A no yeast bread that is super quick to prepare! With swirls of herbs and ribbons of melted cheese, this is a wonderful afternoon tea served with lashings of butter, or for dipping into soups.
I like to wedge chunks of cheese in the batter so you get lovely pockets of cheese and the lovely textured crust on top. But you could just mix it through – even faster to prepare!!
A terrific no yeast bread recipe
I don’t often bake with yeast because it requires patience for the dough to rise.
Oh, and the kneading.
I’ve actually got reasonable upper body strength. My challenge is my height. Sigh. OK, there you have it. I haven’t admitted this on my blog before but not only do I have abnormally small Baby-Hands, I am also vertically challenged.
For those of you also in the same boat, you will understand when I say that kneading is much harder for short people because the work surface is higher and you don’t get the benefit of being able to push down with your body weight.
I can’t believe I just wrote that. How embarrassing.
So. I love no yeast breads that don’t call for kneading – quick breads like this recipe, and these No Knead Dinner Rolls.
The ingredients of this no yeast bread are similar to a muffin but I altered the recipe to make it less crumbly, making it suitable to slice and even to toast. It is light, fluffy and super moist.
I like to add the herbs and slices of cheese in after pouring the batter into the bread tin so that you get “swirls” of herb and pockets of cheese in the bread, rather than almost invisible bits of herb and grated cheese all throughout which you can’t really see. But this step is optional. The easier and faster way to make this is to mix grated cheese and herb into the batter, then just pour it all into the tin.
This bread lasts quite well – really fresh for 3 days in a very airtight container, up to 4 is ok. Beyond 4 I would toast it and store it in the fridge.
Serve this as a side for meals, or for afternoon tea served with lashings of butter. It’s also fantastic for dipping into soups and slow cooked stews!
– Nagi x
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No Yeast Cheese, Garlic and Herb Bread
Ingredients
Cheese and Herbs
- 4 tbsp fresh herbs , finely chopped (I used a mix of dill, rosemary, parsley and thyme) (Note 1)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 5 oz / 150g block cheese (cheddar or tasty), cut into 2mm / 0.1" thick slices (about 10 to 12 slices) (Note 2)
- Butter for greasing
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk (See Note 3 for substitute)
- 2 eggs
- 2 small garlic cloves , crushed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- Grease a bread tin (21 x 11 cm / 8" x 4") or small cake tin with butter.
- Mix the herbs and olive oil in a small bowl.
- Sift the Dry Ingredients into a bowl.
- Combine the Wet Ingredients into a bowl and whisk to combine.
- Make a well in the centre of the Dry Ingredients. Pour the Wet Ingredients in and mix until just combined.
- Pour 1/3 of the batter into the bread tin. Dollop half the herbs across the top then use a knife to "swirl" it into the batter up and down, and also turning the batter over (refer photo below).
- Use half the cheese slices and push them randomly into the batter. Push some all the way in and leave some poking out of the batter.
- Pour the remaining batter over the top. Dollop and swirl the remaining herbs, then randomly wedge in the remaining cheese, pushing most of it below the surface of the batter. Even out the surface.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden. Remove from oven and cover with foil, then bake for a further 15 to 20 minutes (total baking time of 45 to 50 minutes). Check to make sure the centre is cooked by inserting a skewer - it should come out clean.
- Turn the bread out onto a cooking rack. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting.
Recipe Notes:
1 tbsp vinegar. Set aside for 10 minutes until the surface of the milk curdles. Then use the milk, including the curdled bits, as the buttermilk in this recipe. 4. Store in an airtight container for 3 days (4+ days, keep it in the fridge and toast to freshen up). 5. Nutrition per serving.
Nutrition Information:
If you enjoyed this recipe, I think you’ll LOVE my Cheese & Garlic Crack Bread!
Marie says
Im making this recipe now it smells so yummy I can’t wait to taste it.
Nagi says
Hope you love it!!
Rajashree says
Hello Nagi🙂 The recipe sounds and looks awesome. I want to try it. I don’t come both yeast and eggs. I am going to try this recipe with some egg replacers.
My doubt was would it be so fluffy as I want to use it for grilled sandwiches. Because my family is a bit choosy so they may not the bread if it no good.
