A warm loaf of homemade bread is one of the greatest pleasures in life. From the smell, to the way the soft interior steams, to the way butter melts right into the surface, the utter satisfaction of enjoying something so primally simple but so profoundly satisfying is a moment of paradise. Best of all is the bread you bake yourself. It’s shockingly easy to do! I’ve been baking this particular rosemary olive oil bread recipe since my 20s. It was my first time buying yeast, and I was positive I was going to end up with a hockey puck. To my delight, what emerged from the oven wasn’t a piece of rubber, but a lovely round of the most fragrant bread that took me back to my earliest memory of bread greatness: the bottomless rosemary focaccia at Macaroni Grill. Since then, I’ve eaten and baked a much wider bread variety but, as one of the first breads I learned how to bake (along with Whole Wheat Pizza Crust and No Knead Focaccia), this olive oil bread recipe will forever hold a special place in my heart.
How to Make Rosemary Olive Oil Bread
If you are new to bread baking, this recipe is the perfect place to start. It’s incredibly forgiving and the steps are straightforward. If you are a bread baking pro, you’ll love this bread too. It comes together while you are working on other things, and the mix of Italian spices will delight and seduce you.
The Ingredients
Whole Wheat Flour + All-Purpose Flour. I use 50% whole wheat flour for the extra nutritional benefits, like more fiber. It adds a nice earthiness that fits right in with the rosemary.Yeast. DO NOT be intimidated by yeast! It’s another ingredient just like anything else. You’ve got this.
Olive Oil. Adding olive oil to bread gives it a lightly fruity, earthy taste. You can use a light olive oil if you’d like its flavor mild or a more robust, peppery olive oil for a more pronounced flavor.
Fresh Rosemary + Italian Herbs. To give the olive oil bread serious Italian flair. They make it scrumptious enough to enjoy on its own, or paired with your favorite savory recipes.Honey. For a subtle touch of sweetness that pairs well with the whole wheat flour and olive oil. Sugar also gives the yeast food to munch on right away, which helps it activate.Salt. Adding salt is CRITICAL for bread to have any flavor; without it, it will taste like little more than flour. This recipe uses kosher salt to flavor the dough, then a finishing sprinkle of flaky sea salt to make it pop.Vital Wheat Gluten. This is an optional ingredient that helps breads baked with whole grain flours (and other heavy ingredients like nuts and seeds) rise higher and be more tender. You can certainly still bake this rosemary olive oil bread without it; the texture will just be a bit more dense.
The Directions
Ways to Serve Rosemary Olive Oil Bread
Soup. Dunk a big slice of any of these healthy soup recipes. Italian Crockpot Tortellini Soup, Instant Pot Tomato Soup, and Crockpot Potato Soup are all especially tasty with it.Ricotta. Toast a slice, then spread it with ricotta and top with a pinch of flaky salt for an Italian-inspired breakfast. Add a slice of prosciutto and/or an egg and you have a seriously tasty meal.Salad. A slice of homemade bread makes any of these salad recipes feel complete. Try it with Italian Chopped Salad, Antipasto Salad, or Broccoli Cauliflower Salad.More Olive Oil! See below for a rosemary olive oil bread dip recipe. I love snack on it while I’m cooking dinner.
Storage Tips
To Store. Nothing beats fresh bread the day it is baked, but you can store leftover homemade bread at room temperature, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in a ziptop bag, 4 days.To Reheat. Place slices in the toaster, or rewarm in a 300 degree-F oven for 5 to 10 minutes.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
Glass Mixing Bowls. Stackable, durable, and dishwasher safe!Magnetic Measuring Spoons. Magnetic feature makes them easy to organize in your drawers.
I hope you feel empowered to make this rosemary olive oil bread a reality in your own home.
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