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Original post published January 18th, 2020. Post last updated on April 15th, 2024.
Made with green olives, cheddar cheese, and fresh rosemary, this rustic olive cheese bread recipe remains one of my favorites. A few slices of this homemade bread make a lovely accompaniment to a bowl of soup.
Why Do I Love This Olive Cheese Bread?
I might be in the minority, but I think olives belong in everything. I’ll eat them as a snack, on a salad, as a pizza topping, in a pasta with tomatoes and anchovies. Salty, briny, umami deliciousness.
It always baffles me when I meet someone who doesn’t like olives. Yet, like mushrooms and cilantro, they’re one of those incredibly divisive foods that people tend to either love or hate, with not much grey area in between.
But since I love olives, I’m always looking for ways to add them to recipes. A few weeks ago I baked a loaf of focaccia with olives and blue cheese—a divine combination. So to follow up on that success, I decided to give another olive cheese bread variation a try.
Olive Cheese Bread Ingredients
To prepare this rustic cheese and olive bread recipe, you’ll need the following:
- Flour – You can use strong bread flour, all purpose flour, or a combination of the two. For this loaf, I used 300 grams of bread flour, and 100 grams of all purpose.
- Garlic oil – I like the La Tourangelle brand, but any good-quality garlic oil will work. You can also substitute plain olive oil, or something like rosemary oil, instead.
- Kosher salt – Diamond Crystal is my go-to. You can also use fine sea salt, if you don’t have kosher on hand.
- Instant yeast – You’ll need one packet, or about 7 grams, of yeast.
- Green olives – This recipe can be made with standard jarred green olives, or something fancier from the olive bar. It’s up to you. Be sure to choose pitted olives, and do not use pimento-stuffed olives.
- Cheese – I’ve tested this recipe with mature cheddar and Double Gloucester, and they’re both equally tasty. For other cheese ideas, see some of my suggestions below.
Tools and Equipment for Making Olive Cheese Bread
This pear bread recipe doesn’t require much in the way of special equipment, but here are a few tools I recommend to help make the breadmaking process easier:
- Bread lame or kitchen shears – For scoring the unbaked loaf of bread.
- Elastic food storage covers, shower caps, or clingfilm/plastic wrap – To cover the bowl while the dough proves.
- A half-sheet rimmed baking tray – For shaping and baking the loaf.
- Bench scraper – For mixing the dough, and working in the inclusions.
- Baking parchment – To line the baking tray.
- Serrated knife – For slicing and serving.
For more tool recommendations, feel free to visit this post about all of the breadmaking tools I love.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
Slice the cheese into 1/2-inch cubes. The cubes should be big enough to create lovely “pockets” of cheesy goodness in the bread, but not so big that they’re difficult to incorporate into the dough.
To score the loaf, you can keep things very simple (a few snips with a pair of kitchen shears) or create more intricate designs with a bread lame. It’s up to you.
When adding the cheese and olives, use your hands to mix just enough to work each inclusion evenly into the dough. Don’t confuse this process with kneading.
Olive and Cheese Bread Recipe Substitutions
This recipe allows plenty of room for experimentation. I’ve tested it with mature cheddar and Double Gloucester cheese, but any semi-hard cheese (mild cheddar, gouda, Red Leicester, Monterey Jack) will also work.
You can substitute black olives for the green, or use a mix of several types of olives.
Use extra virgin olive oil if you don’t like garlic oil, or substitute chili oil for a bit of a kick.
If you don’t have fresh rosemary on hand, try adding fresh thyme leaves instead. (I suggest sticking with fresh herbs for this recipe, rather than dried.) You can also use a mix of herbs, or omit them altogether.
Storing Homemade Bread
Homemade bread always tastes best on the day it is made. Wrap leftovers in parchment and foil (a reusable cloth bread bag also offers an eco-friendly storage option) or place in an airtight container, and store at room temperature for up to three days. You can also wrap leftover pear bread in foil and freeze it for up to three months.
Other homemade bread recipes you might enjoy:
Everything Bagel Bread
Soda Bread with Cheddar and Herbs
Blue Cheese, Date, and Rosemary Dinner Rolls
Pear Bread with Hazelnuts and Raisins
Blue Cheese Bread
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Olive Cheese Bread
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 1 8-10-inch round loaf 1x
Description
Olive cheese bread with green olives, cheddar cheese, and fresh rosemary. This rustic cheese and olive bread recipe is one of my favorites, and makes a lovely accompaniment to a bowl of soup.
Ingredients
250 milliliters lukewarm water (1 1/8 cups)
25 grams granulated sugar (2 tablespoons)
7 grams instant yeast (1 packet)
400 grams strong bread flour, all purpose flour, or a combination of the two
15 milliliters garlic oil (1 tablespoon), plus more for greasing bowl
1 teaspoon crushed black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
100 grams mature cheddar cheese, cubed (about 3/4 cup)
70 grams green olives, chopped (1/2 cup)
Instructions
Line a half-sheet rimmed baking tray with parchment. Set aside.
In a large bowl, dissolve the instant yeast and sugar in the lukewarm water.
Sieve in the flour, followed by the garlic oil, black pepper, and kosher salt, making sure the salt does not come into direct contact with the yeast.
Use a bench scraper to bring the ingredients together, until a shaggy dough forms.
Turn dough out on a lightly floured countertop or a silicone baking mat. Knead by hand until soft and elastic, about 8-10 minutes.
Use your hands to work the rosemary into the dough.
Work in the cheese and olives.
Form dough into a ball and place in a well-oiled mixing bowl. Drizzle the top of the dough with more oil.
Cover and let stand in a warm place for 1 – 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Punch dough down.
Shape into a ball and place on prepared baking tray. Cover with clingfilm/plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes – 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400° F / 204° C.
Coat loaf in flour and use a bread lame or kitchen shears to score as desired.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 – 60 minutes, or until loaf nicely golden brown.
Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely prior to serving.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Rise Time: 150 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Bread
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400° F / 204° C.