This savory quick bread is a flavorful and cheesy herbed quick bread, which means it’s made without yeast. You’ll cut cold butter into dry ingredients, which is the same technique used to make scones, pie crust, and biscuits—this helps promise a deliciously flaky exterior. I usually make it with asiago or parmesan cheese and fresh basil and parsley. Use your favorite cheeses, herbs, and even swap out the sun-dried tomatoes for corn, olives, bacon, and more. See flavor options below.
I originally published this recipe in 2021 and have since added new photos and more success tips.
A savory bake, but without a big time commitment! You’ll appreciate that this versatile recipe delivers big as a bread and that there’s no dough rising or overly complicated steps required.
One reader, Megan, commented: “This might be my favorite bread recipe of yours! All of your recipes are so good so it’s a tough call, but this bread is delicious!! It was so quick and easy to make. And heavenly to eat! I am making this again! ★★★★★”
Savory Quick Bread Details
- Flavor: The flavor in today’s bread can really be whatever you make it. The batter is very forgiving and we’ve tried it with plenty of add-ins including bacon, olives, feta cheese, and more. The base flavor is buttery and savory, with a hint of fresh pepper and garlic (feel free to add more!). Nutty parmesan or asiago cheese fits right in if you want to try either of those first.
- Texture: It may be difficult to wrap your head around a savory quick bread, especially when you’re used to banana bread and orange cranberry bread. But despite its loaf shape, this quick bread isn’t really like either. The bread’s crumb is more similar to cornbread—though there’s no cornmeal in the batter—and its exterior reminds me of biscuits or scones. It’s soft, moist, and slightly dense.
- Ease: This is a quick and easy recipe, but the butter step could be new to some beginner bakers. A pastry cutter or food processor makes this step quicker and more manageable.
Plus, it’s wonderful as a side dish for most dinners including soup, chili, chicken meatballs, lemon salmon, and more.
Recipe Testing This Savory Quick Bread
When I began working on this recipe back in 2021, I started by using olive oil as the fat in the batter. The resulting texture was too cake-like—honestly, it was just a confusing piece of bread because the texture screamed “sweet!” but the flavor was salty. It didn’t go over well with many taste testers, either. I tried melted butter, but the results were mediocre at best—still a lot of that contradicting flavor and texture.
Like a salty piece of cake. It was odd!
*Cut in Cold Butter: Using the same amount of butter but adding it in a different way was the fix the bread (and all of us!) craved. The texture had an instant improvement. Oh, the magic of butter. Make sure it’s extra cold and work the butter into the dry ingredients until coarse crumbs form, just like we do with pie crust and biscuits.
Here are all of the ingredients you need for the pictured loaf:
After you cut the butter into the dry ingredients, mix in the cheese and add-ins (I use sun-dried tomatoes), then mix in your wet ingredients. The batter is thick, chunky, and sticky. You cannot bake this batter on a baking sheet because it’s quite loose. For a savory drop biscuit with similar flavors, try my zucchini biscuits.
(And for other pan options, see the recipe Notes below.)
Since first publishing the recipe in 2021, one tweak I’ve added is pouring a bit of melted butter over the batter before baking. This is something I picked up after working on a beer bread recipe for my cookbook Sally’s Baking 101.
It adds the most delightful crisp-crunchy exterior:
You can bake this bread in a 9×5-inch loaf pan or an 8.5×4.5-inch loaf pan (what I used here).
Flavor Options
Think of this bread as having 3 add-ins including (1) cheese, (2) herbs, and (3) extras like sun-dried tomatoes. You can swap and substitute your favorites as long as you stick with the base recipe including buttermilk, eggs, flour, baking powder & soda, sugar, salt & pepper, and cold butter. Here are some variations:
- Herbs: I recommend 1/4 cup of chopped fresh basil and parsley here, but feel free to substitute your favorite herb. If you’re using a fresh herb that isn’t leafy (such as rosemary or thyme), reduce the amount to 1 Tablespoon. If using dried herbs, reduce to 1 teaspoon.
- Shredded Cheese: Asiago cheese is a favorite here (and in asiago-crusted skillet bread), but I also love this batter with parmesan cheese, crumbled feta cheese, sharp cheddar, white cheddar, gouda, and pepper jack. Avoid super-soft cheeses. You can leave out the cheese if you’d like, but you’ll lose some flavor. If skipping the cheese, add extras like another few Tablespoons of chopped sun-dried tomatoes or any of the other options described in Extras next.
- Extras: I stick with 1/3 cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes because this amount adds enough flavor without overpowering the bread. If you want to use other extras, you could definitely increase that amount to about 3/4–1 cup and use chopped or sliced olives, corn (cooked or canned, and if using frozen, thaw first), finely chopped pepperoni, or chopped cooked bacon. 1 finely diced jalapeño is another great option and would pair wonderfully with cheddar cheese and 1 Tablespoon of fresh oregano as the herb. I haven’t tested this with wetter additions like roasted red peppers, but if you do, use about 1/2 cup chopped and pat it dry with a towel before adding to the batter.
