Easy Rustic Olive Bread Recipe

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.

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.