Garlic Herb Dutch Oven Bread (Printable)

Rustic bread infused with garlic and herbs, baked in a Dutch oven for golden crust and soft crumb.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Bread Dough

01 - 3 ½ cups bread flour
02 - 1 ½ teaspoons salt
03 - 1 teaspoon sugar
04 - 1 packet (2 ¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
05 - 1 ½ cups warm water (110°F)
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Garlic & Herbs

07 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped plus more for garnish
11 - 2 tablespoons melted butter

# How To Make It:

01 - Combine bread flour, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the yeast until evenly distributed.
02 - Pour warm water and olive oil into the dry mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon until a sticky, shaggy dough forms.
03 - Add minced garlic and chopped herbs to the dough. Stir until garlic and herbs are evenly incorporated throughout.
04 - Cover bowl with plastic wrap or damp towel. Let rise at room temperature for 2 hours until doubled in size.
05 - Turn dough onto floured surface. Gently shape into round loaf, tucking edges underneath to create tension.
06 - Place shaped dough on parchment paper. Cover loosely with towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
07 - Place Dutch oven with lid in oven. Preheat to 450°F for at least 30 minutes to ensure proper heat retention.
08 - Carefully lift dough using parchment paper and lower into preheated Dutch oven. Score top with sharp knife.
09 - Cover with lid and bake for 30 minutes to create steam and develop crust structure.
10 - Remove lid and bake for 15-20 minutes until crust is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
11 - Remove bread from Dutch oven. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with extra herbs. Cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The Dutch oven creates that professional bakery crust without any fancy equipment or techniques
  • You get to customize the herbs based on what you have growing or forgotten in the back of your fridge
  • The dough is incredibly forgiving, perfect for first time bread makers who are scared of yeast
02 -
  • The dough should feel sticky and tacky, not smooth and dry, so resist the urge to keep adding flour
  • Scoring the dough is not optional, it gives the bread a place to expand and prevents weird bulging
  • The Dutch oven lid creates steam, which is exactly what gives you that crackly, professional looking crust
03 -
  • If your dough is not rising, your water might have been too hot and killed the yeast, so always test it on your wrist like baby formula
  • The parchment paper is your best friend for transferring the dough safely, so do not try to skip it or you will regret the burns

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