Mediterranean Sourdough: Olive Oil, Olives, and Herbs

This Mediterranean sourdough is the bread you serve with olive oil for dipping, with cheese, with antipasti. The olive oil makes the crumb tender; the olives and herbs make every bite different.

The recipe

For one large boule:

• 400g bread flour
• 100g semolina flour (or more bread flour)
• 350g water (70% hydration)
• 100g sourdough starter
• 30g extra-virgin olive oil
• 10g salt
• 100g chopped pitted olives (kalamata or mixed)
• 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

Method

Mix

Combine flours and water. Autolyse 30 minutes.

Add starter, salt, and olive oil. Mix until incorporated.

Bulk ferment

4–5 hours at room temperature.

Folds:

• Fold 1 (30 min): rosemary added
• Fold 2 (60 min): lamination + olives + thyme
• Fold 3 (90 min): standard fold
• Fold 4 (120 min): final fold

Continue bulk after the last fold.

Pre-shape and shape

Pre-shape gently. Rest 30 minutes. Final shape.

Cold retard

12–18 hours in the fridge.

Bake

Preheat Dutch oven at 475°F for 45 minutes.

Score. Bake 20 min covered. Uncover. Bake 25 min uncovered until deep mahogany.

Why these flavors

Olive oil in the dough:

• Adds fruitiness
• Tenderizes the crumb
• Improves keeping
• Adds slight Mediterranean character

Olives:

• Briny depth
• Visual interest in the cross-section
• Pockets of flavor throughout

Rosemary and thyme:

• Aromatic complexity
• Pair perfectly with the olives
• Make the bread smell incredible while baking

Variations

Sun-dried tomato

Add 60g chopped sun-dried tomatoes (drained from oil) at fold 2.

Roasted garlic

Add 1 head roasted garlic (cloves squeezed out, mashed) to the dough at mix.

Feta and oregano

Add 100g cubed feta + 1 tbsp dried oregano at fold 2.

Caramelized onion

Add 100g caramelized onion at fold 2.

Provençal herbs

Replace rosemary and thyme with 2 tbsp herbes de Provence.

Olive selection

Use the best olives you can find:

• Kalamata (Greek, dark purple, robust)
• Castelvetrano (Sicilian, bright green, mild)
• Niçoise (French, tiny, intense)
• Mixed olives (variety adds interest)

Avoid canned California olives — they're bland.

Always pit before chopping. Even small bits of pit ruin a slice.

Common mistakes

Olives sink to the bottom — added too late or fold technique was off. Use lamination at fold 2.

Bread is too oily — used too much olive oil. Stick to 30g for 500g flour.

Herbs taste bitter — too much rosemary or used dried instead of fresh. Fresh herbs at the right amount.

Olives are too salty — recipe needs less added salt. Reduce salt to 8g if using very salty olives.

What to serve with it

This bread shines as the centerpiece of a Mediterranean meal:

• Antipasto board (cured meats, cheese, marinated vegetables)
• Olive oil + balsamic for dipping
• Hummus and other Mediterranean dips
• Tomato salad with feta
• Grilled vegetables
• Soup, especially tomato or minestrone
• Cheese boards with aged cheddar, brie, fresh mozzarella

The cheese board essential

A Mediterranean sourdough is the perfect bread for cheese boards:

• Sliced thin, it's a cracker substitute
• Sliced thick, it pairs with creamy cheeses
• Toasted, it works as crostini base

The olive and herb flavors complement most cheeses without competing.

Storage

This bread keeps better than plain sourdough due to the olive oil:

• Room temperature in paper bag: 5–6 days
• Sliced and frozen: 3 months

Toast slightly stale slices and they regain most of their freshness.

Make-ahead notes

This bread is great for:

• Dinner parties (the crust looks impressive)
• Weekend brunch (with eggs and fresh fruit)
• Picnics (travels well)
• Holiday gifts (especially with a bottle of olive oil)

A presentation note

This bread looks beautiful. Highlights:

• The crumb shows olive specks throughout
• The crust has visible color from the herbs
• Slicing reveals an open, airy crumb with embedded inclusions

Don't slice it before guests see it whole. Then slice generously.

The discard variation

For a quicker version using discard:

• 500g bread flour
• 320g water
• 200g discard
• 5g instant yeast
• 30g olive oil
• 10g salt
• 100g olives
• 2 tbsp fresh herbs

Bulk 2 hours, divide if making rolls or shape into a boule. Bake same-day. Faster but slightly less complex.

A weekend tradition

In Mediterranean countries, bread like this is a weekly tradition. Made once, eaten throughout the week, served with most meals.

Adopting this rhythm at home:

• Saturday: bake the loaf
• Sunday brunch: serve with eggs
• Monday lunch: open-faced sandwich (tomato, mozzarella, basil)
• Tuesday dinner: garlic bread (toast slices, rub with garlic)
• Wednesday: slice for cheese
• Thursday: croutons for salad

One loaf, many meals.

A recipe to share

This bread makes an exceptional gift:

• Wrap in parchment paper
• Tie with twine
• Optional: small bottle of olive oil and sprig of rosemary

The recipient remembers the bread for weeks.

A final note

Mediterranean sourdough is one of those breads that feels like a meal in itself. The olives, herbs, and olive oil make it complete.

If you usually bake plain country loaves and want to try something more flavorful, this is a great next bake. The flavor payoff is immediate.