Easy Homemade Olive Bread with Whole Wheat Flour

Indulge in this homemade olive bread’s irresistible aroma and flavor. This easy-to-follow recipe yields a deliciously hearty and rustic loaf, perfect for any occasion. Try it today and savor the essence of Mediterranean cuisine in your kitchen!

Welcome to the world of homemade goodness 😊! If you’ve ever been enchanted by the aroma of freshly baked bread or the flavors of the Mediterranean, you’re in for a treat. In this blog post, I’ll introduce a delightful journey into the realm of easy homemade olive bread crafted with whole wheat flour.

Is Eating Bread Healthy?

Bread is an essential part of any meal in the Balkans, where I am coming from. Although grains are integral to a healthy diet, overeating bread isn’t healthy, especially when paired with starchy vegetables, such as potatoes. Does this ring any bell? Most fast-food restaurants serve meat on a bun with French fries. 

So, what is the problem if we overeat on bread and potatoes in a single meal? Both are high in carbohydrates and can cause blood sugar spikes. So, the more carbs you ingest, the more your body has to work to break them into glucose.

Glucose is the primary energy source that our cells need for normal function. If there are huge blood glucose spikes, your pancreas gets a signal to release more insulin. Insulin helps to get the glucose used for energy or stored in the liver and muscles. Do you get the point now? If there is too much glucose in our system, all the excess will be stored as body fat. 

And, if we keep entering more carbs than we need, our sugar-insulin response will go out of wack, leading to insulin resistance and diabetes. 

This also goes hand in hand with our activity level. If we are physically active, we will need more energy and burn excess calories instead of storing them. But, so many of us lead a sedentary lifestyle, some by choice and some by necessity. And we also tend to overeat on widely available comfort food – bread and French fries. Over time, overeating carbs can lead to weight gain, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. 

Don’t Stop Eating Bread! Just Eat in Moderation

What I have just described doesn’t mean we should not eat bread and potatoes. Quite contrary. We definitely should. But we should do it in moderation. Also, always be aware of what type of bread you use. There are plenty out there that are loaded with sugars and other additives. Did you know some additives are commonly used in the US and banned in Europe? 

Many of the bread sold in stores have labels that say “all-natural,” “whole-wheat,” or “whole-grain,” but we should always check out the list of ingredients to see what is there. One of the bigger scams is the “whole-wheat” or “whole-grain” label. The manufacturers don’t have to prepare the bread with 100% whole wheat to include the “whole-wheat” term on the label – they could use only a portion of whole wheat and the rest of the refined flour. 

It differs from “100% whole-grain” or “100% whole-wheat” labels. They for sure have what they claim – 100% whole grains. And they can be trusted. This was one of the first lessons I learned from the book The ABS Diet over ten years ago. So, next time you search for whole-grain products in the store, see if the label says 100% whole-grain. But the best way to ensure you eat quality bread is to make it yourself.

Homemade Olive Bread

I used to cringe at the mention of bread making. It sounded dull and lengthy; I didn’t want to waste my time on this. But, whenever I ended up making it, I could not stop thinking how better it tasted than the store-bought bread. My issue was in working the dough – I never knew how long I should work it, how long it should rest, and so on. Over the years, I became better at it and not so much opposed to making homemade bread. 

And my whole bread-making philosophy changed at the beginning of this year. My mom asked me for years why I never bought the KitchenAid mixer. She said it would save my life whenever I baked, and I could make homemade bread! 

I heard so much good stuff about it from others, but I cringed whenever I looked at the price. They are so expensive 😒! And then this year, my mom finally convinced me (she even gave me a portion of the money as a Christmas gift 😂) to buy the Artisan KitchenAid Mixer. Oh boy, did my life change for good! I’ve been making homemade bread ever since. I love loading all the ingredients, starting the machine, and walking away to do other stuff. I guess I’ll have to admit that my mom was right. 

Olive Bread Recipe

I experimented with various recipes, and this particular one worked the best for me. Or, it was eaten the fastest and requested frequently. I found the recipe here. However, it is in Serbian. So, you’ll have to trust me for all my readers who don’t understand Serbian. 

I made some modifications, though. The original recipe calls for white flour, but I used a portion of whole wheat flour and the rest of white flour. So, I could call my bread “whole wheat” since I put some whole wheat in it – just like our manufacturer friends who sell their bread at the stores. 

But it isn’t 100% whole-wheat bread. If you wondered why we should eat whole-wheat flour instead of refined white flour, I have another post explaining the differences in more detail. 

