Tomato Basil Bread is one of the best you'll ever have! It's a fantastic bread for holidays, dinners, or dipping into soup. Make it in the bread machine or by hand. It's made with fresh basil, sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan cheese, and makes a beautifully orange, soft and tender loaf.
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I was inspired to make this sun-dried Tomato Basil Bread after seeing a similar bread at a farmer's market. Not only did it taste fantastic, but it looked so perfect that I didn't even want to cut into it.
The aroma of basil, tomato, and cheese wrapped up in an orange crust is mouthwatering. This savory bread is perfect for holiday dinners, toasting, sandwiches, and dipping into your favorite winter soups.
The first time I made this was for Thanksgiving dinner many years ago. It was so popular that I've been asked to make it for every holiday dinner since. It can be made easily by hand or in a bread machine, and will be a winner every time!
Ingredients
- Sun-dried tomatoes: sun-dried tomatoes in oil or water or those that are ready to eat. Just make sure that you rinse off any oil and absorb extra water with a paper towel before adding them to the bread pan.
- Water + plain yogurt: to make a liquid yogurt mixture that results in a soft and tender crumb.
- Bread flour: substituting with all purpose flour will not significantly change the texture but will ever so slightly reduce it's chewiness and rise.
- Fresh basil: substitute with dried basil if absolutely necessary, but fresh basil gives the bread a much better taste.
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Instant yeast: instant yeast does not need proofing in water before using it, making it the best to use for this recipe.
Using Different Flour
While you can swap bread flour for all purpose flour or whole wheat flour, it won't produce the same soft chewy bread. For breads that need time to rise, bread flour is the best to use. It has a higher amount of protein and gluten, which creates a chewy, airy bread.
When substituting all purpose flour for bread flour, make a 1:1 substitution.
Substituting whole wheat flour is a bit trickier, although easy if you understand a few basic points about baking with whole wheat flour. You can see how to use whole wheat flour here.
FAQs
This is a subjective question dependant upon how you define "healthy". One slice of this savory bread is approximately 139 calories, most of which come from carbohydrates. There are just 2 grams of fat and little sugar per slice, but 6 grams of protein. It also contains vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium and calcium. Compared to sweet breads, tomato basil bread is healthier. It can even be considered healthier than the infamous Panera tomato bread, which uses a sweet glaze.
This recipe is not vegan because it uses Parmesan cheese and yogurt. To make it vegan, use a vegan cheese and eliminate the yogurt.
This is a savory bread with a robust, tomato flavor. The basil gives it a hint of tang. It has a beautiful orange color and is incredibly soft and tender on the inside with a chewy crust.
Yes, freeze bread wrapped in plastic and put in a freezer safe bag. It can be frozen as a full loaf or cut into slices.
There are many reasons that a yeast bread doesn't rise. Room temperature, liquid temperature, altitude, dead yeast, and liquid to dry ingredient ratios all contribute to how well bread rises. Even the humidity in the air the day you make it can affect the outcome. For more details on why your bread may not have risen and what to do about it, see this post.
By Hand Instructions
To make tomato basil bread by hand, you'll need an electric hand mixer or stand mixer. If you don't have one, the Kitchen Aid classic mixer is a great choice.
Step 1: In a small saucepan, heat the water and yogurt until it's steaming, but not boiling. Mix it well so the yogurt is mostly dissolved and then remove from the heat for 5 minutes.
Step 2: In a stand mixer, combine 2 ½ cups bread flour, salt, sugar, basil, Parmesan cheese, and yeast. Mix to combine.
Step 3: Add the yogurt and water mixture, salt, and sundried tomatoes. Knead using the dough hook on low speed until smooth.
Step 4: Once the dough is smooth, increase the speed to medium and knead for 5-7 minutes, until a tacky ball forms. The dough should be sticky when done, but easily peel off your fingers when touched. If it sticks to your hands and cannot be removed, add ¼ cup bread flour more and knead for 2 minutes. Repeat this until the dough ball is smooth and sticky, but doesn't stick to your fingers.
Step 5: Remove from the mixer and put in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a heavy towel and set in a warm place to rise for 1 hour. The dough should be doubled in size. If it's not, let rise for 20 more minutes or until doubled in size.
Step 6: Punch dough down a few times, then transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Shape into a smooth ball or rectangle and slice an X on top. Cover with the towel and let rise in a warm place for 30 more minutes.
Step 7: Bake at 350°F for 30-40 minutes, until the bread sounds hollow when tapped and the crust is golden brown.
Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool for 30 minutes before slicing. Store in an airtight container, bread box, or bread bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Bread Machine Instructions
Step 1: In a small saucepan, heat the water and yogurt until it's steaming, but not boiling. Mix it well so the yogurt is mostly dissolved and then remove from the heat for 5 minutes.
Step 2: In the order your bread machine requires, add the water/yogurt mixture, salt, sugar, bread flour, and yeast (this is the correct order for Cuisinart breadmakers).
Step 3: If baking directly in the bread machine, set to the basic white bread mode. Select the 1.5 lb loaf size and your preferred crust color. When the mix-in sound beeps, add the sundried tomatoes, basil, and Parmesan cheese. When the cycle completes, carefully transfer the bread to a cooling rack.
If baking in the oven, set to the dough mode and choose the 1.5 lb loaf. Press start. When the mix-in sound beeps, add the sundried tomatoes, basil, and Parmesan cheese. When finished, shape into a ball or oval, slice an X into the top, cover with a heavy towel, and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes, until the bread sounds hollow when tapped.
Variations
Sun dried tomato basil bread can be altered in a few ways if you'd like.
