This homemade olive bread is so good and only takes a few hours to make. You’ll think it came from an old-style French bakery with its delicious chewy crust and heavy addition of green and black olives.
This recipe has been updated-

“When there is little bread at the table, put plenty on your plate.” – Italian proverb.
I couldn’t agree more, especially if it is filled with brine-soaked Mediterranean olives like this easy olive bread recipe. I wish you could taste it because I know it would erase the thought some people have of not being able to bake their own bread. Once you make this olive bread, you’ll start baking all sorts of other yeast recipes because it’s such a fun and addictive process!
I love bread. What part, you ask? Well, there’s the smell, the texture, the coarseness, the sound, and the chew factor. Did I get you with that last one? The chew factor is what I call the burnt-tasting ring around the edge of the bread. It reminds me of the smoke ring that appears when you smoke some brisket or ribs. It’s flavor, and did I tell you I loved it?
ingredients needed for your olive bread
- Bread Flour– This type of flour has more protein therefore can produce more gluten. You can usually find it in the baking aisle easily enough but if not regular all purpose flour can be substituted for it. The texture might be softer with less of a chew to it.
- Active Dry Yeast– Easily available and keeps for a while on the fridge. Dry yeast is usually sold in envelopes and each one contains 2 1/4 teaspoons. You can also use quick-rise yeast for an even faster result.
- Salt
- Warm Water– Hot tap water is what you’ll need, lukewarm temperature is perfect ideally between 100-115 degrees.
- Mixed Olives– Any sort of your favorite olives will work as long as they are not stuffed and are pitted. I like to use a mix of green and kalamata olives.
- Olive Oil
- Cornmeal
How to make Mediterranean olive bread at home
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There are a few important rules when making any yeast product, don’t handle it too much and when to bake it. As soon as you combine the ingredients they start working together and the yeast begins to feed on the sugars in the flour. This creates carbon dioxide gas which is what makes the bread rise. If you can imagine thousands of tiny bubbles filled with gas the last thing you want is for those bubbles to burst and be left with a flat, dense piece of dough. That’s why it’s so important to handle the dough gently from the minute it starts rising to when it actually goes in the oven to bake.
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This is such a simple olive bread recipe with only five main ingredients. I know how easy it can be to just buy bread from the store. If you want good bread though it’s worth making your own! There’s so much satisfaction when you nurture something from flour, water, and yeast to a loaf of bread with a crackling crust and a smell that you’ll never want to leave your kitchen.

recipe faq’s
Bread and yeast products usually always get two times to rise. After the first rise, you will actually punch all of the gas out of the dough, but this is the only time you’ll do that. This is to get rid of any large gas bubbles that might have been created and the yeast will be strong enough for a second rise. It’s on this second rise that the bubbles will appear more even and creating a better texture.
After the second rise is when you’ll eventually transfer your bread to the oven. The dough should look almost like it would be if it was baked. It should be fairly firm and show no bubbles on the outer crust. That happens when the dough is left too long to rise and the gas begins to escape from the inside. This is called “over-proofing”. If you were to bake a loaf like this, it would be flatter and more dense because the gases escaped before you put it in the oven. The key is to keep those gas bubbles intact and inside the dough to end up with a light airy texture.
There’s dry yeast and fresh yeast. Dry yeast is what you will see in every grocery store and it comes in little square envelopes or small jars. This is by far the most popular and easiest way to go when baking bread at home. Fresh yeast comes in a square block and feels like moist putty, and it smells. It’s mostly used in larger commercial bakeries where they need large quantities and they can use it quicker. Fresh yeat needs to be refrigerated and lasts only a few weeks at the most.
Red Star Yeast is my favorite brand to use when it comes to baking bread. They have three different types of dry yeast to choose from depending on your recipe schedule, and a website filled with tips and information saving me from any disasters. I used their Platinum yeast which really sped up the rising process for my olive bread. I’ve used this recipe before with regular yeast and usually had to let it rise overnight. Not anymore, I can mix this dough together at lunchtime and have crackling hot olive bread on the table at dinnertime!
You can, just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or a zip lock bag and freeze. Alternatively you can make really good homemade croutons and your salads will thank you!
Olives that are pitted have had their pits removed and are safe to eat.
This bead will last for 2-3 days covered on the countertop. It also makes great toast after that.
This is hard to gauge because everyones kitchen humidity is different. Sometimes I’ll switch my oven to “keep warm”setting for a few minutes and then switch it off. The small amount of heat will help the bread rise. You can also turn on your oven and place the bread on top of the stove to catch any hot air rising upwards. Basically your looking for a slightly warm and dry place for the bread to rise. The colder it is the longer the bread will take to rise.

