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
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!
I want to use this recipe because I lost my go to olive bread recipe. But i have to ask, why are you using regular all purpose flour instead of bread flour in this bread recipe. I only use bread flour in all my bread recipes. Will bread flour change the crumb too much if I use it?
Hi Ron,
Great question—and you’re right to think about how switching flours might impact the final loaf.
My recipe uses all-purpose flour likely for a softer, more rustic crumb. All-purpose flour has a moderate protein content (around 10–11%), which produces a more tender, slightly open crumb that’s perfect for rustic-style breads where you don’t necessarily want a super chewy structure.
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Using Bread Flour Instead
Since bread flour has higher protein (usually 12–14%), it develops more gluten, which:
• Increases chewiness
• Creates a more elastic dough
• Can lead to a tighter, more structured crumb
So yes, using bread flour will change the texture a bit, but not in a bad way—just slightly chewier and possibly a little taller rise due to stronger gluten strands holding more gas.
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Tips If You Use Bread Flour
If you’re swapping in bread flour:
• Keep everything else the same—no need to adjust liquids unless the dough feels too stiff (bread flour absorbs slightly more water).
• You may get a slightly less “holey” crumb than with all-purpose, but the structure will still be beautiful.
• Knead just until smooth and stretchy—bread flour can become tough if over-kneaded.
If you use bread flour, let us know how it turns out!
Linda
OMG. Okay, I first-off admit to being a TOTAL FRAUD when commenting on this. BUT: hear me out! Your post inspired me to try OLIVES in BREAD!!! I do a quick-bread (3 c. self-rising flour; 12 oz of something carbonated – selzer water, light beer, go with Sprite or another soda if you’re feeling something sweet…).
So (*deep breath*), I made up my basic beer bread this evening; added garlic powder, some fresh garlic, and chopped olives. Oh, MAN!!! So, then I went a little wild, and made a beer bread with garlic powder, caramelized onion/garlic/olive, and extra sharp cheddar cheese. 375 for about 40 minutes. *CHEF’S KISS* I mean, it was stupid-good!!! In a million years, I wouldn’t have imagined olives in bread.
If you’re NOT a beer person, just use Seltzer Water (don’t use Club Soda; it contains small amounts of quinine, which can come through as VERY bitter!); go with whatever flavors float your boat. Here’s the formula: 3 c. self-rising flour (Google the all-purpose flour proportions of flour/baking powder/salt); 12 oz of carbonated something. Mix. 375 degree oven; bake around 40 minutes. A knife will be clean, when inserted, when done.
Olive bread. Who’d-a-thunk? Freaking amazing!!! This just became a “THING” in my household!!! Thanks so much for posting!! I know you went with a yeast bread, and I commend you for that, but you gotta know how well it translates to a “no-knead” bread, as well! It’s AMAZING!!!!
Hi Chrissie, I feel your passion for olive bread! Thanks for sharing your version!
Can you make this dough in a bread maker? Mine takes 90 minutes ( including 3 rises).
Yes, give it a try this way:
Bread Machine Version of Easy Rustic Olive Bread
Machine cycle: 90 minutes, including 3 rises
Setting to use: Basic/White Bread cycle (90 minutes), 1.5 lb loaf if prompted
Yield: 1 loaf
The ingredients are the same as the original recipe.
Instructions (Bread Machine Method):
Layer the ingredients in the bread machine pan in this order (important for best results):
1. Water
2. Olive oil
3. Salt
4. Garlic powder
5. Flour (spread evenly over the top)
6. Yeast (make a small well in the flour and add yeast inside it—don’t let it touch the liquid)
Add the chopped olives after the first mix or during the first “add-ins” beep (usually 5–10 minutes in).
Tip: Pat the olives dry with a paper towel first so they don’t make the dough too wet.
Start the machine on the Basic or White Bread cycle (90 minutes).
Optional: If your machine allows you to customize, choose a light or medium crust.
Let it bake and cool: Once the cycle is done, remove the bread and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Tips:
Since rustic breads are typically free-form and crustier, this version won’t have quite the same crusty texture as oven-baked with steam. However, it’ll still be super flavorful and moist thanks to the olives and olive oil.
If your machine has a “crusty” or “artisan” setting, that’s worth trying too.
Will.this bread be soft enuf to pull out of the crust and eat?
Yes, it is so delicious.
This just came out of the oven and looks beautiful. I used my Romertopf clay baker which I use for all my European style breads, and it worked perfectly. My husband and I just tasted it–delicious!
The only change is that I would squeeze the moisture out of the olives before adding them. I had drained them, but using a paper towel to get more moisture out would work.
Hi Joan, thanks for the love for this recipe and for sharing your tips!