Kalamata Olive Bread

You don't need a bread machine or any fussy equipment—the only thing you'll want for this homemade bread is a hearty appetite!

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🗝️ Key takeaways

• Olive lovers will crave the briny flavor, crispy crust, and pockets of chopped olives hidden inside the chewy bread.
• Make it into a loaf of bread for sandwiches or shape it into a baguette to serve alongside dinner (like with creamy lemon chicken—oh my yum.)
• Learn a two-second secret to making really good bread. Here's a hint: all it takes is a little extra water!

Simple enough, even if you've never baked before, this kalamata olive bread recipe has a wonderful flavor and perfect texture.

📖 Variations

• Salty kalamata olives hold up great in bread and have the best flavor. However, you can swap them for green or black olives if you need to.
• Stir in some garlic powder or herbs (like fresh rosemary or thyme.) This is fabulous bread without any add-ins, but you can use 'em if you want!
• The dough is super versatile—you can shape it almost any way you want. Form a round loaf, long baguette, or make individual dinner rolls.

🥫 How to store leftovers

After putting in the effort to make your own bread, it's important to store it properly so you can enjoy it longer. I've written a complete guide on bread storage, but here's the gist to keep your leftover olive loaf:

Place extra bread into a bread box or a brown paper bag. Store it at room temperature and enjoy within three days or so.

Can't finish it off that quickly? You can extend the life of your olive loaf bread by freezing it. This works sliced or unsliced, your choice.

Be sure to seal the bread with plastic wrap and then place it in a plastic bag to prevent freezer burn. It'll keep for about two months and thaws quickly at room temperature or in the toaster.

💭 Things to know

Expert Tip: Too much flour makes olive bread taste dry. Add it slowly until the bread dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and makes a smooth ball. A little stickiness is okay, but it shouldn't feel gluey.

• If the yeast doesn't bubble up, it's likely old and won't help your dough rise. I recommend stopping and trying again with some new yeast.
• Warm water and olive brine help the yeast to rise better than cold.
• Bread flour and wheat gluten give this easy olive bread recipe its signature chewy texture. All-purpose flour won't work as well.
• No mixer or dough hook? Just use a wooden spoon and some muscle!
• A damp cloth keeps the dough moist during the first and second rises.
• Scoring the bread with a very sharp knife helps it to expand. Without doing so, the bread might not rise as well or may crack in a weird spot.
• Nervous about putting water on your oven floor? Place a baking sheet on the bottom while it preheats. Then, pour the water onto it instead.
• Once you toss in the water, don't open the oven. Steam keeps the bread moist so it can grow larger. As it evaporates, a perfect crust will form.

👩‍🍳 FAQs

📚 Related recipes

• This beginner-friendly, no-knead Sourdough Bread is perfect if you're craving homemade artisan bread but don't have much experience—yet!
• Muesli Bread is packed with dried fruit, sunflower seeds, and nuts (if you want) for a flavorful, hearty loaf that tastes great with breakfast.
• Fabulous with soup or slathered with butter, Rustic Bread is made in a cloche or Dutch oven and tastes like the bread Mom used to make.

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📞 The last word

Kalamata Olive Bread has a crispy crust, chewy crumb, and plenty of salty Kalamata olives. It is a lot easier to make than you might think.

I do away with the "poolish" starter and simplify the steps to keep this do-able for the most inexperienced bread baker. 

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.

If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars!

📖 Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Kalamata Olive Bread

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Flavorful Kalamata olive bread with a crispy crust and a chewy crumb just can't be beat. Serve along side your favorite pasta dishes or use as sandwich rolls.

Course Bread

Cuisine Mediterranean

Prep Time: 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours 25 minutes minutes

Servings:16

Calories:272

Author:Marye Audet-White

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Ingredients

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 ½ cups warm water, (95-105° F)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon yeast
• ▢ 2 teaspoons sugar
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon ginger
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive brine, , warmed
• ▢ 2 teaspoons of salt
• ▢ 3 ½ - 5 cups bread flour
• ▢ ½ cup vital wheat gluten
• ▢ 1 ¼ cups Kalamata olives, , pitted and chopped

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Instructions

• Combine the water, sugar, and yeast.
• Stir to dissolve the yeast fully.
• Let stand until bubbly.
• Add 1 cup of the flour and mix on low speed until well blended.
• Add the brine and salt -- blend well.
• Add the gluten and the olive -- set the mixer to medium speed.
• Slowly add the remaining flour until the dough "cleans" the sides of the bowl.
• Knead for about 8 minutes by mixer or 15 minutes by hand.
• Remove the dough from the mixing bowl.
• Place the dough in a large oiled bowl and allow to rise for an hour, or until doubled. (If you are in a hurry you can skip this first rising. Your bread will be good, just not quite as good)
• Divide the dough into 2 pieces.
• Roll each piece of dough into a boule, or a baguette.
• Place the dough on the counter and cover with a warm, damp cloth. Let rise for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 500° F.
• Score the loaves with a sharp knife.
• Just as you put the loaves in the oven pour about 1.4 cup of water on the floor of the oven to create steam. Keep door closed.
• Bake 10 minutes then reduce the heat to 400° F and bake about 20 to 30 minutes longer.
• Loaves will sound hollow when tapped.
• Remove the bread from the oven and cool for at least 30 minutes, or as long as you can wait.

Notes

Storage:

Place extra bread into a bread box or a brown paper bag. Store it at room temperature and enjoy within three days or so.

Can't finish it off that quickly? You can extend the life of your olive loaf bread by freezing it. This works sliced or unsliced, your choice.

Be sure to seal the bread with plastic wrap and then place it in a plastic bag to prevent freezer burn. It'll keep for about two months and thaws quickly at room temperature or in the toaster.

Tips:

• Too much flour will make the bread dry.
• If the yeast doesn't bubble up, it's likely old and won't help your dough rise.
• Warm water and olive brine help the yeast to rise better than cold.
• Bread flour and wheat gluten give this easy olive bread recipe its signature chewy texture. All-purpose flour won't work as well.
• No mixer or dough hook? Just use a wooden spoon and some muscle!
• A damp cloth keeps the dough moist during the first and second rises.
• Scoring the bread with a very sharp knife helps it to expand. Without doing so, the bread might not rise as well or may crack in a weird spot.
• Nervous about putting water on your oven floor? Place a baking sheet on the bottom while it preheats. Then, pour the water onto it instead.
• Once you toss in the water, don't open the oven. Steam keeps the bread moist so it can grow larger. As it evaporates, a perfect crust will form.

You'll find more helpful tips and variations in the body of the post.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 272kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 459mg | Potassium: 77mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 43IU | Vitamin C: 0.001mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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First published Feb 11, 2015. Last updated September 12, 2023 for editorial improvements.