Plz help me🙂
Nagi says
I wouldn’t use this for grilled sandwiches, it’s not suitable for that. Sorry to disappoint! ) N x
Taylor says
Hi I’m wondering if it’s okay to substitute the olive oil for canola oil. Thanks so much it sound delicious!
Bexky says
Wow!!!! This did NOT disappoint! I used sharp cheddar and about 2x the dried herbs called for. Wow, so yummy! I paired it with a beef and barley stew. I also shared it on a cooking group on fb because it’s just that perfect!
Nagi says
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for the great review Bexky! N xx
Betty says
Best bread recipe I have ever baked, esp using no yeast, and I am 75 yrs, old! Thanks so much for this recipe, was so easy to make. Keep them coming!
Nagi says
What wonderful feedback Betty, I’m so pleased to hear that, thank you! N xx
Kim says
Nagi, this is literally the most delicious thing I’ve ever had. I am a TERRIBLE cook, and tonight I had a hankering for fresh bread, but no skills, no yeast, and no desire to go to the store. Your recipe is perfect. I’m so thankful that you put all the substitution notes in! Buttermilk and fresh herbs are not things I have lying around. Thank you SO much for this recipe. It baked so well. I’m going to make this again and again. Thank you!! xx Kim
Nagi says
AWESOME!!! I’m so glad to hear that Kim, thanks for letting me know! N xx PS You can’t be that TERRIBLE of a cook!!
Sarita says
I didn’t have fresh herbs or buttermilk, so I made the recipe with a healthy pinch of freshly ground black pepper, 2 teaspoons of dried Italian Seasoning and 2 teaspoons of crushed red chili flakes in place of the herbs, 1/2 cup of full fat yogurt plus enough 2% milk to make the volume 1 1/4 cups liquid, and shredded cheddar cheese. I like garlic, so I used 2 large garlic cloves, finely minced. I used 3 tbsp of olive oil instead of 2 because the herb mixture looked a bit dry. It baked perfectly after 40 minutes. Very delicious as an afternoon tea snack. I toast the bread lightly and it is perfect. Next time I think I’ll experiment with fresh herbs and perhaps some chopped marinated olives. I made also try the cheese slices in place of shredded cheese. Good recipe!!
Nagi says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Sarita! I’m impressed that you were able to amend the recipe so well and I love the flavourings you used!
DP says
Can you leave out the cheese? I’m trying it now and I made the whole recipe realizing i had no cheese :(. I know sad right? Now I’m hoping I can just leave it out. thoughts? Thanks
Nagi says
Hi DP sorry I missed you making this 🙁 It will still be nice without cheese – herb and garlic – but not quite the same! I’d add more salt, more garlic and more herbs to make up for it 🙂
Amy says
“I can’t believe I just wrote that. How embarrassing. Well, now that I’ve started, why stop – here’s something even more embarrassing. Once when I was making a big batch of pizza dough, I wore stilettos in the kitchen just to make the kneading easier.”
As a fellow short person this made me laugh so much hahaha. In a similar cooking embarrassment theme I used to wear my old university laboratory safety glasses whilst chopping onions and they mostly helped.
Ah, the things we do for a recipe.
Nagi says
BA HA HA!!! OK, so here’s the thing – I wear contacts so I can chop onions without suffering. If I didn’t, I would TOTALLY wear lab glasses!!!
Maria says
Hi, This recipe looks amazing!
Can you make it with sundries tomato and herbs without the cheese?
I was wondering if you have a bread without yeast with wholemeal flour.
I love your website!! I never go wrong with your recipes ??????
I always make your one pot orzo??
Maria
Nagi says
Hi Maria! Yes it will work fine with the tomato and herbs though you will miss that cheesy stretch in the photo 🙂 I haven’t made this with yeast free bread. I’m so glad you enjoy my recipes, thanks for letting me know!
Shirl says
Thank you for this recipe. My family loved the taste and I will certainly be making it again. It’s much quicker and easier than using yeast and the texture was not dry like some non-yeast bread recipes.
Being tiny myself, I appreciate your thinking of your vertically challenged fans.
