Olive Sourdough Bread With Black Pepper & Garlic

This olive sourdough bread is a savory, artisan loaf made with briny green olives, fresh garlic, and cracked black pepper folded into naturally fermented sourdough. This easy recipe delivers a chewy crumb, golden crust, and bold flavor.

Next up: rustic sourdough and jalapeno cheddar sourdough

Sliced garlic olive sourdough bread on a wire cooling rack.

Craving The Recipe Details?

Sliced sourdough olive bread with raw olives.

What it is: An irresistible sourdough loaf packed with tangy olives, fresh garlic, and cracked black pepper.

Why you’ll love it: You’ll get a tender, chewy crumb with golden crust, and the aroma of garlic and black pepper will fill your kitchen as it bakes.

How to make it: Mix active starter with water and flour, sprinkle with salt, fold in chopped olives, garlic, and black pepper through stretch and folds, bulk ferment, shape into a batard or boule, cold retard in the fridge, then bake at 450°F until golden brown.

I have a soft spot for bold, savory sourdough bakes, like my zingy dill pickle sourdough, my herby rosemary sourdough, or the ever-popular caramelized onion & gouda sourdough.

This sourdough olive bread is cut from the same cloth.

It's briny, punchy, and just the right amount of rustic, with tender, smoky olives, fresh garlic, and a peppery kick all baked into a chewy, golden loaf. This bread delivers big flavor wrapped in my signature sourdough base. If you’re looking to branch out from your usual sourdough routine, this one's a keeper.

This olive sourdough bread recipe is dedicated to soft spots.

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Craving The Recipe Details?
Key Ingredients
Variations + Substitutions
How To Make Olive Sourdough Bread
Expert Tips
Why This Recipe Works
Olive Sourdough Bread FAQs
More Savory Sourdough Bread Recipes
📖 Printable Recipe

Sliced sourdough olive bread on a wooden cutting board.

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Key Ingredients

Ingredient required for this olive sourdough bread recipe.

Olives: I prefer Manzanilla olives for this recipe. Their flavor is slightly smoky and a bit nutty with a tangy bite that pairs so beautifully with sourdough bread. I use the stuffed ones and leave the peppers in the olives while chopping.

Black Pepper: The amount of flavor such a small amount of black pepper brings to this recipe is incredible, it’s false heat lingers on the palate. I like to use coarse ground black pepper versus fine ground – I find the distribution in your loaf is better.

Sourdough Starter: For this recipe, you want to use a fed and active sourdough starter. Your starter should have been fed before beginning and have at least doubled in size.

Psst.. Want to know more about feeding your starter, storing sourdough starter, how to use sourdough discard, or even which is the best jar for your starter? I've got tons of guides to help you!

Variations + Substitutions

If you don’t have Manzanilla olives, you can use Castelvetrano, Cerignola or Kalamata olives.
Swap out raw garlic for smoked garlic for an milder, smoky note.
Use rosemary salt for a faint hint of rosemary in your loaf.
Add fresh or dried herbs to your loaf, like thyme, rosemary, or parsley.

How To Make Olive Sourdough Bread

Make The Dough:

Whisking sourdough starter into the water.

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, add 350g of room temperature water and whisk in 100g of active sourdough starter until mostly combined, then add 500g unbleached bread flour to the sourdough starter mixture.

Mixing in the flour with a danish dough whisk.

Step 2: Using a danish dough whisk, spatula, or spoon mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead the dough with your hands until all the dry bits are incorporated. Sprinkle 6g of salt across the surface of the dough.

Step 3: Cover the bowl and set aside for 60 minutes.

Stretch And Fold:

Step 4: Prior to the first set of stretches and folds, dice 9-10 of stuffed olives (about 100g), finely dice 7-8 cloves of garlic (about 25g). Dimple the dough in your bowl, then spread the chopped olives and garlic across the surface of the dough. Sprinkle 4g of coarse ground black pepper across the dough.

