Garlic Herb Bread
This soft yeast bread is filled with a fragrant paste of fresh herbs, garlic and olive oil. Twisting the dough creates an attractive loaf with flavorful green layers throughout.
Updated : 23 October, 2026
Easy
More than 1 hour.
Ingredients
Dough
350 grams
Wheat flour
220 milliliters
Water
30 milliliters
Vegetable oil
20 grams
Sugar
8 grams
Salt
6 grams
Dry yeast
Filling
100 grams
Greens
80 milliliters
Olive oil
3
Garlic
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
Prepare the ingredients. Use all-purpose flour with around 10.3% protein if possible. Any neutral vegetable oil will work for the dough; sunflower oil is a good choice.
Step 2
Sift 100 g, or about ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons, of flour into a bowl. Add the sugar and yeast, then pour in warm water at about 99–104°F.
Step 3
Mix and leave the starter in a warm place for 20 minutes. A foamy layer should form on the surface and the mixture should increase slightly in volume. If no foam appears, use fresh yeast and make sure the water is warm rather than hot.
Step 4
Sift the remaining flour into the starter. Add the vegetable oil and salt.
Step 5
Knead by hand until you have a soft, elastic dough that does not stick to your hands. Add a little extra flour only if necessary, taking care not to add too much.
Step 6
Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a bowl, cover with a towel and leave in a warm place for 40 minutes to rise.
Step 7
While the dough rises, prepare the filling. You can season it with salt and ground black pepper if desired. Use any fresh herbs you like; dill and parsley work well, but cilantro, wild garlic or other herbs can also be added.
Step 8
Wash and dry the herbs, then roughly chop them so they fit easily into the blender.
Step 9
Peel the garlic and cut each clove into 2–3 pieces.
Step 10
Place the herbs and garlic in a blender and pour in the olive oil. You can replace the olive oil with another vegetable oil if preferred.
Step 11
Blend until smooth. The mixture should form a fairly thick paste that does not run.
Step 12
Roll the risen dough on a lightly floured surface into a square or rectangle about ¼ inch thick.
Step 13
Spread the herb and garlic mixture over the dough, reserving a little for brushing over the finished bread.
Step 14
Roll the dough up into a log. Cut the log lengthwise into two strips, stopping just before one end so they remain attached.
Step 15
Twist the two strips around each other.
Step 16
Place the shaped loaf in a rectangular loaf pan. The original recipe uses a pan approximately 12 × 4¼ inches.
Step 17
Cover the pan with a towel and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes to rise.
Step 18
Bake in an oven preheated to 355°F for 40–45 minutes.
Step 19
Brush the hot bread with the reserved herb mixture. Let it cool slightly, remove from the pan and serve.
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