Olive Soda Bread
Prep
15 mins
Cook
45 mins
Servings
8
Difficulty
Easy
This olive soda bread is one of my favorite quick breads to make when I want something homemade without fussing over yeast and rising times. The whole wheat flour adds wonderful fiber and nutrition to keep you satisfied, while the briny green olives and fresh rosemary give it such a sophisticated, Mediterranean flavor. What I love most is how simple it really is, ready from mixing bowl to table in just an hour, making it perfect for weeknight dinners or unexpected guests. The buttermilk and olive oil create a tender crumb that's honestly hard to stop eating once you slice into it warm from the oven.
Ella x
Ingredients
- 400 gall-purpose flour
- 100 gwhole wheat flour
- 1 tspbaking soda
- 1 tspsea salt
- 2 tbspfresh rosemary(finely chopped)
- 150 ggreen olives(pitted and roughly chopped)
- 30 gunsalted butter(cold, cubed)
- 320 mlbuttermilk
- 2 tbspolive oil
- 1 tspcracked black pepper
Detail level
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 200°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Tip: A hot oven helps create a crispy crust on the soda bread.
- 2
In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, rosemary, and black pepper until well combined.
Tip: Sifting the dry ingredients helps distribute the baking soda evenly throughout the dough.
- 3
Rub the cold butter into the flour mixture using your fingertips until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Tip: Keep the butter cold so it creates a tender crumb structure in the finished bread.
- 4
Fold the chopped olives into the flour mixture, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout.
Tip: Coating the olives lightly in flour prevents them from sinking to the bottom during baking.
- 5
Make a well in the centre and pour in the buttermilk and olive oil, stirring gently with a fork until a shaggy dough forms.
Tip: Don't overmix; the dough should be slightly sticky but still hold together.
- 6
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a round ball. Place it on the prepared baking sheet.
Tip: Handle the dough minimally to keep the crumb light and open.
- 7
Using a sharp knife, cut a deep cross into the top of the dough, about 1 cm deep. This allows steam to escape and helps the bread rise evenly.
Tip: The cross is traditional and also helps the bread cook through to the centre.
- 8
Bake for 40-45 minutes until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Tip: If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover with foil for the final 15 minutes of baking.
- 9
Transfer to a wire rack and cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
Tip: This allows the crumb to set properly and makes it easier to slice without crumbling.
Recipe Variations
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