Nagi says
BA HA HA!!!! So glad to hear from fellow shorties like myself!!! 🙂 N x
Kristin Cha says
Question : For the herbs, do you use one tbs for each of the hers listed?
Nagi says
Hi Kristin! Just use 4 tbsp in total of whichever herbs you want – you can choose!
Kristin says
Thanks so much! Making this tomorrow for our bible study:)
The Hungry Mum says
I am my own worst enemy, visiting your blog when I am fasting. What I wouldn’t give for a slice of this cheesy bread…
Nagi says
OMG, I feel your pain. My diet is forever starting tomorrow….
DANIELLA says
I MADE IT FEW TIMES ALREADY! BKZ IM IN BRAZIL I EXCHANGED THE BUTTERMILK FOR PLAIN YOGURT. (they dont have it here). IT WORKS VERY WELL.
FIRST BREAD I MADE IT AS THE RECIPE. THE SECOND I ADD OLIVES & SAUSAGE. & TODAY I AM GONNA ADD CHICKEN. 🙂 I LOVE YOUR RECIPIES & THIS ONE HAS TO COME THE WKNDS. 🙂
Nagi says
YAY!!! So glad you enjoyed this Daniella – and thank you SO MUCH for coming back to let me know!! N x
kathy w says
I made this a couple weeks ago and will again tonight. I’ve tried several no yeast bread recipes. This is the best! And it’s so easy. Making for some friends tonight since I know it’s so good.
Nagi says
Fantastic to hear Kathy! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know! N x
Kelly says
Oh my. This turned out SO WELL. So, so, soooo well. I absolutely adored it. I was really in a crunch with what to bring to a pot-luck gathering and was cursing myself for not having any yeast. But this really saved me and was such a hit. I was even asked for the recipe which is always a good sign (and the person kept asking when I forgot to send it that night).
I had it plain but it would be amazing with butter and a little bit warm. Maybe with some pumpkin soup or potato and leek soup.
Fantastic work, I can’t wait to try out some other recipes!!!
Nagi says
That’s wonderful Kelly! I’m so glad you enjoyed this and thank you for coming back to let me know! 🙂 N x
Misty Esterline says
I used 1 tsp each of the following dried ingredients: ground sage, cilantro leaved, basil, ground bay leaved, dill weed & parsley. I also used lactose free milk with vinegar instead of buttermilk & 1 cup worth of a combination of feta cheese chunks & shredded mild cheddar & Monterrey jack cheese. I’ve never had any luck making homemade bread but this was so easy & it turned out just wonderfully. I will definitely make it again & might try my hand at swapping the herbs & cheese for sweet ingredients like raisins & cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, brown sugar & vanilla. 🙂
Nagi says
Oooh, I love that Misty! Thanks so much for sharing what you did! <3 N x
Anishaa says
NAGIIII, this is the first recipe i tried from your website (confession- normally i stare at the food drooling away and then get lazy)… My family loved it! i used dry herbs and the typical Indian Amul cheese, and it was delicious! More cake like than bread, but yummm… And beautiful! The white cheese oozing out had everyone(my dad specially) breaking off pieces before I could even wait for it to cool n slice it! Wanted to try it with your honey lemon chicken but we settled for a everything-in-the-fridge frittata! 😛
Nagi says
Thanks for your lovely message Anishaa! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! N x
Anishaa says
oh i also used 50% whole wheat and threw in a variety of seeds to feel better about all the cheese!
Miho says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I love the combination of garlic, cheese, and herbs. I also especially love how quick and easy this is to make.
Nagi says
Thank you Miho! I am so glad you enjoyed it!!! N x
Summer says
Thank you for this amazing recipe!! Best bread I’ve had in ages!!! Just wondering if I can leave out the cheese as my son hates cheese? Thanks!
Nagi says
Hi Summer! So glad you enjoyed it! And yes you can definitely leave out the cheese! 🙂 I would add a bit more herb & garlic though, to make up for loss of flavour by omitting the cheese!
Summer says
Thanks for the prompt reply! I officially have a baking crush on you lol. Made this with leftover pesto omitting the cheese and sprinkled with bacon. It was divine! Thanks for the great blog 🙂
Nagi says
OOOH! Bacon! I should totally share a bacon version of this!!!!