheese sandwiches, and just to eat plain and simple!
Storing Leftovers
To keep your leftover olive bread fresh, wrap it in plastic wrap andย aluminum foilย and store it in aย bread boxย or anย airtight containerย (a ziptop plastic bag works well) at room temperature for a few days. For longer storage, freeze the whole loaf or partial loaf, wrapped as noted, in aย freezer bag. To reheat, bake it at 350ยฐF for about 10-15 minutes directly from the freezer for that just-baked taste.
Olive Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups water, room temperature (75-80ยฐF)
- 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 3 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, spoon the flour lightly into the cup measure if not weighing it at 120 g per cup
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cups pitted olives, a mix of green and black, such as Castelvetrano and Kalamata
Instructions
- Step 1: Long rise
- In a large bowl, stir to combine the water and yeast. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until combined, then use your hands to finish combining until no dry streaks of flour remain and any flour on the sides of the bowl is incorporated.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel and allow it to rest at room temperature for 45 minutes.
- Sprinkle the salt evenly over the top of the dough along with the coarsely chopped olives (add fresh or dried herbs now, if using). With the tips of your fingers, press the olives evenly into the dough.
- Cover the bowl of dough again with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel and set aside to rest overnight, or for a total of 10 hours.
Step 2: Shape the dough
- Generously flour yourย work surface, then transfer the risen dough using aย dough scraper.
- Flour your hands and shape the dough into a rough square.
- Start creating the boule (ball) shape by folding the four corners up over the top of the dough to the center, pinching the seams closed.
- Flip the dough over (seam side down) and let it rest 10 minutes. Flip the dough back over (seam side up) and repeat bringing the four corners to the center again and pinching the seams closed.ย
- Flip the dough again (seam side down). Pull the ball toward you with your hands cupped around it at the base, creating tension and a tight round shape.ย
Step 3: Second Rise
- Lightly flour a proofing basket or a colander lined with a clean bread towel or kitchen towel. Nestle the dough ball seam side up in the basket and dust it with flour. Cover with a towel and set aside to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Place the Dutch oven pot in the oven and preheat the oven and the pot to 450ยฐF.
Step 4: Bake
- Invert the risen dough onto the center of a sheet of parchment paper on the counter. Use the tip of a veryย sharp knifeย to slash theย top of the doughย to allow for expansion.ย
- Carefully remove the hot dutch oven from the oven to a rack on the counter. Use the parchment paper as a sling and place the paper together with the dough on it in the hot dutch oven with the parchment underneath the dough.ย
- Bake with the lid on for 25 minutes, then remove the lid on the Dutch oven and bake for another 20 minutes, until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped.
- Transfer your baked bread to aย wire rackย to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
