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
Can I use white whole wheat flour in this recipe?
Hi Laurie, you could definitely try 1/2 all-purpose and 1/2 whole wheat flour. The bread will taste heavier. We do not recommend using all whole wheat flour.
Dangerously good. I’m grateful we made this for a dinner party otherwise I fear I would have eaten the whole loaf by myself. The flavor to time spent cooking ratio is also off the charts. This bread was everyone’s universal favorite for a meal that was already delicious. We saved two pieces of bread and are going to use it for a savory “French toast” concept.
I made this today as mini muffins for a get-together tomorrow. I’ve already eaten several because they’re so good. After all, I had to make sure they were okay. 😉 Only thing I changed (because I didn’t have enough Asiago) is used Asiago and Sharp Cheddar. Next time I’ll make sure I have enough Asiago but these turned out lovely. Tender and delicious. Super easy to make. I got 5 1/2 dozen mini muffins from the recipe. I WILL be making these again! Thanks for another great recipe!
Excellent recipe! I made it with sun dried tomatoes, a mixture of provolone and Parmesan, and pepperoni. Buttery and cheesy and tasted like a biscuit. It was done at 46 minutes and I covered with about 20 minutes left. So good! Sally’s does it again!
Do you think these would turn out ok in a mini muffin pan? I am hosting a brunch with Quiche, salad and fruit. I thought these would be great as a side . Thanks so much!
Hi Theresa, definitely! For mini muffins, we’d recommend baking for about 12-14 minutes. Use a toothpick to test for doneness. Let us know how they turn out for you!
Amazing recipe – thank you! I made a cheddar, corn, basil bread. Found it didn’t need the full 50 minutes ( toothpick came out clean at 43 min). Will definitely make again, highly recommend’
Decadent! It was extremely fast and easy to make. I had used up most of my Asiago cheese so about a half a cup was shaker style Parmesan cheese.It was amazing to smell as it baked! It was almost like a combination of cornbread in texture but flavorful like a great pizza. Thus bread would be perfect alone with butter or olive oil. It’d be great paired with pasta, chili or any meat dish.
Thank you very much for providing me with a truly fabulous recipe!
I baked as muffins with liner papers but the muffins stuck to the liner papers. The taste was good but want to avoid sticking in the future. Ideas?
Hi Caitlin! Usually using high-quality liners will fix this issue, otherwise, you can try spraying the liners with a little nonstick spray before filling next time.
Oh my goodness, Sally! Why are you doing this to me? If you’re going to give us such fantastic recipes, surely you’re going to have to get us gym memberships too! Made this today and it was a warm, fuzzy hug on a cold winter evening.
Is there any way to convert this to a recipe for a bread machine? Would love to save on some dishes 🙂
Delicious! Made just as recipe said, except supermarket doesn’t sell Asiago, so substituted 1/2 smoked paprika cheese and 1 cup of Parmesan cheese. Taste like a savoury biscuit in loaf form! Almost like Red Lobster biscuits I dare say Next time I would just add more sun dried tomatoes to fit my preference. Thanks Sally!
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!
I’ve made this bread 3 times now. The first time I did it as muffins, but thought they were a bit dry. The 2nd time I used a loaf pan and it turned out fantastic. The 3rd time I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten free 1 to 1 flour and again it was delicious!
I switched up the add-ins and used sharp cheddar, dried oregano and Italian seasoning, pepperoni, olives, and jalapenos – this was incredible and had a great pizza flavor! We loved the slices toasted in the oven and served with tomato basil soup. The bread was so easy to make and I look forward to trying the original asiago/sundried tomato version.
This was absolutely delicious and super easy to make. It tasted so great on its own but also with a chive and onion cream cheese spread on it. I used salted butter since that’s all I had and I didn’t bother reducing the salt content of the recipe and it still turned out tasting great and could honestly be eaten on its own even without the spread on top. It is the first time I’ve made quick bread and it’s more of like a cake/cornbread consistency (which you can tell from the pics) rather than a solid loaf bread but it’s still absolutely delicious and easy to make. Would totally make again. I used a tub of dry Parmesan cheese instead of Asiago since that’s what they had at the store and I ended up using like half a cup of basil since I had lots available. Next time I wouldn’t mind using even more basil, and maybe adding some fresh garlic too to give it even more flavor. Overall it tasted super good. I also put some flaky salt on top just because I had it available. It probably didn’t need the extra salt but it still all tasted great.
