Try your hand at this tasty, healthy, and frugal artisan rosemary olive oil bread recipe! Cooks quickly in a Dutch oven or bread machine. Inspired by La Brea, it’s become our family’s favorite yeast bread! Try my 90-minute man bread and homemade garlic cheese bread.
This rosemary olive oil bread recipe is ridiculously easy to make!
I think we can all agree that a few things make us drool, like homemade bread.
And I think we can all agree that if you’ve never made bread before, the idea of using yeast sounds scary!
But let me assure you that it’s MUCH easier than you think. And when you start with a tried-and-true recipe like this delicious rosemary olive oil bread, you’ll feel like you’ve made some fancy high-end restaurant bread!
Reasons to Make Rosemary Olive Oil Bread
Because it’s delicious! But for real, folks, it is! But it’s also…
- Cheap. Homemade bread is WAY cheaper than store-bought bread. When I did a comparison of prices for my No-Knead Artisan Bread, my homemade version came out to 25¢. A similar bread at the store is upwards of $3!
- Healthy. When you look at the label on a loaf of bread, you see all kinds of ingredients and preservatives. Homemade bread gives me the ability to avoid these top five ingredients and feed my family good food.
- Fancy (and cheap). Rosemary Olive Oil bread fits into the “fancy bakery bread” category and costs even MORE than plain sandwich loaves. Make it even fancier by serving alongside a delicious herb-infused oil.
- SO GOOD!! Rosemary olive oil bread needs to be in your bread rotation because it is mouthwatering. The flavor creates great variety to the typical sandwich loaf and also makes a unique addition to dinner.
Here’s What You Need
- warm water (105–110 degrees)
- olive oil
- salt
- sugar
- bread flour + more for kneading
- yeast
- dried ground rosemary (or fresh if possible)
- one egg for brushing the crust (optional)
Psst! If you’re going to add salt, I highly recommend Ava Jane’s Kitchen. You may think all salt is created equal, but unfortunately, 90% of the salt produced around the world contains microplastics (gross, right?). Ava Jane’s Kitchen is an exception. Their salt is 100% microplastic-free, and it’s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a bag for just 1¢!! (Get your penny bag of salt on this page.)
How to Make Rosemary Bread
My recipe for homemade rosemary olive oil bread follows a basic bread recipe with only a few changes.
Step 1. Proof your yeast in warm water. (If you’re brand new to making bread, this bread troubleshooting guide is SUPER helpful.)
Step 2. Mix in your ingredients, including rosemary and olive oil.
Step 3. Knead in a stand mixer (I have and LOVE this one) or by hand for 10 minutes.
Step 4. Let rise for about an hour until the dough has risen double in size.
Step 5. Punch down and turn the dough a few times and divide into two loaves. (See variations below if you don’t have loaf pans.)
Step 6. Let rise again for 45 minutes while the oven preheats.
Step 7. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and a flick to the top sounds hollow.
Recipe Tips
- This recipe calls for bread flour, but you can substitute all-purpose flour + vital wheat gluten. Use 1 Tbsp vital wheat gluten per cup of flour.
- You can use whole wheat flour as well, but it won’t be quite as light in texture. I sometimes go 50/50 with whole wheat and all-purpose. Whatever flour you use, know that you’re feeding your family better bread than store-bought. I learned that lesson when I made this white sandwich bread recipe.
- If your dough seems sticky, you can add additional flour one tablespoon at a time.
FAQs
When you use olive oil in bread, it gives your loaf a more moist and soft texture. The olive oil dough will fend off water from evaporating during the baking process.
There are 64 calories in this homemade rosemary olive oil bread recipe.
For this rosemary olive bread, I love using this olive oil.
Variations for Rosemary Olive Oil Bread
Bread recipes are typically not forgiving when you make changes. But there are a few variations you can make to this recipe and still get great bread.
- Use fresh rosemary. I almost always use dry because that’s what I have, but fresh rosemary is wonderful. I like to double the rosemary when I use fresh herbs.
- Replace rosemary with Italian seasoning. This substitute can be made 1 for 1. In fact, this is a GREAT option if you are out of rosemary.
- Add garlic powder. In addition to the rosemary, add 1 tsp of garlic powder. This will REALLY kick it up a notch!
- Use a Dutch oven for a crusty loaf. Instead of making two loaves, form them into a round ball and place them in a Dutch oven lined with parchment paper. Add a lid and bake for the same amount of time. This creates a “crusty” crust, perfect for tearing and dipping into olive oil.
- Bake in your crockpot to keep the house cool. To conserve energy or keep the house cool, use this tutorial to cook your bread in a slow cooker.
- Make a rustic round loaf with a baking stone. We use this baking stone for pizza, but it comes in handy for our favorite 90-minute man bread recipe. A baking sheet will work too.
More Bread Recipes
- Perfect Crostini For Soup
- Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread
- Homemade French Bread
- No-Knead Einkorn Sourdough Bread
- Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Watch How to Make Rosemary Olive Oil Bread
Rosemary Olive Oil Bread
Try your hand at this tasty, healthy, and frugal artisan rosemary olive oil bread recipe quickly in a Dutch oven or machine. Inspired by La Brea, it’s become our family’s favorite yeast bread! Try my 90-minute man bread and homemade garlic cheese bread.
- Prep Time: 2 hours 30 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 2 hours 55 mins
- Yield: 2 loaves 1x
- Category: Breads
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Instructions
- Combine yeast and warm water in a large bowl and allow the yeast to bloom into foamy bubbles, about 5-10 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients and knead for 10 minutes on medium using a stand mixer. Or knead by hand until the dough is smooth and elastic. (Feel free to add more flour to your kneading surface if necessary.)
