
No knead olive bread can be prepared with very little hands on time but tastes every bit as good as baker's artisan bread. The dough is prepared on day one, proves overnight in the fridge and will be ready for you to bake the following day at whatever time fits in with your schedule. This Dutch oven bread recipe will make a loaf which equates to around five servings.
Ingredients
- 400g bread flour (strong flour) plus a little extra for shaping
- 1.25 teaspoons salt
- 0.25 teaspoon easy bake yeast
- 325ml water (hand hot)
- 100g pitted olives
- 1 tablespoon oregano

Equipment needed
- Large bowl
- Kitchen scales
- Measuring jug
- 2 teaspoons
- 1 tablespoon
- Fork to mix the ingredients
- Sharp knife and chopping board
- Kitchen paper to dry the olives
- Cling film
- Pastry board
- Cast iron casserole dish with well fitting cast iron lid (Dutch oven or French oven)
- Sharp knife to slit the top of the bread
- Non stick baking parchment
- Oven gloves
- Wire cooling rack
How to make no knead olive bread
Weigh the flour into a large bowl. Add the salt and easy bake yeast and mix.
Prepare the olives by rinsing and then patting dry with kitchen paper. You can use any type of olives, green or black. Roughly chop the olives (each olive into about 8 pieces) and then add to the bowl with the other ingredients and mix.
Measure 325ml hand hot water and add to the bowl with the other ingredients. The water should be a similar temperature to a hot bath and should still be hand hot at the time it is added to the other ingredients so that it will activate the yeast.
Mix everything together with a fork, cover with cling film and leave to cool.

Place in the fridge and leave overnight (or a minimum of 12 hours) to prove.
Remove the dough rom the fridge shortly before you wish to bake the loaf so that it can reach room temperature.

Tip the dough onto a lightly floured pastry board, fold over a few times by hand and form a ball.

How to bake no knead olive bread
Pre heat the oven to 220oC, 425oF, gas mark 7. When the oven is almost at that temperature place the empty cast iron dish, with lid, in the oven to preheat.
Remove the preheated casserole dish from the oven and line the base with non-stick baking parchment. Transfer the dough into the lined dish. Use a sharp knife to slit the top of the bread dough.
Place the lid on the casserole dish and bake in the centre of the oven for about 30 minutes. Baking with the lid on will help to steam the bread and allow it to rise before the crust forms and the surface of the bread dries out.
Remove the lid and return to the oven for around 10 minutes until browned.

Remove from the dish and place on a wire cooling rack to cool and then your rustic olive bread will be ready to enjoy.


You may also like to try apricot and cashew loaf, another easy to make loaf which is delicious toasted for breakfast or a snack.

No knead olive bread
Equipment
- Dutch oven or French oven
Ingredients
- 400 g bread flour
- 1.25 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon easy bake yeast
- 100 g olives
- 325 ml water (hand hot)
Instructions
Day one
- Weigh the flour into a large bowl. Add the salt and easy bake yeast and mix.
- Rinse the olives and pat dry with kitchen paper. Roughly chop the olives and add to the bowl with the other ingredients and mix.
- Measure 325ml hand hot water, add to the other ingredients and mix well with a fork.
- Cover the bowl with cling film. When it has cooled transfer to the fridge to prove overnight (or a minimum of 12 hours).
Day two
- Remove the dough from the fridge shortly before you wish to bake your olive bread.
- Preheat the oven to 220C, 425F, gas mark 7. When the oven is almost at this temperature place the cast iron dish, with lid, in the oven to preheat for a few minutes.
- Transfer the bread dough to a lightly floured pastry board. Fold the dough over a few times and then shape the dough into a ball.
- Remove the preheated dish from the oven and line the base with a small piece of non-stick baking parchment.
- Transfer the dough into the cast iron dish.
- Make three incisions to the top of the dough and then place the lid on the dish.
- Bake in the centre of the oven (with the lid on) for 30 minutes.
- Remove the lid and return to the oven for about 10 minutes or so until browned.
- Remove from the dish and place on a wire rack to cool.
Nutrition
Emily
No-knead and with olives?? I’m in, love this recipe!!
Sue
I've never thought of making bread with olives in it, but now I can't wait to give it a try!
Michelle
WOW, this was one of the best bread recipes I've tried! Totally making this again!
Crystal
This bread is so delicious and easy to make! I love the addition of olives!
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady
My family absolutely LOVES olives and I love how easy this bread was to make. I proofed it over night and baked it in the morning. I was so delicious with butter and cheese!
Jeannie
great flavors from the olives, tho I like kneading cause its relaxing it is also tiring, lol… this is perfect for me.
Gina Abernathy
I love homemade bread. My house always smells so good while it's baking and my tummy feels great while I'm eating it!
Katie
This recipe is perfection! Simple to make and perfect texture!
Nancy
Adding olives to bread actually really tastes good. Thanks for the recipe.
Bianca
This olive bread is amazing! Super easy to make and perfect for charcuterie boards