Just made this for dinner with 4 different kinds of cheese and it was extremely good!
After a long time, I came back to baking and tried this recipe today .Absolutely loved it !I replaced tomatoes with corn and bell peppers and used half the cheese but still it came out very well. I also put a mix of thyme , rosemary garlic and cilantro for flavour. Thank you so much for this recipe. It paired well with tomato soup.
Hi Sally,
I have an abundance of red and yellow pear tomatoes from a bumper crop this year. Wondering if I can use them in this recipe straight from the garden, or would I have to dry them first? This bread looks amazing!
Hi Anne, if they’re overly wet, we’d recommend blotting them to remove any excess moisture before using. Hope you enjoy the bread!
Love all your recipes
Loved this savory quick bread, as did our visiting family members! I had gruyere on hand, so I substituted that for the asiago. Delish, and I will definitely be making this again! Thanks!
can I substitute the butter for olive oil?
Hi Ghadeer, butter is essential to this recipe – solid butter cut into the dry ingredients gives this bread its fluffy texture.
A great addition to my sweeter quick bread/muffin repertoire. Living in a house full of serious cornbread lovers, I subbed some of the flour for various grinds of cornmeal. I choose sharp cheddar and added jalapeno to the sundried tomato. I baked in a 12 inch, preheated cast iron skillet for thin, crispy, crunchy bread. The smell had the whole family full of anticipation. Both texture and flavor hit big on all cylinders. Thumbs up all around from a gaggle diehard cornbread aficionados.
So very delicious! We absolutely love this bread. Thank you for sharing!
This bread was interesting to make. I wondered when do I add the yeast? Regardless, it was delicious! We like things spicy so I used Colby Jack cheese and hot pepper. My family agreed it was delicious. They loved the biscuit type texture. It was moist and the flavors were just right. Going to try it with bacon next time! Maybe breakfast bread?
Hi Barb, we’re so glad you and your family enjoyed this bread. It’s a quick bread recipe — so no yeast needed! Let us know if you give a breakfast version a try. Have fun experimenting!
First time to make a savory quick bread loaf. This is a great recipe. I saw the recipe and had to try it right then! It was late so I used what I had in the kitchen. I used corn and green chilies to replace the roasted red peppers and what was left of the block of a block of cheddar. Not as much as the recipe called for. Other than those substitutions I kept the recipe the same. It was lovely. I will be making again, and next time I think I might use a little chili powder and cumin, maybe…? Thank you for this recipe!
I cannot describe how delicious this bread is. I am trying to fit into an old suit for a wedding soon, and I’m pretty sure this bread is a conspiracy to have me eat like 3 loaves per week and go the complete other way.
The Asiago cheese is perfect with the quick bread crumbly bread. All those savory flavors were just perfect.
My family has demanded I make this again soon.
I’ve never made a savory bread before, so this was new to me, but everyone loved it and it was gone quick. I used both parsley and basil (I couldn’t decide between the two so I went with both), sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, freshly minced garlic, and shredded asiago. I found it tasted best dipped in extra virgin olive oil as an appetizer since it felt a bit dry alone (others thought it was perfect by itself so it was really personal preference). I had it warm when the crust was crispy and the inside was soft… absolutely delicious, and I can’t wait to try other herbs and add-ins!
Bake it a few minutes less next time and it won’t be dry.
Another slam dunk for Sally!
I have to say that I’m super impressed with this bread as well as other recipes that my wife has also found on this site.
We have recommended this site to quite a few of our friends.
Well done and thanks!
Delicious! I made the recipe as written, but as muffins instead of a loaf. My house smelled amazing as they cooked, and they tasted great!
Can this be made with a 1/3 of the amount in dried basil? We cannot get fresh basil anywhere during the winter where I live.
Hi Karen! If using dried basil, reduce down to 1 teaspoon.
Hi, can I use heavy cream instead of buttermilk? I can’t wait to try this recipe
Hi Michelle, buttermilk is required for this recipe. If needed, you can use a buttermilk substitute. See recipe notes for more details.
This was so yummy beside dinner tonight! It’s flavorful and tender, and quite addicting. We’re eating the second half of the loaf with eggs for breakfast tomorrow!