more great bread recipes




Homemade Mediterranean Olive Bread
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups bread flour plus extra for dusting your work surface
- 2 ½ tsp active dry yeast, usually one envelope packet
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup roughly chopped pitted green olives pitted and roughly chopped
- 1 cup roughly chopped pitted kalamata olives
- 1 ½ cups warm water
- 1 tbsp olive oil to coat the resting bowl
- Cornmeal for dusting
Instructions
- Lay a clean kitchen towel on a cookie tray and dust liberally with corn meal. Set aside with another towel beside it. You will also need a large dutch oven or heavy ceramic pot with a lid.
- Combine the flour, yeast, salt, and both types of olives together in a stand mixer with a dough hook.
- Add the warm water and gently mix together until the dough starts to come together. It will look and feel wet.
- Dust your table with flour and dump the dough out of the bowl and knead into a ball shape. Dust with flour if it's still a little sticky.
- Coat a large bowl with the olive oil and return the dough into the bowl.
- Cover with a clean towel and Let it sit until it roughly doubles in size.
- Once it has risen, take it out of the bowl and lay it on your table. Roughly press the dough into a flat circle.
- Fold the dough over on itself kneading it back into a ball for a second time.
- Lay the dough onto the cornmeal dusted towel, seam side down.
- Dust the top of the dough lightly with some extra cornmeal and cover with the towel again.
- Place the empty pot (not the lid) into your oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.
- By the time your oven is at temperature, your dough should have risen enough on the second rise, if not give it a little longer.
- When the bread is ready, take off the top towel and using a sharp serrated knife, cut 2-3 slits across the top of the dough with a sharp knife or razor blade.
- Take the pot out of the oven and using both hands, very carefully lift and gently drop the bread into the pot.
- Place the lid on and put it back into the oven.Remember the pot is very hot! Bake for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, take the lid from the pot and bake for a further 20-30 minutes and the crust is golden and crispy.
- Let cool before slicing.
Gerry, your olive bread looks perfect…from crumb to crust. Excellent!
Just made this and it turned out amazing! Nice crispy outside, soft inside, and tastes fantastic. Will definitely use this recipe again.
We just had a store bought olive bread over the weekend! But yours looks so much better!
Your bread looks perfect! I bought this type of bread at my local baker, 2 different times the inside was doughy and undercooked. As a novice bread maker, should I worry about the olives releasing water and making mushy bread?
I completely agree with that proverb – your bread looks impossible to resist!
Fabulous bread, Gerry! I’m with you on the ‘chew factor’! Thanks for baking with us!
Gerry…Your original description of this bread had me drooling..! This is definitely on my list for Christmas goodies. Thanks for another winner!! Kelly
it looks hearty and delicious! Love the olives and their nutty salty flavor
Simple question… when I put the Dutch oven in the oven to pre-heat does it go in with the lid on top? Or do I just put the lid on when I put the bread dough in.
With the lid on top during pre heat also :)
Can i use flour instead of cornmeal? I dont care for cornmeal.
Hi Debbie, yes you could switch out the cornmeal for some flour. Thanks
I thought the same thing. I am going to try this using a fine semolina or more bread flour instead of cornmeal. Seems to work for other recipes.
What size dutch oven is required for this bread? I want to make certain the one I have is large enough before making up the bread.
Mine is about 10 inches across and 6 inches deep..its pretty big.
How can I make an oval shape bread
You’d probably have to find some kind of oval oven safe baking dish
Making my second one asI write this, amazing recipe, keeping it for life!!
I cure my own olives and also make my own bread and pizza dough, but my own experiments with trying to make olive bread have never given good results. I followed this recipe and have a great looking loaf to be proud of, and great tasting too. It was the first loaf of bread I made that didn’t have some kind of sugar/honey in it… and no oil either.
I made this bread today and it was extraordinary! I made it exactly as written. The cornmeal worked out great–I used white cornmeal. I served it with smoked tenderloin, cheeses and slices of apple. We made a dipping sauce with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and Tuscan herbs. Best Sunday supper ever. My husband loved it. Thanks so much
What’s the dutch oven for?? Can’t I use cornmeal dusted parchment paper on a cookie tray??
Hi Natalie, the dutch oven helps the bread get it’s crust, you could use a cookie tray also though in a pinch.
Can i use a baking tray? I don’t have a dutch oven. If yes, how can i adapt the recipe….like the length of time, etc? Would the bread turn out as gorgeous as yours?
Hi Hanna, a tray would probably do okay but maybe a heavy pot would be best to try first.
A phenomenal bread! I’ve made several Olive Bread loaves but this one wins, hands down. The bread flour offers density to hold all those olives! I’ve found too many olive breads do not use enough olives. This satisfies! Highly recommend. Eating a slice straight outa the oven now. Thanks for this!