Simple Ingredients for Whole-Wheat Olive Bread

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make one loaf of this delicious bread:

• 1 cup (120 gr) of whole wheat flour – you can use regular whole wheat flour or white whole-wheat flour
• 2 cups (240 gr) of all-purpose flour or bread flour
• 1 1/2 cups (350 ml) warm water 
• 1 cup pitted green olives or black olives, chopped – or use any kind of olives you prefer. 
• 1 tsp salt – you can use Kosher salt or sea salt. 
• 1 tbsp active dry yeast 
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour for dusting

How to Make Whole-Wheat Olive Crunchy Bread

I used my Kitchen-Aid Mixer to make this loaf of bread. If you own one, you should do the same. However, I used this olive bread recipe before I bought the mixer and worked the dough by hand. Both options produced equally yummy bread! So, if you don’t have the mixer, think of working the dough by hand as a great arms workout 😏! 

• Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, salt, and active dry yeast.
• Add the olives: Flatten the mixture and spread the chopped olives evenly over the surface. Mix for another 2-3 minutes to distribute the olives throughout the dry mixture.
• Combine the wet ingredients: Add the warm water and olive oil to the dry ingredients. Mix everything until it forms a shaggy dough.
• Knead the dough with a wooden spoon for about 5-7 minutes until it becomes smooth. You can also use a KitchenAid mixer with a dough hook attachment for this step. I mixed in my KitchenAid mixer for about 10 minutes at a low speed. The dough will be tacky, but don’t worry; this is how it is supposed to be. Please take a look at the video for instructions. 
• Cover the wet dough with a damp cloth or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes. 
• Once the dough has risen, punch it down to release the air. If your dough is still tacky after kneading, gradually add more flour to achieve the desired consistency. I added about 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour in total. Continue kneading until it becomes less sticky and more elastic. Be careful not to add too much flour at once, as this can make the bread dry. You aim to have dough that doesn’t stick to your hands and can form a soft loaf for baking. 
• Shape it into a round loaf or oval loaf and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Just so you know, when I formed the loaf and transferred it to the baking sheet, it lost its shape slightly and flattened, but this is okay. It will be baked from all sides evenly, and the bread can “breathe” from all sides. This ensured the crispy crust and complete baking inside. But, if this is a concern, you can always use the bread pan. I suggest using the parchment paper in both cases so the bread won’t burn or stick. 
• Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 355°F (180°C). While you wait for the oven to heat up, the bread will rise for the second time on the baking sheet. 
• Bake: Place the bread in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the loaf is golden brown.
• Cool: Allow the olive bread to cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Note: You can always decide to proof the yeast. In a small bowl, combine the warm water and yeast. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy. Add it to the dry ingredients per the steps above.

What to Serve With Homemade Olive Bread with Whole Wheat Flour

Homemade olive bread with whole wheat flour can be served in various delicious ways. Here are some serving suggestions:

1. Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar: Slice the olive bread and serve it with a dish of high-quality extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping.
2. Bruschetta: Toast slices of olive bread and top them with diced tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, and a drizzle of olive oil. It’s a classic Italian appetizer.
3. Sandwiches: Use slices of olive bread to make sandwiches. It pairs wonderfully with roasted vegetables, grilled chicken, turkey, or even some fresh mozzarella and tomato with pesto.
4. Soup: Enjoy olive bread with a hearty soup, such as Easy Sweet Potato Soup with Zucchini, Carrots, and Garlic, or Easy Grandma’s Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup.

In conclusion, homemade olive bread with whole wheat flour is a delightful creation that brings the rich flavors of olives and the wholesome goodness of whole wheat to your table. Whether enjoyed as a standalone treat or incorporated into various culinary delights, this rustic loaf brings Mediterranean cuisine to your home. 

If you liked this recipe, here are some other great recipes to try:

• Best One Bowl Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips
• Easy Balkan-Style Cornmeal Muffins with Feta (Projice sa Sirom)
• Easy Banana Blueberry Muffins with Chocolate Chips
• Best Almond Flour Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache
• Easy Homemade Granola Bars (No Peanut Butter)
• Yummy and Easy Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies
• The BEST Moist Pumpkin Muffins (Healthy and Easy)
• Creamy Raspberry Dessert with Dark Chocolate (Raspberry Trifle)
• Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Are you a fan of healthy and delicious recipes like this one? Stay tuned for more culinary inspiration, nutrition tips, and wellness guides right here. Subscribe to the newsletter and follow me on social media to never miss an update! Remember to share your olive bread-making adventures with me in the comments below.