Any of these extras would be great in these savory ham and cheese scones, too!
For a yeasted bread using similar flavors, try this rosemary garlic pull apart bread or this homemade cheese bread. Both have been extremely popular.
Print
Savory Cheese Quick Bread
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This is a cheesy savory quick bread made without yeast. We usually make it as written, but you can use your favorite cheeses, herbs, and even swap out the sun-dried tomatoes for corn, olives, chopped cooked bacon, and more. See flavor options described above.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240ml) cold buttermilk*
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon (12g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup (6g) chopped fresh basil or parsley (or 2 Tbsp each)
- 5 Tablespoons (71g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 and 1/2 cups (190g) shredded asiago or parmesan cheese*
- 1/3 cup (50g) chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes*
- optional for topping: 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9×5-inch or 8.5×4.5-inch loaf pan with butter or nonstick spray.
- Whisk the buttermilk and eggs together until combined.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, garlic powder, sugar, salt, pepper, and basil/parsley together in a large bowl or pulse together in a large food processor. Add the cubed butter and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or by pulsing several times in the processor. Cut/pulse until coarse crumbs form. If you used a food processor, pour the mixture into a large bowl.
- Stir in the cheese and sun-dried tomatoes until combined, then pour in the buttermilk mixture and stir to combine. Batter is thick, chunky, and sticky.
- Pour/spread batter into prepared pan. Pour melted butter evenly over the top, if using. (Adds wonderful flavor and texture on the final bread.)
- Bake for about 50–60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Start checking at about 45 minutes. If using an 8.5×4.5-inch pan, the bake time is closer to 60 minutes. Halfway through bake time, if you notice the top is quickly browning, tent a piece of aluminum foil over the loaf pan to help the bread bake more evenly.
- Cool bread in the pan set on a cooling rack for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving, or cool completely in the pan.
- Cover leftovers tightly and store bread at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Baked and cooled bread freezes well up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×5-inch Loaf Pan or 8.5×4.5-inch Loaf Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Food Processor | Pastry Cutter | Silicone Spatula | Cooling Rack
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is required for this recipe. You can make your own DIY buttermilk substitute by measuring 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar in a measuring glass. Add enough milk (whole milk is best—lower-fat or nondairy milks work in a pinch, but the baked good won’t taste as moist or rich) in the same measuring glass to reach 1 cup. Stir it and let sit for 5 minutes. The soured milk will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in your recipe.
- Garlic: Feel free to skip the garlic powder and replace with 3 cloves of minced garlic.
- Do not leave out the sugar. You really need it to balance out the robust salty and savory flavors; the flavor is quite flat without it.
- Cheese & Herbs: For other flavor options such as a replacement for the asiago cheese or if you want to use dried herbs or other fresh herbs, see details above.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Use sun-dried tomatoes that are packed in oil. Drain before using. No need to pat dry, but try to avoid getting a lot of excess oil in the batter. We found dry sun-dried tomatoes dried out the texture of the bread.
- Muffins or Other Size Pans: Feel free to bake this batter in a greased or lined muffin pan to yield about 12 muffins. Prepare batter as directed, then use the same baking instructions as banana muffins. (Steps 1 and 3.) You can also bake this batter in a greased 9-inch square baking pan or a seasoned 9-inch or 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Bake time at 350°F (177°C) is at least 25 minutes, but use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Reader Comments and Reviews
This recipe was easy to bake and the directions were easy to follow. I just didn’t love the final product. I made the recipe as is, but I think I would have liked it better with rosemary instead of basil. The texture was also just a little different than what I expected in combination with the flavors; I would have preferred more of a biscuit texture.
I was a little hesitant about making this recipe, because I love the sweet quick breads so much that I thought a savory one might be a little odd. I was wrong! This bread is delicious and very easy to make. I followed the recipe exactly, adding asiago, fresh basil, and sundried tomato. When my husband took a bite he said, “Oh, heavens this is good.” I will definitely make this again and can’t wait to try it with cheddar cheese and jalapeno!
I made this over the weekend and, as usual with any of your recipes, it was a hit. I used the food processor and I have to say the recipe was so easy to come together. I used gruyere and mini pepperoni slices since no one wanted the sun dried tomatoes. Next time I’m going to use mozzarella and proscuitto. Thank you for a great recipe.
Another fabulously delicious recipe! So easy, savory, tender, not dense at all, I can’t wait to try other flavor combinations!
This recipe is quick and easy. The flavors are robust! If you’re looking for a special hostess gift, I highly recommend this recipe.