I went with half bread flour and half chickpea flour and increased the salt a little. Hummus Olive bread. Tasted of both olives and chickpeas.
I would eat this entire loaf by myself.
Just baked this today. I’ve done the Lacey method many times, letting it sit forever. This recipe was just as good, and came together in a small fraction of the time! Always an impressive loaf with this method, and the olives are a fabulous addition. Thanks!!
It’s a huge fav of mine Heather, glad you liked it!
Hi! The active dry yeast that I have (Red Star) says that for traditional baking methods, I should dissolve one packet in 1/4 cup warm liquid and add 1/2 tsp of sugar….is this something I should do for your recipe (apart from the water that’s called for)?
Hi Cara, it probably is okay to do it, the sugar will feed the yeast that way, but I can’t say 100% for sure.
I put my yeast in 1/2 cup of warm water and pour that in first, just in case I don’t need the full amount of water called for in the recipe
Greetings! Just found and made today in Denver as I am contemplating my TG menu. I was skeptical but this came out as advertised. Used a packet of dried Fleishman’s yeast. Pulled out of oven after 45 mins since it started to burn. Just keep an eye on it as oven temps differ. ??
Glad it worked out for you Janet!
This was soooo good!!! Was not expecting it to turn out well. After using dough hook to incorporate ingredients, I had to take it out and knead it for ~5 min with about 1/4-1/3 cup extra flour because it was SOOO sticky. Other than that, we almost ate the whole loaf ? will def make it again, maybe throw in some rosemary!
Glad you liked it Jaimie! And yes to the rosemary!!
I put some fresh Rosemary and Fresh Thyme (2 tsp each) also put 2 TBS of good olive oil. It came out really good.
I made this today and it turned out perfect! It was dangerously delicious so I had to call a friend over to take half of it for fear that I would eat the whole thing. Next time I’ll probably divide the dough into two and make smaller loaves. I paired it with a butternut squash soup. YUM!
Awesome Traci!
Should I activate the yeast with water and sugar to begin with? Every other time I have worked with active dry yeast the recipe called for that. I am confused why this recipe does not and don’t know whether should or not.
Hi Kira, usually that’s what I’ve always done but this way works also
In looking for an olive and cheese bread, I found your great recipe. I added about 2/3 c. chopped comte cheese with 2/3 c. chopped olives. and 2 tbs olive oil, plus a bit of fresh pepper. After proofing, I formed the dough into two flat loaves and baked on parchment paper baking sheet at 375 for 45 min. Very nice crumb, and excellent flavor. Obviously I made this “mine” but really it was using the excellent instructions and proportions in the recipe to deal with the chopped olives that got me where I wanted to go in making this bread. Thanks and happy year’s end holidays!
Hi Renee, this is so great to hear, I love the addition of the cheese especially Comte!
Olive makes everything perfect :) And as a quick breakfast appetizer,this recipe is a great option I’ll definitely try it !
Thank you
https://www.bookherbal.com/2019/12/olive-bread-recipe.html
Can I swap in a cup or so of stone ground whole-wheat flour for some of the bread flour?
Hi Janet, I don’t see why not, the bread may be slightly more dense maybe after baking but the flavor might be better? Let me know!
I am so happy for your recipe. I am giving this a go in a few days. Yours look absolutely drool worthy! thanks for sharing this recipe.
I’ll make bread pretty often and most the time it turns out very good but something happen with this bread it was so sticky so please tell me what I did wrong‼️
Hi Peggy, it can be a sticky dough so you need to have plenty of flour on hand to prevent it sticking as you knead it into a ball.
Hello!
I made this bread last night, the flavor was incredible, but it came out fairly dense with just few tiny air bubbles.
I am having a hard time deciphering if this is due to over or under proofing.
I know it can change based on environment, but roughly how long would you say you proofed this dough the first, and then 2nd time?
(I used standard Fleischmanns Dry Active yeast) rather than pre mixing the yeast with water and sugar, i just added it directly to the flour mix.
I proofed it about an hour each time last night. Any ideas or tips?
Thanks! I am determined to get this delicious bread right!
Hi Tim- dense bread seems to me to be under-proofing. This is a pretty fool proof recipe so I don’t think it matters if the yeast is bloomed first in water. I proofed it for about an hour each time maybe but that depends on your own environment. I would focus on the proofing, especially the second one. Also minimal handling as you lift to drop it in the pot will help because any roughness will destroy the bubbles you created on the second rise, be gentle :)
Hi! Would it be possible to make this on a pizza stone if I don’t have a Dutch oven? If so, would it be a good idea to have a pan of water in the oven as well to create steam?
Not sure Gabriella because it gets completely sealed in the dutch oven which helps create that amazing crust.
Is it possible to give an approximate rising times?
Hi Laurinda, hard to say depending on environment but at least an hour
AWESOME. I am Italian and make bread all the time but this is the best. I could hardly wait until it cooled enough to cut.