- Replace the basil with different herbs, such as parsley, or use a combination of herbs.
- Before the last rise, break the dough into small personal size dough balls and bake for 25 minutes to create individual dinner rolls.
- Add ¼ cup tomato paste to the dough if you'd like a highly tomato flavored bread.
- Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top during the last 15 minutes of baking.
Serving
Tomato basil bread is perfect when enjoyed:
- as a holiday appetizer or table bread
- as a sandwich or grilled cheese bread
- toasted with butter
- as a dipping bread for your favorite soup
More Savory Bread Recipes You'll Enjoy
Recipe
Tomato Basil Bread Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup plain yogurt
- 2 ½ cups bread flour
- 2 tablespoon white sugar
- ⅓ cup fresh basil torn
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 2 ¼ teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 oz sun-dried tomatoes rinsed and cut into small pieces
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat the water and yogurt until steaming, stirring occasionally. Let cool to 115°F, for approximately 5 minutes. While cooling, soak any water or oil off the sundried tomatoes and roughly chop into small pieces. Then follow the instructions below for your preferred method.
By Hand Instructions
- In a stand mixer, combine bread flour, sugar, basil, Parmesan cheese, and yeast. Mix to combine.
- Add the yogurt/water mixture, salt, and sundried tomatoes. Knead using the dough hook on low speed until smooth. Once dough is smooth, increase the speed to medium and knead for 5-7 minutes, until a tacky ball forms. The dough should be sticky when done, but easily peel off your fingers when touched. If it sticks to your hands and cannot be removed, add more flour ¼ cup at a time and knead for 2 minutes. Repeat this until the dough ball is smooth and sticky, but doesn't stick to your fingers.
- Remove dough ball from the mixer and put in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a heavy towel and set in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.
- Knead a few more times, then shape into a smooth ball or rectangle. Slice an X on top. Cover with the towel and let rise in a warm place for 30 more minutes.
- Bake at 350°F for 30-40 minutes, until the bread sounds hollow when tapped. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool for 30 minutes before slicing.
Bread Machine Instructions
- In the order your bread machine requires, add the water/yogurt mixture, salt, sugar, bread flour, and yeast (this is the correct order for Cuisinart breadmakers).
- If baking directly in the bread machine, set to the basic white bread mode. Select the 1.5 lb loaf size and your preferred crust color. When the mix-in sound beeps, add the sundried tomatoes, basil, and Parmesan cheese. When the cycle completes, carefully transfer the bread to a cooling rack. Allow to cool for 30 minutes before slicing.
- If baking in the oven, set to the dough mode and choose the 1.5 lb loaf. Press start. When the mix-in sound beeps, add the sundried tomatoes, basil, and Parmesan cheese. When finished, shape into a ball or oval, slice an X into the top, cover with a heavy towel, and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes, until the bread sounds hollow when tapped. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool for 30 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition
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Julia
Hi there! Would this be a one pound loaf? I’m my bread machine holds a pound. 🙂
Kristina Tipps
Hi Julia. This recipe is for a 1.5 pound loaf, but you should be able to make it using the 1 pound setting. There is only about a 10 minute different in kneading/rising. I would try it and see how it turns out. Please let me know if it works!
Anonymous
Wonderful flavor, but found 2.5 cups bread flour to 1.5 cups liquid (water plus yogurt) a very soupy ratio! Next time I plan to use 3/4 c. Water plus 1/4 c. Yogurt to 3 cups flour, and go from there.
Jeanne Nelson
This is a delicious bread, Kristina, thank you! It does make a small loaf, though. My Zojirushi breadmaker can easily handle a loaf twice that size. Could you advise me on how to scale up the bread to a 3 pound loaf? I appreciate it!
Kristina
I've never made it any larger, but let me work on it and get back to you!
Anonymous
That would be awesome, Kristina. Thanks!
Gary
Followed the recipe as listed but the bread did not rise as expected. Smell and flavor were great but very dense. Any suggestions?
Kristina
I'm sorry to hear that it didn't rise. This bread is certainly worth trying again, so I am happy to troubleshoot with you. What kind of yeast did you use? It sounds like the yeast wasn't activated, maybe it had gone bad. Because the bread machine doesn't require proofing, I always test my yeast by adding it to warm water and sugar, then waiting 5 minutes to see if it bubbles. Then I use yeast from the same package for the recipe.
Shin
At first I was concerned about how this ingredient would work with my Breadman machine but I just tried it out last night and it was amazing! Before I knew it, I already stuffed half the 1lb loaf.
For any reader who is concerned that this recipe may not work for their Breadman machine, I'm here to assure you that it really is just a matter of following the ingredients and recipe!
Kristina
This is wonderful to hear! I am glad you enjoyed it. I hope you try out some of the other bread machine recipes too, knowing now that they will work in your machine. Enjoy it!
Cathy
Delicious!!
Ali
Best I ever tasted. Please keep the recipes coming!!
Jacqui
Very tasty!!!
Vanessa G
So good!
Anonymous
Best ever!!
Devrin
So good
Nadine
Loved making this recipe! Super tasty and pairs perfect with dinner
Deanna Vivino
Ammazinnggggg
Kristy
Delicious!!
Pam
Another fantastic recipe. Easy, but tastes like hours in the kitchen. I love the fresh ingredients.
Carli
Hi! Thank you for sharing this bread machine recipe, I’m excited to try it! I was wondering if Greek yogurt would work or if regular yogurt is necessary? Thank you!
Kristina
Yes, Greek yogurt works too! Let me know how it turns out. This is my absolute favorite bread!