Lifting up the dough to perform a stretch and fold.

Step 5: Using damp hands, grab the dough and gently pull it until the flap is long enough to fold over itself, then fold the flap, rotate the bowl 90 degrees, and repeat 4 times. This is considered one set of stretch and folds.

Step 6: Recover the bowl and let the dough rest for 60 minutes.

Step 7: After that, perform the stretch and fold process at least two more times, each followed by a rest between 45 and 60 minutes.

Bulk Ferment:

Step 8: Complete a fourth and final stretch and fold then cover the bowl and set aside for 2 hours to finish the bulk ferment.

Olive sourdough dough after the bulk ferment.

Step 9: Observe your dough, at this point, the dough should have risen in the bowl, and have a smooth surface with visible bubbles. If the dough is domed in the bowl it is ready to work with, if the dough is flat it may need more time in the bulk ferment.

Pre-Shape + Shape:

Pressing dough flat, then folding up the bottom third of the dough.

Step 10: Uncover the dough and transfer to a floured work surface or countertop. Gently press and spread the dough into a large rectangle. Fold up the bottom third of the dough as though you were folding a letter.

Step 11: Then fold in the right then left sides towards the center. Roll the folded dough into a batard or log shape. Cover with a kitchen towel or inverted bowl and rest for 30 minutes.

Step 12: After the rest, pick up the dough with a dough scraper and flip it over, gently press the dough flat then roll it again.

Step 13: Pinch the ends if you're making a batard or tuck them in if your making a boule. Dust the dough with rice flour then tuck seam side up into a banneton.

Don't have a banneton basket? I have a guide on bannetons and banneton alternatives!

Prove + Cold Retard:

Olive sourdough loaf in banneton before proofing.

Step 14: Proof the olive sourdough bread in the banneton or proofing basket for 2-3 hours in a warm place before covering and placing in refrigerator to cold retard for up to 3 days.

Sourdough olive bread in banneton after proofing.

Step 15:If you want to bake it right after proving, you're welcome to, but the flavor is better after resting in the fridge.

Bake:

Scored garlic olive sourdough loaf before baking.

Step 16: Place your dutch oven, cloche, or desired baking dish in the oven and preheat to 450f.
Step 17: Once the oven is preheated, invert the banneton onto a piece of parchment paper.
Step 18:Use a lame, sharp knife, or clean razor blade to score the dough, I usually like to make one deep curved slash, but you can get as fancy as you like!

If you don't have a dutch oven, I do have a guide on open oven sourdough bread baking.

Step 19: Carefully remove the dutch oven from the oven, and using the parchment paper as a sling, transfer the sourdough loaf from the counter into the dutch oven.
Step 20: Bake the dough at 450f covered for 30 minutes then remove the lid and continue to bake at 450f for 5-10 minutes, or until the loaf is cooked through and the crust is nicely browned. You can test the doneness of the loaf with an instant-read thermometer. Bread is cooked once it reaches 205 - 210 degrees Fahrenheit internal temperature.

Cool:

Step 21: Remove baked sourdough olive bread from the dutch oven and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. I like to leave it for at least 2 hours before slicing, as slicing too soon can affect the crumb and texture of your loaf.

Expert Tips

Handle the dough gently during the shaping process because the olive chunks and garlic pieces are quite firm and can easily tear your dough. I've included a step by step photo guide below to show my process when shaping!
My bulk fermentation and dough proofing is done at 70-ish degrees fahrenheit, but if you're in a warm place, your rising times will need to be shortened.
This recipe calls for bread flour, but that can be substituted with a high protein all purpose flour at a 1:1 ratio, though the bread may not rise as high and the dough may seem a bit wetter to work with. If you're wanting to use whole wheat flour, I'd recommend subbing out no more than 50-75 grams and only if you're using bread flour.