I saw this recipe today and had to make it – made exactly as printed with asiago and sundried tomatoes…absolutely amazing…was only sorry it’s so hot here and can’t have this with a big bowl of soup – good fall recipe
This was really delicious and came together quickly. I used a mix of parmesan and mozzarella in place of the Asiago and sautéed green bell pepper and pepperoni in place of the tomato. I also added some red pepper flake and oregano to boost the Italian flavor.
Super easy to make and the flavor is amazing! I didn’t have a pastry cutter or food processor so I used a fork and my hands instead. It worked just as well!
Delicious recipe! I made my own sun-dried tomatoes for this and it was baked perfectly at 47 minutes! Will definitely be making this again for dinners.
Yum, yum! This is soooooo good, thanks for another winning recipe!
I did have to sub aged Swiss for the Asiago though since I couldn’t find any in our little podunk town. LOL!!
Ohhh man this was so good and quick to make! As suggested, I subbed the garlic powder for some garlic cloves which made all the difference and made it so fragrant along with the fresh parsley and basil. I only had dry sun-dried tomatoes so I soaked them in advance and they turned out great! The bread was super soft and delicious and the whole family loved it!
What a great easy recipe! Smells so good in here! I used cracked pepper aged cheddar and Mrs Dash mixed with fresh basil and sundried tomatoes. Thanks!
Delicious and different! I loved the texture of this bread and it was so flavorful. I didn’t taste as much of the cheese as I thought I would, but it’s still definitely a great recipe. I can see how it would be very flexible in terms of the add-ins. I may try something different next time, but I really loved the recipe as written too.
I used corn and parmisan for mine and it was delicious! I also picked fresh herbs from the community garden too! This turned out so well! Fluffy, buttery and satisfying!
This was delicious and flavorful! I followed the recipe exactly as written (at 5300’ elevation no less!), using a mix of fresh parsley and basil. It took about 48 minutes in the oven. Thanks for a great recipe!
I couldn’t find Asiago at my grocery store so I substituted parmesan (based on what I read in the comments). This bread was absolutely delicious! It was so moist and flavourful! My boyfriend devoured most of it! It was also very easy to make. Definitely a recipe I will make again.
This turned out beautifully even with all my non dairy substitutes including using violife aged cheddar.
I forgot to add the sugar but it still turned out awesome. I will try it with the sugar next time to see what it tastes like. My 7 year old won’t eat the sundried tomatoes so I will try other add-ins next time but wanted to try the original recipe first. Loved it!
Packed with flavor! My parsley and basil pots were overflowing so this was a great way to use them. If you grow your own herbs, this recipe is a great find. Less than two hours to delicious, flavorful bread!
My oregano pot is now overflowing so I’ll be trying the jalapeño cheddar variation next!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! It was absolutely delicious! I did the same flavorings except swapped cheddar cheese for the asiago. I will definitely be making this again!
What an easy, delicious recipe! I used sun-dried tomatoes, sharp cheddar, rosemary, and a dash of red pepper flakes for a kick. The bread is amazing and I’m in love with how fluffy the center is.
Super easy recipe to follow and make. It turned out perfectly. However, my husband and I did not care for it. The texture is a bit crumbly and it just doesn’t seem to go well with other foods. It’s just personal preference though; the recipe was not at fault.
Savory goodness! It was easy to make and delicious to eat.
I love this combination. I used a combination of Asiago and a local, bandaged Cheddar. Half parsley, half basil. I made them in mini loaf pans. So good. Thank you. I know I’ll make this again and again.
Oh wow, this bread came out tasting absolutely incredible! I couldn’t find asiago cheese at any of my local supermarkets so I used authentic parmesan instead – the whole family loved it!
This bread is so delicious! I used fresh parsley and oh my, it was a heavenly combination. I have never been more impressed with a bread that doesn’t use yeast. It was fluffy and very savory!
Amazing recipe! For mine, I used 1 tsp dried basil, 50 g diced sun dried tomatoes, and 190 g shredded mozzarella cheese. It turned out amazing! It had a light and fluffy texture but still had a rich and cheesy flavor. Super easy recipe that I will definitely make again. Wonderful bread my whole family loved!
I made this quick bread today and it was delicious! I couldn’t find Asiago cheese and used sharp cheddar instead and it was delicious! I also added some chopped prosciutto and it made the bread extra tasty. Thank you for the challenge and recipe!
The bread was delicious! I used fresh basil and thyme and swapped the sun dried tomatoes out for bacon! I cooked them in four mini loaf pans for sharing, and they turned out wonderful!
Just pulled this delicious bread out of the oven. I followed the directions exactly (except omitted the garlic because of allergy) and it came together beautifully. The pepper gives it a bit of a kick. One note….do warn your taste testers that it is a savory loaf. I laughed out loud at the expression on my husband’s face after his first bite. He expected it to be sweet but he did like it after that.