Dipped it in olive oil. Great.
This is exciting, can’t wait to try! I hope it works if use active yeast instead.
That’s the kind of bread that I can eat all alone! I love bread and olives also, so this is a kind of perfect match for every hour of the day.
This post is great!! The olive bread was always my favorite and this recipe looks fabulous. Gorgeous photos as always!
This seems to be the well-known NY Times no-kneading bread, except that you use *much* more yeast (2.5 teaspoon instead of 0.25!). Of course, that reduces the time it takes to rise, but in my experience it creates a “fluffy” structure. Longer rise with less yeast gives a better structure and also more digestible bread.
Just made this – it went well at first but did not come out excellent. Started OK – I did a two hour first proof and it doubled in size. Second proof for an hour and a half was not long enough (or it had an issue rising again). Getting it in the cast iron was a nightmare and I think I destroyed the small rise I was able to get on second proof. Tips for getting it in the pot welcome. Anyway, came out small and dense.
Hi Kit, it takes a quick and swift lift of the dough to get it into the pot. Don’t let it rise too much because it’ll still rise a bit in the oven too
We’ve now tried this twice.
Both times, the dough came out very moist…making it hard to handle.
It rose well in both instances. However, because the dough was so wet it spread wide rather than high.
And, transferring it from the second rise on the cookie sheet to the dutch oven, basically deflating it some.
Any ideas to avoid this?
Try using a little more flour and are you baking at an elevation?
Let it rise the second time on a piece of parchment and then you can just transfer the parchment with the dough ball on top into the pot.
This is now a family favorite. We just use regular flour and it still turns out amazing. Sometimes I throw scallions in with the olives. Even better…
Love the scallion idea Holly!
Thanks so much for this delicious recipe. It inspired me to order Jim Lahey’s book and now I’m hooked. Love the fun way you write.
Looks so delicious, My daughters love this, I will definitely try it your way, thank you for sharing. Looking forward to seeing more recipes. I’ll be back.
Made this bread last night. Chose to use 100% kalamata olives, it turned out beautifully and delicious! I can’t wait to make it again.
I can’t wait to try this recipe. The directions say to take the bread out of the bowl and “knead very gently into a ball shape”. I make a lot of Italian bread which requires 7-8 minutes of kneading time. How many minutes should I spend kneading the bread into a ball?
Hi Gail, 2-3 minutes is good enough I think
This is some good stuff !!!!! As advertised, will be baking this again for sure.
This bread is delicious! I split the dough and made two rounds so I could give one to a friend who loves olive bread as much as i do. It was nice to see a recipe without sugar or honey!
Using parchment paper makes dropping the dough in the dutch oven and pulling it out super easy :)
I love the look of this bread!
When I read the recipe, I find myself craving a little more detail. Step 3: “gently mix…until the dough starts to come together.” Can you advise approximately how long with the dough hook? After several minutes the dough was super sticky. I ended up kneading it for about 5mn.
As far as the rising times, I’m not skilled at knowing when it has “doubled in size.” Would I expect approximately 1 hr. each time?
Hi Mary, once the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl is perfect. Doubled in size is roughly about an hour depending on humidity
Have made this twice and it’s great. I appreciate the generous quantity of olives. But I’m confused by the proverb at the beginning of the post. Does it essentially mean, “be greedy?”
I think it does lol
hahaha thanks for the response
I am curious if you can add spices, such as garlic powder, or minced garlic, and Italian seasoning? If so, how much would work well?
Good idea Kay, I’d say at least 2 tbsp to get a good flavor
Everyone loved this bread at Thanksgiving. My husband said it was his favorite “dish.” Crunchy crust and a soft center. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe.
I’ve made this bread twice now. It’s a great recipe, but found the dough way too soft to work. I added a bunch of flour and the dough was still very soft. I will make note to add at least another cup to get it to the consistency I like to work with. The taste is excellent! That’s why I’m making it again. As an aside, I used 1/2 Cup purple corn flour to increase the protein and nutrients. ( one of our local bakeries uses blue corn meal, so I thought I would try this) again excellent taste!
I deducted one star for the softness of the dough. It’s almost a batter.
Thanks Becky, It’s actually on my list to check on this recipe so this feedback is great,
I’m eager to try this recipe this weekend. I’ve had trouble lately with my bread recipes turning out a bit too dense. Wondering if it is a problem with my yeast, or if I am over handling. I will try to stay more hands-off! I see in the comments there are myriad variations/add-ins, and they all sound fantastic. Would I need to adjust any of the ingredients if I wanted to leave off the olives for the option of a plain bread?
Hi Sabrina, no need to adjust if you leave out the olives.
Nice, thanks for the recipe I liked this so much.