Why This Recipe Works

Salt balance keeps the flavors bright. The salt is intentionally reduced to account for the brine. At 6g instead of the typical 10+g, this recipe compensates for the saltiness already present in the olives. It’s enough to strengthen the gluten network without making your loaf overly salty.

Timing the mix-ins is everything. Adding the olives, garlic, and pepper during the first stretch and fold ensures they distribute evenly without getting pulverized. Dimpling the salt into the dough before the first stretch and fold helps to incorporate it easier.

Coarse black pepper adds depth. Adding a small amount of cracked black pepper lends a subtle heat and aromatic complexity that complements the olives, enhancing flavor without making the bread "spicy."

Cold retard enhances flavor. Those hours in the fridge don’t just develop deeper, more complex flavor, they also firm up the dough so it’s easier to score and holds its shape better in the oven. Learn more about proofing sourdough in the fridge.

Olive Sourdough Bread FAQs

Can I add olives to my sourdough bread?

Yes, you can absolutely add olives to sourdough! The key is adding them at the right time, preparing them properly, and adjusting your recipe to accommodate the increased salt load.
Chop your olives and add them during your first stretch and fold rather than during initial mixing. This guarantees even distribution throughout the dough. Aim for about 100g of olives per 500g of flour (roughly 20-30% of your flour weight).
Since olives are salty, reduce the salt in your recipe by 4-5g to compensate for the brine. Kalamata, Manzanilla, and Castelvetrano olives all work beautifully. Just make sure to pit them first! The olives may slow down fermentation slightly, so give your dough a bit of extra time if needed.

What are the best olives to use in olive sourdough bread?

Manzanilla olives are my top choice for sourdough bread. They have a slightly smoky, nutty flavor with a pleasant tangy bite that complements the sourdough’s natural acidity beautifully. I use the pimento-stuffed variety and leave the peppers in while chopping. they add little pops of sweet, mild flavor throughout the loaf.
Other excellent options include:
Kalamata olives – Rich, fruity, and slightly bitter with a deep purple color. They’re more assertive in flavor, so they stand up well to bold add-ins like rosemary or garlic.
Castelvetrano olives – Buttery, mild, and bright green. These are less briny and work well if you want a more subtle olive flavor.
Cerignola olives – Meaty and mild with a firm texture. They hold up beautifully during the long fermentation and baking process.

How do I store sourdough olive bread?

If you have leftover sourdough, kudos to your self-control! There are a few great ways to store sourdough bread to keep it fresh and delicious after slicing.
For short-term storage, we just place our loaves cut-side down on a cutting board. This method works great for up to 12 hours, though the crust may get a little too crisp if left much longer. It's our favorite option since we usually finish the loaf before that happens! If you need more time, transfer it to a bread bag after about 16-18 hours to maintain its quality.
Freezing a Whole Loaf:
If you're looking to store your bread longer, freezing is a fantastic option. To freeze sourdough bread, let the loaf cool completely to room temperature. Then, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, place it in a bread bag, seal it, and pop it in the freezer. Your sourdough will stay fresh for 1-2 months. When you're ready to enjoy it, simply remove it from the freezer, unwrap it, and let it thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours before slicing and savoring!
Freezing Slices:
For easy, grab-and-go portions, slice the cooled loaf and lay the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. This way, you can pull out just what you need. Toast or let thaw at room temperature and you're good to go!

Sliced olive sourdough bread with raw garlic, green olives, and black peppercorns.

More Savory Sourdough Bread Recipes

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📖 Printable Recipe

Olive Sourdough Bread with Garlic & Black Pepper

Allyson Letal

This olive sourdough bread combines briny olives, garlic, and black pepper for a subtle peppery kick in a tender, chewy loaf.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Fermentation Time 8

Course Sourdough

Cuisine American

Servings slices

Calories 209 kcal

Ingredients

350 g water
100 g sourdough starter
500 g unbleached bread flour
6 g coarse sea salt
100 g olives, approx. 10
25 g garlic, approx. 8 cloves
4 g coarse ground black pepper