- Cover with a towel and allow to rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Pour onto a lightly floured surface and flatten to about 2 inches tall. Separate dough into two equal parts. Working with one section of the dough, gently punch the dough down and out, then folding the dough underneath itself. Repeat 3-4 times and tuck ends underneath so that the top is smooth.
- Place the dough, seam side down, into a large loaf pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Cover with a towel and allow to rise for 40-45 minutes. Repeat with the remaining section of dough. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Once the dough is ready to bake, take a serrated knife and quickly and lightly slash each loaf one along the top. The cut should be shallow, just enough to aid in the rise while baking.
- Optional: Mix the egg with a little bit of water and lightly brush each loaf.
- Bake loaves for 25-30 minutes until the top is nicely browned. The bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- When done, allow loaves to cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.
Notes
- This recipe calls for bread flour, but you can substitute all-purpose flour + vital wheat gluten. Use 1 Tbsp vital wheat gluten per cup of flour.
- You can use whole wheat flour as well, but it won’t be quite as light in texture. I sometimes go 50/50 with whole wheat and all-purpose. Whatever flour you use, know that you’re feeding your family better bread than store-bought. I learned that lesson when I made this white sandwich bread recipe.
- If your dough seems sticky, you can add additional flour one tablespoon at a time.
- For a rustic round loaf with a baking stone. We use this baking stone for pizza,
Nutrition
- Calories: 64
If I place dough on a pizza stone to rise the second time, do I need a second pizza stone to preheat in oven? How do you transfer dough to preheated pizza stone.
Hi Teresa!
Tiffany says, “If you put the dough on a pizza stone to rise, yes, you need a second stone to preheat in the oven. You can transfer the dough one of two ways: open your oven and pull out the rack, then cradle the dough with your forearms and move to the pizza done; OR you can let the dough rise on a piece of parchment paper, on a flat surface, then slide the parchment paper over to the stone. Using parchment paper will remove a little bit of the crust from the bottom, but it’s not a deal breaker if cradling the dough with your forearms is difficult.”.
I love this recipe, but I did just notice that there is a typo with the water temperature when it says 210-220 degrees. I’m guessing that was supposed to be 110-120… but the bread is great!
Can I use my left over liquid whey instead of water in this recipe?
Hello Jan,
Yes!
I have made two other rosemary olive oil bread recipes and now yours and it is my favorite! It came out perfectly. I made a round loaf and regular pan loaf. My son loves this bread as toast for breakfast.
This recipe looks delicious! Has anyone printed this recipe? When I go to print it it wants to include an ad right in the middle of the recipe causing it to take up two pages. I don’t want an ad for a prescription drug in the middle of my healthy bread recipe. Has anyone had this issue?
When you choose print at the top is “options”, choose that and you can omit several things that would normally print.
I just made this bread 🍞 in my slow cooker. It came out very tasty. I had to finish it in the oven just for 10 minutes to brown. Next time I’ll try to add more flour, as the dough was too sticky to work with, so I skipped the second knead completely and once it risen for the first time, I lazily poured the whole thing in my oiled crockpot. Less mess. Still came out wonderful. Thank you so much!
Update to my previous comment. I used 1 cup water instead of 1.5 cup as advised in this recipe and it worked.
Tiffany,
Thank you for a wonderful recipe! This is my first time making bread! I was a bit nervous, not certain if it would come out alright— but your recipe was fool proof !
Hubby loved this bread. I hope to try another of your bread recipes soon.
So Yummy 😉 !!!
Hi Janet!!! We are SO happy that your family loved this recipe, and that you enjoyed making it! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
I have made many a loaf of bread in my years, but this…..this recipe is an absolute favorite for rosemary bread! I actually subbed in 1 cup sourdough discard for half cup of the water and a half cup of the flour called for. I got the lightest, most wonderful tasting loaf of bread – amazing! Shared a loaf with my in-laws who in turn shared some of it with a dear friend of theirs. That friend made it a point to report back how wonderful it was – she ate it going down the road on a trip! I also used fresh rosemary because the flavor and aroma is heavenly 🥰. Thank you, Tiffany, for this recipe and for all the hard work you do to bring us helpful info and tips!
I really enjoy this recipe! It made 2 round breads crispy outside and dense inside. It is a keeper. Thank you!
You’re most welcome Brigitte!
I love this recipe, especially the fact that it makes two loaves, giving me one to enjoy and one to share!
Yes Andrea, it’s delicious!
Hi! This recipe looks simple. I was looking for a recipe that would bake bread in loaf pans, so I’m going to try it today in my two 8.5’’ x 4.5’’. Will get back to you on the experiment 😉
I hope it turned out amazing!
Hi Tiffany, was going to try this but have no vital wheat gluten. I’ve checked all the local stores and can’t find. Any suggestions?
Thanks, Linda
You can skip it! I’ve tested with and without, and without is just as good. 🙂
Can this be made with self raising flour?
This bread tastes soooo good!! I got things a little out of order and painted it before it rose in the pans but it was still wonderful. Also found out that baking bread in a glass pan probably isn’t great. Might try it next time in the Dutch oven for a crispy outside.
Hi Lorrie! A dutch oven will definitely yield a crispy outside. I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
I love making this recipe and probably have made 25 loaves so far! I have a few suggestions that helped!
– I use only 1/2 tsp of yeast per loaf and rise for about 2 hrs in a warm spot! You still get a great doubling, it’s just a bit slower to start! It can help conserve yeast too when it may be in short supply (covid times).
– I’ve found sometimes the dough before the first prove is pretty sticky, but through testing I think it makes a more airy and lighter dough!
Just some suggestions, but it’s a great bread! I never comment on recipe pages but thought I would on this! Thanks again!
Hello Lee!
Thank you for sharing those suggestions! We’re happy to hear that you enjoy this recipe. 🙂