Description

This Cheese, Garlic and Herb Quick Bread is a flavorful and moist loaf packed with melted cheese and fresh herb swirls. Perfect as a savory snack or a side for any meal, it combines fresh rosemary, parsley, oregano, thyme, and garlic in a rich batter made with yogurt, eggs, and butter. The bread bakes to a golden crust with random ribbons of cheddar cheese throughout for a deliciously cheesy experience.

Ingredients

Scale

Cheese

7 oz block cheddar or tasty cheese, sliced 3mm thick with varying widths

Herb and Garlic Swirl

2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely grated
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp cooking salt or kosher salt (halve if using fine table salt)

Dry Ingredients

2 1/4 cups plain flour (all-purpose flour)
1 tsp baking soda (can substitute 3 1/2 tsp baking powder)
3/4 tsp cooking salt or kosher salt (halve for table salt)

Wet Ingredients

1/2 cup plain yogurt, Greek or regular (full fat, unsweetened)
3/4 cup full fat milk (low fat acceptable)
2 large eggs (~50-55g each)
3 1/2 tbsp (50g) unsalted butter, melted
2 tbsp olive oil
2 small garlic cloves, crushed or grated

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Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F (both fan and standard ovens work).
Prepare Loaf Tin: Lightly grease a 21 x 11 x 7 cm (8.3 x 4.5 x 2.75 inch) loaf pan with butter or oil spray and line it with baking parchment for easy removal.
Make Herb and Garlic Swirl: Combine finely chopped rosemary, parsley, dried oregano, dried thyme, crushed garlic, olive oil, and salt in a small bowl until thick and dollop-able.
Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the plain flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl ensuring they are evenly combined.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the yogurt, milk, eggs, melted butter, olive oil, and crushed garlic until smooth.
Combine Batter: Create a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix gently until just combined to avoid overmixing.
Layer Batter and Herb Swirl: Pour one-third of the batter into the loaf pan, then dollop one-third of the herb mixture over the top. Use a knife to swirl the herbs into the batter by moving the knife up and down and turning the batter over. Push one-third of the cheese slices randomly into the batter, some fully submerged and some sticking out.
Repeat Layers: Repeat the layering with the remaining batter, herb mixture, and cheese slices two more times, creating three layers in total.
Bake Bread: Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until the top is golden. Cover the bread loosely with foil and continue baking for another 20 minutes, totaling 50 minutes baking time.
Check Doneness and Cool: Insert a skewer into the center; it should come out clean. Allow the bread to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack. Cool at least another 10 minutes before slicing thickly. Optionally serve with butter.

Notes

Cheese can be pre-sliced but thicker slices create more visible cheese ribbons.
Shredded cheese (2 cups tightly packed or 200g) can be used by mixing into batter just before baking.
Recommended cheeses: colby, cheddar, tasty. Avoid mozzarella as it lacks sufficient salt and flavor for this recipe.
Herb substitutions: use 1 tbsp dried mixed herbs instead of fresh or swap with 1/3 to 1/2 cup pesto.
For quicker prep, blitz herbs with a stick blender (excluding garlic) to create a finer herb swirl. Add extra olive oil to loosen if needed.
The 21 x 11 x 7 cm pan size is ideal; larger pans yield flatter loaves but still work fine.
Store bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days; afterward keep refrigerated and toast to refresh.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 250 kcal
Sugar: 2 g
Sodium: 350 mg
Fat: 15 g
Saturated Fat: 7 g
Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 20 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 8 g
Cholesterol: 60 mg