Crusty on the outside and soft on the inside, this rosemary parmesan bread brings rustic charm and savory flavor to your table. With a bit of planning, it's quick enough for a weeknight while still delivering the comforting aroma of freshly baked bread.
I hate to say it, but I don't often have the patience to bake bread. Like everyone else, I tried my hand at sourdough during the pandemic. But it didn't last. I'm just not a fan of having to babysit my food for long periods. Maybe that's why I don't have kids. Or any food projects that require days or weeks of fermenting.
When making this bread, I wanted it ready to serve alongside soup within a few hours. Although it includes yeast and has some rising periods, they're brief. It may be denser than other breads, but you don't have to plan your day around it. And, it has a wonderful cheesy and herby flavor.
😍 Why You'll Love This Bread
- It's crusty on the outside and incredibly soft and tender on the inside. This is especially true when enjoyed fresh on the day it's baked.
- It's a great complement to many soups and stews. The savory cheese and herb flavor will go with just about any meal.
- It's homemade and ready in under two hours. And most of that is just rising time, so you can cook something else in the meantime.
Rosemary is one of my favorite herbs. If you're also a fan, try it in my Lemon Rosemary Olive Oil Cake and Pomegranate Rosemary Cocktail.
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🌾 Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make parmesan rosemary bread.
Key Ingredients
- Flour: This bread is made with all-purpose flour. You'll need about 3 ¼ cups.
- Parmesan: You want to use grated parmesan cheese, which melts into the flour as the bread bakes and helps to create a tender, light texture.
- Yeast: Instant yeast is what you need here. Use one packet or 2 ¼ teaspoons. If you're using active dry yeast, just let it sit in the warm water for at least 10 minutes.
- Fresh rosemary
See the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and quantities.
🧄 Substitutions & Variations
- Garlic rosemary parmesan bread: Add 1 teaspoon of garlic powder with the dry ingredients for extra flavor.
- Dried rosemary: Not quite as flavorful, but you can use about 1 teaspoon dried rosemary in place of the fresh.
- Parmesan rosemary and thyme bread: Add 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves with the rosemary for even more fresh herb flavor.
- For a greater rise: You can extend the rising times to an hour each, creating a larger, more airy bread.
🔪 Instructions
How to make parmesan rosemary bread.
- Step 1: Whisk warm water and sugar together in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes or until bubbly.
- Step 2: Whisk together the flour, salt, and parmesan. Pour in the bubbling yeast mixture, the oil, and the egg. Mix until combined into a shaggy dough.
- Step 3: Dump the dough onto a floured surface. Sprinkle the chopped rosemary over the top and work into the dough.
- Step 4: Knead by hand for about 5 minutes, sprinkling with flour as needed. The dough should be smooth after kneading.
- Step 5: Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a towel, and let rest for 30 minutes until doubled in size.
- Step 6: Gently punch down the dough and press it into a greased loaf pan.
- Step 7: Cover the dough with a towel and let it rise for another 30 minutes.
- Step 8: Sprinkle the top of the dough with the remaining parmesan and rosemary.
- Step 9: Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and it sounds hollow when tapped.
- Step 10: Let cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving warm.
✨ Top Tip
- The dough will likely be a little sticky at first, so don't be afraid to use additional flour, as needed.
- Be sure to let your dough rise somewhere warm. I let mine hang out on top of the stove after letting the oven preheat for a while. When I checked the temperature, it was between 70 and 80°F.
🍳 Equipment
Loaf pan: To shape and bake the bread. You can also bake it as a free-form ball on a baking sheet if you don't have a loaf pan handy.
🫙 Storage
Store leftover bread, tightly wrapped, at room temperature for up to three days. I recommend toasting or gently heating it to crisp it up.
Toasted slices of this bread would be great used to make Halloumi Toast recipe.
🙋🏻♀️ FAQ
Rosemary parmesan bread is great toasted with butter for a side or snack. Serve it with soups, stews, or pasta dishes.
I like to use about 1 tablepsoon of chopped fresh rosemary that I mix into the bread dough, and then about 1 teaspoon to sprinkle over the bread before baking.
This recipe is not gluen-free. But to make it so, you can try using something like King Arthur's gluten-free bread flour.
🍲 Pairing
This rosemary parmesan bread would make a great side to any of these soups:
📖 Recipe
Rosemary Parmesan Bread
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Crusty on the outside and soft on the inside, this rosemary parmesan bread brings rustic charm and savory flavor to your table. With a bit of planning, it's quick enough for a weeknight while still delivering the comforting aroma of freshly baked bread.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
- 2¼ teaspoons (1 packet) instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 cup warm water (about 110°F / 38-43°C)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- ½ cup, plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
Instructions
- Proof the yeast. Stir the sugar into the warm water in a small bowl or measuring cup. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it becomes bubbly on the surface.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Combine the flour, salt, chopped rosemary, and ½ cup Parmesan cheese in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Form the dough. Once the yeast is foamy, pour the water mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients with the olive oil and egg. Stir until a rough dough forms.
- Knead the dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. If it feels too sticky, add flour as needed.
- Let rise. Return the dough to a clean, lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a warm spot and let the dough rise for 3o minutes.
- Shape and second rise. Once the dough has doubled, punch it down gently. Transfer to an oiled loaf pan. Cover and let it rise for 30 more minutes while the oven preheats to 375°F (190°C).
- Bake. Sprinkle the top of the loaf with the remaining Parmesan and chopped rosemary. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. It should sound hollow when tapped on, and the internal temperature should read 190-200°F (88-93°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
- Cool and serve. Let the bread cool on a wire rack for at least 5 minutes before removing from the pan and slicing. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Notes
The dough will likely be a little sticky at first, so don't be afraid to use additional flour, as needed.
Be sure to let your dough rise somewhere warm. I let mine hang out on the stove after letting the oven heat for a while.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Rise Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
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