Sourdough Bread with Olives and Parmesan

If you are new to adding ingredients to your sourdough bread, this recipe is easy to make and so delicious! It's my husband's favorite bread and he asks me to make it every special occasion. It is so good because of the little jewels of olives throughout the bread.

This recipe is not much different than my Dutch oven sourdough bread recipe. Instead of letting it rise and then baking it, we are adding in some olives, parmesan cheese, and lemon zest. The lemon zest adds a zing to the bread that you wouldn't get with just the olives. Trust me, this is a good one!

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What Kind of Olives Are Good In Sourdough Bread?

In this recipe, you can really add your favorite olives. I love adding pitted kalamata olives because they are super salty and easy to find. You can get them in olive oil or vinegar, just make sure to drain them before using them.

If you prefer, you can use green olives or canned black olives. Whatever type of olives you use, just cut them into large chunks and make sure the pits are removed.

Ingredients to Gather

• Bread flour. Bread flour is made for bread because it has more protein and makes the crumb must softer and it helps build the gluten. All purpose flour vs bread flour can be confusing. If you only have all purpose flour, you can use that.
• Water. Room temperature water is best. Too cold and it will take long for the dough to rise. Too warm and you run the risk of killing the yeast.
• Sourdough starter. If you are new to sourdough, you can make your own sourdough starter, buy one, or get one from a friend. Your starter should be bubbly and active, meaning you should feed at least 8 hours before mixing the dough.
• Olives. The olives should be pitted and drained. For this recipe, we are using kalamata olives.

Be sure to check out the printable recipe card for full recipe information on ingredients and quantities.

Substitutions and Variations

I love adding mix ins to my sourdough bread! You can make a blueberry lemon sourdough bread, cinnamon raisin sourdough bread, and even jalapeno cheddar sourdough bread!

To make this recipe your own, here are a few ideas:

• Add some herbs! Chopped rosemary, chopped thyme, or chopped sage would all be great additions to this bread.
• Change the cheese! If you don't have parmesan cheese, you can use feta cheese, chunks of cheddar cheese, or a hard cheese like parmesan such as Pecorino Romano.
• Add some more mix ins! Chop up some sun-dried tomatoes, add a tablespoon of capers, or roast some garlic and add it to the dough.
• Change the flour! You can add a mixture of all purpose flour and whole wheat flour if you have it on hand. The water may need to be increased if you choose to add whole wheat flour, just keep that in mind.

How To Make Sourdough Bread with Olives

In a large mixing bowl, add the room temperature water and the sourdough starter. If the sourdough starter floats, it's ready to use to bake! If it sinks, feed the starter again and wait to make the bread. This is called the float test.

Add the flour and salt. Mix it until a shaggy dough forms. Cover with a clean, damp kitchen towel and let it rest for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, add the lemon zest, chopped olives, and parmesan cheese. Pull one side of the dough into the middle of the bowl. Rotate the bowl and continue doing that until the dough is smooth.

Cover the bowl and let it rest for 8-10 hours or until the dough has doubled in size. You can do this overnight too.

After the dough has doubled in size, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape the dough into a boule.

Once the dough is shaped, place it on a piece of parchment paper and score it with a bread lame or a sharp knife. Place the bread in a Dutch oven and bake for 30 minutes covered and then 30 minutes uncovered.

Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and let the bread cool.

Tips and Tricks

• Use a stand mixer! If you find that this dough is hard to mix, use a stand mixer to make your life easier.
• As you are shaping the dough, some of the fillings will fall out. Don't stress. You can put them right back into the dough as you continue to shape the dough.
• Make sure the olives are dried well after they are drained. This will make sure that the bread is not too wet which will make the bread gummy.

Sample Baking Schedule

Storage Info

You can easily make the dough ahead of time. Once the dough is shaped, place it in a banneton or a large bowl. Cover it with a damp kitchen towel and place it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. This will also increase the sour flavor of the bread. When you are ready to bake it, take it out of the basket, place it on a piece parchment paper, and score the dough.

Keep the bread at room temperature once it is baked. Do not refrigerate the bread as it will go stale and get moldy quickly. You can keep the bread in a brown bag, in a bread box, or wrapped in a clean kitchen towel.

How To Freeze Sourdough Bread

You can freeze the whole loaf or slices. To freeze the whole loaf, place the loaf in a freezer bag and freeze it for up to 3 months. Let it defrost on the counter before you are ready to serve it.

You can also freeze slices. Slice the bread before freezing for easy portion control. Wrap each slice or the entire loaf tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place the wrapped bread in a freezer-safe bag, squeezing out as much air as possible before sealing.

When ready to eat, thaw slices at room temperature or reheat directly from the freezer. For best results, refresh the bread by heating it in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes to restore its crust.

Frequently Asked Questions

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