Savory Herb Bread Loaf

There's something about the smell of fresh herbs hitting warm dough that stops me mid-thought every time. I discovered this bread during a particularly uninspired week when my pantry felt full but my meals felt flat, and I realized I had a handful of herbs that were about to wilt. That afternoon of kneading and waiting taught me that sometimes the best recipes come from not wanting to waste good ingredients, and this one became my go-to whenever I need something that feels both effortless and special.

I made this for my neighbor last spring when she brought over soup and needed something to go with it, and watching her tear into a warm slice with butter melting into the herbs made the whole two hours of rising feel worth it. She came back the next week asking if I could teach her, and now it's become our standing Wednesday afternoon project when her kids need something to do with their hands.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour (3 cups / 375 g): The foundation that needs to be weighed, not scooped from the bag, unless you want a dense brick instead of an airy crumb.
• Instant dry yeast (2 tsp): Check the expiration date or your bread will sit stubbornly refusing to rise, which I learned the hard way on a Saturday morning.
• Fine sea salt (1½ tsp): This is worth using proper sea salt instead of table salt because it dissolves into the dough without harsh crystalline edges.
• Granulated sugar (1 tbsp): A small amount that feeds the yeast and helps with browning, not to make the bread sweet.
• Warm water (1 cup / 240 ml): Temperature matters more than you'd think; too hot kills the yeast, too cool and nothing happens, so use a thermometer if you have one.
• Extra-virgin olive oil (¼ cup / 60 ml): This is where the bread gets its tender crumb and subtle richness, so don't skip it or use a cheaper oil.
• Fresh rosemary (2 tbsp chopped): The woody, almost piney herb that defines this loaf and makes your kitchen smell like a Mediterranean bakery.
• Fresh parsley (2 tbsp chopped): Adds brightness and a gentle herbaceous note that keeps the bread from tasting too heavy.
• Fresh thyme (1 tbsp chopped): Delicate and floral, it rounds out the herb blend with an almost sweet undertone.
• Garlic (1 clove minced): Just enough to add depth without announcing itself loudly, because raw garlic in dough is its own flavor adventure.
• Freshly ground black pepper (¼ tsp): A whisper of pepper that you won't taste directly but will make people say the bread tastes incredibly savory.

Instructions

Gather and mix the dry ingredients:

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar with a fork or whisk until everything is evenly distributed. This takes barely a minute but saves you from pockets of unmixed salt later.

Add the wet ingredients:

Pour in the warm water and olive oil, then stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy, rough dough forms. Don't worry if it looks messy; that's exactly right.

Introduce the herbs and knead:

Add the rosemary, parsley, thyme, minced garlic, and pepper, then knead by hand for 7 to 8 minutes, or use a stand mixer on medium speed with the dough hook attached. The dough will go from sticky and reluctant to smooth and elastic, and you'll feel the transformation in your hands or hear it shift in the mixer bowl.

First rise:

Shape the dough into a ball, nestle it into a lightly oiled bowl, and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Leave it in a warm, draft-free corner of your kitchen for about an hour until it's visibly puffy and roughly doubled in size. I use the oven with the light on, or a sunny windowsill.

Shape and second rise:

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, gently punch it down (this releases some gas and redistributes the yeast), and shape it into an oval or rectangle depending on whether you're using a loaf pan or baking sheet. Place it in a greased 9 by 5-inch loaf pan or on a lined baking sheet, cover loosely, and let it rise again for about 30 minutes until it's noticeably puffed.

Preheat and final touch:

While the dough is rising, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Just before baking, brush the top lightly with extra olive oil and scatter a few extra herb sprigs over it if you want a rustic, pretty finish.

Bake until golden:

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, checking around the 25-minute mark so you can cover it loosely with foil if it's browning too fast. You'll know it's done when the top is deep golden brown and the loaf sounds genuinely hollow when you tap the bottom.

Cool before slicing:

Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and resist the urge to slice into it immediately, even though the steam rising off it is calling your name. Waiting at least 10 minutes lets the interior set so you get clean slices instead of a crumbly mess.

Save to Pinterest

This bread became something more than food one autumn afternoon when I made three loaves and my partner and I sat on the back porch tearing into one still-warm with nothing but butter and a cup of coffee between us. There was no occasion, no reason except that it was the kind of quiet day where good bread and someone to share it with felt like abundance.

Variations That Work

The beauty of this recipe is how it welcomes experimentation without falling apart. I've folded in fresh dill and lemon zest for a brighter version that goes beautifully with fish, swapped the herbs for Italian seasoning when I was short on fresh herbs, and even added a handful of minced sun-dried tomatoes one winter when I wanted something deeper and more umami-forward. Each version tastes distinctly different but follows the same reliable structure, so you can make this bread your own without guessing.

Pairing and Serving

This bread is genuinely versatile in a way that's rare for homemade loaves. Toast thick slices and pile them with ricotta and roasted tomatoes for a fancy breakfast, use thinner slices as the base for open-faced sandwiches, or cube it for salads where you want something more interesting than plain croutons. I've also found that it stays fresher longer than most artisan breads because the olive oil keeps the crumb moist, so it's perfect for making ahead if you're entertaining.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

A whole loaf stays perfectly good wrapped in a kitchen towel at room temperature for three days, and after that it's genuinely better toasted than eaten fresh. You can also freeze it whole wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and it defrosts beautifully at room temperature in a couple of hours. The dough itself can be made up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated after the first rise, which means you can shape and bake it fresh whenever you need warm bread without the full commitment of time.

• Store cooled bread in a breathable container like a bread box or wrapped in a kitchen towel, never in plastic, which traps moisture and speeds up staleness.
• Slice only what you plan to eat in the next day or two, since exposed edges dry out faster than the whole loaf.
• Day-old slices are actually ideal for toasting because they're slightly drier and crisp up beautifully instead of turning to rubber.

Save to Pinterest

This bread has become my answer to the question of what to bring to someone's house or what to make when I want to feed people something that tastes like care. It's proof that sometimes the most satisfying recipes are the ones that feel simple to make but taste like you spent all day thinking about them.