Olive Oil Herb Bread

A recipe for Olive Oil Herb Bread! This sturdy bread has a chewy texture perfect to use as the base for sandwiches, garlic bread, or alongside soup.

I first came across the idea for this Herb and Olive Oil Crusted Bread years ago while looking for a bread recipe for a friend who needed sometime dairy-free and egg-free.

It quickly became a favorite and has such a great texture to enjoy on its own or paired with a variety of toppings. I especially love to use thin slices of the bread as a base for Prosciutto Toast. It is also fun for more rustic grilled cheese sandwiches or to dip in tomato soup.

This is not a quick recipe with a total of 2 1/2 hours of rising time and another 40 minutes in the oven, but there is no special shaping and everything comes together with only a handful of ingredients.

To get the notable chewy texture, I started the bread on a baking (pizza) stone in a 475˚ (245˚C) oven with a pan of water on the bottom rack.

After 10 minutes, I reduced the temperature to 375˚F (190˚C) to allow the bread to continue to develop a golden crust without completely burning the olive oil herb coating. If you do not have a baking stone available, you can bake the bread on a lightly greased baking sheet.

This Olive Oil Herb Bread is best the day it is baked, but leftovers will last in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days.

Italian Seasoning

Italian seasoning is a spice blend found in most larger American grocery stores. The exact amount of ingredients may vary based on brand. The one I like to use has a mixture of dried oregano, basil, marjoram, thyme, and rosemary.

If you do not have it available, Immaculate Bites has a recipe for Homemade Italian Seasoning.

Some blends include garlic and salt. If yours does, you may not need to mix in the additional garlic powder and flaky sea salt (or you can for stronger flavors).

For a bit of heat, you can also stir in a pinch or two of crushed red pepper flakes.

A Few Olive Oil Herb Bread Tips

When adding the yeast to the water, make sure the water isn’t too hot or it will damage the yeast. The temperature should be about 105˚F (40˚C)- just warm enough to activate the yeast.

Do not pack in the flour when measuring or you may end up with too much. To measure flour, gently spoon it into the measuring cup and level with a knife without pressing down. The most accurate way to measure is by weight.

The dough should be very soft and wet. If it is too crumbly and just won’t come together, add some more lukewarm water a splash at a time. If it is too wet to form into a loaf after the first rise, use a little more flour to shape.

Give the flour some time to blend fully before adding more. Take care not to add too much or the bread may become tough.

In a warm kitchen, the first rise should take about 1 1/2 hours to double in size. During the winter with cooler temperatures, it sometimes takes closer to 2 hours.

I formed the bread into an oval, but you can also shape it into a round.

When brushing the olive oil herb mixture over the bread, make sure to get the sides along with the top of the loaf.

Looking for more Homemade Bread recipes?

Try my:

• Pretzel Bread
• Seelen
• Rustic Beer Bread

This recipe was originally posted in July 2013. It was updated in May 2024 to adjust the ingredients into one loaf.

Olive Oil Herb Bread Recipe

Adapted from Jane’s Sweets and Baking Journal

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5 from 1 vote

Olive Oil Herb Bread

A recipe for Olive Oil Herb Bread! This sturdy bread has a chewy texture perfect to use as the base for sandwiches, garlic bread, or alongside soup.

Course Bread

Cuisine N/A

Keyword bread, herb, olive oil

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 1 Loaf

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 teaspoons (7 grams) active dry yeast
• 1 2/3 cups (400 milliliters) lukewarm water 105-115˚F (40-46˚C), divided
• 3 1/2 cups (455 grams) bread flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• Cornmeal or semolina for dusting

Topping:

• 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning mix
• 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, sprinkle the yeast over 1 cup (240 milliliters) of the lukewarm water. Stir briefly and allow to sit at room temperature until frothy, about 10 minutes.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or a large bowl, combine the bread flour and salt.
• Mix in the frothy yeast mixture, then slowly add the remaining 2/3 cup (160 milliliters) lukewarm water to create a soft, loose dough.
• Cover the bowl and allow to rest at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
• On a well-floured surface, knead the dough until it is soft and smooth. Form into an oval loaf shape, adding a little more flour only as needed if it is too sticky.
• Dust a large pizza (baker's) peel with cornmeal or semolina. Place the oval loaf in the center of the peel, cover with a towel, and allow to rest at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Place a baking stone on the middle rack and a pan filled with water on the lower rack of the oven. Preheat to 475˚F (245˚C).
• In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt, and garlic powder.
• Brush the risen loaf evenly with the olive oil mixture, making sure to completely get the sides.
• Lightly cut 3 diagonal marks across the loaf with a very sharp knife.
• Carefully slide the loaf onto the preheated baking stone. Immediately shut the door and bake for 10 minutes.
• Without opening the door, reduce heat to 375˚F (190˚C).
• Continue to bake until the top and edges of the bread are golden and the bread sounds hollow when tapped, about 20-30 more minutes.
• Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.